Durham Tourism Spending Hits Record $1.17 Billion as Growth Slows

A record that is also a warning

Durham County set a new tourism record in 2025, but the figure says less than it seems to. Visitors spent $1.17 billion in the county last year, and a record 13.4 million people came, according to an annual tourism impact study commissioned by Visit NC.21 That is up 0.9% from the $1.16 billion spent in 2024.21 Local officials say the gain is real but small, and Durham's own tourism agency is treating it as a reason to act rather than to celebrate.

The study credits visitor spending with directly supporting more than 7,700 jobs in Durham County and producing $319 million in payroll.21 It also generated more than $82 million in state and local tax revenue.21 One account puts that tax figure more precisely at $82.3 million.23

Discover Durham, the county's destination marketing organization, framed the results in terms of what they mean for residents. President and CEO Cara Rousseau said the spending translates into neighbors' wages, keeps local businesses local and pays for services residents use.21 She was also open about the trend underneath. She said year-over-year growth has softened, and that the organization is looking at how to build attractions that appeal to visitors and residents alike.22

The best way to read Durham's 2025 numbers is as a plateau, not a breakout. The record is real. But by Rousseau's own account, the momentum behind it has faded.22

From double digits to under 1%

The slowdown is clearest next to Durham's recent history. In October 2024, Discover Durham's annual report found that about 13 million people visited and spent more than $1 billion, a 10% jump over the year before.26 Two years later, that 10% gain has shrunk to just under 1%. The visitor count barely changed over the same period, rising from roughly 13 million to 13.4 million.2621

One point here is analysis, not something the reports state. The 0.9% increase is a nominal figure, not adjusted for inflation. Price levels rose during the period, so Durham's visitor economy may have been flat or even slightly smaller in real terms. A reader commenting on statewide coverage made a similar point: with inflation, almost every dollar total becomes an all-time high.10 Under that reading, more visitors spending about the same number of dollars suggests each visitor spent less in real terms, or the mix shifted toward day trips and cheaper stays.

At least one account does not match the official figures. A Hoodline article published in April said Durham drew about 13.5 million visitors in 2025 and cited payroll of about $317 million.25 The August release from Discover Durham, based on the Visit NC study, put visitors at 13.4 million and payroll at $319 million.2124 The earlier piece also quoted Susan Amey as Discover Durham's chief executive, while later coverage names Rousseau.2521 The August figures are the official ones and should be treated as the record.

Durham trails its neighbor

Regional comparisons make Durham's sluggishness more obvious. Combined, Wake and Durham counties drew $4.6 billion in visitor spending in 2025, and both set visitation records.24 Durham's gains, however, were smaller than Wake's.24 Wake County visitors spent about $3.6 billion, up 2.4%.23 That generated a record $342 million in state and local taxes, $21 million more than in 2024.24 Food and beverage accounted for $1 billion of Wake's visitor spending and lodging for $900 million.24

The broader state picture shows the same split. Mecklenburg County led North Carolina with $6.5 billion, up 1.5%. Some smaller counties grew much faster, with Richmond County up 9.7% and Chatham County, Durham's neighbor, up 8.9%.23 On the coast, New Hanover County's visitor spending rose 5.8% to more than $1.2 billion, while Brunswick County rose 1.3% to nearly $1.25 billion.3 By these measures, Durham landed in the bottom half of the state's major markets for growth.

The causes go beyond any one weak year. In 2024, Discover Durham leadership said the county lacked the performing arts space, sports facilities and convention space many competing communities have.26 Those gaps have not been fixed. They matter more when total demand is barely growing and destinations are fighting over a fixed pool of travelers.

