Record number of visitors went to Atlanta in 2017

Joseph E. Brown Monument
A monument to former Georgia Gov. Joseph E. Brown stands on the grounds of the Georgia Capitol on Jan. 5, 2017. (Photo by Todd DeFeo/The DeFeo Groupe)

ATLANTA — Atlanta saw a record number of visitors of in 2017.

The 53 million visitors to the “City Too Busy to Hate” in 2017 is a 3 percent increase over 2016.

“With renovations, expansions and launches taking place throughout our city, Atlanta remains a top destination for meetings and leisure travel as we continue our drive to welcome 55 million visitors annually by 2020,” William Pate, president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, said in a news release.

The city boasted a 73 percent hotel occupancy in 2017. It marks the fourth-straight year Atlanta hotels finished the year above the 70 percent mark.

The city also hosted more than 740 meetings and events, including 17 major citywide conventions. In total, visitors spent $15 billion during the year.

SEE ALSO: Pate: People want to come to Atlanta

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Sightseers’ Delight started publishing in June 2016. The site, published by The DeFeo Groupe, collects and curates content about places where historical events large and small happened. The site builds off the legacy of The Travel Trolley, which launched in June 2009. The site aimed to be a virtual version of the trolley tours offered in so many cities.