Tourism and recreation officials are expecting an increase in the numbers of visitors to Carroll County for recreation and athletic events, bringing more money to the local economy.

And more local residents are using local facilities.

Carrollton Parks and recreation Director Wayne Gay said the city has already seen an increase in the number of people booking reservations at the Midtown Water Park, Lakeshore park and the softball complex.

“I believe it is the economic situation and that more and more people are realizing the quality services that we have here,” Gay said. “They don’t have to go out of town to get quality facilities both in Carrollton and in the county.”

Gay said the parks and recreation departments in the city and county have seen an increase in the number of scheduled tournaments and competitions that will be held this summer, including a state swim meet that is expected to bring in approximately 1,200 swimmers from across the state.

Those events, according to the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jonathan Dorsey, not only have an economic impact for the area that reaches into the millions of dollars but is also the largest economic contributor in Carroll County’s tourism industry.

“I expect with the economy, we will see a lot more folks sticking around and using our local facilities this summer,” Dorsey said. “Summer is extremely important to tourism, and particularly for a community such as ours with so many outdoor recreations. We are a very recreational-focused community in terms of tourism dollars coming from that segment of the community.”

Gay said there has been an increase in registration among local residents signing up to participate in summer leagues.

“We’re seeing people registering that have not participated in the events before,” he said. “A lot of out-of-town travel has ceased with the economy, and more people are taking advantage of local activities and opportunities. We are also seeing more people coming to Carrollton because of the quality of facilities we have here.”

Dorsey said the tourism dollars from the athletic events held in the county will help pump money into the local economy.

“This is the market we thrive in, with the tournaments,” he said. “We are well in place with the type of visitor market that will not see a catastrophic loss as other parts of the country might.”

McIntosh Reserve Manager Daryl Johnson said he has noticed a shift in the past several years of local residents visiting the 527-acre county park. About a decade ago, Johnson said only about 40 percent of patrons were from Carroll County, but last year between 60 and 70 percent of the approximate 90,000 visitors live in the county.

“We are expecting even more locals this summer with gas prices and the economy,” he said. “We have been on a mission to make residents aware we are here and have a lot to offer.”

Johnson said the population growth in the county and influx of people moving to the area have also contributed to the increase in local park usage to enjoy the historic park that offers fishing, picnics, about 16 miles of trails and other activities for a family.

Dorsey said the Carrollton area Convention and Visitors Bureau is producing a new visitor guide and map to distribute at the local events and tournaments to showcase attractions throughout the county.

“The tournaments are putting heads in beds and creating a bigger tax base for our hotels, restaurants, retail stores and gas stations,” Gay said. “We also try to push Adamson Square as much as possible with people coming into town for these events.”