2024 VISITOR ECONOMY FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY DEMONSTRATES COMPLEXITY AND RESILIENCE GENERATING $2.65 BILLION IN SPENDING DESPITE HURRICANE HELENE'S CHALLENGES

Visitors to Buncombe County Delivered a Total of $2.65 Billion in Direct Spending to a Wide Variety of Local Businesses in 2024

Domestic and international visitors to and within Buncombe County spent $2.65 billion in 2024, reflecting the significant challenges faced following Hurricane Helene's uneven impact on the region in late September. The data comes from an annual Tourism Economic study commissioned by Visit NC, part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

“We all know 2024 presented unprecedented challenges for our travel and hospitality community due to Hurricane Helene --- and recognize that the resilience and determination of our community has been remarkable," said Vic Isley, president & CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. "The $2.65 billion in visitor spending, demonstrates just how layered and complex our recovering story is. As we continue our recovery efforts, we're seeing encouraging signs of visitor confidence returning, and we remain committed to supporting our local businesses and workforce as we rebuild stronger than before going into fall and holiday season this year.”

Tourism Impact Highlights for 2024

• The travel and hospitality industry employed 18,377 people in Buncombe County, representing 8% of the state's tourism workforce.
• Total payroll generated by the travel and hospitality industry in Buncombe County was $609 million, down from nearly $1 billion previously.
• State tax revenue generated in Buncombe County totaled $116.5 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $103 million in local taxes were generated from occupancy, sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.
• Buncombe County represents 7.2% of North Carolina's total visitor spending.

Visitor Spending by Category in Buncombe County

These statistics come from the "Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2024," which can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.

Statewide, visitor spending in 2024 rose 3.1 percent to reach a record $36.7 billion. Direct tourism employment increased 1.4 percent to 230,338.

"The study confirms the strength of North Carolina's tourism industry," said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. "The fact of spending growth, even in the headwinds of Hurricane Helene, underscores the industry's vitality and the appeal of our destinations and the authentic cultural, recreational and culinary experiences that travelers find rewarding."

Tuttell noted that while the data includes the three months of 2024 that followed the storm, the study's timing, methodology and purpose are not intended to be an evaluation of storm impact on visitation or spending, but a gauge of the overall health of the visitor economy for 2024.

"It's certainly an indication of where the effects were felt," he said, "but given the complexities of the tourism industry and the timeframe of this research, we need to resist the temptation to view the data as a definitive report of the storm's economic impact. As travelers return, we will celebrate the resiliency behind the mountain recovery efforts that fortify the industry and underscore its value to our workforce, our businesses and our tax base."

North Carolina Tourism Facts

• Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $36.7 billion in 2024. That sum represents a 3.1% increase over 2023 expenditures.
• Domestic travelers spent a record $35.6 billion in 2024. Spending was up 2.7% from $34.6 billion in 2023.
• International travelers spent $1.2 billion in 2024, up 16.5% from the previous year.
• Visitors to North Carolina generated nearly $4.6 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2024. The total represents a 2.9% increase from 2023.
• State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 1.1% to nearly $1.4 billion in 2024.
• Local tax receipts grew 4.3% to nearly $1.3 billion.
• Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 1.4% to 230,338.
• Direct tourism payroll increased 2.6% to $9.5 billion.
• Visitors spend more than $100 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.3 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.6 million in local taxes).
• Each North Carolina household saved $593 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $242.