Economy

Tourism revenue in North Carolina continues to grow, with more than 45 million visitors spending more than $15 billion last year. The 8.3 percent increase in spending from 2005 is the largest such increase since 1990. Tourism in North Carolina generated about $1.3 billion in state and local tax dollars in 2006, up from about $1.2 billion in 2005. The travel and tourism industry employs more than 187,000 North Carolinians. The data is from a preliminary annual study by the Travel Industry Association of America.