Charlotte sees tourism surge in fiscal year 2025
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The Savannah Bananas two June games in Charlotte generated $38.6 million in economic impact, per CRVA.Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Charlotte's booming visitor economy generated a record $1.2 billion in economic impact in fiscal year 2025 when considering events that Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority either hosted or was associated with, according to CRVA's Impact Report.
Why it matters: Charlotte wasn't a tourist destination a decade ago. While it may not be New York or London, Charlotte continues to see a rise in leisure travel, generating hotel stays and attention as it hosts more major events.
Yes, but: CRVA's data do not include events like concerts at Bank of America Stadium, but rather events that the organization was involved in, like the Savannah Bananas two-night stint at Bank of America Stadium.
- The report includes the impact from CRVA's venues, events, marketing initiatives and partnerships.
By the numbers: 33 million people visited Charlotte. 473,000 hotel room nights were booked through leisure travel. Here's a breakdown of the local tourism industry's 2025 economic impact:
- $640.2 million in economic impact came from leisure travel.
- $333.5 million from sporting events.
- $102.9 million from conventions and meetings, including $87.6 million from events held at the Charlotte Convention Center.
- $68.3 million from the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
- $60.8 million from Bojangles Entertainment Complex.
Zoom in: One in nine Charlotteans works in leisure and hospitality, per the report.
- Mecklenburg County has the most tourism employees, 37,985, according to the latest data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
- As Charlotte hosts more high-profile events, more job opportunities are created.
What we're watching: Charlotte is still grappling with an image problem after two stabbings on the light rail led to negative national attention. State lawmakers have summoned Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden to testify in Raleigh on his department's "failures."
- Additionally, Border Patrol detained multiple people during a November crackdown in Charlotte.
What they're saying: Despite lingering economic uncertainty, Charlotte's affordability remains an attractive destination for visitors and newcomers.
- "People come in for football games, basketball games, concerts, to go shopping in SouthPark. That's not going to change," Mark Vitner, chief economist with Piedmont Crescent Capital in Charlotte, told the Charlotte Ledger last spring.
The big picture: Leisure travel has overtaken business travel in Charlotte. From wacky baseball and international soccer to a music festival, Uptown has seen a massive boost as it reemerged from the pandemic.
The bottom line: "Tourism continues to be one of Charlotte's most powerful economic engines, supporting jobs, strengthening local businesses and fueling tax revenue that benefits residents across our community," CRVA CEO Steve Bagwell said in a statement.
See the full CRVA report here.