Support Us Button Widget

2023: A record-setting year for Charleston tourism

A record-setting number of visitors made their way to Charleston last year; see how those trips helped boost the economy + tourism industry.

Pink sunset over the Battery. There are Palmetto tree and the Charleston skyline

There’s nothing quite like golden hour in CHS.

Photo by @owen_granata

Charleston is renowned for its hospitality, rich history, great culinary scene, and beautiful beaches. We consider ourselves lucky to experience what the city has to offer daily and understand why so many are drawn to our city’s uniqueness.

A few weeks back, the CHStoday team had the chance to attend an event hosted by the folks at Explore Charleston, where we chatted about all things Holy City. There, we saw a presentation from the College of Charleston Office of Tourism Analysis detailing the impact and importance of tourism.

Keep reading for a peek at some of the data from the “Estimation of Tourism’s Economic Impacts in the Greater Charleston Area, 2023.”

New standards
Our region continues to outdo itself, setting new records in several areas, including the total number of visitors, airport travelers, sales attributable to tourism, number of people working in the tourism industry, hotel room nights sold, and economic impact, which is up 2.2% from 2022.

Quick facts from 2023

  • 7.79 million | Estimated number of people who visited the Charleston area
  • 70.7% | Average hotel occupancy
  • $185 | Average daily rate of a hotel
  • 6.15 million | People passed through the Charleston International Airport

Economic impact from 2023

  • $13.10 billion | Estimated total economic impact
  • 53,700 | Tourism industry workers
  • $1,048 | Average spending per adult
  • 4.9 million | Hotel room nights sold
  • 24.7% | Sales in the region attributed to tourism

For those looking to visit the 843, check out these must-see spots recommended by CHStoday readers.

More from CHStoday
The 16th annual edition of Small Business Saturday falls on November 29 — the perfect time to help you add a local sparkle to your holiday shopping.
We’ll get it started with a family road trip along Route 66 to Charleston in the 1970s.
The Charles Towne Farms development emphasizes open green spaces, luxury living, and architectural design.
From creamy chowders to hearty broths, these local favorites will keep you toasty all season long.
These holiday pop-up bars will get you in the festive mood.
Electric cooperatives serve nearly two million South Carolinians and maintain more than 78,000 miles of power lines across the state.
Newsletter Editor Callie shares her favorite bites from Chef Daniel Humm x The Charleston Place, a year-long pop-up restaurant at the iconic downtown hotel.
Woodhouse Spa now offers its elevated self-care services at its newest location inside the historic Wentworth Mansion.
Boeing’s new expansion project will support 1,000+ new jobs and more than $1 billion in investments.
From first jobs to sports, to volunteer service clubs and plays, this pair of friends did everything together.