NASHVILLE – Visitors to Davidson County generated a record $11.6 billion in spending in 2025, representing a 3.5% increase over 2024, according to newly released data from Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Davidson County accounted for more than one-third, about 35%, of all visitor spending statewide, underscoring Nashville’s role as the top economic driver for tourism in Tennessee.
Davidson County ranks number one among the 95 counties in Tennessee based on visitor spending, and it takes the combined total of the next four counties – Shelby, Sevier, Knox and Hamilton – to exceed the $11.6 billion visitors spent in Nashville. In 2025, visitors spent an average of $31.8 million a day in Nashville, fueling local business growth, generating tax revenues, creating jobs and reinforcing hospitality as one of the city’s largest industries. If it were not for the state and local taxes generated by tourism, each Nashville household would pay $3,674 more in state and local taxes, the state report said.
“Tourism continues to be a powerful economic engine for Nashville and all of Tennessee,” said Deana Ivey, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “We’re proud to see record visitor spending, especially at a time when the global tourism landscape continues to face challenges. Visitors consistently tell us Nashville is fun, authentic, welcoming and safe, and that remains our competitive advantage. It’s why Nashville is now the No. 3 meeting destination in North America, why the NFL selected us to host the Super Bowl in 2030 and why visitors keep coming back. Most importantly, that success means jobs for Tennesseans, more business for our local restaurants, hotels, shops and attractions, and more than $1 billion in annual tax revenue to support public education and other important services in Nashville and communities across the state.”
Research shows that growth in visitor spending is being driven by dining and recreation, as travelers increasingly spend on experiences such as concerts, sporting events and food and beverages. Those trends align well with Nashville’s strengths as a major events and concert destination and its increasingly recognized culinary scene, including its addition to the MICHELIN Guide American South last year.
Despite shifting consumer confidence and changing travel patterns, Nashville and the Music City brand continue to perform well. The city’s hospitality industry is coming off a strong first half of 2026 with solid hotel performance, strong pacing and continued growth forecast in the months ahead.
Investment in the destination also continues. Gaylord Opryland, Bridgestone Arena and Nashville International Airport continue to expand, while Music City Center is planning for future expansion. The new enclosed Nissan Stadium opens early next year, and 16,242 hotel rooms across 90 properties are in the development pipeline, the most robust pipeline in the country. International and luxury travel, along with major events, remain key opportunities for continued growth.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Direct visitor spending in Davidson County generated $1.2 billion in state and local tax revenue: $715.8 million in state tax revenue and $477.8 million in local tax revenue.
- Labor income in Davidson County was $3.2 billion in 2025. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 74,000 total leisure and hospitality workers in Davidson County.
- The number of daily and overnight visitors to Davidson County in 2025 totaled 17.4 million.
- Visitor spending is forecast to grow to $12.2 billion in 2026 and continue steadily increasing to $17.4 billion by 2036.
Statewide, Tennessee’s tourism industry generated a record $32.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025 and $3.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. The state’s tourism economy has grown 40% since 2018, nearly double the national growth rate of 22%. Visitor spending in Davidson County grew 55.7% during that time, outpacing the statewide rate, led by increases in recreation.
Davidson County is part of Tennessee’s Greater Nashville tourism region, where visitor spending reached $15.2 billion in 2025, up 3.3% over 2024 and up 50% since 2018.
“Tennessee is a sales tax state. The quality of our assets – whether that’s live music or entertainment or outdoors – are attractive to visitors,” said Mark Ezell, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “Every tax dollar captured from an out-of-state visitor is a dollar retained in Tennessee and used for Tennesseans. It’s incredible to see communities understanding the power of visitor spending, and leveraging that spending for the good of their residents.”
2025 Statewide Highlights:
- Visitors spent $89 million per day across the state in 2025.
- Tennessee’s 2.7% year-over-year growth in visitor spending outpaced the national growth rate of 1.9%.
- Fifty-seven of Tennessee’s 95 counties saw year-over-year growth.
- Visitor spending generated $2 billion in state tax revenue and $1.3 billion in local tax revenue.
The 2025 Economic Impact on Travel Report analyzes statewide spending and visitation from domestic and international travelers to Tennessee. The report includes methodology used to determine visitor spending, tax generation, job creation and more. The TN Travel Impact Interactive County Dashboard provides instant access to key metrics, statewide and by county, about the economic impact of travel to Tennessee. All data is sourced from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Tourism Economics, with national benchmarks provided by U.S. Travel Association.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
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