Increase in Shenandoah County tourism boosts economy and job growth
Shenandoah County saw an increase in tourism revenue during 2022, according to a recent release from the Tourism and Development Department.
Tourism spending reached over $138 million dollars and supported 1,245 jobs.
The spending represented a 6.3% increase from the previous year.
Tourism also supported over $5.5 million in local taxes in addition to another $3.6 million in state taxes.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation found that Virginia generated $30.3 billion in visitor spending in 2022, an increase of over 20% from 2021 and exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 4.4%.
Jenna French, Director of Tourism and Economic Development said, “Tourism continues to be a vital part of economic growth for Shenandoah County. The continued increase in visitation to our area year over year has helped support the growth of many small businesses throughout our communities adding vibrancy to the County and enhancing the quality of life for local residents as well.”
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Virginia tourism increased over 20% in 2022
Virginia saw a 20.3% increase in tourism in 2022 according to an announcement from Governor Glenn Youngkin and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Total visitor spending generated $30.3 billion and directly supported over 210,000 jobs.
Travelers on average spent $83 million per day in the Commonwealth which directly drove nearly $2.2 billion in state and local tax revenues for the year.
The leading tourism sectors are recreation and food and beverage which exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 10%.
Transportation, especially air travel, had a slower recovery but the fastest growth in 2022.
One reason for the growth includes the use of marketing dollars distributed through the American Rescue Plan Act which helped Virginia reach roughly 15 million more households in 2022 than 2021.
For a detailed look at Virginia’s economic impact data, click here.
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VA. Tourism receives $2.7 million in funding
An email from Governor Youngkin announced that the Virginia Tourism Corporation will receive $2.7 million to bolster regional tourism.
The funds will be shared by 259 local and regional tourism marketing programs across the state.
The money is to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia localities through tourism.
Shenandoah County confirmed in an email the reception of $20,000 of those funds to be used to support Trail Treks and Road Rides in the George Washington National Forest.
An email from Shenandoah University (SU) confirms reception of $10,000 worth of funding.
SU will use the money for its Summer Music Theatre (SMMT) along with $11,000 in matching funds from the George Washington Hotel and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.
The matching funds will also be helped with the support of several Winchester restaurants to encourage patrons of SU’s SMMT to extend their stay in the area.
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