RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF News) – Big spending by tourists in North Carolina last year, that from new numbers out from state officials.
Travelers spent more than $37.2 billion on trips to and within the state, surpassing the previous record of $36.7 billion set in 2024.
“North Carolina remains a great place to visit from our beautiful shore to our breathtaking mountains,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Even in the face of challenges from Hurricane Helene recovery last year, we saw record visitor spending – proof that people want to be here and experience all our state has to offer. From one end of the state to the other, tourism is helping to support jobs, sustain small businesses, and keep our economy moving forward.”
Stein’s announcement coincides with National Travel and Tourism Week through May 9, when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to underscore the value of travel to the economy, businesses, communities, and personal well-being. The state’s Welcome Centers are hosting activities throughout the week.
In February, Stein visited several of North Carolina’s six ski resorts to highlight the mountains that make North Carolina the Winter Capital of the South. The state’s ski industry generates more than $244 million annually and attracts more than 780,000 visitors each year. Last year, Governor Stein and First Lady Anna Stein launched the “Rediscover the Unforgettable” tourism initiative to encourage travel to western North Carolina to spark local economies. In March, Governor Stein released his third Hurricane Helene recovery state budget proposal that includes funds to support and revitalize western North Carolina’s tourism program.
The state’s tourism-supported workforce increased 0.3% to 230,997 jobs in 2025. Tourism payroll increased 3.5% to $9.8 billion. Also as a result of visitor spending, state and local governments saw tax revenues of more than $2.7 billion.
The figures are preliminary findings from research commissioned by Visit North Carolina, part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), and conducted by Tourism Economics. In measuring the economic value of the travel sector, the research incorporates a broad range of data sources to ensure that the entire visitor economy is quantified in detail. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OmniTrak visitor profiles, the U.S. Census, STR, AirDNA, and KeyData lodging reports and the North Carolina Department of Revenue are among the sources included in this comprehensive model. More information about the study can be found online at visitnc.com/industry/research/economic-impact-studies, which also links to archived reports dating to 2005.
North Carolina ranks No. 7 in domestic visitation behind California, Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. In addition to 2025’s spending by domestic travelers, North Carolina also saw spending of more than $1.1 billion from international markets (down 2.8% from 2024).
“Residents of all 100 North Carolina counties benefit from the money that visitors spend,” said NC Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “From our smallest towns to our largest cities, tourism means jobs for nearly 50,000 small businesses and our first-in-talent workforce.”
Secretary Lilley notes that as a result of travelers’ contributions to state and local tax revenue, North Carolina households average $605 in yearly savings.
NC tourism facts:
- Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $37.2 billion in 2025. That sum represents a 1.3% increase over 2024 expenditures.
- Domestic travelers spent a record $36.1 billion in 2025. Spending was up 1.5% from $35.6 billion in 2024.
- International travelers spent $1.1 billion in 2025, down 2.8% from the previous year.
- Visitors to North Carolina generated more than $4.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2025. The total represents a 2.5% increase from 2024.
- State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 2.0% to nearly $1.4 billion in 2025.
- Local tax receipts grew 2.6% to more than $1.3 billion.
- Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 0.3% to 230,997.
- Direct tourism payroll increased 3.5% to $9.8 billion.
- Visitors spend more than $101 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.5 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.8 million in state taxes and $3.7 million in local taxes).
- Each North Carolina household saved $605 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $244.
For more on North Carolina tourism check out VisitNC.com.