DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — North Carolina has a lot to offer like our mountains and the beach, which are areas that see a lot of people each year and bring in millions of dollars to local communities.

Davidson County is seeing a tourism boom.

Davidson County is known for its barbecue and wineries and small towns like Lexington and Thomasville that attract a lot of people to the area.

In a report released by the State Department of Commerce, Davidson County had the biggest visitor growth rate in 2020. 

“People are escaping those large crowds and just as large cityscapes, and they’re looking for something more … smaller scale,” Executive Director at Lexington Tourism Authority Morgan Brinkle said.

“I’d say our best feature is that we’re a historic downtown. You can come and experience that small-town feel but still have lots of really cool things going on,” Thomasville Tourism Director Cameron Marsden said.

In 2021, people spent more than $42 million at local hotels, which increased to $66.96 million in 2022.

“We’re seeing a lot of day trippers right now from our surrounding cities, but we’ve also seen a lot of tourism from far away,” Brinkle said.

The growth is bringing in more business and more events, which gives people more to do. 

“Economic development really contributes to every single person in town. If somebody comes in from out of town, they spend money on maybe going to the candy shop or at a restaurant or buying some trinkets or items. And that really helps the entire town overall,” Marsden said.

The money from visitors’ spending will go toward improving both downtowns and adding new features at lakes and parks in Davidson County.