Tourism sets new record in Georgia

Tourists and business travelers continued flocking to the Peach State last year, injecting billions into the economy, according to new state numbers from Gov. Brian Kemp.

A record 174.2 million traveled across the country and the globe to visit Georgia in 2024 and spent $45.2 billion, up 4% from the year before, he said in a statement issued by his office Friday.

The governor traveled to Savannah for a state tourism conference where he revealed the numbers. He credited Georgia’s cultural attractions, its communities and its scenery — from coasts to mountains — for a third recordbreaking year in a row.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development said more than 17 million of the visitors were domestic travelers here for business and conventions. Their numbers were up nearly 5%, accounting for $4.6 billion in spending.

Tourism is the state’s second-largest economic contributor, according to the agency.

The influx — more than 15 times the state population of 11.2 million last year — bolstered the bottom lines of hotels, restaurants and recreation and transportation businesses.

Government also took a $5.1 billion cut, with Kemp saying the state and local tax revenues saved each household an average $1,285 in taxes.