JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. — When it comes to tourism, Georgia officials announced the state had broken its own records for visits and business in 2022.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced the news while at the Governor’s Tourism Conference on Jekyll Island, saying that nearly 168 million people had visited Georgia in 2022.

From the visits, tourists spent close to $40 billion, passing the record set pre-COVID-19 pandemic by $2 billion, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

The announcement from Kemp’s office said the state had brought in the largest number of visitors in state history in 2022, with a total economic impact for Georgia’s tourism and travel industry reaching $73 billion, a 13% increase year-over-year.

Travel demand is credited by the governor’s office with supporting 442,600 jobs across the state, 20,000 jobs more than between 2021 and 2022.

“Thanks to Georgia’s incredible natural wonders, our great small towns with welcoming families, our major cities and attractions, and much more, our tourism industry continues to reach new heights,” Kemp said. “This historic growth is evidence that our pro-business policies are working, allowing us to compete like never before in all four corners of the state.

2022 was also the third year in a row that Georgia kept its No. 5 market share for overnight domestic visits in the U.S., generating $4.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, equal to a 10.1% increase from 2021.

The governor thanked Georgia’s tourism workers and the staff of Explore Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development for making the record-breaking numbers possible.

“Tourism is a key part of Georgia’s economic development success story, with benefits that spread across communities in all regions of our state,” GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson said. “The latest numbers are a testament to Georgia’s dedicated tourism industry professionals who constantly provide the best visitor experience possible, bolstered by the great work Explore Georgia has done to market the state as a top travel destination.”

Despite pandemic shutdowns, GDEcD Chief Marketing Officer Mark Jaronski said moves by Georgia leaders working with the state’s tourism industry brought big benefits to the state and “established an unprecedented legacy for years to come.