North Carolina has set a new record for tourism spending, with visitors contributing over $36.7 billion to the state’s economy in 2024. This surpasses the previous record of $35.6 billion set in 2023, despite challenges posed by Hurricane Helene.
Governor Josh Stein highlighted the significance of these figures during National Travel and Tourism Week, noting that “North Carolina is a fantastic place to visit.” He emphasized the resilience of Piedmont and coastal destinations in supporting tourism growth while acknowledging ongoing recovery efforts in western North Carolina.
The state’s tourism workforce grew by 1.4 percent to 230,338 jobs last year, with payroll increasing by 2.6 percent to $9.5 billion. State and local governments benefitted from nearly $2.7 billion in tax revenues generated by visitor spending.
These preliminary findings come from research commissioned by Visit North Carolina and conducted by Tourism Economics, which used data from various sources including the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and AirDNA.
Later this year, a supplemental report will provide more detailed regional insights into the impact of Hurricane Helene on western North Carolina’s tourism economy.
With nearly 40 million visitors annually, North Carolina ranks as the fifth most visited state behind California, Florida, Texas, and New York. The state also saw a significant increase in international visitation with over 900,000 travelers spending nearly $1.2 billion—a rise of 16.5 percent from the previous year.
Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley stated that “tourism means jobs for more than 50,000 small businesses” across all counties in North Carolina. The average household benefits from an estimated $593 savings due to tax revenues generated by tourism activities.
Visit NC continues its mission to position North Carolina as a top destination for leisure travel and other events through marketing initiatives aimed at attracting visitors both domestically and internationally.
