With the arrival of Boeing Aircraft, the city has gained international importance and stature as one of only three places in the world for the manufacture and assembly of wide-body long range commercial aircraft; the other two places are in and around Everett, Washington (Boeing); Toulouse, France (Airbus). North Charleston has been the state's leader in retail sales since 1989. In calendar year 2012, gross retail sales exceeded $6.15 billion and surpassed its nearest competition, Columbia, South Carolina, by over $2 billion. The city continues to expand its inventory of 4-star hotel accommodations. By the end of 2009, North Charleston had 7,246 rooms available for visitors to this region of South Carolina.