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Charlotte experiencing ongoing tourism boom

Tourism boom credited to the city’s uptick in sports and large-scale events.

Thousands of people pack the stands over a soccer field with the Uptown Charlotte skyline at night in the background.

Professional sports teams like Charlotte FC are credited for attracting thousands of out-of-town fans for games.

Photo by CLTtoday

So, what’s there to do in Charlotte? Apparently, many people think there’s a lot.

The Transportation, Planning & Development Committee revealed new data during the Charlotte City Council meeting on April 1. The local tourism industry drew more than $7 billion to the city in 2022. Nearly 31 million people visited the region in the last year and 13.5 million of those visitors stayed overnight — 43%.

City leaders credit sporting events and major venues hosting high-profile events for fueling the increased traffic. Editor’s note: there’s plenty more on the way.

WCNC Charlotte reports the 10 days with the highest number of visits to Uptown in January and February of 2024 were mostly tied to sports and tourism venues — like the return of Charlotte FC.

Since 2021, the number of visits to Uptown in the first quarter of the year increased by 107%. What does that mean? During the peak days for Uptown, the number of visits average more than 96,000 beyond a typical day.

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