Home Economy Economic Activity R.I. sets tourism record with 29.4M visitors, $6B in spending in 2024

R.I. sets tourism record with 29.4M visitors, $6B in spending in 2024

By

Matthew McNulty

-

10/22/2025

tourism — TOURISM IN the state reached record highs in 2024, drawing 29.4 million visitors who spent $6 billion, according to new newly released data. / PBN FILE PHOTO/K. CURTIS

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s tourism industry reached record highs in 2024, drawing 29.4 million visitors who spent $6 billion statewide, a 7% jump from the previous year, according to new data released Tuesday by Gov. Daniel J. McKee. In total, tourism generated $8.8 billion in total economic impact last year and supported more than 88,500

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PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s tourism industry reached record highs in 2024, drawing 29.4 million visitors who spent $6 billion statewide, a 7% jump from the previous year, according to new data released Tuesday by Gov. Daniel J. McKee. In total, tourism generated $8.8 billion in total economic impact last year and supported more than 88,500 jobs statewide, a 2.1% increase, according to a report compiled by Tourism Economics. The sector now accounts for roughly 13% of all jobs in Rhode Island, the data showed. Tourism also delivered $992 million in state and local tax revenue for the year, up nearly 6% from 2023 – easing the tax burden for residents while fueling public investments in infrastructure and services, McKee said. “We continue to build on our progress and deliver jobs for Rhode Islanders, and these new visitor numbers are evidence of that,” said McKee. State officials said the 2024 surge reflected growing demand for both day trips and overnight stays. Of the $6 billion travelers spent across Rhode Island last year, $1.5 billion went to food and drinks and $1.3 billion to lodging, together making up nearly half of all visitor spending. Air transportation saw the fastest growth, rising 11.1% year-over-year, according to the data. Employment in the sector climbed 2.1% last year to 88,509, nearly 1,900 more than in 2023, with roughly a third of those positions in food and beverage alone. Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor said tourism is a powerful economic engine, fueling small businesses, creating jobs and attracting new investments across Rhode Island. "Rhode Island is proud to continue welcoming visitors from around the country and the world,” Pryor said. Rhode Island is currently preparing for up to 1 million soccer fans expected in the Providence metro area for next summer’s World Cup at nearby Gillette Stadium, with the state projecting a $330 million economic boost. Statewide tourism efforts have been operating without a leader since April, when Chief Marketing Officer Anika Kimble-Huntley stepped down. Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.