Nashville International Visitors | Global Nashville | Guest Host Ralph Schulz with Butch Spyridon

The Tennessee World Affairs Council in association with Belmont University Center for International Business and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Global Nashville Guest Host Ralph Schulz in Conversation with Butch Spyridon A conversation about Nashville's "global brand" and the importance of tourism in building international bridges. Butch Spyridon, President/CEO, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. "Global Nashville with Karl Dean" with guest host Ralph Schulz in Conversation with Butch Spyridon A conversation about Nashville's "global brand" and the importance of tourism in building international bridges. August 31, 2021 The metrics were clear before the pandemic crushed global hospitality. Nashville and Tennessee were experiencing a boom in the tourism sector. The #1 leisure destination in the United States, according to Global Traveler's Leisure Lifestyle Awards. Reader's Choice Award for Best Cities in the U.S., according to Conde Nast. A record-high $23 billion in visitor spending in the state in 2019 and trending higher, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Travel in Tennessee generated 195,000 jobs and $1.92 billion in state and local tax revenue -- saving Tennesseans in costs for public services. Nashville's attraction to visitors is global. The daily attraction of world-class music venues, cultural activities, sporting events and more, not to mention the city's mega-events are magnets for foreign visitors. Among the main industries that drive the economy, tourism is emblematic of international outreach and bridge building among the tens of thousands of foreign visitors who come to Tennessee and Nashville. The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. web site says it all: Music is the universal language. Nashville - where music is inspired, created, recorded and performed. Music City is ready to be explored. Experience more music, food, and fashion than ever before. All are welcome to Music City! Watch this conversation as Nashville's Chamber President Ralph Schulz asks Nashville's visitor majordomo, Butch Spyridon, about the health of the region's hospitality industry and the contribution of tourism to Nashville's brand.