18 million tourists spent record $3 billion in Wake County last year, report says

Visitor spending in Wake County grew to near pre-pandemic levels last year.

A report released Thursday from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau revealed that nearly 18 million tourists visited Wake County in 2022, spending a record-breaking $3 billion.

Visitor volume, spending and tax revenue all increased in 2022.

The number of visitors is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, just 0.2% shy of the 17.9 million visitors in 2019. A record $287 million in state and local tax was generated by those tourists.

Officials said each household in Wake County would pay an extra $601 in additional taxes if it wasn't for the revenue generated by tourism.

"$287 million is going right back into our local and state economy," said Dennis Edwards, president and CEO for VisitRaleigh. "There is great interest in public safety, schools and roads and that money goes directly back into those types of investments."

The money will also helping to fund improvements at PNC Arena and the Raleigh Convention Center.