FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — In 2024, tourism had a $698 million economic impact on Fayetteville. This impacted many businesses including hotels, restaurants, and gas stations.

It also had an impact on the tax revenue in Cumberland County. 

“If those visitors were to go away residents would have to kick up a lot of money would have to kick up a lot more money out of their own pockets every year just to keep our way of life. Just to keep the police, fire, and the library,” said Devin Heath, President & CEO of DistiNCtly Fayetteville. 

Heath said it’s the arts, entertainment, festivals, sports and melting pot of cultures that are attracting people to the All-American City.

“We have so many different attractions here. So many people think of us as just the home to Fort Bragg,” he said. 

“So many people that come here are so surprised. They say I remember when Fayetteville was something else,” Heath added.

However, there are concerns about this year, as less people are traveling due to the current economy and one of Fayetteville’s most popular tourist attractions, the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum, remains closed due to the government shutdown. 

“We are hopeful that that’s going to be a short-term issue and that we are going to be able to get back on our feet. One thing that the tourism industry has shown over the years is rather it be covid or other economic downturn that we can come back, and we can be even more resilient and even more powerful than we were before,” Health said.