Staff Photo by Gillian Bolsover
Swathi Duddeda walks across the swinging bridge at Rock City Wednesday. Ms. Duddeda, who is originally from India, was visiting Chattanooga from Mobile, Ala. where she is currently a student.MEMPHIS – Tourists spent more money in Tennessee in 2010 compared with the year before, a sign that the state’s history, culture and attractions consistently can generate precious dollars in the face of budget difficulties, officials said.
The Tennessee Department of Tourism and Development said late last week that tourists in the state spent $14.1 billion last year, up 6.3 percent from 2009. All 95 counties in the state had increases in tourism dollars from 2009 to last year.
The state also received $1 billion in state and local tax revenue for the fifth straight year in 2010, the department said.
Gov. Bill Haslam, who addressed state tourism professionals Friday at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, read off a list of awards given to Tennessee’s tourist attractions.
Haslam cited Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Bristol Motor Speedway, Graceland in Memphis and the state’s historic driving trails as some of the state’s key tourist attractions. Haslam said he made a point of keeping the state’s $6.4 million tourism marketing budget at the same level – despite having to cut $1 billion from the overall state budget – because of tourism’s role as Tennessee’s second-largest industry.