Steve Morse, Economist and Associate Professor of the Hospitality and Tourism Department at Western Carolina University

1. Tourism Trends in Jackson Co.
Tourism works for Jackson County
Steve Morse, Ph.D.
Economist
Hospitality & Tourism Mgt
College of Business
Western Carolina University
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

2. Presentation Agenda – 3 Topics
Tourist spending impact on
Jackson Co. economy1.
Tourism tax relief for Jackson
Co. households2.
3. The Aug. 21 solar eclipse impact
on Jackson Co. tourism

3. Presentation Agenda – 3 Topics
Tourist spending impact on
Jackson Co. economy1.
2.
3.

4. Jackson County
Impact of Tourist Spending 2016
Source: NC Division of Tourism & U.S. Travel Association’s Report “The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties, 2016”
Tourist Spending
Jobs Created
Worker Paychecks
State Taxes
Local County Taxes
$188.2 Million
1,810 jobs
$44.8 million
$10.54 million
$8.63 million

5. Jackson Co. Tourist Spending,
$ Millions, 2013 - 2016
$103.0
$171.2 $175.9
$188.2
$0
$40
$80
$120
$160
$200
2013 2014 2015 2016
$ Millions

6. WNC Fly Fishing Trail

7. Top 10 (out of 100) fastest growing tourist
spending counties in NC, 2016 over 2015
1)Cherokee Co. (Murphy) + 13.4%
2)Watauga Co. (Boone) + 7.3%
3)Jackson Co. (Sylva-Cashiers) + 7.0%
4)Buncombe Co. (AVL) + 6.9%
5)Brunswick Co. (Boliva) + 6.8%
6)Durham Co. (Durham) + 6.6%
7)Haywood Co. (W-ville Maggie)+ 6.6%
8)Transylvania (Brevard) + 6.5%
9)Henderson Co. (H-ville) + 6.5%
10) Ashe Co. (Jefferson) + 6.4%

8. Jackson County Tourist Spending:
3rd Highest increase out of all
100 counties in NC

9. In Jackson Co.,
Tourism jobs will NEVER
be outsourced to another
country

10. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the
most visited National Park in the U.S. with
11.3 million visitors, 2016
11.35.9
5
4.5
4.3
4.2
3.4
3.3
3.2
2.9
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
(1) Great Smoky Mtns. NP (TN/NC)
(2) Grand Canyon NP (AZ)
(3) Yosemite NP (CA)
(4) Rocky Mtn NP (CO)
(5) Zion NP (UT)
(6) Yellowstone NP (WY, MT, ID)
(7) Olympia NP (WA)
(8) Acadia NP (WY)
(9) Grand Teton NP (WY)
(10) Glacier NP (MT)
(million visitors)
Source: U.S. Dept. Of the Interior, National Park Service, University of Idaho Study of National Park Visitation, 2016
(million visitors)

11. Presentation Agenda – 3 Topics
1.
Tourism tax relief for Jackson
Co. households2.
3.

12. Tourists are Temporary
Jackson Co. Tax Payers

13. Source: NC Division of Tourism & U.S. Travel Association’s Report “The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties, 2016”; U.S.
Census Bureau, Dr. Steve Morse, Western Carolina University
• Tourists are considered
“Temporary Tax Payers”
• Each of the 26,949 households in
Jackson Co. pay $711 less in State and
local taxes as a result of taxes
generated by tourist spending
Tourism Tax Relief for
Jackson Co.

14. Source: NC Division of Tourism & U.S. Travel Association’s Report “The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties, 2016”;
U.S. Census Bureau, Dr. Steve Morse, Western Carolina University
Each of the 26,949 Jackson Co.
Households would pay
$711 more in taxes to replace the
taxes paid by tourists
In other words,
if it were not for State & local
taxes generated by tourism …

15. $$711 in Tourism Tax Relief for
Each Household in
Jackson County
711.00
Sept. 212017
Jackson County

16. Presentation Agenda – 3 Topics
1.
2.
3. The Aug. 21 solar eclipse impact
on Jackson Co. tourism

17. Aug. 21 Total Solar Eclipse
in Jackson Co.

18. Jackson Co. Hotel Occupancy
Rate During Eclipse Week, 2017
45.1%
59.7%
55.8%
59.7%
80.5%
84.7%
94.4%
97.1%
93.6%
58.4%
51.5%
54.4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Sun
8/13
Mon
8/14
Tues
8/15
Wed
8/16
Thurs
8/17
Fri
8/18
Sat
8/19
Sun
8/20
Mon
8/21
Tues
8/22
Wed
8/23
Thurs
8/24
Eclipse Day

19. Thank You for Inviting me!
Steve Morse, Ph.D.
Economist, Western Carolina University
Ph: (828) 227-3386
Email: scmorse@wcu.edu