Even in this time of economic crisis during a world pandemic, there is always a silver lining to be found somewhere, especially if you look hard enough.
The Henderson County Tourism Development Authority received some positive news regarding the economic impact to Henderson County from tourism spending in 2019.
Domestic visitors to and within Henderson County spent $324.77 million in 2019, an increase of 3.64% from 2018. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
“The Henderson County Tourism Development Authority continues to provide opportunities to strengthen its tourism industry through networking, partnerships, marketing coops and numerous other initiatives. These efforts have resulted in tourism becoming one of the top economic drivers in Henderson County bringing visitors from around the world and the United States to experience our local heritage, agritourism, culture, recreation, dining and shopping, and other attractions,” stated Beth Carden, HCTDA executive director.
Tourism impact highlights for 2019:
• The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 2,530 in Henderson County.
• Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Henderson County was $61.75 million.
• State tax revenue generated in Henderson County totaled $14.53 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $13.86 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.
Visitors to North Carolina set a record for spending in 2019. The $26.7 billion in total spending represented an increase of 5.6 percent from 2018.
These statistics are from the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2019.” The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by the U.S. Travel Association.
“The numbers confirm the strength of North Carolina’s tourism industry as an anchor of economic development,” said Wit Tuttell, director of Visit North Carolina. “As the No. 6 state in the country for overnight visitation, we can attribute our success to the natural beauty and authenticity that visitors experience, and to a passionate effort to inform and inspire travelers. The money they spend benefits everyone by sustaining jobs and reducing our residents’ tax burden.”
Statewide highlights include:
• State tax receipts as a result of visitor spending rose 5.0 percent to more than $1.3 billion in 2019.
• Visitors spend more than $73 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $5.92 million. per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.7 million in state taxes and $2.2 million in local taxes).
• The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 235,000 North Carolinians.
• Each North Carolina household saves on average $551 in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state.
In 2019, the Visitor Center provided hospitality to over 300,000 people from all over the world. The draw to Henderson County is its location and access to so many well-known attractions such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and Biltmore Estate.
The natural wonder of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a huge draw for people wanting to getaway to the great outdoors. Hendersonville offers a wide selection of hotels and vacation rentals, varied activities and attractions, charming downtown, and friendly community.
The main role of the HCTDA is providing information and travel resources to visitors and marketing Henderson County as a vacation destination. HCTDA is a department of Henderson County local government but receives no monies from general taxes. As an enterprise fund, HCTDA receives its funding from the 5% occupancy tax payed by the visitor on overnight stays in Henderson County accommodations.
The busiest month for visitation in Henderson County is the month of July, followed closely by October. The popularity of viewing the fall leaves and the apple orchards harvesting their crops has made autumn a favored time to travel.
Many families are teaching their children about agriculture and taking them on field trips for a genuine experience for the purpose of enjoyment and education.
HCTDA promotes the county’s agritourism in national advertisements and the publications of the Crest of the Blue Ridge Orchard Trail and the Cheers! Trail brochures.
Stop by the Visitor Center, 201 S. Main St., to pick up copies of the Trail Series brochures or download a copy from the HCTDA website VisitHendersonvilleNC.org/scenic-tourshikes.
Each year the goal for the HCTDA Board of Directors and staff is to use these statistics and research to measure Henderson County tourism’s economic health and set the course for the future.
Even in this time of uncertainty, HCTDA has done remarkably well in comparison to other counties in the eastern part of the state. We are very fortunate to live, work and play in a community that contains such a variety of things to see and do!
Trends are indicating that people will be flocking to communities like Hendersonville in 2020-21 in search for the high quality of life that this community provides.
Henderson County’s tourism industry has a rich history as a vacation destination. The community will continue to grow and improve with the support of our community, businesses and visitors.
