Anson County Tourist Spending Up 4.8% In 2017; Is That Enough?

In 2017, tourists spent more than $17.4 million dollars in Anson County, up 4.8 % from 2016. The higher spending is attributed to a general increase in visitor spending throughout the state and to an increased emphasis on marketing the county to out of town visitors. Overall, Anson recorded the 26th largest year-over-year gain among North Carolina's 100 counties, although the $17.4 million total lagged neighboring counties Richmond ($49.7 million), Stanley ($81.1 million), Scotland ($45.1) and Montgomery ($29.9 million).

While the increase in annual spending is certainly a positive, that we fall significantly behind counties of similar size and location is a little curious, at least on the surface. When we dig a little bit though, the reasons become somewhat clearer. Virtually all of our tourism dollars come from pass-through business: People stopping here on the way to the beach or heading back home to Charlotte. Unquestionably, we capture our share of visitors stopping for a quick bite, a tank of gas or to stock up on munchies. While these "tourists" are certainly valuable to the Anson economy, there is also a sense that we are leaving millions of dollars in tourism money "on the table."

Anson County lacks nationally-branded overnight accommodations. While the county has two mid-size hotels and a couple of B&B establishments, it lacks the sort of "name brand" chain hotel that many travelers -- business and families -- seek out when planning their overnight trips. Something as simple as a Holiday Inn Express or a Fairfield Inn would likely increase county tourism revenue by $2.8 to $3.2 million annually.

Anson County lacks nationally and regionally-branded casual and fast-casual restaurants. This goes hand-in-hand with the lack of branded hotels as these establishments tend to co-locate with each other. We have a couple of wonderful local restaurants, but their location and lack of a recognizable brand make them a harder sell for most travelers. Yes, in my days of 90-100 hotel nights per year, the first thing I would do when I checked into a hotel was to ask the guy or gal behind the desk where THEY liked to eat. When you eat that many meals on the road each year, you tire of Chili's, Outback and Applebee's, but the occasional traveler typically values the consistent quality and predictable pricing these places offer over the thrill of trying something new.

Realistically, it is going to be very difficult to recruit either a chain restaurant or a national hotel brand to the county unless we approve the county-wide liquor referendum this fall. Interest from these establishments has been centered on Peachland west to the county line, an area where alcohol currently cannot be sold. I know for a fact that certain commercial developers are awaiting the results of that vote and if it fails, they will simply locate on the Union side of the line, where alcohol sales are allowed. 

Anson County lacks overnight accommodations and outfitting for outdoor enthusiasts. The county has no shortage of outdoor amenities, from Blewett Falls Lake to the Rocky-Pee Dee River Blueway to the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge. But we currently have almost no way to gain revenue from those visitors. There is NO overnight campground in the entire county. I don't have any actual statistics to back up this claim, but anecdotally, as a camper and outdoorsman, I would suggest if we are not the only county in the state without one, then we are in the company of no more than one or two others. A local businessman is interested in building a very nice campground -- which would included tent camping, trailer camping and rental cabins -- on a site off Airport Road near Little Park. I have been told that an earlier attempt to locate a campground there failed because of "local opposition." Seriously? Airport Road is sparsely populated and, candidly, in need of an economic boost. A campground like the one proposed would bring at least $1.2 million dollars into the Anson economy and might create up to a dozen new jobs. There is no valid reason to oppose that.

With the recent Four Branches announcement, I am a little more encouraged on the "outfitting" side. That establishment will have a pro shop which will sell guns and other shooting-based goods. While that's a great first step, we are missing out on valuable sales of outdoor recreation equipment across the board. Need a tent, kayak, fishing rod or sleeping bag? There's Walmart. Here's a clue; actual outdoor enthusiasts don't buy gear at Walmart. We just don't. A local store with charm and atmosphere... absolutely! 

Overall, the takeaway from the Department of Commerce's report is that tourist spending is up across the state and Anson County's share is definitely increasing at a competitive rate. There is no reason, however, why we should not be on a par with Montgomery or Scotland counties and to achieve that level of growth we need to do the following:

1. Pass the county-wide liquor referendum this November. Priority *ONE*

2. Recruit one or more nationally or regionally-branded chain restaurants.

3. Use the presence of the chain restaurant to help bring a nationally-branded hotel chain to the county.

4. Support the effort to build a family campground off Airport Road near Little Park.

5. Support the efforts of entrepreneurs to build and operate outdoor  "outfitters" that provide services and sell branded outdoor equipment.