Visitor Spending Reached $332.9 Million in Newport News in 2023 ~ In Virginia, tourism generated $33.3 billion in visitor spending ~ 

NEWPORT NEWS, Oct. 28, 2024 - Visitor spending in Newport News reached $332,925,783 in 2023, a slight 0.1 percent decrease compared to 2022. Tourism-supported jobs in Newport News totaled 3,246 (a 1.6 percent increase over 2022), while local tourism-related taxes generated $20,671,526 (a 2.6 percent increase over 2022). 

On a broader scale, Virginia's tourism sector reached $33.3 billion in travel spending in 2023, a nearly 10% increase over 2022, and exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 14.7%. The state’s tourism industry supported more than 224,000 jobs, an increase of more than 13,000 jobs compared to 2022. Direct travel employment has now reached 93% of pre-pandemic levels. Visitor-facing industries accounted for more than 5% of all jobs in Virginia last year. 

Travelers spent an average of $91 million per day in Virginia in 2023, up from $83 million per day in 2022. Virginia visitors also generated $2.4 billion in state and local tax revenue, a 9% increase over the $2.2 billion in 2022. Overnight visitation increased by 1.4 million, with 43.6 million visitors recorded in 2023, up from 42.2 million in 2022, bringing Virginia tourism close to full recovery. 

Tourism Impact in Newport News (Data from Tourism Economics for the Virginia Tourism Corporation) 

  • Visitor Spending: Tourism in Newport News reached $332,925,783 in 2023, a 0.1 percent decrease from 2022. 
  • Daily Spending: Travelers spent $912,125 per day in Newport News in 2023, slightly down from $913,426 per day in 2022. 
  • Comparison to 2019: Newport News is down 0.9 percent in direct visitor spending relative to 2019, when daily spending was $920,573. 
  • Progress Toward Recovery: Newport News continues its path toward fully recovering pre-pandemic spending levels, with 2019 serving as the evident. 
  • Statewide Recovery: Across Virginia's 133 counties and cities, 18 localities, including Newport News, are still working toward full recovery of pre-pandemic spending levels. 

Newport News Tourism Highlights for 2023: 

  • Jobs Supported: Tourism in Newport News supported 3,246 jobs in 2023, a 1.6 percent increase from 2022 (3,194 jobs). 
  • Local Tax Revenue: Tourism generated $20,671,526 in local taxes in 2023, a 2.6 percent increase from 2022 ($20,140,052). State taxes from Newport News tourism totaled $10,684,357, up 4.5 percent from $10,228,389 in 2022. 

Visitor spending in Virginia is tracked across five main categories: transportation, lodging, recreation, retail, and food & beverage. These areas capture the core of how tourism contributes to the state's economy, highlighting where visitors make the biggest impact. 

Visitor Spending Breakdown in Newport News (2023): 

  • Transportation: $71 million, a 5.8 percent decrease from $75.4 million in 2022. 
  • Lodging: $57.3 million, staying relatively flat, a slight 0.1 percent increase from $57.2 million in 2022. 
  • Recreation: $43 million, a slight 0.7 percent increase from $42.7 million in 2022. 
  • Retail: $49.6 million, a 1.2 percent increase from $49 million in 2022. 
  • Food & Beverage: $112 million, a 2.7 percent increase from $109 million in 2022. 

 

The Virginia Tourism Corporation receives annual economic impact data from Tourism Economics. This information is based on domestic visitor spending, focusing on trips by U.S. travelers who either stayed overnight or traveled more than 50 miles to their destination. For detailed economic impact data and methodology, visit www.vatc.org/research.