Visitors to Granville County spent $50 million in 2021, an increase of 26.9 percent from 2020 of more than $13 million. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “Visitors are truly finding that Granville County is uniquely Carolina,” said Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority. “From big events like the NC Hot Sauce Contest & Festival, to the first female, veteran-owned brewery at Tobacco Wood Brewery, or an art gallery that features more than 250 artists at Cedar Creek Gallery, Granville has so much to offer. Visitors are finding that Granville County is a great place for a day trip or a quick getaway weekend that is so close and convenient to the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area but feels like a world away.”
Tourism impact highlights in 2021 for Granville County:
- The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 275 people.
- Total payroll generated by the tourism industry was $11.6 million.
- State tax revenue generated totaled $2.3 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $1.8 million in local taxes were generated from 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 2021,” which can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics in collaboration with the U.S. Travel Association. Statewide, visitor spending in 2021 rebounded by 44.9 percent to reach $28.9 billion. Following the devastating pandemic-related losses of 2020, the total fell just short of the record $29.22 spent in 2019. Direct tourism employment increased 10.5 percent to 197,500. “These findings are something that everyone in North Carolina can celebrate,” said Visit NC Director Wit Tuttell. “They’re a testament to the resilience of our businesses and our residents, and to the enduring appeal of destinations that include everything a traveler might want. The economic well-being of the state and all its communities rises with the pleasures travelers find in the natural beauty of our public spaces, our culinary traditions and innovation, our remarkable towns, and our spirited cities. North Carolina can claim it all.”
