Tourism industry across Wake County starts the year off with strong first quarter growth.

Raleigh, N.C. (May 16, 2019) – The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) has released the 2019 Wake County Tourism Industry Report for the first quarter of 2019. All key performance indicators for the hospitality industry in Wake County are up year-to-date (YTD) over 2018. According to the Smith Travel Research through the first quarter Occupancy grew 6.9% YTD, Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 2.7% YTD and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 9.8% YTD. Most notable is that Wake County occupancy continues to outpace the state and national averages.

Another positive sign is that the demand for hotel rooms (room night sold) continues to outpace the rate of growth (hotel room night supply), meaning the market can take on more hotel development as the demand is there even with six new hotels opening in 2018 adding 476 rooms to the market.

“2019 is off to a strong start,” said Dennis Edwards, President and CEO of Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh). “The tourism and hospitality industry in Wake County continues to perform at or above average as compared to the rest of North Carolina. Even with six hotels opening last year adding 476 rooms to our hotel inventory, the demand for additional product here in Wake County continues to be high.”

Wake County hospitality industry KPIs – according to the Smith Travel Research:
First Quarter YTD (January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2019)

KPI

Wake County YTD

Wake County
% Change
YTD

State Average
YTD

National Average
YTD

Occupancy

70.1%

6.9%

61.8%

61.8%

Average Daily Rate (ADR)

$106.70

2.7%

$100.92

$129.02

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

$74.82

9.8%

$62.32

$79.68

Hotel Room Night Supply

1.56 M

2.7%

0.3%

2%

Room Nights Sold

1.09 M

9.8%

8%

2.4%

Events Hosted in Q1 2019:
During the first quarter of 2019 Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) together hosted 87 conventions, sporting events and groups and welcomed more than 145,000 attendees to Raleigh, N.C. A steady first quarter for conventions, sporting events and groups impacting overnight visitation was highlighted by a few key groups including:

  • City of Oaks Challenge (volleyball); 7,000 attendees
  • All Star Challenge Cheer and Dance Competition; 8,600 attendees
  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Mid-Atlantic Regional; 2,600 attendees
  • SAS U.S. Kickoff Meeting; 1,300 attendees
  • Mid-Atlantic Power League Raleigh (volleyball); 5,300 attendees

Hospitality Industry Tax Collections in Q1 2019:
As a result of increased visitation in the first quarter of 2019, YTD, through March 31, both hotel occupancy and prepared food and beverage tax collections increased. Hotel lodging tax collections totaled more than $7 million, up 10.2% YTD, and prepared food and beverage tax collections totaled more than $7.7 million, up 8.8% YTD. 

Tax Collections

YTD

% Change YTD

Hotel Occupancy

$7,028,170

10.2%

Prepared Food and Beverage

$7,744,072

8.8%

New Business Booked in Q1 2019:
The first quarter was also fruitful in booking future conventions, sporting events and groups in Wake County as Visit Raleigh and GRSA combined booked 121 groups totaling more than 82,000 room-nights of future business. Visit Raleigh and GRSA’s collective future bookings from this quarter will create a direct economic impact of $36.8 million.

Future meetings, conventions and sporting events booked during the first quarter include:

  • USA Baseball National Team Identification Series Champions Cup: Aug. 7-11, 2019 (11U/13U), Aug. 14-18, 2019 (12U/14U) and Aug. 21-25, 2019 (15U/16U); combined attendance of 3,000 attendees
  • United States Specialty Sports Association Atlantic Coast World Series: July 10-14, 2019; 5,250 attendees
  • Parenteral Drug Association 2020 Annual Meeting: March 30-April 5, 2020; 900 attendees
  • NCAA Division II Baseball Championship: June 1-8, 2019; 1,500 attendees
  • Southern Association for College Admission Counseling: April 16-20, 2021; 900 attendees

 

About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh):
The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), as the official destination marketing organization of Raleigh and Wake County, accelerates sustainable economic growth and development by increasing visitor and convention business. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes more than 16 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.5 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 26,170 local jobs in Wake County and generates more than $250 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $671 in taxes annually. VisitRaleigh.com.

About the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA):
A division of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) - the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) markets and promotes Raleigh and all of Wake County in order to generate and/or retain sports-related businesses (tournaments, championships, special events and meetings) for the purpose of economic development. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes more than 16 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.5 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 26,170 local jobs in Wake County and generates more than $250 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $671 in taxes annually. raleighsports.org.

Media Contact:
Jessica Holt
919.645.2654
jholt@visitRaleigh.com

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