Tourism
Visitors traveling to and within the state of North Carolina spent a record $18 billion in 2011, supporting more than 40,000 North Carolina businesses and directly supporting nearly 200,000 jobs all across the state. State and local tax revenues generated as a result of visitor spending totals more than $1.5 billion annually. North Carolina ranks as the 6th most visited state in the United States. The state’s natural scenic beauty, rich history and culture, vibrant cities, quaint small towns, and central east coast location make it an ideal travel destination. And, the abundance of direct air access into the state from national and international destinations around the globe have helped to position it as preferred international travel destination.
The tourism section of the Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development works to develop and promote North Carolina as a primary travel destination. Key focus areas include consumer advertising and promotions, public relations strategies designed to garner positive media attention about travel opportunities within the state, promotion of group travel, and recruitment of sporting events into the state. In addition, the division provides technical assistance to communities who embrace tourism as an economic development strategy and seek to develop and promote tourism assets. To this end, the Division helps to foster collaboration with other partners and allies in effort to attract visitors and their dollars into these areas.
The tourism section of the Division develops and executes a comprehensive statewide marketing and promotional program that is designed to bolster travel to and within the state. It works closely with tourism destination marketing organizations, private businesses-- including hotels, restaurants, and attractions, non-profits, other state agencies, and a multitude of allies across the state to collaborate, plan, and leverage resources in order to accomplish this goal.