The Delaware Division of Tourism reported record activity at mid-decade.
The report from 2015 estimated that 8.5 million people visited the state in 2015.
The report was unveiled Tuesday at DewPoint Brewing in Yorklyn, one-time mill town community near Hockessin. The area is undergoing a redevelopment effort that includes the environmental clean-up of the NVF site.
State Tourism Director Linda Parkowski said that contrary to popular belief, New Castle County and not the beaches of Coastal Sussex County account for the biggest percentage of tourism in the state.
According to Parkowski, tourism accounted for $3.1 billion of Delaware’s gross domestic product and created $486 million in taxes and fees for state and local government. Without tourism each Delaware household would pay an extra $1,417 in taxes annually, the report indicated.
(See full report below)
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The industry accounts for 42,000 jobs in Delaware – making the industry the fourth largest private employment sector in the state.
The state opted for an Endless Discoveries advertising campaign in the region that was not popular within the state, but seemed to resonate within the region, according to the
According to the report, 2.7 million people visited Delaware from Maryland in 2015 and 1.3 million people from Pennsylvania. Three-quarters of Delaware tourists came from Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Harrisburg.
“The efforts of the Delaware Tourism Office to bring in out-of-state visitors are working, and the new brand is a big part of that,” Parkowski said. “We see its effect on the website traffic and the visitation numbers. Additionally, back in September FutureBrand, an international brand consulting firm, determined it is one of the two best statewide campaigns in America.”
Moreover, Delaware’s seasonal second home market remained strong with almost 40,000 homes having an estimated rental value of $1.1 billion.
The seasonal home market has been mentioned as a source of tax revenue for tourism, and other purposes since rentals do not pay the state lodging tax.
Gov. John Carney told the dozens of people attending the event at the tasting room of the brewery that the tourism industry is taking on added importance in a changing Delaware economy that has seen job losses at companies like DuPont.
The governor also mentioned tourist attractions in Kent County that include the John Dickinson Plantation.
Kent County has been working to build up its tourism business beyond the two NASCAR weekends a year. The industry took a hit when two country music festivals were canceled last year. The Firefly Festival remains a strong contributor to the economy in June.
