Tourism numbers in Wake County down due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Raleigh, N.C. (May 7, 2020) – The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) has released the Wake County Tourism Industry Report for the first quarter of 2020. Strong January and February numbers significantly dropped in key performance indicators and tax collections for the hospitality industry in Wake County due to COVID-19. The pandemic has resulted in a significant decrease in group, business and leisure travel, hotel occupancy, closure of restaurants and hotels and event cancellations. To date, Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) have had more than 115 conventions, meetings and group sporting events that have been canceled throughout Wake County, totaling over 139,000 attendees and resulting in more than $57.5 million in total lost economic impact.

“In March, the Raleigh area and the rest of the nation started to see shrinking tourism numbers and hospitality tax collections due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said President and CEO, of Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), Dennis Edwards. “With travel coming to a halt and the closure of hotels and restaurants the tourism and hospitality industry here in Wake County and throughout the country face uncertainties like never before. We are grateful for the meeting planners and event organizers who are working with our team to reschedule their events for future dates and booking future business here in Wake County.”

Wake County hospitality industry KPIs – according to the Smith Travel Research:
First Quarter YTD (January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020)

Due to COVID-19 all key performance indicators for the hospitality industry fell during the month of March except for hotel room night supply. According to the Smith Travel Research through the first quarter, Occupancy dropped by more than 15% YTD, Average Daily Rate (ADR) decreased by 1.6% YTD and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) fell 17% YTD. These results are very similar to what is happening across the state and on a national level.

Events Hosted in Q1 2020:
Together, Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) hosted 60 conventions, sporting events and groups during the first quarter of 2020 and welcomed nearly 67,000 attendees to Raleigh, N.C. A slower first quarter resulted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter in-place orders issued in March. Before that, the quarter was highlighted by key conventions, sporting events and groups impacting overnight visitation including:

• City of Oaks Challenge (volleyball); 10,000 attendees
• International Erosion Control Association: 1,800 attendees
• Association for Challenge Course: 1,200 attendees
• Mid-Atlantic Power League (MAPL) Raleigh (volleyball): 7,700 attendees
• All Star Challenge (cheer/dance): 8,600 attendees
• National Association of Tower Erectors: 1,200 attendees

Hospitality Industry Tax Collections in Q1 2020:
As a result of the decreased visitation due to COVID-19, YTD through March 31, hotel lodging tax collections totaled more than $5.2 million, down over 25% YTD over 2019. Prepared food and beverage (PFB) tax collections totaled more than $6.7 million, up 1.7% YTD over 2019. Record-breaking PFB tax collections in January helped those collections stay up YTD, but the lowest March PFB collections since 2011 hurt collection totals.

New Business Booked in Q1 2020:
While COVID-19 has had deep impacts within the travel and hospitality industry, the first quarter was still productive in rescheduling and booking future conventions, sporting events and groups in Wake County. Together Visit Raleigh and the GRSA booked 101 groups totaling more than 76,000 room-nights of future business. Future meetings, conventions and sporting events booked during Q1 2020 include:

• USA Baseball National Team Identification Series Champions Cup: Aug. 5-9, 2020 (12U/13U), Aug. 12-16, 2020 (15U/16U) and Aug. 19-23, 2019 (11U/14U); combined attendance of 3,600 attendees
• American Choral Directors Association: Feb. 22-27, 2022; 2,000 attendees
• USA Baseball National Team Championships North Carolina: June 11-14, 2020 (17U), June 16-21, 2020 (15U) and June 28-July 3, 2020 (16U); combined attendance of 3,000 attendees
• Best Friends Animal Society: July 6-10, 2022; 1,400 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 to generate and/or retain sports-related businesses (tournaments, championships, special events and meetings) to drive 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:
Scott Peacock, Director of Public Relations
919.645.2676
speacock@visitRaleigh.com

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