• By Visit Winston-Salem
• Posted Friday, August 16, 2019

Visitor Spending Continues to Increase in Forsyth County

Visit North Carolina today announced results from the latest domestic tourism spending impact study, the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2018.” According to the study, visitor spending in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County generated more than $950 million in 2018, which is an increase of 5.8 percent over 2017 figures. These latest numbers rank Forsyth County’s tourism economic impact as the sixth highest producer out of 100 counties in the state.

The study reports visitor expenditures in Forsyth County generated more than $73 million in local and state tax revenues in 2018 which is up approximately five percent from 2017, and attributes more than 7,200 jobs in Forsyth County to the travel and tourism industry, representing an increase of more than two percent over last year's findings.

“The consistent increases in visitors and their spending packs a powerful and positive two-fold economic punch for Winston-Salem,” said Richard Geiger, president of Visit Winston-Salem.

“The study confirms that tourism continues to produce immediate and long-term economic benefits for Winston-Salem. Convention business was up in 2018, and the hosting of the NCAA Tennis Championship drew an extra 2,400-plus room nights. All of this, coupled with an increase in hotel occupancy and higher room rates, led to an overall positive outcome. Visitors not only bolster our local economy with an influx of new dollars, but tourism also has the potential to produce a halo effect for those people who are enamored with the vibrancy of our destination and wish to retire, start or relocate and move their businesses here,” said Geiger.

These county-by-county travel economic impact statistics are prepared annually by the Research Department of the U.S. Travel Association for Visit North Carolina.

Download the 2018 Tourism Economic Chart for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County.