Hub City sees share of increased tourism spending in Tennessee

JACKSON, Tenn. — Travelers in Tennessee spent a record amount of money in 2015, according to the U.S. Travel Association. The Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau said they are seeing record growth locally as well.

“We have hundreds of thousands of visitors,” Old Country Store and Casey Jones Village general manager Brooks Shaw said.

Diners enjoyed country cooking Tuesday at the Old Country Store. Shaw said it is a hot spot for tourists in Jackson. “Well over half a million come through here every year,” he said. “We average about 500 tour buses.”

Travelers spent a record $18.4 billion in Tennessee in 2015, up 3.7 percent over the previous year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

“This is unheard of,” said Lori Nunnery with the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This is unprecedented in our industry.”

The Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau said hotel sales are up more than $2 million in Jackson-Madison County from this time last year. Nunnery attributed the increase to state tourism dollars, marketing, and growth in Memphis and Nashville. “When you have to go to Nashville or Memphis and pay a considerable amount, it’s displacing travelers to Jackson and Madison County,” Nunnery said.

Nunnery said the West Tennessee Healthcare Sportsplex, Civil War history, and music also bring people to Jackson.

Even though the numbers look good, Shaw said more money needs to be spent on marketing. “We really need to be more competitive in the way that we bring people in,” Shaw said.

The state said tourism brought in more than $1 billion in state and local tax revenue, up 7 percent over 2014.

The Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau said they plan to help keep our local numbers up with a new video series called “Jackson, TN Weekend.”