VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach business owners and others in the tourism industry poured into the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Wednesday to network and get the latest on tourism, a vital part of the economy for the resort city.
A newly-released economic impact study shows Virginia Beach saw 13.6 million visitors in 2022 which is similar to pre-pandemic levels. The study was done by Tourism Economics, a subsidiary of Oxford Economics.
President of Tourism Economics, Adam Sacks, told News 3 reporter Angela Bohon, “Virginia Beach prevailed through the pandemic in an exceptional way compared to the 300-some other destinations we work with each year.”
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Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau says the 2022 study shows Virginia Beach sustained 32,704 jobs, equating to 19% of all jobs in the city. It also says that tourism spending contributed $324 million in state and local tax revenues during the same year, offsetting local annual taxes by $1,754 per Virginia Beach household.
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While the vibe at Wednesday’s summit was celebratory, Sacks said something to keep an eye on is increasing year-round business.
“I think continuing to invest in attracting groups and building on the business travel recovery is going to be important,” said Sacks. “One of the reasons for that is it evens out some of the seasonality of the destination.”
Tourism Economics is performing a 2023 study. Sacks said he hopes to have the results in early 2024.
