Study: 2018 tourism up in all NC counties despite Florence impact
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WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Hurricane Florence can’t keep North Carolina down.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced that our state saw record visitor spending in 2018 with increases in all 100 counties.
The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina.
Domestic visitors spent a record $25.3 billion statewide in 2018. That’s an increase of 5.6% from the previous year.
The survey says visitor expenditures directly supported more than 230,000 jobs and generated more than $6.3 billion in payroll income.
Many of our area counties saw a significant increase with Brunswick County in the top 10 statewide at 6.5%.
New Hanover County followed close behind with 6%.
Bladen County was not much farther with 5.7%.
Pender and Columbus counties nearly tied with 4.8% and 4.7% respectively.
“North Carolina’s tourism industry set a new record last year in visitor spending despite the effects of the storms,” Gov. Cooper said in a news statement. “This is a testament to the lasting beauty of our state and the determination of our people.”