The state set a record and still lost ground

The statewide numbers follow the same pattern as Durham's. Visitors spent a record $37.2 billion in North Carolina in 2025, beating the previous record of $36.7 billion set in 2024.1 That is an increase of just 1.3%.1 Visit North Carolina's own announcement was unusually candid, headlining that the state hit record spending but lost market share.1 North Carolina fell from fifth to seventh among states in domestic visitation, behind California, Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia.1

All of the growth came from domestic travelers, who spent a record $36.1 billion, up 1.5%.1 International visitors spent about $1.1 billion, down 2.8%.1 Statewide tourism employment barely moved, rising 0.3% to 230,997 jobs, even as tourism payroll rose 3.5% to $9.8 billion.1 Visitor-generated taxes at all levels of government rose 2.5% to more than $4.7 billion.1 State officials estimate that the average North Carolina household saves $605 a year in state and local taxes because of visitor spending.1

Governor Josh Stein called the record evidence of resilience while western North Carolina recovers from Hurricane Helene.2 That is a fair reading for the mountains: 10 of the state's 11 official tourism regions grew, and the Smoky Mountains and Cherokee region was up 4.3%.23 For a city market like Durham, though, Helene is not a convincing explanation for a sub-1% year. The slowdown looks more like a general cooling in demand.

What the national forecast says

The national outlook suggests Durham should not expect a quick rebound. The U.S. Travel Association's Spring 2026 forecast, built on Tourism Economics modeling, calls for growth at "low but positive" rates.11 It projects travel spending rising 1% after inflation in 2026, then speeding up to 3% in 2027 and 2028.11 Total U.S. travel spending is forecast to reach a record $1.37 trillion in 2026 and $1.42 trillion in 2027.12 Domestic travel makes up 87% of that total.12

The forecast describes a consumer under pressure, and Durham's numbers fit that description. U.S. Travel says Americans still prioritize travel, but higher-income households are doing more of the spending.11 It expects travelers to shift toward shorter, cheaper trips, including regional and drive-to destinations, as costs rise.11 Domestic leisure spending is forecast to grow only 0.9% in 2026, to $909 billion, after 2.1% growth in 2025.11

Survey data points the same way. In Deloitte's 2026 summer travel survey, only 45% of Americans planned a summer vacation with paid lodging, the lowest share in six years.15 Households earning more than $100,000 made up 55% of travelers, up from 50% the year before.15 The average budget for the longest trip rose 17%, to $4,069.18 In short, fewer people are traveling, and those who do are spending more.

For Durham, this is mixed news. A mid-sized city within driving distance of much of the Southeast could gain from the move toward regional, drive-to trips. But day-trippers and short-stay visitors usually spend less per person. That may help explain why Durham's visitor count rose while its spending barely did.

Business travel, which matters to a county anchored by Research Triangle Park, is not expected to make up the difference. U.S. Travel forecasts business travel spending to grow 0.7% in 2026, to $319 billion, and to keep trailing leisure travel until conditions improve from 2027 onward.19 International inbound spending fell 2.4% in 2025 and is projected to recover only 1.6% in 2026, leaving it 18% below 2019 levels after inflation.11 The association warns that risks are elevated: energy prices, conflict in the Middle East, weak consumer confidence and visa-related barriers for foreign visitors.11

Durham's plan: festivals and sports

Durham is responding with events. The nonprofit Durham Next recently committed $535,000 in visitor-paid tax revenue to growing local festivals.22 The money supports events including the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the Liberty Arts Iron Pour.23 Rousseau also pointed to 2026 sports and entertainment events, including the Garmin Marathon and the Carolina Blaze of the AUSL, and said she is eager to measure their effect when next year's numbers come out.22

The approach makes sense for the current market, but its limits are clear. Festivals and tournaments can bring in day-trippers and weekend visitors, the kind of short regional trips the national forecast says travelers prefer. They are no substitute for the convention and performance venues Durham's tourism leaders have said for years the county lacks.26

The 2025 figures show that Durham still attracts visitors but is no longer growing quickly. With national forecasters expecting roughly flat demand in 2026 and faster growth starting in 2027, the 2026 numbers will show whether investing in events can lift Durham's spending growth above inflation.