Visitors spent more than $5 billion in Mecklenburg County in 2016

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — People who visited Charlotte and Mecklenburg County last year spent more than $5 billion -- a new record.

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority said travelers spent nearly $5.2 billion in the county, and visitors across the ten counties in the Charlotte area spent $6.7 billion.

The Queen City hosted nearly 28 million visitors last year, which was up by roughly a million in 2015.

The CRVA said increased visitor spending is also fueling job growth.

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Cox Media Group