The spending represents a 6 percent increase over the previous year, while tourism-related jobs grew by almost 3 percent to about 153,000 positions. For the first time in history, more than 100 million people traveled to Tennessee.
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“We fund state government basically through sales tax”, Haslam said. Becoming a $5 billion tourism market by 2015 was a goal set by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. in 2003, and achieving that underscores just how big a business tourism has become in Middle Tennessee.
But there’s little consensus on what to do about it, said the Republican governor who has been traveling the state to hold discussions about what he calls a $6 billion backlog in transportation projects.
Gov. Bill Haslam and Kevin Triplett, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, announced the latest tourism numbers at a press conference at the Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday.
Haslam was criticized two years ago when his administration converted a $1 million contract with Jones Lang Lassalle to assess the condition of state buildings into a multimillion contract to operate many buildings.
Tennessee is ranked in the Top 10 destinations in the U.S. for total travel.
State and local sales tax revenue from the tourism industry were more than $1.5 billion, and worldwide travel increased more than 8 percent to $577 million. The tax, which raises $657 million per year, was last increased in 1989. Knox and Sevier Counties had some of the highest economic impact for the entire state, with around a $1 billion impact.
Tennessee’s customer satisfaction landed at an impressive 8.5 out of 10. “Tourists are drawn to Tennessee for our world-renown music, outstanding attractions, stunning scenic beauty”, Triplett said. “That is the “made in Tennessee” brand delivered to our visitors every day by our communities and partners”.
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Haslam’s administration issued a request for information recently that asks for companies interested in managing operations at sites like Tennessee prisons, state universities, state parks, National Guard locations and other facilities.
