2024 visitor impact for Gaston County spending Increases by 10.3 percent to $389 million
- Melissa McCauley
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Belmont, N.C. — Domestic and international visitors to and within Gaston County spent $389 million in 2024, an increase of 10.3% from 2023. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by VisitNC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
“We are thrilled annual visitor spending in Gaston County continues to reach new highs, said Michael Applegate, director of Gaston County Tourism Development.” “This success is due to our wonderful attractions and the welcoming nature of all our tourism partners, whether lodging, food & beverage, recreation, retail or transport. We are thankful all these local businesses and so many 2024 visitors chose Gaston County.”
Visitor impact for Gaston County highlights for 2024:
The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 2,471 in Gaston County.
Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Gaston County was $92.24 million.
State tax revenue generated in Gaston County totaled $15.3 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. $9.65 million in local taxes were generated from occupancy, sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.
Gaston County ranks 20th among North Carolina’s 100 counties in annual visitor spending.
These statistics come from the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2024,” which can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.
