North Carolina recently received its annual tourism report to gauge the state of travel and spending. Locally, Orange and Chatham counties saw healthy rebounds in 2021 compared to the lows of 2020.
After experiencing a record high in 2019, Orange County experienced a steep drop in tourism revenue during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Laurie Paolicelli, who is the executive director of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, recently spoke with 97.9 The Hill and recalled the struggles for the local hospitality industry.
“There was really just a national cease on travel and people heeded that,” she said. “Our lives were at stake, nobody knew what [COVID-19 would do] and so we didn’t travel. We saw a huge decline – every hotel, every business furloughed staff.
“And so,” Paolicelli added, “when we saw these [2021] numbers come in, it was a sigh, it was an exhale that people are traveling to Orange County again.”
According to Visit North Carolina, Orange County experienced a 51 percent increase in spending from domestic and international visitors in 2021 for a total of more than $194 million. That outpaces the percent increase in spending across North Carolina, which was nearly 45 percent this last year compared to 2020.
Paolicelli said many elements contribute to this local boost, including the returns of fans at UNC athletics games, improved capacity indoors and new businesses opening their doors. But she also gave credit to those who are in the restaurant and hospitality industries for their cooperation and perseverance during the challenging stretches.
“What I really loved about this community during COVID,” Paolicelli said, “[was] how well everybody worked together to support each other. Suddenly, competitors were all working together to try to lift that tide.”
Another aspect of the rebound, according to Paolicelli: the return of Orange County hosting conferences, reunions and other annual gatherings. While the rise of remote communication has led to changes in the workplace and how people interact, the Visitors Bureau executive director said such events are swinging back to largely being held in-person.
“What they’re finding is that the hybrid [experience] isn’t working. People in the room ignore the people on the calls, people are really craving the full interaction. And what you hear a lot, is that a lot of the business takes place in the hallway. You just can’t do that in Zoom, right?”
Patrons are assisted while dining along a sidewalk on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, N.C., Friday, April 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
The tourism totals for Chatham County improved as well, with Visit North Carolina reporting a 41 percent increase to more than $68 million in revenue in 2021. One trend noted by county officials is the spending tied to outdoor events or facilities, as well as residents staying and spending money in Chatham.
Chair of the County Commissioners Karen Howard told 97.9 The Hill she believes the local governments should keep capitalizing on that interest.
“The need for us to continue to invest in outdoor recreation and opportunities for people to come, visit and spend their dollars here – and make a difference in the lives of Chatham County residents and businesses – [is clear],” said Howard. “Those numbers really are staggering considering the economic position that the world was in.”
The county commissioner said she encourages residents to read the full report to get the broad picture of Chatham County’s growth in tourism…and to come to their own conclusions.
“I would love for people to have a look at it and think about what that really says,” said Howard. “That, in a time when money wasn’t necessarily easy to come by and people were looking for things to do, for ways to get out and enjoy themselves during the pandemic, they choose places like Chatham County.”
Statewide, North Carolina hosted nearly 45 million visitors and brought in $28.9 billion in 2021 from tourism spending. Employment in the tourism and hospitality industry increased 10.5 percent to around 197,500 people.
For the full report from Visit North Carolina, head to the division’s website.
Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.
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