North Carolina is poised to reap major dividends from tourism with the March 23 opening of “The Hunger Games,” the highest-profile movie ever made in the state. “The movie is already a winner for us,” said N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco. “The filmmakers spent more than $60 million in North Carolina, and now fans are eager to come see the locations and go to the restaurants, neighborhoods and other places the stars visited. The money they spend here will be a second payoff for taxpayers.”
“The Hunger Games” has the promise of both commercial and artistic success. Commerce’s Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development has worked with industry partners to leverage the economic opportunities of “Hunger Games” tourism. Newly developed travel tools, accessed at VisitNC.com, will guide visitors to film sites, star hangouts, and places that connect with the characters and other elements of the novel.
“‘The Hunger Games’ helped the state film industry generate a record $220 million in spending for 2011, the incentive’s first year,” N.C. Film Office Director Aaron Syrett said. “We’ll be even happier if it helps tourism reach new heights for 2012 and beyond.” Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Marketing & Global Branding Lynn Minges agreed, citing the value of tourism to the North Carolina economy: In 2010, travelers spent more than $17 billion in North Carolina. That spending supported 40,000 businesses and 183,900 jobs and generated $1.5 billion in state and local taxes. It also reduced the average family tax bill by about $400.