North Carolina Tourism Facts & Figures

The Outer Banks is a marvelous place with pristine beaches, wonderful homes and countless things to do. However, out-of-state visitors are a big reason why the Outer Banks is such a special place. NewsLink figures released early last week show just how important tourism is to North Carolina’s state and local economies. Last year alone, North Carolina’s statewide tourism industry raked in 19.4 billion dollars. This visitor spending supported 200,000 jobs for North Carolinians and helped more than 40,000 businesses that directly serve tourism stay in business. North Carolina’s tourism industry created $579 million dollars in local tax revenue that helped support local communities. No doubt the Outer Banks would still be home to beautiful beaches and long summer days without our booming tourism industry. However, many of our marvelous local businesses couldn't survive without out-of-state visitors.