Tourism is one of Virginia’s most powerful industries – bringing in billions of dollars in tax revenue and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs for Virginians. The facts and stats below are a glimpse of the positive economic impact of tourism in Virginia.
In 2019
- Domestic travelers spent $27 billion on transportation, lodging, food, amusement and recreation, as well as retail shopping in Virginia. This represents a 3.4 percent increase from 2018.
- Domestic travel expenditures directly supported 237,000 jobs within Virginia, an increase of 0.9 percent from 2018..
- Domestic travel in Virginia directly generated $1.8 billion in tax revenue for state and local governments, an increase of 3.9 percent compared to 2018.
Fast Facts on the Domestic Tourism Industry in Virginia
- Spending by domestic travelers was $73 million a day in Virginia during 2019.
- The travel industry is the 5th largest private employer in Virginia.
- Virginia ranks 8th in domestic traveler spending among 50 states and Washington D.C.
What tourism tax revenue means to Virginia
- Every $1 Virginia invests in tourism marketing generates $7 in tax revenue for the Commonwealth. That’s a 7:1 return on investment.
Additional information on the economic impact of tourism in Virginia, including information for localities, is available at vatc.org/research/economicimpact.
