17.8 million. That’s how many visitors Wake County welcomed in 2022, according to Visit Raleigh’s visitor economy report.
After a decline in visitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wake County’s visitor volume is steadily climbing back to pre-pandemic numbers. With 17.8 million visitors, 2022 saw a 12.6% increase in visitation over 2021.
These visitors spent a record breaking $3 billion, a 26% increase from the previous year. Food and beverage sales accounted for $837 million of this figure while lodging accounted for $705 million.
From this $3 billion in spending, $287 million in state and local taxes were generated. A direct impact of this spending is the creation and backing of ~24,500 tourism and hospitality-related jobs for people in Wake County. Additionally, the visitor-generated taxes saved households in Wake County $601 in taxes annually.