Local tourism and hospitality leaders will have some good news to share at today’s Economic Summit: travel spending grew more in the Tri-Cities – 6.3 percent – than in any of Tennessee’s nine regions in 2008.

The director of Johnson City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, Brenda Whitson, said the metro area’s performance relative to the state, which saw just 1.7 percent growth, shows that tourism is a worthwhile “focus group” area for the annual summit, which takes place from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Millennium Centre.

“We’re all very excited about the numbers,” Whitson said Tuesday. “It does make you feel good that Northeast Tennessee has outperformed some of the major metros in the state.”

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(Image courtesy of the Kingsport Convention and Visitors Bureau.)