GRCVB’s 2024-2025 Annual Report was released last week, with the online report including summaries from each of the Bureau’s departments (Convention Sales, Destination Services, Marketing and Communications, Public Relations and International Tourism, Sports Marketing, Administration and Destination Data and Technology) on their progress over the last fiscal year.

You can read the full report here, but for a quick overview, the following is an excerpt from the introductory letter by 2024-2025 chair of the GRCVB Board of Directors, Sharat Nagaraj:

"Wake County’s visitor economy isn’t just strong—it’s breaking records and shaping our future. Every new visitor means more local jobs, stronger small businesses and a better quality of place for everyone who calls Raleigh home."

"With the release of this Annual Report, we are thrilled to announce that Wake County tourism has reached the highest levels on record across all measured objectives:

  • 19 million people visited in 2024;
  • these visitors spent $3.4 billion on their trips; and
  • $321 million was added to local/state tax coffers as a result."

"Direct spending by Wake County visitors generates two streams of local tax revenue (comprising Raleigh and Wake County’s Interlocal Fund), which contribute to the CVB budget and the Bureau’s work attracting future visitation. During 2024-2025, these two tourism-related taxes raised $89 million ($41.3 million in hotel occupancy tax collections and $47.7 million in food/beverage tax collections), a new record and 4.8% increase year-over-year."

"The CVB, with its budget of $12.3 million, was responsible in 2024-2025 for direct economic impacts of $224 million based solely on new convention and sports group bookings made in Wake County, representing an 18-to-1 return on budget invested. Flourishing leisure visitation to our area also generated economic impacts many times over the annual marketing budget."

Click here for more resources regarding the Annual Report: