Iredell County Visitor Spending Rises To $441.4M As Tourism Leaders Target More Growth
By Cooper Metts – Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal
Iredell County posted an uptick in its tourism economy last year, with $441.4 million spent by visitors. That marked a 2.8% increase from 2024, according to a study by Visit North Carolina.
Iredell’s year-over-year increase ranked second among North Carolina counties in the Charlotte metro area. It trailed Union County, which saw visitor spending increase 3.3% to $227.92 million.
For comparison, Mecklenburg County led the metro with total visitor spending of $6.47 billion in 2025, up 1.5% over the year. Cabarrus County ranked second, with spending of $682.81 million — up just 0.5%.
Iredell County’s diversified tourism economy creates steady, year-round demand, which Kaitlyn Grekoff — Visit Mooresville’s director of marketing and communications — said played a key role in the annual growth.
Lake Norman, motorsports, sports tournaments, weddings, work conferences and business travel maintain a steady stream of tourism in the county. That’s bolstered by Discover Statesville and Visit Mooresville’s efforts, such as targeted digital advertising and destination storytelling, said Cindy Sutton, executive director of the Statesville Tourism Development Authority.
The county’s tourism growth generated $14.4 million in local taxes and another $16.2 million in state taxes, according to the Visit North Carolina study. There are now over 2,500 tourism jobs in Iredell.
Both Sutton and Grekoff believe the growth is sustainable, although it can’t be taken for granted.
Their respective organizations will both look to continue investing in digital advertising and destination storytelling efforts to keep pace, they said.
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