It is, of course, no secret that the economy is struggling. Unemployment remains high, consumer spending is off, and tourism in North Carolina is down as people affected by the economy forego vacations and weekend trips.

Except in Mount Airy.

Officials with the city visitor center last week told the city board of commissioners traffic at the center was actually up 45 percent in October and November when compared to the same periods in 2008.

Another measure of tourist traffic is collections of occupancy taxes, those fees added to the bills of guests staying in area hotels and bed and breakfast inns. Those collections were reported as being down a scant 3 percent, compared to a decline of 10.1 percent for the state as a whole.

What does this mean?

Tourism officials are doing a good job of continuing to bring visitors to Mount Airy and Surry County.

Rather than sit back and lament the decline of individual tourists and families visiting the area, local tourism officials, working hand-in-hand with the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce and local businesses, have continued to search for, or create, events which will bring people to the community.

One of those was the N.C. State Harley Owners Group rally which took place in the city last year. Toursim officials estimate more than $350,000 came into the local economy as a result of that event.

This type of effort shows a determination to find a way to succeed, no matter what obstacles are in the way.

Tourism is not the answer to all of the area’s economic woes. But it is part of the answer. And the can-do attitude of those in the tourism industry shows that at least for this component of the local economy, the outlook is definitely bright.