Orange County Visitor Spending Reached $52.8 Million In 2022
According to the most recent statistics released by the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), visitor spending for Orange County reached $52.8 Million in 2022, a 4.5% increase over 2021. Tourism supported 485 jobs in Orange County while local tourism-related taxes were $2.2 Million.
At the state level, Virginia enjoyed $30.3 billion in visitor spending in 2022, an increase of 20.3% from 2021, exceeding 2019 levels by 4.4%. The tourism industry in Virginia directly supported 210,721 jobs in 2022, an increase of more than 25,000 jobs relative to 2021, but still down about 30,000 jobs relative to 2019. All data is from Tourism Economics and is based on visitor spending from trips taken at least 50 miles away from home.
The leading tourism sectors in Virginia are recreation and food and beverage, which have exceeded 2019 levels by 10%. The local food and beverage industry in Orange County had a particularly impressive year of growth with overall revenues of $15.1 million in 2022 compared to $13.8 million in 2021.
Julie Perry, Assistant Director of Economic Development and Tourism, said “Total tourism expenditures in Orange County exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2021, so this extra growth in 2022 is especially exciting. It’s a tribute to the local attractions, small businesses and lodging facilities that make Orange County such a great place to visit!” For more information, contact Julie Perry, Assistant Director of Economic Development and Tourism, at jperry@orangecountyva.gov.
Read more here.