Tourism in Tennessee for the Labor Day holiday is expected to increase over last year's levels, according to a study released today by the University of Tennessee Tourism Institute.

Using travel spending data for September from previous years and factoring in gas prices and earlier starts to school, UT Tourism Institute Director Steve Morse projects tourism spending over the long Labor Day weekend will increase 8.9 percent statewide over 2006 levels.

"By tracking tourist-related spending trends in Tennessee on hotels, restaurants, transportation and entertainment, it is clear Tennessee has continued to be a growing vacation destination for families during the Labor Day holiday," said Morse, an associate professor in the Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Tourists traveling to Tennessee should see gas prices that are about 26 cents lower than Labor Day a year ago, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Morse attributed the rise in tourism spending to focused niche marketing efforts by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development the past two years that have been fueled by an increase of $4.5 million in funding from the state Legislature.

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