The 2013 North Carolina Visitor Profile, which includes a wealth of demographic and spending data, is now available on the Division’s website at no cost. The research provides critical data that help to guide the Division’s marketing decisions. For example, in 2013, 81 percent of all domestic visitors came to North Carolina for pleasure purposes, while 13 percent of visitors came to conduct business (includes meetings/conventions). The average household trip expenditure for overnight visitors was $517; daytrip parties to the state spent approximately $134 per visit. The summer (June – August) was the most popular season for travel to North Carolina, with 32 percent of all 2013 visitors. Fall (September-November) and spring (March-May) followed with 25 percent and 23 percent, respectively. The winter season (December-February) was the least visited with 20 percent. July was the single largest month for travel to the state with nearly 14 (13.6 percent) percent, followed by August with nearly10 percent (9.5 percent).
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The 2013 report includes new data, never before included in the visitor profile. For example, more than 80 percent of North Carolina’s overnight visitors say that they access the Internet several times daily. Ninety-one percent of overnight visitors to the state were either very or extremely satisfied with their visit.
The Division contracts with the research company TNS to perform demographic profiles and volume analyses on the North Carolina travel and tourism industry. TNS is the world’s largest provider of custom research and analysis, serving all segments of the travel industry. The research includes more than 10,000 Internet-based interviews among the past 12-month travelers who had traveled more than 50 miles from their homes (excluding commuters). Information collected includes purpose of trip, mode of travel, travel party characteristics, places visited, number of nights, accommodations, activities, spending, and demographics. Data collected are weighted to match U.S. Census variables, market size, age of household head, household income, and household size.