Orange County tourism spending hits record

Orange County brought in more than $150 million in tourism spending last year — its highest amount since it began tracking visitor spending 20 years ago.

The uptick in visitor spending — an 8.8 percent increase from 2010 for the county — is due largely to the University presence, vibrant downtowns and cultural attractions.

The data, released last week, was compiled by the N.C. Department of Commerce. According to the full survey, Orange County ranks in the top 25 percent of state counties in terms of visitor spending.

“There are certain counties that are really the shining stars of tourism,” said Margo Metzger, public relations manager for the department.

“Of course the biggest three are Mecklenburg, Wake and Guilford, but places like Orange County are excellent at attracting visitors.”

Patty Griffin, communications director at the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor’s Bureau, attributes the recent increase to several factors.

“Part of the reason is visiting friends and family,” Griffin said. “As more and more people move to Orange County, their friends and family visit them and want to see the community.”

Samantha Sanford, a junior at UNC-Wilmington, visited Chapel Hill last weekend to see friends who had moved into a new apartment.

“I mostly spend on food when I’m here, because Franklin Street has a lot of cuisines that Wilmington doesn’t,” Sanford said.

Griffin also said Orange County has become a popular wedding destination.

“The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill probably has weddings every weekend during certain times of the year,” she said.

“That brings large groups to the town — huge parties that want to explore.”

The University is one of the most popular attractions in Orange County, regularly drawing thousands of fans to sporting games and cultural events.

Downtown businesses say their sales figures reflect the recent increase in tourism spending.

Heather Lugar, retail division manager at Johnny T-Shirt on Franklin Street, said she has seen significant growth.

“I would say most of it is traffic for the University, whether it’s parents or just people visiting the campus,” she said.

“But on the weekends you get a lot of people from North Carolina doing a day trip to do some shopping on Franklin Street.”

The popular Franklin Street restaurant Top of the Hill has also seen more business from tourists.

Katie Hampton, a floor manager who has been working at the restaurant for almost two years, said most of the summer business comes from tourism.

“We see way more guests who are stopping in town, not just for the University but because Chapel Hill is so beautiful,” Hampton said.

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