2011 Visitor Spending Up in Chapel Hill/Orange County

Orange County Spending by Domestic Visitors Increases by 8.8 Percent to $156.82 Million

Chapel Hill, NC -- The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development announced this week that domestic visitors to and within Orange County spent $156.82 million in 2011, an increase of 8.8% from 2010.

Tourism impact highlights for 2011:

" The travel and tourism industry directly employs more than 1,650 in Orange County.

" Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Orange County was $28.72 million.

" State tax revenue generated in Orange County totaled $8.60 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. Approximately $3.04 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.

"The nearly $157 million spent in Orange County is the highest amount spent in any given year since the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development began tracking visitor spending 20 years ago," said Laurie Paolicelli, Executive Director of Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, "We have award-winning accommodations, restaurants and brand recognition, all of which contributed to this record-breaking spending figure."

These statistics are from the "2011 Economic Impact Of Travel On North Carolina Counties." The study was prepared for the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development by the U.S. Travel Association. The study uses sales and tax revenue data plus employment figures to determine the overall impact of visitor spending in North Carolina.

Statewide highlights include:

" Domestic visitors to and within North Carolina spent a record $18 billion in 2011.

" State tax receipts as a result of visitor spending neared $1 billion in 2011 and have increased nearly 52 percent in the last 10 years.

" Visitors spend more than $50 million per day in North Carolina and contribute over $4.3 million per day in state and local tax revenues as a result of that spending (nearly $3 million in state taxes and over $1.5 million in local taxes).

" The travel and tourism industry directly employees nearly 200,000 North Carolinians.

As the official destination marketing organization of Chapel Hill and Orange County, the mission of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau is to develop and coordinate visitor services in Orange County and to implement marketing programs that will enhance the economic activity and quality of life in the community. The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau is fully funded by hotel occupancy taxes paid by visitors. www.VisitChapelHill.org.

For more information, please visit: www.VisitChapelHill.org

Contact Information:
Patty Griffin, (919) 968-2063, pgriffin@visitchapelhill.org