Visitors spent an estimated $1.9 billion in the greater Birmingham area in 2017, according a new economic impact study from the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

This is a 5 percent increase over 2016 spending totals, according to the study, which is commissioned annually by the CVB and is conducted by Davidson-Peterson Associates, a national travel research firm with headquarters in Maine.

2017's spending is a record-level for the Birmingham area.

The study also found an increase in tourist-generated taxes, with total taxes for the state reported at $158.9 million, a 5 percent increase over 2016. Local government received more than $85.5 million in taxes produced by tourism in Jefferson County, another 5 percent increase over the previous year. Tourism-related jobs totaled more than 29,000 in 2017, showing a nearly 6 percent increase.

The greater Birmingham area had more than 4.6 million overnight visitors in 2017, an increase of 4.5 percent from 2016, according to the study.

"We are welcoming more visitors than ever before," J. John Oros, Jr., CVB president and chief executive officer said. "Last year was a strong year for travel to Birmingham for a number of reasons. Successful events like the Senior Games brought in new visitors as did national and international media attention. Business travel is up, along with meetings and conventions, and amateur sporting events and tournaments, creating a strong demand for hotel rooms."

Birmingham area tourist spent more money on dining at 28 percent and then shopping at 25 percent, which followed 2016 trends.

"It's not surprising that dining is the strongest spending category," Oros said. "We heavily market award-winning cuisine and chef-owned restaurants in the greater Birmingham area. Dining experiences remain a list-topper for reasons people travel."

It's estimated that 50 percent of the guests at Jefferson County hotels were staying for business. The rest were leisure travelers. And, 55 percent of visitors in Jefferson County in 2017 were from out of state, a reversal from previous years when most visits were in-state travel.

"Tourism expenditures in 2017 reflect the general trend of nationwide increases in travel. As long as the economy and consumer confidence remain strong, we expect 2018 to meet and surpass 2017's record numbers." Oros said. "The growth of tourism in Jefferson County is a solid indicator of tourism's value as an economic generator."