Date: August 6 2008Contact: Tammy OKelley DirectorASHEBORO – Tammy O’Kelley Director of Tourism for Randolph County Tourism Development Authority announced today that visitor spending for 2007 increased 4.1 percent across Randolph County ranking it 34 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. According to statistics released yesterday by the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of Tourism Film and Sports Development visitors to and within Randolph County spent a record 102.7 million in 2007. Although employment did not increase visitor expenditures directly generated 900 jobs with 16.77 million in payroll income within Randolph County in 2007 an increase of .54 percent from 2006. State and local tax receipts totaled 7.54 million an increase of .4 percent.“Because our county’s tourism industry has demonstrated continued growth for 10 years people have been and remain employed allowing them to contribute to the overall economic well-being of Randolph County” said O’Kelley. “In these challenging economic times the ability to employ residents keep them employed and provide an annual tax savings is absolutely critical.” North Carolina’s county-by-county travel economic impact statistics are prepared annually by the N.C. Division of Tourism Film & Sports Development by the Travel Industry Association’s research department using the Travel Economic Impact Model TEIM. TEIM is a proprietary model used to provide the annual estimates of the impact of travel activity of residents on national state and county economies in the U.S.Randolph County Tourism Development Authority is a public authority created by the N.C. Legislature. The authority operates solely on occupancy taxes generated by overnight guests in Randolph County. For additional information please call 336 626-0364 or go to www.HeartofNorthCarolina.com.###