Delaware saw a record tourism boom in 2015:generating $486 million in tax revenue.
8.5 million people visited the First State in 2015 - up 500,000 from 2014 - a 1.6 million increase since 2008.
Those numbers help tourism support nearly 42,000 jobs – making it the 4th largest private employer in the First State.
And Gov. John Carney calls that a big deal, helping the First State replace disappearing jobs and attract new businesses.
“Business leaders want to locate their facilities where their employees want to live, where the schools are good – where there’s an enjoyable quality of life," Carney said. "And that’s essentially what we’re talking about when you’re talking about tourism: quality of life, attractions, the hospitality industry, places you want to go and see.”
Beach destinations rose to the state’s No. 1 attraction in 2015 - with dining and shopping second and third. At least 10 percent of visitors also came for nightlife, gaming, and to visit historical sites.
And while the majority of that revenue came from New Castle and Sussex counties, state officials expect tourism in Kent County to increase dramatically starting this year.
That’s because DE Turf – a new sports complex with 12 artificial turf fields – opens this April in Frederica.
Delaware Tourism Director Linda Parkowski says at least 680 teams are already booked to play in the complex this summer, helping hotels in Kent County sell out.
“We know that people that travel for lacrosse, field hockey and soccer – we know there’s 10 million of them in the area that would drive about an hour and a half to get to Delaware," Parkowski said.
According to a feasibility study, economic impact from DE Turf is expected to be in the $18 million ballpark.
Parkowski says the Firefly Festival and a Downton Abbey exhibit at Winterthur were also big hits- driving the state's spike in visitors in recent years.
Looking ahead, tourism officials see another major concert venue set to open this summer at Sussex County’s Hudson Fields drawing additional visitors downstate.
Parkowski says she believes the state’s rebranding and marketing efforts launched in 2015 helped drive the spike in visits.
“As long as we’re trending upwards, it means what we’re doing is working," Parkowski said.
Parkowski noted her office has targeted the Philadelphia, New York, and DC markets – since 97 percent of visitors drive to the First State, and 75 percent of visitors travel 200 miles or less.
Kent County's tourism department also recently underwent a rebranding process, according to Kent County Tourism Executive Director Wendie Vestfall.
"We're now Delaware's Quaint Villages," Vestfall said. After doing some extensive research, we learned that people like our quaint historic towns, our Epicurean aspects and our history and culture we have with the city's capitol."
