Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - After a massive drop in tourism revenue in 2020, Virginia's income from tourism made a near full recovery in 2021. According to new statistics released by the Virginia Tourism Corperation, tourism revenue dropped nearly 40% in 2020, resulting in the loss of 70,000 jobs.
In 2021, however, travelers to Virginia spent $69 million a day, totaling $25.2 billion and marking an overall 87% recovery to pre-pandemic spending. Tourism spending in 2021 overwhelmingly centered around outdoor recreation and dining, likely since these activities were safest at the time. Coastal and mountainous regions, like Virginia Beach and the Shenandoah Valley, saw the most tourists as a result.
Based on 2021's strong performance, the VTC says that they expect 2022 to meet, if not exceed, pre-pandemic revenue.
