Research staff presented a broad outlook for Nashville tourism in 2025, highlighting record monthly and airport performance alongside structural changes in supply that are beginning to depress occupancy rates despite higher room counts sold.

Bruce McGregor summarized visitor survey results showing Nashville ranking No. 1 for welcoming and friendliness and No. 2 for word‑of‑mouth among the destinations surveyed. He said hotel demand January–October was up about 2% while revenues were roughly flat and average daily rates have declined about 1.6 percent; occupancy fell about 1.4 percentage points to approximately 68.5%, which Bruce attributed primarily to an increase in room supply (about 3.4% year‑over‑year countywide).

October was singled out as a record month: Bruce reported 995,239 rooms sold in October, a 4% increase from the prior October. He credited major events—NHL and college football weekends, large concerts and conventions at Music City Center and Gaylord Opryland—for peak weekend volumes. Bruce also reviewed near‑term pipeline development (Tempo, Dolly Parton’s Songteller Hotel, Pendry) and noted the county has more than 42,000 rooms in operation and over 13,000 rooms in various pipeline stages.

Short‑term rentals are a growing component: Bruce said demand through October was up about 8.5%, with roughly 9,500 active listings and a 7.3% increase in room‑night supply tied to short‑term rental growth. He confirmed permitted short‑term rentals must collect occupancy tax when operating through established platforms.

Airport performance bolstered the overall outlook: Bruce said BNA set a daily passenger record (more than 116,000 customers on Oct. 6) and reported October passenger volume up 11.5% with year‑to‑date passenger volume up about 4%. He highlighted new international service (Iceland, Dublin and London expansion) and said Europe now represents roughly 30% of international visitors to BNA.

Commissioners asked follow‑up questions about the effects of new supply on slower periods, and staff emphasized the competitive marketplace created by additional hotels, restaurants and attractions. No formal policy changes were proposed during the discussion; staff framed the findings as input for ongoing marketing and sales strategies.