Raleigh Tourism Starts the Year Strong Despite Inconsistent Travel Economy

Raleigh, N.C. (May 28, 2026) – Visit Raleigh has released the Wake County Tourism Industry Report for the first quarter of 2026. As travel to the U.S. continues to slow nationally, Raleigh’s key performance indicators (KPIs), including hospitality tax collections, have seen reliable growth. Hotel occupancy continues to exceed the state and national averages.

Highlights:
Continued Growth for Tax Collections

• Hotel lodging tax collections totaled more than $10 million through March 2026, up 3.6% over 2025.
• Prepared food and beverage tax collections totaled $11. 9 million through March 2026, up 2% over 2025.

Group Business Overview

• Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) hosted 111 events, tournaments, conferences and groups through March 2026, welcoming more than 136,000 attendees to the area.
• Through the end of March, hotel occupancy increased to 66.2%, continuing to outpace state and national averages.

Future Business/Tourism Outlook

• Through March 2026, Visit Raleigh and GRSA booked 137 events for future dates, bringing more than 66,000 room-nights of future business to Wake County and generating a projected $46.5 million in economic impact.

While destinations across the country are facing slowing travel trends, Raleigh continues to garner new flights, including a direct Aer Lingus route from Dublin that started in April 2026

“Wake County is maintaining steady momentum at the start of 2026, with continued growth in hospitality tax collections, rising hotel occupancy and a steady pipeline of future business fueling our visitor economy,” said Dennis Edwards, president and CEO of Visit Raleigh. “These positive numbers speak to the diversity of the various demand generators our county offers. Whether people are coming for meetings and conventions, sports activities, concerts, business travel or simply leisure visitation. Wake County has something for everyone.”

Below is a full breakdown of the tourism and hospitality industry performance throughout Wake County in the first quarter of 2026.

Wake County hospitality industry KPIs – according to the Smith Travel Research:
(January 1 – March 31, 2026)

Wake County hotels’ average daily rate has increased by more than 4.6% over the first quarter of 2026. The County’s occupancy rate continues to outpace that of the state and national averages, increasing by 3.7% over the first quarter of 2026.

Hospitality Industry Tax Collections in Q1 2026:
Wake County saw consistent increases in hospitality industry tax collections in the first quarter of 2026. Hotel lodging tax collections totaled more than $10 million, a 3.6 % increase over 2025. Prepared food and beverage tax collections totaled over $11.9 million, a 2% increase over the first quarter of 2025.

Events Hosted in Q1 2026:
During the first quarter of 2026, Visit Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) together hosted 111 conventions, sporting events and groups and welcomed 136,217 attendees to Raleigh, N.C. The first quarter of 2026 was highlighted by key conventions, meetings and sporting events impacting overnight visitation including:

• Pendo Company Kick Off: 1,300 attendees
• 2026 City of Oaks Challenge: 10,000 attendees
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority MidAtlantic Regional Conference: 5,266 attendees
• Quilt Con, The Modern Quilt Guild: 8,000 attendees
• USA Baseball National High School Invitational: 1,500 show attendees

New Business Booked in Q1 2026:
The first quarter of 2026 was productive in bookings for future conventions, sporting events and groups in Wake County. Visit Raleigh and GRSA combined booked 137 groups totaling more than 66,654 room-nights of future business. Visit Raleigh and GRSA’s collective future bookings from this quarter will create an estimated direct economic impact of $46.5 million.

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

• IberCup ECNL Boys Tournament: Sept. 4-7, 2026; 7,500 attendees
• Phenom Hoops Live & Championship at the Capital: July 9-12, 2026; 7,000 show attendees
• International Council on Active Aging (ICAA): Nov. 14-19, 2027; 700 attendees
• American Public Power Association Engineering & Operations Conference: April 12-15, 2027; 450 Attendees

Interviews with a Visit Raleigh spokesperson can be arranged via phone, video conference or in person. To arrange an interview, please contact Hannah Hankins, at hhankins@visitraleigh.com.

About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh):
As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, 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 industry and community's economic position and provides opportunities for people throughout Wake County. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes 19 million visitors annually, whose spending tops $3.4 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 26,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $321 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $720 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) for economic development. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes 19 million visitors annually, whose spending tops $3.4 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 26,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $321 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $720 in taxes annually. raleighsports.org

Media Contact:
Hannah Hankins
Public Relations and International Tourism Manager
919.819.8292
hhankins@visitraleigh.com

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