Tennessee’s tourism industry reached a new milestone in 2024, with direct visitor spending hitting $31.7 billion and the state welcoming 147 million visits. This data was released by Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
Tourism has proven to be a significant economic force across all 95 counties, contributing $3.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. This figure translates into an average annual saving of $1,170 for each Tennessee household.
Governor Bill Lee expressed pride in the state’s achievements: “Tennessee’s tourism momentum is built to last, creating jobs, fueling small businesses, delivering real returns on public investment and generating substantial tax revenues that directly benefit Tennesseans.”
Mark Ezell, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, also acknowledged the industry’s success: “I’m so grateful to our amazing tourism and hospitality industry for these remarkable results.” He highlighted that Tennessee has been able to leverage larger tourism budgets to increase visitor spending by over 35% in six years.
The 2024 Economic Impact of Travel report shows a year-over-year increase of 3.3% in direct visitor spending. Since 2018, there has been a growth rate of 35.5%, significantly surpassing the national average growth rate of 16.7%. Visitors spent approximately $87 million daily throughout the year.
International travel saw a notable rise with a 12% increase in international visitor spending compared to the previous year. Each international visitor spent an average of $1,278—almost six times more than domestic visitors.
Despite challenges such as major weather events like Hurricane Helene, Tennessee’s tourism sector demonstrated resilience and continued growth throughout the year.
In terms of investments, Tennessee allocated more funding for tourism than ever before in 2024—$1.5 million in marketing grants, $2 million in Tourism Enhancement Grants, and $13.75 million from ARPA funds were invested to support marketing efforts and destination development at both state and local levels.
Looking ahead to 2025, new air services between Memphis and Knoxville along with expanded routes into Nashville and Chattanooga are expected to attract more visitors. Events like B.B. King’s centennial celebration in Memphis and Dollywood’s anniversary are among several milestones anticipated to draw crowds.
The full report on the economic impact of travel will be available in September alongside detailed county-specific data.
The information is sourced from both Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development with additional benchmarks provided by U.S. Travel Association.