Mecklenburg County visitors spent a record $6.47 billion in 2025, bringing more outside dollars into the local economy than any other county in North Carolina, according to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
Visitor spending increased 1.5% from 2024, according to new data released by Visit NC.
The spending generated more than $430 million in state and local tax revenue in Mecklenburg County last year.
Mecklenburg County accounted for more than 17% of North Carolina’s $37 billion in visitor spending, helping make Charlotte the state’s leading visitor destination once again.
The 11 North Carolina counties within the CRVA’s 15-county regional footprint generated a combined $9.25 billion in visitor spending in 2025. That spending supported more than 56,000 direct tourism jobs, according to the data.