Annual Report: Tourism Impact Report
We keep tabs on ourselves so you don’t have to.
Discover Durham's mission is to fuel the local business climate and broaden the local tax base by attracting and serving visitors as a means of bringing money into the community, supporting jobs and increasing tax revenue by marketing and developing Durham as a destination.
That mission is carried out across our family of brands. The Durham Sports Commission recruits and supports sporting events at all levels, bringing economic activity to Durham and expanding sports access for local youth. Durham Next invests in the long-term work of making Durham the best place to visit, and in turn the best place to live and work. Each has its own mission, and together their work is part of ours. Go deeper by reading our full annual reports.
Many of you may know me already. I’ve spent the last couple decades of my career advancing our destination through economic development and championing the community that’s always been home. It’s been a joy and an honor to do that work at Discover Durham over the last nine years. As I step into my first year leading the organization, I’m proud to continue the mission built on years of thoughtful work — standing on the shoulders of leaders whose vision has positioned our family of brands, Discover Durham, the Durham Sports Commission and Durham Next, to meet this moment with confidence and clarity.
Tourism is a game-changing avenue for economic development and 2025 was a record year. Despite real headwinds — a harsh winter forcing business closures, economic uncertainty impacting travel budgets and lighter foot traffic from remote work — visitor spending in Durham County reached a new high at $1.17 billion – a genuine point of pride for Durham. That billion-dollar impact represents the wages that support our neighbors, the revenue that helps keep Durham’s businesses local and the tax dollars that fund services that improve residents’ quality of life.
Visitor Impact Over Time
Because visitors play such an important role in Durham’s economy, it’s also important to name what the data shows: visitor spending growth is softening, and the hospitality jobs supported by visitors still haven’t caught up to pre-pandemic numbers. This isn’t cause for alarm; it’s a signal. How we respond now will shape the next decade of Durham’s visitor economy.
That’s why our mission — to attract visitors to Durham and encourage them to spend locally — matters more than ever. Along with marketing Durham as a destination, we also lead in developing it, serving visitors for the economic and social benefit of those who live and work here. Overnight visitors generate nearly three times the economic impact of day visitors, and growing that segment remains core to how we build sustainable, lasting prosperity for this community.
State and Local Tax Impact
Nowhere is that work more visible than in the Durham Sports Commission (DSC), celebrating ten years of economic and social impact through recruiting and supporting sporting events at all levels. In that time, the DSC supported 331 events generating more than $132 million in economic activity. From major events like CIAA Football and AUSL Softball to expanded sports access for local youth, the DSC reinforces Durham’s reputation as the destination where champions are made.
DSC Social & Economic Impact
$15,784,051 |
55 |
73,519 |
Meanwhile, Durham Next is doing the equally vital work of building for the long term — investing in Durham as the best place to visit in order to drive the economic and social benefits that also make it the best place to live and work. As part of that mission, the nonprofit commissioned a study exploring how Durham Next and Discover Durham can work to scale the success of the festivals and events already rooted here, a strategy backed by a national trend of destinations finding real economic value in tourism-driven events.
Durham Next Community Impact Fund
Total Accelerate Awardees 5 | Total Investment Fund Awardees 6 | Total Investment $535,000 |
It’s easy to see why festivals are a natural place to invest. Durham is known for its dynamic creativity and culture, and these hallmarks play a major role in attracting visitors. Much of that draw comes from local festivals that put our creative communities on full display, bring visitors to Durham and generate millions in economic impact. We see the opportunity to invest boldly in these gatherings, not only to host fun experiences and create economic opportunity for locals, but to put Durham on the map as a city known for its festivals.
Opportunities like these matter more than ever. Growth in visitor spending has stagnated, a signal that the case for continued, collaborative investment between public and private partners has never been clearer. The return on investments into staple attractions like Durham Performing Arts Center, American Tobacco Campus and Durham Bulls Athletic Park — in jobs and community vibrancy — is the direct result of leaders who saw Durham’s potential years ago and bet on it. The choices we make together today will define the decade ahead.
As you read on, you’ll see our last year reflected: the stories told, the visitors reached, the impact made and the new frontiers explored. As I begin my first year as president and CEO of Discover Durham, I’m honored to lead this next chapter, building on strong foundations with a clear eye toward what’s possible. Together, Discover Durham, the Durham Sports Commission and Durham Next are excited to keep innovating, investing and working alongside the community to keep Durham a place visitors seek to experience, and residents are proud to call home.
