Tourism Works for Roane County
Wednesday November 07, 2007
Next time you see visitors in town, just pat your wallet and smile, knowing that their visit means money in your pocket. Every household in Roane County saves $429.89 in taxes because of tourism.
When tourists come to town, they put gas in their cars from our gas stations, put food in their mouths from our restaurants and pack their bags with treasures from our shops. At the end of the day, they dream sweet dreams about the day's adventures at one of our hotels. Each time you see a flash of cash, or a debit card swiped, a tourist has just paid state and local taxes.
In Roane County, those tourist expenditures added up to $52.13 million dollars in 2006. That's $2.68 million in local tax receipts.
But the economic impact of a visitor in our town doesn't stop there. Somebody has to be at the gas station, restaurant, gift shop and hotel to serve our traveler with our unparalleled Southern hospitality. Tourism sustains 450 jobs and $8.7 million in resident wages.
"Roane County is extremely fortunate to have the geographic location, the waterways and the climate that is a natural attraction for tourists," said Beverly Stroh, tourism & marketing manager for The Roane Alliance. "Our bluegrass music and the Watts Bar Belle Riverboat are major attractions. Plus we have a population that embraces festivals and events - a good example is our December events: two holiday home tours in Rockwood and Harriman, a candlelight celebration at Fort Southwest Point, and we have a holiday boat parade scheduled. All these events are hosted at hundreds of volunteer hours and personal expenses."
On a statewide level the numbers really add up. Commissioner Susan Whitaker of the Department of Tourist Development announced in her recent state of the industry address, tourism expenditures in 2006 were $13.4 billion, providing more than $1 billion in sales tax revenue, an increase of 7.6% over the previous year. As one of the state's key economic drivers, the tourism industry created 181,300 jobs for Tennesseans, generating almost $5.1 billion in payroll income.
So when the opportunity presents itself, say a hearty "hello" to the next tourist you see, and offer directions to the closest gas station, that local restaurant and all the best shops in town. Don't forget to add, "Ya'll come back now, and stay at one of our bed and breakfasts....RV parks....campgrounds.....motels..."
Sources: Travel Industry of America, The Economic Impact of Travel on Tennessee Counties 2006; U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate, The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
