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County tourism office reports record visitor spending and rising short‑term rentals
Summary
Mecklenburg County tourism reported direct visitor spending rose about 13% to nearly $130 million in 2024, supporting 879 jobs and generating roughly $7.3 million in state and local taxes; staff cited growth in lodging and short‑term rental inventory.
Mecklenburg County's tourism office reported fiscal-year 2024 visitation and spending data showing growth across key measures.
Tourism staff (identified in the meeting as Tina) told supervisors that direct visitor spending in the county increased by about 13% from 2023 to 2024, rising to nearly $130 million. The office estimated the growth supported 879 local jobs and generated more than $7.3 million in state and local tax revenue. Staff said lodging spend accounted for approximately $48 million and transportation about $28 million; food and beverage spending was about $36 million. Short‑term rental listings on Airbnb and Vrbo totaled 158 properties in the county in 2024, up 25 listings from the previous year, and those properties collectively grossed about $6.6 million.
Tina noted that campground visitation rose (campground visitors increased by about 17%) and trail counters logged more than 13,000 users on some trail segments. Arrival-data (mobile-location) analysis showed roughly a 25% increase in trips meeting the threshold used by the analytics provider (visitors traveling at least 50 miles and spending at least two hours).
Supervisors discussed campsite capacity and staffing constraints; the tourism staff said parks are constrained by staffing and that some park sites are managed by the state (Occaneechi State Park). The tourism office intends its marketing for growth and retention, targeting established markets and outlier markets such as DC and Charlotte.
