We’ve all heard this before: Winston-Salem’s location can’t be beat because in just a few hours, you can be at the beach, in the mountains, or exploring big city life.

But did you know that our city is a top destination itself?

Among North Carolina’s 100 counties, Forsyth County was one of just nine to see more than a billion dollars in visitor spending in 2025. That’s according to a new study, prepared for Visit NC by Tourism Economics, that evaluates the economic impact of travel across the state.

Coming in at No. 9 and accounting for 2.9% of the state’s total, Forsyth County saw $1.08 billion in visitor spending.

That’s a slight drop from the county’s record of $1.09 billion in 2024 — about 0.8% or $10 million. Part of the decline in 2025 was that it was the off year for the biennial International Black Theatre Festival, which generated $14 million in economic impact earlier this month.

Here’s how visitors spent their money in 2025 in Forsyth:

Lodging (including second homes): $208.5 million
Food + Beverage: $345.6 million
Recreation: $132.8 million
Retail: $79.5 million
Transportation (including ground and air travel): $316.4 million

All that spending generated $44 million in state taxes and $29.7 million in local taxes, saving a Forsyth County resident an average of $183.67 on their tax bill.

Plus, our county’s tourism industry employed more than 6,500 last year and spent $264.8 million in wages.

Tourism building momentum in 2026

Visit Winston-Salem is optimistic for the local tourism industry in 2026. The organization reported that hotel revenue has increased an “impressive” 11.2% in the first six months of the year, compared to the same period of 2025.

President and CEO Stephanie Pace Brown explained that an increase in hotel revenue is an indication that meetings, conventions, sporting events, and leisure travel are bringing new business and new visitors to the city.

“While 2025 reflects the varied impacts of and recovery from Hurricane Helene in 2024, the strength of our hotel performance through the first six months of 2026 demonstrates the resilience of Winston-Salem’s visitor economy,” Brown said.

Statewide visitors in 2025

In 2025, visitor spending increased 1.3% to $37.2 billion, generating more than $2.7 billion in state and local taxes. Domestic travelers accounted for the majority of spending at $36.1 billion.

The state’s tourism industry supported nearly 231,000 jobs with a 3.5% increase in payroll, totaling $9.8 billion.

See the breakdown by county.