🎉 It’s National Travel and Tourism Week, and we’re highlighting travel’s essential impact on our economy & countless communities across the country. Did you know that Travel & Tourism had a:
- 📈 $2.8T Economic Footprint
- 💵 $1.3T impact in Travel Spending
- 💼 Sustained 15M Jobs
- 🇺🇸 makes up 2.5% of U.S. GDP
WHAT IS NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK?
Established in 1983, National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual tradition to celebrate the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day.
TRAVEL. Powering the Economy. Connecting America.
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National Travel and Tourism Week celebrates the industry’s critical role in powering our nation’s economy, communities and connections. Together, let’s demonstrate our industry’s critical importance—in every corner of our country.
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Travel is a $2.8 trillion industry that supports nearly 15 million American jobs while fueling other important industries like manufacturing, health care and agriculture—all which depend on travel to generate business, spur innovation and support education.
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The travel industry is essential to America’s success—it is an economic powerhouse that unites people, benefits society and is paramount to the United States’ global competitiveness.
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It’s important to continue to grow this vital sector of the U.S. economy. We must elevate the perceived value of the industry among policymakers, opinion leaders and business leaders.
NTTW by the Numbers
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Travel is an economic powerhouse, job creator, and community builder—indispensable and irreplaceable. Last year, travel spending left a $2.8 TRILLION economic footprint on the U.S. economy and supported over 15 Million jobs. That’s the power of the Tourism industry. #NTTW24
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Travel is ESSENTIAL for powering the economy & connecting America. Representing 2.5% of U.S. GDP and serving as a top export for our nation, the travel industry’s success is America’s success. 🤝
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💵 $89 BILLION: That’s how much travel generated in state & local tax revenue to support essential services, like education, emergency response, public safety & more.
"As we celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week, we are thankful for those that work in this industry within Hickory and Catawba County. Without their devotion to serving the community and welcoming visitors, this area wouldn't be the tourism destination that it is." said Hickory Metro Convention Center & Visitors Bureau CEO, Mandy Hildebrand. Catawba County saw over $331 Million in tourism spending by visitors, per the 2022 economic impact numbers provided by Economic Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). Along with visitor spending, tourism employs more than 2,400 locals and residents with a total payroll of $85.2 Million generated by the tourism industry alone. Tourism dollars that flow into Catawba County through sales tax offset local and resident taxes annually by $157.57. “Visitor spending in 2022 was a record year in Catawba County, which confirms the importance of tourism and the value it adds to our community,” said Hildebrand. “Hickory, along with communities within the county have flourished due to public and private investments that are not only beneficial to residents, but also to visitors. New outdoor trails, entertainment venues, and restaurants are bringing more visitors everyday."
Travel is essential to every community, industry and the U.S. economy.
*National data and facts provided by the U.S. Travel Association
*Local and State data provided by EDPNC
