Report Shows Tourism Remains a Key Economic Driver
~ from Visit Knoxville
Visitors to Knox County generated $2,208,345,965 in spending in 2025, representing a 3.9% increase over 2024 and outpacing the statewide growth rate of 2.7%, according to newly released data from Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
Statewide, Tennessee’s tourism industry generated a record $32.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025 and $3.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. The state’s tourism economy has grown 40% since 2018, nearly double the national growth rate of 22%.
Visitor spending in Knox County grew 35.7% during that time, also ahead of the national average, led by increases in lodging.
“We’re proud to work alongside an incredible network of hospitality partners who help make the City of Knoxville and Knox County a welcoming and memorable destination,” said Kim Bumpas, President of Visit Knoxville. “As these numbers show, tourism is a strong economic driver for our community and beyond, and we’re grateful to play a role that positively impacts visitors and locals alike.”
BY THE NUMBERS*:
- Direct visitor spending in Knox County generated $139,671,017 in state tax revenue and $81,648,077 in local tax revenue.
- Every day, visitors spend $6,050,263 on lodging, retail, transportation, recreation and dining throughout Knox County.
- If it were not for state and local taxes generated by tourism, each household in Knox County would pay $1,100 more in state and local taxes.
- Visitor-paid taxes support public education and other critical services across Tennessee.
- Knox County ranked 4 among the 95 counties in Tennessee based on visitor spending.
*Research conducted by Tourism Economics, commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. The data above highlights the impact of visitors within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Knox County.
2025 Statewide Highlights:
- Visitors spent $89 million per day across the state in 2025.
- Tennessee’s 2.7% year-over-year growth in visitor spending outpaced the national growth rate of 1.9%.
- Fifty-seven of Tennessee’s 95 counties saw year-over-year growth.
- Visitor spending generated $2 billion in state tax revenue and $1.3 billion in local tax revenue.
Knox County is part of Tennessee’s Middle East tourism region, where visitor spending reached $7.9 billion in 2025, up 4% over 2024 and up 47.6% since 2018.
The 2025 Economic Impact on Travel Report analyzes statewide spending and visitation from domestic and international travelers to Tennessee. The report includes methodology used to determine visitor spending, tax generation, job creation and more. The TN Travel Impact Interactive County Dashboard provides instant access to key metrics, statewide and by county, about the economic impact of travel to Tennessee. All data is sourced from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Tourism Economics, with national benchmarks provided by U.S. Travel Association.
