This year marks the 40th anniversary of the annual industry celebration
BURGAW — National Travel and Tourism Week, (NTTW) the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, will spotlight the essential role that travel will play in driving economic growth and innovation through the theme #TravelForward.
Pender County Tourism is celebrating by spotlighting its tourism-related businesses at the I-95 South Welcome Center.
“The travel industry fuels every industry—our industry’s success is the nation’s success,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “This week is a prime opportunity to elevate the message that travel is essential to moving America’s economy forward.”
Established in 1983, NTTW is an annual tradition to mark the U.S. travel industry’s role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, stimulating business activity, and elevating the quality of life for everyday Americans.
Travel serves as a catalyst for a productive U.S. economy and helps power the success of other industries. The U.S. travel industry generated a $2.6 trillion economic output in 2022 and supported 15 million jobs, fueling communities, small businesses, and working families across the country.
The tourism industry directly employs more than 924 in Pender County, generating a payroll of $37.1 million.
Travel spending also generated nearly $160 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022—revenue that helped fund critical public services while saving each U.S. household an average of $1,270 in taxes.
The state tax revenue generated in Pender County totaled $6 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. Approximately $8.9 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and tourism-related businesses. The local taxes generated by tourism in Pender County are significant because it equates to a savings of $243.32 per resident in Pender County.
“Travel is at the heart of Pender County and Topsail Island, powering a strong U.S. economy, creating jobs, and strengthening our community’s culture and identity,” said Tammy Proctor, Pender County Tourism director. “This National Travel and Tourism Week, we are proud to celebrate all that travel does for our community now, and all that it will contribute in the future.”
Please visit ustravel.org/NTTW to learn more about National Travel and Tourism Week.
