Tourism Impact
The facts and figures below are for calendar year 2017, released by VisitNC (State Tourism Office) in August, 2018; updated figures available August, 2019
$195,440,000 – in annual expenditures by tourists (lodging, food service, transportation, retail, recreation & entertainment).
1,850 – Jobs directly supported by tourism.
$48.52 million – Worker paychecks annually ($132,931 per day.)
$19.94 million – Combined local and state taxes generated by tourists
$9.08 million – Local county tax revenues generated by tourists. ($24,876 daily).
$462.46 – Tax savings per resident as a result of tourist spending
| Year | Expenditures | Change | Payroll | Employment | State Tax Receipts | Local Tax Receipts | Tax Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $195.44 | 3.71% | $48.52 | 1.85 | $10.86 | $9.08 | $462.46 |
| 2016 | $188.45 | 7.12% | $44.91 | 1.81 | $10.55 | $8.63 | $457.77 |
| 2015 | $175.92 | 2.78% | $41.53 | 1.71 | $9.79 | $8.04 | $428.70 |
| 2014 | $171.16 | 4.99% | $38.78 | 1.66 | $9.17 | $7.75 | $412.46 |
| 2013 | $163.03 | 4.47% | $36.55 | 1.61 | $8.94 | $7.37 | $399.55 |
| $(millions) | %(from previous) | $(millions) | (thousands) | $(millions) | $(millions) | $(per resident) |
| Year | Tax Rate | Totals | Accom. Sales | YOY Growth in Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 12-13 | 3% | $545,218.06 | $18,173,935.33 | |
| FY 13-14 | 4% | $750,594.91 | $18,764,872.75 | 3.25% |
| FY 14-15 | 4% | $831,725.84 | $20,793,146.00 | 10.81% |
| FY 15-16 | 4% | $921,923.24 | $23,048,081.00 | 10.84% |
| FY 16-17 | 4% | $1,033,643.21 | $25,841,080.25 | 12.12% |
| FY 17-18 | 4% | $1,078,253.84 | $26,956,346.00 | 4.32% |
Public Relations
Also known as publicity, earned media coverage is one of the most trusted and credible forms of media used to generate awareness for Jackson County. It carries unbiased third-party endorsement of an independent expert- the writer, editor, blogger, or broadcast anchor- who is recommending the destination and sharing their experience. Some examples of earned media coverage include an article in a print piece, a story online, a video or radio piece, or social media posts. These stories live long past the immediate impact that advertising provides, as they are shared across many platforms digitally. In 2018 (January-December), through their yearly campaign and efforts, Jackson County earned $13,998,562.88 in publicity value* and 393,382,261 impressions** and secured national media placements.
Impressions are any interaction with a piece of content and an audience member.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121,819,886 | 101,102,402 | 116,762,756 | 478,485,510 | 393,382,261 |
| Total | 1,211,552,815 |
Publicity value is calculated by pulling ad rates from the publication that the story ran in to calculate how much we would have paid for the placements and then multiplied by three to account for the additional credibility and share ability of the content.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $843,629.11 | $6,658,115.52 | $7,328,430.87 | $8,104,636.83 | $13,998,562.88 |
| Total | $36,933,375.21 |