Tourism brings in money

Hazlehurst-Jeff Davis County Board of Tourism announced that visitors to Jeff Davis County spent $12.2 million in calendar year 2025, according to newly released data from Tourism Economics and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). This constitutes an 8.8% increase in spending as compared to 2024.
“Tourism is a vital part of the Georgia economy, and we continue to see it as a growing part of our local economy in Jeff Davis County. Thanks to the support of our County Commission and the City of Hazlehurst, the Board of Tourism continues to drive economic development through tourism initiatives, all while being funded without any property tax,” said Hazlehurst-Jeff Davis County President/CEO Oakley G. Perry.
Jeff Davis County’s visitor economy supported 121 jobs and generated over $900,000 in state and local tax revenues in 2025. Without the tax revenues generated by tourism, every Jeff Davis County household would need to pay an additional $170 in taxes each year. Most notably, visitors’ food and beverage spending totaled $4 million in 2025.
“The foundation of Georgia’s tourism success is partnership,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Deputy Commissioner of Tourism Jay Markwalter. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Kemp, our General Assembly, GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson, the Georgia Tourism Foundation Board of Directors, and the efforts of our statewide tourism industry, we’re putting Georgia on travelers’ minds like never before. By working together to promote Georgia and deliver exceptional visitor experiences, we’re fueling sustainable growth that benefits every community in Georgia.”
In 2025, Georgia broke tourism records for the fourth consecutive year and ranked No. 5 in the nation for domestic overnight visitation for the sixth year in a row. A new high of 175.6 million domestic and international visitors spent $46.2 billion on lodging, restaurants, recreation, transportation, and other local businesses across the state. Those tourism dollars generated $5.3 billion in state and local tax revenues, saving each Georgia household nearly $1,300 in annual taxes on average. Tourism is one of Georgia’s largest economic contributors, generating $84.1 billion in statewide economic impact and supporting 473,837 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, accounting for 1 in every 15 jobs in Georgia.
This data is sourced from an annual study conducted by Tourism Economics and commissioned by the Georgia Department of Economic Development to measure the economic impact of tourism on the state and its 159 counties. Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, is a leader in global economic forecasting for the travel and tourism industry.
For more information about tourism in Jeff Davis County, visit jeffdavishazlehurst.com
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About the Hazlehurst-Jeff Davis County Board of Tourism
Created by the Jeff Davis County Board of Commissioners in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Tourism drives economic development in Jeff Davis County through tourism
initiatives. Each year, the Board hosts multiple events, works in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce to market our community to visitors, and more. The Board of Tourism is housed at the Center for Community and Economic Development at the Big House, which also serves as Jeff Davis County’s official visitor center.
About Explore Georgia
The Tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, known to travelers as Explore Georgia, is the state’s official destination marketing organization. Georgia welcomed 175.6 million visitors who spent $46.2 billion in 2025, setting new records for the state’s tourism industry, which generates $84.1 billion in statewide economic impact and supports 473,837 jobs.