Virginia tourism resilient, spending has fully recovered from COVID pandemic

The Virginia tourism industry has fully recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic in all five categories of spending including recreation, transportation, lodging, food & beverage and retail.

The state’s tourism industry generated a record $33.3 billion in visitor spending in 2023 and directly supported more than 224,000 jobs.

“We are incredibly proud that Virginia’s tourism industry reached unprecedented heights in 2023, with visitor spending hitting a record over $33 billion,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “This $3 billion increase from 2022 not only surpasses pre-pandemic levels by an impressive 14.7 percent but also underscores the resilience and appeal of our Commonwealth as a premier travel destination.”

Travelers spent $91 million a day in Virginia in 2023, up from $83 million in 2022. Virginia visitors directly drove $2.4 billion in state and local tax revenue, an increase of 9 percent from $2.2 billion in 2022. Overnight visitation to Virginia increased by 1.4 million to 43.6 million visitors in 2023, up from 42.2 million in 2022, essentially reaching full recovery to pre-pandemic levels.

“The full recovery and growth of all five categories of visitor spending reflects the diverse and dynamic tourism assets that Virginia has to offer. Recreation and transportation, in particular, have seen remarkable increases, driven by a strong preference for unique experiences and the Commonwealth’s strategic position as a major transportation hub,” said Caren Merrick, Secretary of Commerce and Trade. 

Breaking it down

• Recreation was the fastest growing category in 2023, up 12 percent over 2022 and 24 percent beyond pre-pandemic levels, more than any other category, as travelers continue to show a strong preference for experiences
• Transportation saw the second highest growth, up 11 percent in 2023, placing it 11 percent above pre-pandemic levels.
• Transportation captures the largest share of visitor spending at 30 percent due to Virginia’s major gateway airports, Washington Dulles International and Reagan National.
• Lodging spending grew by 9 percent in 2023, surpassing 2019 levels by 13 percent.

Virginia Tourism Corporation receives its annual economic impact data from Tourism Economics. The information is based on domestic visitor spending (travelers from within the United States) from per-person trips. Visitors included those who stayed overnight or traveled more than 50 miles to the destination.

For more information, visit virginia.org.