Visitors to Worcester and the surrounding 35 communities spent $626 million in the region last year, according to the local tourism agency Discover Central Massachusetts.
DCM released a report Thursday saying between 2014 and 2018, visitors to the 36 communities it serves increased their spending by 20.3%, beating the Massachusetts average of 17.8%.
“People are curious and want to explore Central Mass.,” said Stephanie Ramey, DCM executive director, in a press release.
The spending in 2018 by travelers who came to Central Massachusetts from 50 or more miles from their homes, or who stayed overnight in paid accommodations, supported 3,741 jobs and generated $14 million in local taxes and $32 million in state taxes. The taxes include retail sales, rooms, meals, gas, property, payroll, and excise.
“We look to increase tourism even further with the addition of Polar Park and the Worcester Red Sox in 2021 as well as another new hotel in Washington Square,” Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus said in a press release.
The communities DCM covers are:
- Worcester
- Auburn
- Berlin
- Blackstone
- Boylston
- Brookfield
- Charlton
- Douglas
- Dudley
- E. Brookfield
- Grafton
- Hardwick
- Holden
- Leicester
- Mendon
- Millbury
- Millville
- New Braintree
- Northbridge
- N. Brookfield
- Oakham
- Oxford
- Paxton
- Rutland
- Shrewsbury
- Southbridge
- Spencer
- Sturbridge
- Sutton
- Upton
- Uxbridge
- Warren
- Webster
- West Boylston
- W. Brookfield
- Whitinsville
