Tourists/visitors spent $867 million in Northeast Tennessee in 2023

NORTHEAST TENNESSEE (WJHL) — Recent data gathered by Tourism Economics, commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, show visitors spent close to one billion dollars last year in the region.

According to a release from the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, a 3% increase from 2022 and 2023 was recorded in tourism revenue dollars, totaling $867,135,100.

According to the release, direct visitor spending in Northeast Tennessee generated $53,135,200 in state tax revenue and $33,522,600 in local tax revenue, which reportedly supported 7,034 jobs.

Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association’s Executive Director Alicia Phelps told News Channel 11 that a “visitor” counts as an individual whose residence is listed as more than 50 miles away from the region. She said these numbers wouldn’t be possible if each respective county didn’t work as a team.

“There’s absolutely no way that we would have been able to achieve these numbers if each city just kind of worked in their own silo,” she said. “So our region is unique, because we do a lot of cooperative advertising events, businesses and all of the different cities, they work together.”

“Tourism is not just about the fun, it’s about the funds. Every visitor is an economic boost to the area,” Phelps added in the release. “The tourism industry is the cornerstone of our state’s economy, and Northeast Tennessee is no exception … By investing in local tourism initiatives, we are not only supporting businesses, events, and attractions but also enhancing the quality of life for our residents and strengthening communities.”

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