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Beautiful views of the Pamlico River, friendly residents and many dining and retail options are just a few reasons why Beaufort County residents enjoy living here. They are also the same reasons why more and more tourists visit the area. 

According to VisitNC, the state’s official travel guide, tourism spending in Beaufort County was up 5.9% from 2022 to 2023. Though it can get crowded in the warmer months when most visitors travel to Beaufort County, an increase in their spending is a good thing for all residents. 

When visitors spend their money here, that money goes to Beaufort County. Last year, tax savings amounted to $256.68 per resident – not household, according to VisitNC and Washington Tourism Development Authority Director (WTDA), Paula Stephenson. 

“Visitors spend more than $97 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.1 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.4 million in local taxes),” VisitNC reports. 

Earlier this month, VisitNC released a study on statewide visitor spending that broke down spending by county. 

In Beaufort County, visitors spent $33.7 million on lodging, $46.12 million on food and beverage, $20.41 million on recreation, $11.03 million on retail and $31.22 million on transportation for a total of $142.48 million. Transportation included both ground and air transportation and lodging included second home spending. 

Stephenson can tell there is an increase in the number of visitors to Beaufort County by how much the WTDA receives in occupancy tax revenue. “Our sole source of revenue, at the WTDA, is occupancy taxes for lodging within the city limits, and I can tell you that those occupancy taxes have risen from 2022 to 2023. That tells me there is an uptick in not only day trippers to Washington, but people who are coming here to spend the night.” 

By comparison, Pitt County saw a total of $312.88 in travel spending, but Hyde County saw $61.87 million. 

To illustrate how many visitors come to Beaufort County, the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce – who operates the visitor center – shared that in the month of June over 1,500 travelers stopped in at the center. 

Those who visit Washington and Beaufort County primarily travel from the Triangle area, southern Virginia and northern South Carolina. In June, there were domestic visitors from New York, Florida, Arizona, California; international visitors came from Germany, Japan, Canada and Madagascar. 

Travelers are visiting Washington and Beaufort County, for a multitude of reasons, Stephenson said. She believes people were “chomping at the bit to get out and travel” once COVID guidelines and restrictions were reduced. She also believes the pandemic taught people the importance of being outside and active. 

She also believes visitors are attracted to an area where it feels like the city or town cares about improving its residents’ quality of life.  

Stephenson noted the WTDA worked to be more present on statewide media outlets like WRAL, Our State Magazine and the Waterway Guide; therefore, more people are going to hear and read about Washington than before. 

She expects visitor spending to increase again next year. Spending has increased each year for the last several years, she said. “The last few years, there has been an increase every year. Whether it’s a small increase or large increase, it’s an increase,” she said. “Just looking at the numbers over the last few years – I would say we should expect in 2024 an increase in visitor spending.” 

Statewide, travel spending increased by 6.9% to $35.6 billion in 2023, setting another record in visitor spending, VisitNC reported. This follows a record breaking 15% from 2022. The study included domestic and international travelers to North Carolina. There were an estimated 43 million visitors in 2023. 

“We’re thrilled that visitor spending has reached a record $35.6 billion and that the growth is spread across the spectrum of local economies,” NC Commerce Secretary and Belhaven native Machelle Baker Saunders shared with VisitNC. “Scenic beauty, authentic experiences and graciousness are at the heart of what makes tourism a vital industry, one that’s anchored by our first-in-talent workforce. It’s a point of pride and honor that North Carolina ranks as the nation’s fifth most-visited state.”

Mecklenburg County topped North Carolina’s 100 counties in travel spending with a 9.6% increase or $5.8 billion. Three other counties Wake, Buncombe, and Dare lead the state by earning between $2.1 and $3.3 billion.