visitor spending rose to $17B

Visitors to North Carolina spent a record 17 billion U.S. dollars in 2010, as of 2011, that is an increase of 9 percent in 2009.

State tax revenue from visitor spending jumped 12.6 percent the last year before during the 2009.

"North Carolina treasures of natural and cultural heritage and bring dollars to the people of our state," Gov. Beverly Perdue said at the meeting in Asheville. "This is a growing part of our economy."

Nearly 37 million people visited North Carolina last year, up 2.5 percent from 2009, making the state the sixth most visited among the 50 states. State tax revenues totaling more than $ 947 million and local tax revenue was 546 million dollars as a direct result of visitor spending, the bureau said Perdue and North Carolina Department of Commerce.