Blount County Tourism Experiences 41-percent Growth in Visitor Expenditures

As a gateway to the Smoky Mountains, Blount County ranked eighth among Tennessee’s 95 counties in visitor expenditures at $476.68 million, a 41-percent increase from $337.01 million in 2020, according to the Economic Impact of Travel on Tennessee Counties report issued by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Gov. Bill Lee.

Blount County is one of nine across the state that experienced more than 40% growth in year-over-year travel spending. Others on the list include Davidson (64%), Cheatham (45%), Sevier (45%), Union (43%), Polk (43%), Grundy (42%), Knox (42%) and Hamilton (40%).

On an average day in 2021, visitor spending in Blount County generated $1.3 million in daily expenditures. It also spawned $14.22 million in local tax revenue for the year.

Revenue generated by tourism saved each Blount County household $700 in state and local taxes last year.

Davidson County, which includes the city of Nashville, topped all county indices with $7.4 billion in tourism economic impact. Shelby County was second at $3.5 billion, Sevier third at $3.4 billion, Knox was fourth at $1.65 billion and Hamilton fifth at $1.51 billion. Williamson County entered at sixth with $1.04 billion and Rutherford County was seventh at $634.8 million. Montgomery and Sullivan counties at $343 and $303, respectively, round out the top 10.

“It was great to see the tourism rebound across the state and in particular here in Blount County where we saw the second-highest visitor expenditures in history,” said Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority Director Kim Mitchell. “With the leisure and hospitality industry being the third largest employer in the state, it’s vital that we continue to market our area which is robust with outdoor activities, numerous dining and lodging options.”

Tourism employment in the county was at an all-time high of 4,150 which also led to an all-time high payroll of $175.06 million.

State tax receipts for the county totaled $21.63 million, marking the sixth consecutive year of reaching $20 million.

Overall, Tennessee tourism generated $24.2 billion in domestic and international travel spending in 2021 according to recently released economic impact data from U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics. It also marks the largest visitor spending nationally in Tennessee’s history. Travelers in Tennessee spend an estimated $66 million per day. Travel in Tennessee generated $1.9 billion in state and local tax revenue. Travel and tourism is also the third largest employer in the state.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell highlighted efforts to continue the industry’s strong recovery.

“Tourism drives economic development and job creation so that every Tennessean can thrive,” said Gov. Lee. “Our decision to prioritize strong recovery has yielded record levels of tourism growth, and we continue to welcome visitors to see all Tennessee has to offer, from the Mississippi River to the Great Smoky Mountains.”

“Tennessee is crushing it with the largest visitor spending national market share for Tennesseans in our history,” said Mark Ezell, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “Tennessee is one of the top travel destinations in the world because of our tremendous assets including our unmatched scenic beauty, diverse cities, and small towns, as well as our world class attractions, music, cultural and historical sites. We’re so grateful to this industry and our partners and blessed that visitors come experience these destinations and support local businesses, local restaurants and local lodging and support communities.”