State Tourism Officials Announce Increased Visitor Spending in Forsyth County

"Winston-Salem, N.C. - Tuesday, August 11, 2015 --Visit North Carolina announced today the results on the latest domestic tourism spending impact study and according to "The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties," visitor spending in Forsyth County generated more than $785 million in 2014, up four percent over 2013 ranking Forsyth County's economic impact sixth out of 100 counties in the state. The study also reports that the visitor expenditures in Forsyth County generated more than $59 million in local and state tax revenues in 2014 an increase of four percent. The study attributed nearly 6,400 jobs in Forsyth County to the travel and tourism industry. "Over the last five years tourism in Forsyth County has seen a 26% growth proving that this industry is a vital economic engine generating new dollars, contributing to our tax base and creating new jobs in our community," said Richard Geiger, president of Visit Winston-Salem. "Visit North Carolina's study reinforces that Visit Winston-Salem's strategic marketing and sales efforts are effectively connecting with our key audiences, especially meeting and convention planners, sports tournament organizers and vacationers resulting in a positive influx of new visitor dollars," said Geiger. These county-by-county travel economic impact statistics are prepared annually by the Research Department of the U.S. Travel Association for Visit North Carolina." - A Press Release