According to a report from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, 141 million visitors to the Volunteer State drove a record breaking $29 billion in tourism revenue in 2022.
A slew of fact sheets provide detail into where and how Tennessee’s visitors traveled from, and how and where they spent their money in Tennessee.
For example, the $28.9 billion spent in Tennessee last year was a 19 percent increase from 2021. That number equates to $79 million per day.
That visitor spending accounted for $2.9 billion in state and local tax revenue, which, according to the report, accounts for $1,100 per household.
Tennessee now ranks 11th in the country in visitor spending, its highest rank ever.
The state is also attracting international visitors.
“International visitation is quickly returning, as spending reached $670 million, a 278 percent increase from 2021 and near pre-pandemic levels (72 percent recovered to 2019),” says the report.
At a local level, tourism spending is increasing, too.
In Nashville alone, visitor spending increased 35 percent year-over-year.
The following is county-level data about year-over-year spending from the report:
- Sevier Co. held on to pandemic gains in visitor spending with a 9.4 percent year-over-year increase.
- Davidson Co. and the six contiguous counties (Cheatham, Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, Williamson) saw a 19.5 percent year-over-year increase in visitor spending.
- Shelby, Tipton and Fayette counties combined for a 9.75 percent year-over-year visitor spending increase.
- Knox Co. and contiguous counties experienced an 11.9 percent year-over-year increase in visitor spending.
- Hamilton Co. and contiguous counties saw a 9.6 percent year-over-year increase in visitor spending.
- Tri-Cities (Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol) saw an 11.4 percent year-over-year increase in visitor spending.
- Six counties met or exceeded the state average year-over-year increase in visitor spending:
o Davidson, Cheatham, Cannon, Van Buren, Sequatchie, Wilson
“Tourism drives a strong economy, creates jobs and builds a better quality of life for all Tennesseans,” said Gov. Bill Lee (R). “We continue to welcome visitors to see all Tennessee has to offer, from the Mississippi River to the Great Smoky Mountains.”
“Tennessee is thriving as tourism is soaring,” said Mark Ezell, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “Our industry’s hard work is paying off with record levels of visitor spending and significantly outpacing inflation. It is our privilege to showcase these numbers and express our gratitude to our partners, attractions, elected leaders and visitors who made a record year for Tennessee.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X / Twitter.
Photo “Music City After Dark” by Visit Music City.
