National Tourism Week

National Tourism Week was first established by Congress as National Tourism Week in 1983 to increase awareness of the travel and tourism industry's economic, social, and cultural contributions to the United States. This annual event is sponsored by TIA and commemorated by states, cities and organizations across the nation. The goal of NTW is to highlight the powerful economic, social and cultural impacts of travel through events and celebrations.

"Discover Great American Traditions" will be the theme for the 25th Annual National Tourism Week, May 10-18, 2008. The theme encourages travel to American locales and highlights the role that tourism plays in discovering icons of a destination. Additionally, North Carolina Welcome Centers will celebrate their 40th Anniversary during National Tourism Week.

The public knows about tourism’s direct impact on businesses like attractions, hotels and restaurants. But less well known is the indirect economic impact of tourism on the businesses that keep attractions, hotels and restaurants running—businesses such as:

• Hardware stores
• Carpet and window distributors and manufacturers
• Plumbing and construction companies.

When tourists come to North Carolina, businesses and citizens win.

North Carolina Quick Facts*

• Travel in North Carolina generated more than $16.5 billion in tourism-related expenditures, an increase of 8.3 percent over the previous year.
• The tourism industry directly employs over 190,000 North Carolinians with a payroll of $4 billion.
• Tourism in North Carolina generates more than $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue.
• Each North Carolina household would pay $370 more in state and local taxes without the tax revenue generated by visitors to North Carolina.
• Visitor spending in North Carolina has increased more than 50 percent in the past 10 years and as a result state tax revenue from visitor spending has increased 34 percent.

National Quick Facts*

• Travel and tourism generates $1.6 trillion in total economic activity in the U.S. each year.
• Travel and tourism is one of the country's largest employers with 7.5 million workers.
• Travel and tourism generates $110 billion in tax revenue for local, state, and federal governments.

View other information on the economic impact of tourism by visiting our research section.

Tourism Week Toolkit

The Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development works with industry partners to make Tourism Week a success. We’ve included some useful tools below to help you tell the tourism industry’s success story:

•  A sample proclamation can be used by your mayor, city/town council or other elected official in your community. See how tourism contributes to your community by going to the Tourism Research area of our website.
• To see what other states and communities are doing this year, visit the Travel Industry Association's National Tourism Week website.
• For sample press releases and letters to the editor, logos and graphics, customizabe PowerPoint template and other ideas on how to spread the word about tourism’s impact on our economy, visit the Travel Industry Association of America’s National Tourism Week toolkit. 

North Carolina Celebrates Tourism Day

• For information on planned Tourism Day events in Raleigh, visit the NC Tourism Day page.
•  2008 Tourism Week Celebrations at the N.C. Welcome Centers