Hospitality KPIs and tourism tax collections continue rebounding from COVID-19 pandemic;
impressive prepared food and beverage collections

Raleigh, N.C. (August 10, 2021) – Visit Raleigh has released the Wake County Tourism Industry Report for the second quarter of 2021. Key performance indicators and hotel occupancy tax collections for the hospitality industry in Wake County have started to uptick after the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prepared food and beverage collections have significantly increased since this time last year when many restaurants were closed at the end of Q1 and into the beginning of Q2 2020. The pandemic caused a significant decrease in group, business and leisure travel, hotel occupancy and event cancellations, but numerous indoor and outdoor sporting events and conventions have resumed bringing more visitors to the area.

Highlights:
Upward Trend on Tax Collections

• Hotel lodging tax collections totaled $9.1 million through June 2021, up $1.42 million (or 18.4%) over 2020.
• Prepared food and beverage tax collections totaled nearly $16 million through June 2021, up $4.16 million (or 35.4%) over 2020.
• Prepared food and beverage tax collections exceeded pre-pandemic levels in both May and June 2021.

Group Business Overview

• Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) hosted 50 events in the second quarter of 2021, welcoming nearly 39,000 attendees to the area.
• Through the end of June, hotel occupancy rose to 52% YTD, up 11.7% over 2020.

Future Business/Tourism Outlook

• Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance were able to book 60 events for future dates, bringing an estimated 45,000 room-nights of future business to Wake County and generating a projected $18.8 million in economic impact.

“Tax collections YTD demonstrate the encouraging rebound for the tourism and hospitality industry in Wake County,” said Dennis Edwards, President and CEO of Visit Raleigh. “Through the second quarter of 2021, hotel occupancy tax collections are steadily rising compared to the severely low numbers from last year during the midst of the pandemic, and prepared food and beverage tax collections are exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Now we need more hospitality workers to support the demand in restaurants and bars across the county.”

Below is a full breakdown of the tourism and hospitality industry performance throughout Wake County in the second quarter of 2021.

Wake County hospitality industry KPIs – according to the Smith Travel Research:
(Jan. 1 - June 30, 2021)

Due to COVID-19 most key performance indicators for the hospitality industry are still lower than normal through the second quarter of 2021, but almost all KPI’s are now trending upwards. According to STR through the second quarter, Occupancy rose by more than 11% YTD, Average Daily Rate (ADR) decreased by 6.5% YTD and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) increased more than 4% YTD.

Hospitality Industry Tax Collections in 2021:
As a result of rebounding visitation, hotel lodging tax collections totaled more than $9.1 million, up more than 18% YTD over 2020. Prepared food and beverage (PFB) tax collections totaled nearly $16 million, up over 35% YTD over 2020.

Events Hosted in Q2 2021:
With visitation beginning to rebound during the second quarter of 2021, Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) together hosted 50 conventions, sporting events and groups and welcomed nearly 39,000 attendees to Raleigh, N.C. The quarter was highlighted by key conventions, sporting events and groups impacting overnight visitation including:

• NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships: 8,250 attendees
• MLB Draft Combine: 850 attendees
• American Legion Annual Convention: 350 attendees
• MR Williams Distributors: 350 attendees

New Business Booked in Q2 2021:
The second quarter remained active in booking future conventions, sporting events and groups in Wake County as Visit Raleigh and GRSA combined booked 60 groups totaling more than 45,000 room-nights of future business. Visit Raleigh and GRSA’s collective future bookings from this quarter will create a direct economic impact of $18.8 million.

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

• NCAA DII Baseball Championship: June 3-12, 2021; 1,500 attendees
• Dude Solutions Dude University: March 5-9, 2022, and March 11-15, 2023; 1,000 attendees
• International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility: August 16-22, 2025; ,1500 attendees
• Perfect Game Coastal World Series: July 8-11, 2021; 3,600 attendees
• NC Technology in Education Society Annual Meeting: March 4-6, 2026; 2,500 attendees
• XP League North American Finals: August 6-8, 2021; 2,000 attendees

Interviews with a Visit Raleigh spokesperson can be arranged via phone, video conference or in person. To arrange an interview, please contact Jessica Holt, Public Relations Manager, at 919.645.2654 or jholt@visitRaleigh.com.
 

About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh):
As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), is responsible for promoting Wake County as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, the organization strengthens the economic position of and provide opportunity for people throughout Wake County. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes nearly 13 million visitors annually whose spending tops $1.7 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 17,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $186 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $470 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 nearly 13 million visitors annually whose spending tops $1.7 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 17,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $186 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $470 in taxes annually. raleighsports.org

Media Contact:
Jessica Holt
Public Relations Manager
919.645.2654
jholt@visitRaleigh.com

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