Tourism growth: Moore County surpasses $750 million in visitor spending for 2022

By Staff Report, posted Sep 14, 2023 on BizFayetteville.com

The ‘Home of American Golf’ saw an 11 percent increase in visitor spending from numbers reported in 2021 - COURTNEY COOK SSLLW METOE/UNSPLASH

In 2022, Moore County witnessed an unprecedented $750 million in economic impact from visitor spending, an 11 percent increase from the previous year. Moore County remains the tenth highest tourism economy in the state, its highest ranking in history. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and compiled by Tourism Economics in collaboration with U.S. Travel Association.
“Visitors to Moore County spent three quarters of a billion dollars here in 2022 and that’s an historic and amazing achievement for our destination that has no mountains nd no beach, but is emerging as one of the hottest leisure destinations in North Carolina,” said Phil Werz, president and CEO of the
Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau in a press release. “While golf is king inside the ‘Home of American Golf’ and we’re about to host a U.S. Open next summer, we are also a unique destination when it comes being more than just golf, with fabulous options off the course as well such as dining, shopping, history, the arts, outdoor recreation and agritourism.”

Tourism impact highlights for 2022:
Moore County ranks tenth among 100 counties in North Carolina for annual visitor spending.
The tourism industry employs more than 5,600 people in Moore County, an increase of 2.6 percent from the previous year.
Tourism in Moore County saved each resident $512.13 in taxes. The state average was $230.35. The report also showed that $24.7 million in local taxes was derived from visitor spending in 2022.
State tax revenue generated by tourism in Moore County totaled $28.9 million, an increase from $28.1 million from 2021.

These statistics come from the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2022.”

The report also provided visitor spending based on a variety of sectors. Overall, Moore County ranked no worse than 11th in the state in all of the areas including: Lodging ($192 million, ranked 11th and up 14 percent from 2021); Food and Beverage ($222.9 million, ranked 11th and up five percent from 2021); Recreation ($101.7 million, ranked 10th and up five percent from 2021); Retail ($63.6 million, ranked 10th and up six percent from 2021) and Transportation ($169.2 million, ranked 11th and up 24 percent from 2021).

“These findings are something that everyone in North Carolina can celebrate,” said Visit NC Director Wit Tuttell in a press release. “They’re a testament to the resilience of our businesses and our residents and to the enduring appeal of destinations that include everything a traveler might want. The
economic well-being of the state and all its communities rises with the pleasures travelers find in the natural beauty of our public spaces, our culinary traditions and innovation, our remarkable towns and our spirited cities. North Carolina can claim it all.”

Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $33.3 billion in 2022. That sum represents a 15.2 percent increase over 2021 expenditures. The figure falls 14 percent above the record $29.22 billion spent in 2019.
The statistical model is based on highly detailed North Carolina data provided by Visit NC as well as data derived from federal and state government
sources, nationally known private and non-profit travel organizations and other travel industry sources.

The findings from the annual report are based on the 2022 calendar year. The Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB concluded its 2022-23 fiscal year on June 30 with occupancy tax collections exceeding $3.2 million, an increase of six percent from the previous fiscal year.

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