Your Guide to Dare County Tourism
Did You Know ...
Dare County visitors spent nearly $2.1 billion in 2025, ranking #4 among North Carolina’s 100 counties and trailing only Mecklenburg, Wake and Buncombe.
- Annual Dare County tourism generates more than $147 million ($68.1 State, $79.3 Local) in state and local tax revenue from visitor spending.
- Because tourism generates this revenue, each Dare County resident enjoys tax relief of $3,809 annually, which ranks #1 among all counties in North Carolina.
- Tourism provides 12,073 jobs in Dare County, accounting for nearly half of all jobs. These leisure and hospitality jobs include positions at establishments in accommodations, arts and entertainment, food service, recreation, retail and transportation.
- 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.
- 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.”
- Of the Occupancy tax net proceeds received by Dare County and the towns, Dare receives 32% and the municipalities split the remaining 68%.
- Beach Nourishment receives 2% of the Occupancy tax net proceeds.
- The Tourism Board receives the remaining 1% of Occupancy tax, as well as 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.
- Occupancy tax dollars reduce your ad valorem property taxes significantly regardless of where you own property in Dare County.
- During the 2 022- 23 fiscal year, Occupancy tax contributed the following to Dare County, the municipalities, Beach Nourishment and the Dare County Tourism Board:
| Beach Nourishment | $16,325,384 |
| Dare County | $7,833,051 |
| Municipalities: | |
| Town of Nags Head | $4,673,981 |
| Town of Kill Devil Hills | $4,527,503 |
| Town of Duck | $2,265,416 |
| Town of Kitty Hawk | $2,245,442 |
| Town of Southern Shores | $1,894,227 |
| Town of Manteo | $1,038,663 |
| Dare County Tourism Board | $8,162,692 |