May 2 through May 10 is National Travel and Tourism Week. Businesses and organizations that fall into the tourism category across our nation celebrate the fact that travel and tourism is one of the leading economic impact producers in the United States.
According to the United States Travel Association, $927.9 billion dollars was injected into the US economy in 2014 as a result of tourism related activities which in turn produced $141.5 billion in tax revenue. While Greenville and Pitt County tourism efforts don’t quite bring in that kind of revenue, the local Convention Visitors Bureau along with its many hospitality partners, are making an impact on the success of our local economy.
The Greenville-Pitt County Convention Visitors Bureau is the official marketing organization that exists to promote travel to Greenville and Pitt County. Whether it’s a convention, meeting, family reunion, sports tournament or event, the CVB wants organizers and leisure travelers to choose Greenville and Pitt County over other destinations. The CVB and its hospitality partners continue to work to make Greenville and Pitt County a preferred destination across our state and the efforts are paying off.
Although 2014 numbers are not available yet, in 2013 over $205 million in direct spending was generated by travelers visiting Greenville and Pitt County. This ranks Greenville-Pitt County 21st in expenditures among North Carolina’s 100 counties. Tourism expenditures generated $14.91 million dollars in local tax revenue representing a tax savings of $85.72 to each county resident. In Pitt County, 1980 jobs are directly related to travel and tourism.
The beauty of this for local taxpayers is that their return on investment for what they are getting back from tourism efforts from the CVB and its partners stands at 100%. Most residents are not aware that the CVB is not funded by local taxpayers. The CVB receives its funding (as most other CVB’s do) from the local hotel/motel occupancy tax. When an out of town guest stays in one of our local hotels, they pay the room rate, state sales tax and then a 6% occupancy tax. The CVB then receives part of that occupancy tax (approximately 2% of the 6%) collection to promote travel and tourism to Greenville and Pitt County. Greenville and Pitt County residents should take an active interest in tourism efforts in Greenville and Pitt County because the more success the CVB and its tourism partners have in attracting people to the area, the better the impacts on the local economy will be.
The future looks bright for travel and tourism in Greenville and Pitt County. The expansion and aesthetic upfit of the Greenville Convention Center combined with quality hospitality facilities, tournament venues, transformation of the Uptown District and general infrastructure growth of the area will help us continue to compete against other destinations for quality conventions, meetings, tournaments, reunions, and events. To celebrate National Travel Tourism Week, the CVB will have an Open House on May 8th from 1pm until 4pm at our new office location at 417 Cotanche Street (Suite 100) across from the new Fourth Street Parking Garage in Uptown Greenville. We invite citizens to stop by and learn more about what we are doing and how you can help support tourism in Greenville and Pitt County.
Andrew Schmidt is executive director of the Greenville-Pitt County Convention Visitors Bureau.
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