Tourism industry sets new record for economic impact

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Numbers released last week at Tourism, Hospitality & Arts Day at the State Capitol show that the state’s tourism industry, and the tourism industry in Dawson County, generated a record-breaking economic impact in 2017.

The day brings hospitality and arts industry professionals from around the state to downtown Atlanta to celebrate the economic impact that the tourism industry has on the state of Georgia. By attending Tourism Day at the Capitol, Dawson County Chamber President Christie Moore and Tourism and Events Director Dustin Heard helped spread the word of the tremendous impact that tourism has on the local economy and met with legislators to encourage continued support of the state’s tourism industry.

Dawson County attracted $52.39 million in direct tourism spending in 2017, generated $2.48 million in state tax, $1.47 million in local tax and supported 507 jobs. Moore said each Dawson County household would need to pay an additional $462 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism’s economic impact.

The state’s tourism industry generated a record-breaking $63.2 billion in economic impact in 2017, an increase of 3.8 percent over last year, according to the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics.

Moore and Heard were among the tourism leaders that presented Governor Kemp with a check representing the $3.2 billion in state and local tax revenues generated by tourism-related expenditures in 2017.

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