Last year, Tennessee had attracted about 110 million visitors that represented a record growth for the $18.4 billion tourism industry of the U.S. state.
Recent research from D.K. Shifflet that is a travel and tourism research company stated that Tennessee is among the leading 10 states for domestic travel in the region of the United States and that it has been capable of maintaining this position since the last three years.
Tennessee has 4.4% more tourists on the year 2016 as compared to the same in the year 2015.
And, as much as 80% of the 110 million tourists in this state are leisure travellers that is a 5.1% rise from the leisure travellers in 2015 in the state. The overnight stays also increased by 5.2% last year and seems to be responsible for the growth of leisure travellers.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is yet to release the individual economic impact data for 2016.
But, the 2015 figures portray that the Washington County had lured in about $297 million in terms of tourism revenue in 2015, as per the Johnson City Convention & Visitors Bureau. It goes a long way in the generation of 1,600 jobs supporting a $25 million annual payroll, ushering about $649,041 per day in the county.
Special festivals and events throughout the region also play a crucial role in attracting an overwhelming number of tourists.
For instance, the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough brings in as much as 10,000 guests a year, while 100,000 people throng the region thanks to Erwin’s Apple Festival. Furthermore, the Blue Plum as well as Little Chicago festivals attract a large number of tourists to Johnson City and even last year they ensured several visitors arrive here.
Cameo Waters who is the Director of Tourism and Marketing of Jonesborough asserted that it is challenging to measure the exact number of tourists who might have visited Jonesborough last year in the absence of an authentic report. But then, it has been discovered that nearly 30,000 guests had walked into the Visitor’s Centre.
Waters also feels that Jonesborough has more to offer than its signature locally crafted beer, beautiful streets, unique antiques and candy shops. For instance, the regional inhabitants of the region are quite hospitable.
The region would start witnessing celebrations that would continue from 11 a.m. till 2p.m. on Monday for the Unicoi County Welcome Center.
On Tuesday, around the same time, celebrations would commence for the Kingsport Welcome Center and on Wednesday for the Bristol Welcome Center.