Ask most Charlotte residents about their backgrounds and you’ll notice a familiar pattern: Charlotte is largely a city of transplants. As the fifth fastest-growing U.S. city by population, the Charlotte metro area now counts about 2.6 million people. Many newcomers began as visitors who liked what they saw and stayed. Others arrived for work when companies from elsewhere established offices in Uptown’s skyline.
That influx shows no sign of slowing. Companies and employees continue to choose Charlotte as a home base.
“The people who want to live here are the same people companies want to hire,” said Tom Murray, chief executive officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “When companies decide to relocate headquarters, they look for a vibrant, active urban core. They want a place where younger employees will want to live and visit. Tourism plays a vital role in economic development.”
For Murray and the CRVA, Charlotte’s tourism and economic growth are mutually reinforcing — and not only because about one in nine locals works in tourism or hospitality. Business travel brings visitors, and visitors in turn help attract businesses.
“We’ve always had a strong business travel market,” Murray noted, partly due to Charlotte’s role as a major banking hub. The city is home to Bank of America, hosts the largest presence of Wells Fargo outside its headquarters, and will house the new Truist Financial Corp. headquarters following the recent merger of BB&T and SunTrust.
Charlotte also draws large events that attract both weekday business travelers and weekend leisure visitors. “In recent years we’ve hosted major gatherings like the Democratic National Convention and the NBA All-Star Game,” Murray explained. “Those events introduce new audiences to Charlotte; people learn about the city during those events and want to come back to see what the excitement is about.”
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The city has responded by investing in event infrastructure. In December it launched a $126.9 million expansion of the Charlotte Convention Center, which turns 25 this year. The expansion includes a pedestrian bridge connecting a new wing of the convention center to The Westin Charlotte — the city’s largest convention center hotel with more than 700 guestrooms. Another planned pedestrian bridge will span Interstate 277 to link Uptown and South End, making it easier for business travelers staying in hotel-rich Uptown to reach the dining, retail and entertainment options in South End.
Other venue improvements include the BOplex, a reimagined entertainment complex that unites the former Bojangles’ Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium. The project added 35,000 square feet and a pedestrian connector between the two venues. “We’ve renovated those buildings and built a connector to create one large complex,” Murray said. “That setup was attractive for large events and was used during the NBA All-Star Game.”
Beyond the business day and convention floors, Charlotte offers plenty for visitors to enjoy. The restaurant scene is booming: more than 50 new restaurants have opened recently or are slated to open soon, offering everything from Southern comfort food to authentic international cuisine and classic Carolina barbecue. The city’s vibrant bar and brewery scene complements its dining options, with over 60 breweries across the region and several more in development.
Art and culture are a major draw as well. Uptown guests can walk to notable institutions such as the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, The Mint Museum, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the Levine Museum of the New South. During the pandemic, many museums expanded virtual access, offering online collections and craft demonstrations.
When it’s time to rest, Charlotte continues to expand its hotel offerings. New brands, including JW Marriott, InterContinental and Moxy, are expected to debut in the market in the coming years, while luxury properties like the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charlotte (Autograph Collection) and Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel already receive strong reviews.
“Over the last decade the city has worked hard to add amenities that excite tourists,” Murray said, and those efforts have produced results. In 2018, roughly 29.2 million travelers visited Charlotte. Murray also points out that Charlotte’s visitor economy is significantly larger than that of any other county in North Carolina — despite the state’s well-known beaches and mountains.
For Murray, the appeal boils down to Charlotte’s vibrant urban core. In that dynamic center, business and leisure visitors can work, dine, drink and play alongside locals who themselves were once visitors. Many came for a short stay, discovered what made the Queen City special, and chose to remain — turning a stop on the itinerary into a place to call home.
SCENIC DRIVES
One of the most famous scenic drives in the region is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stretching more than 250 miles, the parkway winds through national forests, historic sites and picturesque towns. While fall foliage draws many visitors, the route offers scenic views year-round and lies about a two-hour drive west of Charlotte.
About the same distance from Charlotte, the Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway provides a shorter but memorable drive. This 76-mile loop travels through forests, farmland and past waterfalls, including stretches of Pisgah National Forest. For adventurous visitors, a stop at Sliding Rock — a natural waterslide and popular swimming spot — makes a great detour for a refreshing break.