GRCVB’s 2025-2026 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, Technology and Artificial Intelligence) on 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 2025-2026 chair of the GRCVB Board of Directors, Sheri Erhart:

"The past year was a time of great accomplishment for the Greater Raleigh CVB yet also was a time of great anticipation for the major new developments in tourism product underway in Wake County, including enhancements at RDU International Airport, Lenovo Center and downtown Raleigh’s convention campus as well as 'museum momentum' at the four key attractors...."

"We're proud to announce that (again) Wake County tourism has reached the highest levels on record across all major indicators:

  • 19.1 million people visited in calendar year 2025;
  • these visitors spent $3.4 billion on their trips; and
  • $342 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 Bureau's budget and work attracting future visitation and which allow our area to keep investing in new/existing tourism infrastructure. During 2025-2026, these two tourism-related taxes raised $91.8 million ($42.1 million in hotel occupancy tax collections and $49.8 million in food/beverage tax collections), a new record and 3.2% increase year-over-year."

"Both direct employment and related personal income figures for the hard-working area residents who serve our hospitality industries continue to rise each year. In 2025, 26,635 people worked directly with visitors in Wake County, and their combined payroll grew to $927 million."

"The CVB, with its budget of $12.7 million, was responsible in 2025-2026 for direct economic impacts of $205.7 million based solely on new convention and sports group bookings made in Wake County, representing a 16-to-1 return on budget invested. Substantial leisure visitation to our area also generated economic impacts many times over the annual marketing budget."

Review the full letter, departmental progress summaries and related resources: