North Carolina Saw A Record Surge In Tourism This Last Year. Here's Why

It's not hard to see why North Carolina is popular with tourists. There's a lot to like there, from America's tallest brick lighthouse to a lofty scenic byway cutting through the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. Still, it's a bit surprising to find out that 2024 was a record year in the state, as Hurricane Helene did significant damage that year. Some of the state's most iconic attractions were completely closed for the last three months of the year after the storm turned 39 state counties into disaster areas, yet the state experienced a 3.1% increase in visitor spending in 2024, generating a record $ 36.7 billion from tourism. In addition to the visitor spending record, the Tarheel State also maintained its ranking as the fifth most-visited state in the country. 

It took a group effort to overcome the national disaster and enjoy a record year of visitor spending. In a press release announcing the figures, the N.C. Commerce Department credited the state's varied landscapes and hidden gems. If you go there you don't have to choose between a beach trip and checking out the mountains. The state has both, plus tons of lively towns with fun stuff going on and good craft beer to wash it down with. 

Tourism was also boosted by several special events in 2024. The U.S. Open was held in North Carolina's Hallmark-like haven for golf enthusiasts, while Raleigh hosted music festivals Hopscotch and Dreamville, which drew attendees from all 50 states and more than 20 countries. These special events, the state's special scenery, and a surprising boost in the storm's aftermath from relief efforts helped 2024 beat the odds to become a banner year in North Carolina.

Another reason for North Carolina's record tourism revenue was, surprisingly, Hurricane Helene itself. Wit Tuttle, the executive director of Visit North Carolina, which commissioned the study, told Spectrum News that it wasn't the state's traditional tourism draws, but rather "counties on the edges of where the storm was" that experienced the biggest increase in tourism spending year over year.  Tuttle said that places like Statesville and Morganton recorded record tourism revenue from companies using these areas as staging areas for recovery efforts.

In addition to workers, North Carolina's tourism numbers got a bump from hotels housing disaster victims.  At certain points in the recovery process, FEMA was funding hotel stays for more than 3,000 North Carolinians affected by the storm. Helene survivors accounted for one-fifth of all hotel stays in Buncombe County in late 2024. These hotel stays were included in the state's tourism revenue numbers. You can see the influence of these two factors in the study's key findings. Seven of the state's 100 counties reported a double-digit percentage increase in visitor spending, and six of those were within striking distance of a hurricane-affected area but away from the eye of the hurricane's damage. 

The influence of recovery efforts on 2024's tourism revenue numbers demonstrates the importance of mutual aid. Each shelter provided to a survivor and each worker sent to rebuild the area's infrastructure served as life-saving aid and also helped the area financially recover from the worst disaster it had ever seen.