Published on : Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Gov. Bill Haslam declared on Tuesday the record number in tourism in a recent press conference at the Musicians Hall of Fame inside Municipal Auditorium in Nashville. Haslam highlighted that the record dollar figures — $20.7 billion to be precise — is direct visitor spending and not financial effect, an accounting tool in tourism circles that is sometimes viewed with skepticism.
Without a state income tax, Tennessee relies a great deal on sales tax to finance its state and local governments. The rising tourism helped local governments across the state in 2017, Haslam said, with all 95 counties topping $1 million in direct visitor spending.
Davidson County’s music-fueled tourism sector led the way with a record $6.5 billion in direct visitor spending. Shelby County was after that with $3.5 billion. Then came Sevier County with $2 billion, followed by both Hamilton and Knox counties with $1.1 billion each.
“It means a lot of people were introduced to our state all the way from the Saturday night race in Bristol to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and everything in between,” Haslam said. “But it also means real money for our governments.”
Working hand in hand with tourism leaders from all over the state, the Haslam administration has spent in marketing efforts to draw far-away tourists who generally stay longer by spending more money.
“The numbers show Tennessee is a destination of choice for visitors around the world. However, we would not have these numbers if not for the capital investments, renovations and dedication made by tourism partners across the state to deliver great experiences that create wonderful memories,” Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Kevin Triplett said.