According to The Mountain Press, the U.S. State of Tennessee is celebrating a $1.2 billion increase in direct economic impact from tourism for 2011, an increase of 8.7 percent from the previous year and the largest annual increase officials report seeing:
For the second year in a row, all of Tennessee's 95 counties saw an an increase in tourism expenditures, with 23 counties having increases of 10 percent or more. For the sixth consecutive year, tourism-related business generated more than $1 billion in state and local sales tax revenue, with 2011's total amounting to $1.17 billion.
International visitor spending also increased, totaling $450.2 million, a 14.6 increase from 2010's figures that trumped the 12.2 percent national average increase.
Tennessee now ranks number nine among U.S. states in tourism, having gained six spaces on this list since 2012 - without any additional tourism marketing budget. The state reports a $19 return on every $1 spent on travel marketing, and is citing "cooperative marketing" and getting guests to stay longer in recent years, as well as new online and a digital guide that spurred almost 87 percent of undecided travelers to book Tennessee travel after viewing.
For more details on Tennessee's marketing tactics and plan, read the whole article.