In 2023, visitor spending is up 5.2 percent in Nelson County reaching $90.9 million.
There were 864 tourism-supported jobs in Nelson County and local tourism-related taxes were $5 million.
“From our own economic impact data, nearly 22 percent of jobs in Nelson are supported by tourism,” said Katie Conner, a senior destination development manager for Virginia Tourism Corporation. “This is likely one of the highest figures in Virginia outside of somewhere such as Bath or Williamsburg.”
Conner said the jobs number is higher than Virginia Beach, for example.
“It’s higher than Virginia Beach, so Nelson is right up there with our most tourism-intense counties which I think fits,” she said.
In Nelson County:
- Lodging: 38.9 percent of total visitor spending
- Food and beverage: 22.4 percent of visitor spending
- Recreation: 14.7 percent of visitor spending
“These are all very healthy figures and point towards a diverse and balanced visitor economy,” Conner said.
Nelson County is home to the Blue Ridge Tunnel, Wintergreen Resort, Crabtree Falls, Walton’s Mountain Museum, Swannanoa, the Oakland Museum and more. It is also home to numerous restaurants, wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries.
For more information on Nelson County tourism, visit nelsoncounty.com
VTC receives its annual economic impact data from Tourism Economics.
Virginia and beyond
According to the VTC, tourism in Virginia generated a record high $33.3 billion in visitor spending in 2023, an increase of nearly 10 percent from 2022.
Visitors spent $242.2 million in Harrisonburg in 2023 and supported 2,678 jobs.
Visitors spent $77.8 million in Waynesboro in 2023 and supported 868 jobs.
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Crystal Graham
