Your Guide to Dare County Tourism
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Tourism provides 12,700 jobs in Dare County, employing 1/3rd of our citizens.
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Annual Dare County tourism generates more than $97,000,000 in State and Local tax revenue.
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Because tourism generates this revenue, each Dare County resident enjoys tax relief of $2,734 annually.
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Visitor spending in Dare County surpassed $1.05 billion in 2015.
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Dare is #4 among North Carolina’s 100 counties in terms of visitor spending.
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A 6% Dare County Occupancy tax (collected when visitors rent short-term lodging) is shared between Dare County and the six municipalities, the Beach Nourishment Fund, and the Dare County Tourism Board.
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Dare County and the municipalities receive half (3% of the 6% Occupancy tax) to be used “only for tourist-related purposes, including construction and maintenance of public facilities and buildings, garbage, refuse, and solid waste collection and disposal, police protection, and emergency services.”
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Of the Occupancy tax net proceeds received by Dare County and the towns, Dare receives 32% and the municipalities split the remaning 68%.
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Beach Nourishment receives 2% of the Occupancy tax net proceeds.
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The Tourism Board receives the remaining 1% of Occupancy tax, and 1% of a Prepared Food and Beverage tax. By law, 75% of these dollars are to be used to promote tourism and for the cost of administration. The remaining 25% are for programs or services needed due to the impact of tourism.
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Occupancy tax dollars reduce your ad valorem property taxes significantly regardless of where you own property in Dare County.
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In 2015, Occupancy tax contributed the following to Dare County, the municipalities, Beach Nourishment and the Dare County Tourism Board:
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Dare County - $4,162,596
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Kill Devil Hills - $2,352,908
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Kitty Hawk - $1,183,530
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Manteo - $640,415
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Nags Head - $2,637,733
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Southern Shores – $948,239
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Duck - $1,082,691
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Beach Nourishment - $8,671,874
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Tourism Board - $4,337,771
