Tennessee Tourism Breaks $30B in Visitor Spending in 2023, Creating a Record Tax Benefit for Tennesseans

Tennessee tourism generated a record $30.6 billion in direct visitor spending and saw 144 million visitors to the state in 2023, according to newly released data from Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Tennessee’s direct visitor spending increased 6.2% in 2023. This follows two consecutive years of double-digit growth, driving Tennessee to a 125% recovery over 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

“When tourism grows, Tennessee reaps the benefit with increased sales tax revenue,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “Tourism boosts local economies, supports businesses and jobs, funds pu...