Visitor spending in Hamilton County, Tennessee, totaled $1,878,113,288 in 2025, marking a 4% increase from 2024 and exceeding the statewide growth rate of 2.7%, according to data from Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
Between 2018 and 2025, Hamilton County added 19 new hotel properties, contributing over 2,000 additional rooms. This expansion in lodging capacity has been a key factor behind the county’s 27.6% growth in visitor spending since 2018, outpacing the national tourism growth rate of 22% over the same period.
Statewide, Tennessee’s tourism sector generated $32.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025 and produced
$3.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. Since 2018, the state’s tourism economy has expanded 40%, nearly doubling the national growth rate.
Susan Harris, interim CEO of Chattanooga Tourism Co., stated, “The hospitality industry in Hamilton County continues to play a vital role in our region’s economic growth. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated and talented partners across our hotels, attractions, restaurants, and small businesses who welcome visitors and fuel our community’s continued success.” Mark Ezell, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, noted, “Tennessee is a sales tax state. The quality of our assets –
whether that’s live music or entertainment or outdoors – are attractive to visitors. Every tax dollar captured from an out-of-state visitor is a dollar retained in Tennessee and used for Tennesseans.”
The 2025 Economic Impact on Travel Report, based on research commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and conducted by Tourism Economics, analyzed spending by domestic and international travelers. The report informs the Tennessee Travel Impact Interactive County Dashboard, which tracks tourism’s economic impact county-by-county, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas of Hamilton County.
Hamilton County is part of Tennessee’s Southeast tourism region, where visitor spending reached $2.3
billion in 2025. The region’s spending grew 3.5% over 2024 and increased 26.2% since 2018, reflecting strong tourism activity within the area.
