Dare County broke its tourism record in 2014 – The Virginian

NAGS HEAD, N.C.

The Luellens didn’t skimp on spending during their vacation to the Outer Banks. They shelled out $20 for a two-hour fishing class and $184 for sunglasses.

“We blew the budget,” said Mike Luellen.

They likely weren’t the only ones.

For the first time, tourism spending last year topped $1 billion in Dare County, according to a report from Visit North Carolina, a marketing agency affiliated with the state Department of Commerce. The $1.2 billion was a 7 percent increase from 2013 and double what was spent 15 years ago.

As for this year, occupancy taxes were $29.6 million in May, $2 million more than the same month a year ago. It is unknown what impact, if any, the seven shark attacks off North Carolina this summer will have on tourism figures. Several of the attacks, all nonfatal, were off the Outer Banks.

Spending statewide grew to a record $21.3 billion in 2014, a 5.5 percent increase over the previous year.

Dare consistently ranks fourth in tourism spending behind Mecklenburg, Wake and Guilford counties.

Others in the region also saw higher spending than in 2013. Currituck, including Corolla, ranked 33rd in the state at $144.2 million. Pasquotank, with Elizabeth City, is 53rd at $57 million. Hyde, including Ocracoke, ranked 73rd at $33.2 million. Chowan, with historic Edenton, came in 85th with $19.5 million.

Camden, with a budding ecotourism reputation but lacking retail shops, finished last in the state at nearly $2 million.

The estimates are done annually for North Carolina by the U.S. Travel Association, which uses statistics from travel-related businesses such as

restaurants, lodgings and retail shops to estimate expenditures.

“To some extent, traveling and vacations are a little immune to the economy,” said Lee Nettles, director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

The Outer Banks offers a relatively inexpensive vacation compared to a cruise or a week at Disney World, said Tim Cafferty, president of Outer Banks Blue real estate and chairman of the Dare County Tourism Board steering committee.

“Not as much commercial,” Cafferty said. “No boardwalks and not a lot of neon.”

Dare County beach house rentals add to visitor spending, said Aaron Tuell, spokesman for the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

Dare has 8,600 vacation rentals that generate 80 percent of lodging receipts compared with 2,900 total hotel rooms, he said. The county has 269 restaurants. May through September produces 90 percent of the year’s business, Tuell said.

This year is also going well, he said.

Niki Johnson, assistant manager of Awful Arthur’s Beach Shop, was steadily selling merchandise Tuesday. Hanging on the wall behind her were this year’sT-shirt designs. People return annually, some for 30 years, to buy the year’s new shirt, she said.

One of the most popular, selling for $19.95, is the peddler, an oyster riding a bicycle with a basket on its back, a bag in one hand and the other tipping a ball cap. A drink cup is attached to handle bars.

“T-shirts are flying out of here,” she said. “Oh yeah – we’ve been busy pretty much every day.”

Jeff Hampton, 252-338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com

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Posted to: News North Carolina