Moore County Surpasses $900 Million in Visitor Spending for 2025

SOUTHERN PINES, NC (August 13, 2026) – In 2025, Moore County witnessed an unprecedented $901.4 million in economic impact from visitor spending, representing a 4.9% increase from the previous year. Moore County remains the tenth largest tourism economy in the state, maintaining its highest ranking in history.

These statistics come from the Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2025, an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. The statistics can be accessed at VisitNC.com/economic-impact. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.

“To see this kind of increase after a very successful U.S. Open year is truly remarkable and a testament to the enormous popularity of our globally recognized destination,” said Phil Werz, President and CEO of Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen. “With more high quality lodging coming online in the next year or two, and being on the precipice of the return of commercial flight service to Moore County, we feel very confident that we will surpass the one billion dollar mark in visitor spending by the time we conclude this decade.”

Tourism impact highlights for 2025:

• Moore County ranks tenth among 100 counties in North Carolina for annual visitor spending.
• The tourism industry employs more than 6,500 people in Moore County, an increase of 2.8% from the previous year.
• Tourism in Moore County saved each resident $578.68 in taxes per capita. The state average was $241. The report also showed that $30.1 million in local taxes was derived from visitor spending in 2025, an increase of 7.1%.
• State tax revenue generated by tourism in Moore County totaled $34.2 million, up from $32.2 million from 2024, an increase of 6.2 percent.

The report also provided visitor spending based on a variety of sectors. Overall, Moore County reports visitor spending totals for 2025 in these areas: Lodging ($228 million, up from $213 million in 2024, an increase of 7.1%); Food and Beverage ($269.1 million, up from $259.6 million in 2024, an increase of 3.6%); Recreation ($133.9 million, up from $126.4 million in 2024, an increase of 5.9%); Retail ($78.2 million, up from $71.6 million in 2024, an increase of 9.1%) and Transportation ($191.7 million, up from $188.5 million in 2024, an increase of 1.7%). “As much as we’d love to see growth in all 100 counties, the study confirms the vitality of North Carolina’s tourism economy,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. “As we approach the two-year milestone of Hurricane Helene, we can draw inspiration from the mountain communities that have experienced a turnaround as we continue the effort to see every destination reach higher ground.”

Statewide, overall visitor spending in 2025 rose 1.3% to reach a record $37.2 billion compared to the previous year. Fifty-nine percent of counties experienced increases in visitor spending from 2024 to 2025 with 14 percent recording flat performance.

Other Statewide Highlights:

• Domestic travelers spent a record $36.1 billion in 2025. Spending was up 1.5% from the $35.6 billion in 2024.
• International travelers spent $1.1 billion in 2025, down 2.8% from the previous year.
• Visitors to North Carolina generated more than $4.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2025. The total represents a 2.5% increase from 2024.
• State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 2.0% to nearly $1.4 billion in 2025.
• Local tax receipts grew 2.6% to nearly $1.3 billion.
• Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 0.3% percent to 230,997.
• Direct tourism payroll increased 3.5% to $9.8 billion.
• Visitors spend more than $101 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.5 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.8 million in state taxes and $3.7 million in local taxes).
• Each North Carolina household saved $605 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $244.

The findings from the state’s annual economic impact report are based on the 2025 calendar year. Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen concluded its 2025-26 fiscal year on June 30th with occupancy tax collections of nearly $6.1 million.

Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen

Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen is the economic development agency responsible for travel and tourism promotion, product development, and visitor services for Moore County, NC. The organization devises strategies to enhance the County’s tourism brand value and product to accommodate the next generation of visitors, thereby stimulating the local economy and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. In 2025, Moore County ranked as the tenth largest tourism economy in North Carolina, generating $901 million annually in visitor spending, which supports the second largest employment sector in the county and saves county residents approximately $578 a year in state and local taxes.