Domestic and international visitors to and within Halifax County spent $131.77 million in 2024.

The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit NC, part of the Economic Development  Partnership of North Carolina.

Last year was challenging for travel in the northeast region of North Carolina, said Lori Medlin, president and CEO of the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are grateful to the tourism industry in Halifax County for their hard work in holding our impact numbers steady." 

Tourism impact highlights for 2024

The travel and tourism industry directly employs more than 753 people and indirectly employs over 2,000 in Halifax County.

State tax revenue generated in Halifax County totaled $5.51 million through state sales and excise taxes, as well as taxes on personal and corporate income. About $4.29 million in local taxes were generated from occupancy, sales, and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.

These statistics come from the Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2024 prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.

Statewide, visitor spending in 2024 rose 3.1 percent to reach a record $36.7 billion. Direct tourism employment increased 1.4 percent to 230,338.

"The study confirms the strength of North Carolina's tourism industry," said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. "The fact of spending growth, even in the headwinds of Hurricane Helene, underscores the industry's vitality and the appeal of our destinations and the authentic cultural, recreational, and culinary experiences that travelers find rewarding."

Tuttell noted that while the data includes the three months of 2024 that followed the storm, the study's timing, methodology, and purpose are not intended to be an evaluation of storm impact on visitation or spending, but a gauge of the overall health of the visitor economy for 2024.

"It's certainly an indication of where the effects were felt," he said, "but given the complexities of the tourism industry and the timeframe of this research, we need to resist the temptation to view the data as a definitive report of the storm's economic impact. As travelers return, we will celebrate the resiliency behind the mountain recovery efforts that fortify the industry and underscore its value to our workforce, our businesses, and our tax base."

NC tourism facts

Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $36.7 billion in 2024. That sum represents a 3.1 percent increase over 2023 expenditures.

Domestic travelers spent a record $35.6 billion in 2024. Spending was up 2.7 percent from $34.6 billion in 2023.

International travelers spent $1.2 billion in 2024, up 16.5 percent from the previous year.

Visitors to North Carolina generated nearly $4.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2024. The total represents a 2.9 percent increase from 2023.

State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 1.1 percent to nearly $1.4 billion in 2024.

Local tax receipts grew 4.3 percent to nearly $1.3 billion.

Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 1.4 percent to 230,338.

Direct tourism payroll increased 2.6 percent to $9.5 billion.

Visitors spend more than $100 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.3 million per day to state and local tax revenues — about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.6 million in local taxes.

Each North Carolina household saved $593 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $242.