Data released by the United States Travel Association (USTA) reveals that all regions in Virginia posted an increase in tourism revenue last year.
According to the USTA, tourism in Virginia generated $25 billion in travel spending. Tourism also supported 232,000 jobs in the Commonwealth and $1.7 billion in state and local taxes. The increase is largely attributed to Virginia’s tourism development all around the state, including new hotels, restaurants, agritourism, craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries, sports, outdoor recreation, festivals and events, music venues, wedding venues, meeting and convention venues and attractions. Virginia’s changing tourism offerings make the Commonwealth a destination for authentic travel experiences and thriving communities.
Tourism was again an important diversifier for the local economy in 2017. Tourism revenue for the five counties of the Northern Neck reached $273,391,434, a 4.1% increase over 2016…