This National Travel and Tourism Week, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell and Sevier County tourism leaders announced new milestones on Tuesday in Pigeon Forge, including a record $27.5 billion in travel spending in 2022, according to preliminary data from U.S. Travel and Tourism Economics. Among the top 25 states, Tennessee is the fastest-growing state in travel spending since 2018 and has risen from 14th to 11th in the nation for travel spending.
“Tourism is a top driver of economic growth and job creation across our state, giving Tennesseans even greater opportunities to thrive,” said Governor Lee. “As we celebrate another record year for tourism in Tennessee, we’re committed to ensuring that our state remains a top destination for travel.”
The leisure and hospitality industry plays an essential role in Tennessee’s economy and employs over 352,000 Tennesseans. While good for the industry, the news also benefits the entire state. As the state’s 2nd leading industry, tourism is a significant source of tax revenue for Tennessee contributing $1.8 billion in state sales tax collections in 2022.
“Tennessee’s tourism, leisure and hospitality industry is leading the nation, and we are grateful to our hardworking industry for making these historic new milestones possible,” said Commissioner Ezell, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “Visitors come for our incredible scenic beauty, dining and world-class attractions, and keep coming back for our unmatched hospitality. There’s nowhere better to live, work and play than Tennessee.”
This news comes during National Travel and Tourism Week, an annual celebration of the industry which spotlights the essential role travel plays in economic growth and innovation. Visitors are invited to stop in any of Tennessee’s 16 Welcome Centers this week to get a taste of area destinations.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Tennessee reached a record $27.5 billion in visitor spending in 2022, marking a $3 billion increase (+14%) over 2021, according to U.S. Travel.
- Travel spending propelled Tennessee to 11th in the nation for travel spending in 2021 and 2022, up from its previous record of 14 in 2020. (Preliminary rankings released April 2023 by U.S. Travel).
- The industry contributed $1.8 billion in actual state sales tax collections in 2022.
New county-level data is expected in August.