Georgia set tourism records for a third straight year and ranked No. 5 nationwide for overnight visitation for the fifth year in a row, state officials announced at the Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference.
The state welcomed a record 174.2 million domestic and international visitors in 2024 who spent $45.2 billion on hotels, restaurants, recreation, transportation and other businesses, up nearly 4% from 2023. Visitor spending generated $5.1 billion in state and local tax revenues, which the state estimates saved each household an average of $1,285.
Tourism is Georgia’s second-largest economic contributor, with a statewide impact of $82 billion in 2024, a 3% year-over-year increase. The visitor economy supports 470,570 jobs, or about one in every 15 positions statewide.
Presented by the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s tourism arm, Explore Georgia, the three-day conference convened more than 400 industry stakeholders. Organizers emphasized the state’s mix of landscapes and experiences spanning arts, film, sports and agriculture.
The 2025 conference was held at the expanded Savannah Convention Center. In 2024, more than 17 million domestic visitors traveled to Georgia for business and conventions, representing a nearly 5% year-over-year increase, and accounting for $4.6 billion in direct spending, a 5.5% rise.
The figures are based on an annual study by Tourism Economics, commissioned by the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
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