FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Visitor spending in Williamson County grew to an all-time high of $479.58 million in 2018, a 6 percent increase over the record-setting growth of 2017. Travelers to Williamson County in 2018 spent an estimated $1.3 million per day. In a report released Tuesday by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development detailing the economic impact of tourism across the state, Williamson County remains ranked sixth among Tennessee’s 95 counties for visitor spending. These economic impact accomplishments come just weeks after Visit Franklin announced the county welcomed a record 1.72 million visitors in 2018.
“The diverse communities and attractions we have across Williamson County continue to be a place visitors know they will experience incredible history, world-class entertainment, remarkable food, and unquestioned southern hospitality,” said Visit Franklin President & CEO Ellie Westman Chin. “It is the incredible work these hospitality partners and local officials do to make this a premier destination that allows the impact of tourism to grow each year. The renovations, capital investments, and other commitments communities make to tourism allow us to attract more visitors each year, which in turn means more tax revenues generated to support our local schools, public safety, business, and economic development.”
Tourism-related spending generated $28.59 million in state and $9.72 million in local tax revenues in Williamson County, an increase of 4.4 percent for each over the previous year. Travel to Williamson County created new jobs too. Tourism-related job growth in the county also grew, increasing 2.4 percent to 3,710 tourism-related jobs in Williamson County.
“The hospitality industry in Williamson County is doing a lot of things right and these numbers show that,” said Visit Franklin Board of Directors Chair and A. Marshall Hospitality CEO Andy Marshall. “Our community is one where everyone takes pride and gets involved and you see that from our local hospitality partners too. Together we are able to employ more area residents and become essential partners in making this place we love an incredible place to live, work, and visit.”
The Williamson County Convention & Visitor Bureau (Visit Franklin) operates from a percentage of the lodging taxes collected from visitors by the local hotels. Those collections are then reinvested in sales and marketing efforts to attract the world to Williamson County for leisure travel, as well as sports, meetings, and group business.
Economic impact information is determined by the U.S. Travel Association and was distributed by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development as part of a state-wide announcement that travel in Tennessee as a whole achieved a record high of $22 billion in 2018.
ABOUT VISIT FRANKLIN Visit Franklin is the public brand name of the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visit Franklin is the official destination marketing organization for Franklin and the unique communities of Williamson County, Tennessee. Visit Franklin stimulates economic growth through the promotion of travel and tourism assets such as history, music, attractions, entertainment, the arts, and events to visitors from around the world. For information on Franklin and Williamson County, visit us on the web at VisitFranklin.com.
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