Douglas County visitor spending and impacts jumped in 2017.
Lawrence, KS, December 10, 2018 – Tourism is an increasingly important part of the economy of Douglas County, Kansas according to the most recent (2017) Tourism Satellite Account conducted by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company.
The economic impact study measures spending and employment in several economic sectors including lodging, recreation, retail, food, and beverage, etc…
Headline results from the study include:
- Visitors spent $265 million in Douglas County in 2017 as spending increased by more than $15 million, a jump of 6.2%. Visitor spending has increased by nearly 40% since 2011 – $75 million.
- Visitor spending in Douglas County ranks 5th among all counties in the state.
- This spending directly supports 2,853 jobs, with overall visitor-supported economic activity supporting 3,847 jobs – one out of every 13 jobs in the county. In 2017, the county unemployment rate was 3.2%. Were 3,847 jobs to disappear, the unemployment rate would jump to 9.1%
- Tourism in Douglas County generated $42.9 million in tax revenues in 2017, with $25.3 million accruing to state and local governments.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Andrea Johnson at (785) 856-5284 or email at ajohnson@explorelawrence.com.
eXplore Lawrence represents the travel & tourism for Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas. We are dedicated to creating economic development by attracting visitors, conventions, and events to our city.
Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economic Company, partners with more than 300 leading companies, associations, and destinations for economic impact, forecasting, and market assessments every year.
