Domestic and international visitors to and within Halifax County spent $132.83 million in 2025, an increase of 0.8 percent from 2024, according to an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

Halifax County’s continued growth is particularly significant when viewed within the region. Among the 17 counties that make up North Carolina’s Northeast Prosperity Zone, Halifax County ranked fifth in total visitor spending in 2025. Halifax was also one of just nine counties in the region to record an increase in visitor spending, while eight Northeast counties experienced declines.

“These numbers demonstrate the strength and resilience of Halifax County’s tourism industry,” said Lori Medlin, president/CEO of the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “In a year when nearly half of the counties in our Northeast region experienced declines in visitor spending, Halifax County continued to grow. Even more importantly, we rank among the region’s leaders in visitor spending, tourism-generated income, employment and tax revenue. Tourism is an important economic engine for Halifax County, supporting our businesses, our communities and the people who live and work here.”

Tourism Impact Highlights for 2025

Visitors spent $132.83 million in Halifax County, a 0.8 percent increase over 2024.

The travel and tourism industry directly supported 756 jobs in Halifax County, ranking the county fifth among the 17 counties in the Northeast Prosperity Zone.

Tourism generated $32.04 million in personal income in Halifax County, the fourth-highest total in the Northeast Prosperity Zone.

Visitor activity generated $5.54 million in state tax revenue, ranking Halifax fourth in the Northeast Prosperity Zone, along with $4.40 million in local tax revenue.

Combined, tourism generated approximately $9.94 million in state and local tax revenue in Halifax County, the fifth-highest total in the Northeast Prosperity Zone.

Each Halifax County resident saved an average of $215.38 in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending.

Halifax ranked 35th statewide in tourism-generated tax savings per resident, significantly outperforming its population ranking.

Visitors spent $45.09 million on food and beverage, $30.42 million on lodging, $29.38 million on transportation, $17.19 million on recreation, and $10.74 million on retail in Halifax County.

The regional comparison further demonstrates the size and importance of Halifax County’s tourism economy. Halifax County generated more visitor spending than 12 of the 17 counties in the Northeast Prosperity Zone, ranking fifth behind only Dare, Currituck, Pitt, and Beaufort counties.

Halifax also performed particularly well in tourism-generated personal income, ranking fourth in the region, and in state tax revenue generated by visitors, also ranking fourth. The county ranked fifth in tourism employment and fifth in combined state and local tourism-generated tax revenue.

Halifax County’s tourism economy also performs strongly when compared with the county’s population size. Halifax County ranks 54th among North Carolina’s 100 counties in population, yet ranks 46th statewide in visitor spending and 45th in both tourism-generated personal income and state tax revenue.

With a population ranking of 54th among North Carolina’s 100 counties, Halifax County continues to outperform its size as a tourism destination. The county’s tourism economy ranks eight positions higher than its population ranking in total visitor spending.

The contrast is even greater when considering the tax benefit tourism provides local residents. Halifax County ranks 35th statewide in tourism-generated state and local tax savings per resident — 19 positions higher than its population ranking.

“These results reinforce something we have known for years: tourism means business in Halifax County,” Medlin said. “Every visitor who stays in one of our hotels, eats in a local restaurant, attends an event, visits an attraction, shops in our communities or explores our history and outdoor recreation contributes to our local economy. The impact extends well beyond the tourism industry itself.”

Halifax County’s positive growth also occurred during a year in which 41 of North Carolina’s 100 counties experienced declines in visitor spending. Halifax’s 0.8 percent increase placed the county ahead of more than half of North Carolina counties in year-over-year visitor spending performance.

The statistics come from The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2025, prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.

Statewide, domestic and international visitors spent a record $37.2 billion in North Carolina in 2025, an increase of 1.3 percent from 2024. Direct tourism employment statewide increased to 230,997 jobs, while visitor activity generated more than $2.7 billion in state and local tax revenue.

“As much as we’d love to see growth in each of our 100 counties, the study confirms the vitality of North Carolina’s tourism economy,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. “With the approach of the two-year milestone of Hurricane Helene, we can draw inspiration from mountain counties that have experienced a turnaround as we continue the effort to see every destination reach higher ground.”