Annual room occupancy tax collections topped $11 million for the first time ever in New Hanover County, tourism officials said Thursday.
 
The bump in hotel collections coincided with a 2.6 percent increase in tourist spending overall during the 2015-16 fiscal year that ended June 30, said Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority.
 
“This is our fifth-consecutive, record-breaking year both in tourism expenditures and room occupancy taxes," Hufham said.
 
Visitor spending increased last fiscal year throughout most of North Carolina – in 91 of the state’s 100 counties, according to an announcement from the state Thursday.
 
Across the state, tourists spent $21.9 billion, up nearly 3 percent from the previous budget year. Visitors during the year also directly supported more than 211,000 jobs and $5.3 billion in payroll income in the state, according to the new data.
 
In New Hanover County, visitor spending was nearly $521 million, up 2.6 percent over the previous year, Hufham said.
 
Employment tied to that spending also was up, by 2.8 percent at more than 5,800 workers.
 
The bump in room occupancy tax collections, Hufham said, likely was a combination of additional inventory in the area’s hotel rooms as well as increases in the average daily rates.
 
Additional marking efforts by the CVB to attract tourists, and the growth in sporting events with out-of-town competitors also has helped draw additional visitors, she said.
 
Pender County also saw an increase in hospitality business, according to the state report.
 
Last fiscal year, visitors spent more than $92.3 million, up 3 percent from the year before.
 
“Tourism is an important portion of our local economy,” said Tammy Proctor, Pender County’s tourism director. “Pender County experienced increases in all indicators in the Economic Impact study. We had 3 percent growth; an increase in payroll by 7.4 percent and an increase in jobs by 3.3 percent. Our state tax receipts realized a 7 percent increase. Our local tax receipts realized 3.9 percent growth.”