Visitors to Carroll County generated $183.89 million in direct, domestic traveler expenditures in 2019, 3.6 percent more than in the previous year, the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today. According to the annual U.S. Travel Association study, made available through the Georgia Department of Economic Development, visitors to Carroll County and its cities were also responsible for $12.73 million in state and local tax revenues in 2019. Each household in the county would need to be taxed an additional $304 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism activity. The tourism industry supported more than 1,491 jobs and created $35.75 million in payroll in the county in 2019.
“Tourism brings revenue, jobs and tax relief,” said Jonathan Dorsey, the visitors bureau’s director. “You don’t have to work in the industry to feel the benefits of tourism.” Dorsey said the unique mix of attractions, events, lodging, dining and recreational opportunities in and around Carrollton draws visitors from all over Georgia, from out-of-state and internationally. Tourism spending locally has grown year to year for more than a decade.
According to the report, visitors to the Northwest Georgia Travel Region spent the most on food service, followed in order by automobile transportation, retail, lodging and entertainment and recreation.
“These record-breaking figures from 2019, when Georgia’s tourism generated $68.96 billion in economic impact and supported more than 484,000 jobs, demonstrate the enormous impact the tourism industry has on our economy,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner for tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Travel has been important to economic recovery after past recessions. As the state’s tourism office, our goal is to not only rebuild Georgia’s tourism industry back to where it was in 2019, but also beyond by working with our partners statewide to ensure that Georgia is positioned better than ever before across a very competitive, global tourism marketplace.”
For questions concerning the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, please call Jonathan Dorsey at (770) 214-9746.
