CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Latest data is showing that the Mountain State’s tourism performance for last year is reaching record breaking numbers, with the industry’s total economic impact approaching $9 billion.
Tourism officials say that visitor volume for 2023 reached 75 million.
It was reported that these visitors spent approximately $6.3 billion in the state last year, which was 5.6% more than in 2022.
Secretary of Tourism Chelsea Ruby said this impact is a first for the state.
“This is the highest in the state’s history and this is a number that we’re really, really proud of,” Ruby said.
This data was gathered by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company that measures tourism spending and economic impact.
These levels of visitation and spending greatly top 2019 levels, showing that the state has fully bounced back from the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Officials say that this growth trajectory has been on an upward trend as early as 2017, however, when Governor Jim Justice took office. Within that time, visitor spending has grown more than 40% or nearly $2 billion annually despite the pandemic.
The state’s visitor spending has grown 23% above 2019 levels, compared with only 9% nationwide.
Ruby says it’s even more impressive when you break those big numbers down and put them into context.
“What it equates to is $17 million dollars a day spent in West Virginia on average, so 365 days a year there are visitors traveling all across the state and they spend $17 million,” she said.
In addition, the data shows that traveler spending in the state significantly contributes to the state’s overall economy. It was reported that food and beverage spending topped $1.7 billion last year, and recreation spending rose to $1.5 billion, a 24% share of the total $6.3 billion that was spent.
The tourism industry also generated more than $1 billion in tax revenues last year.
Ruby said this is another first for the state’s economy.
“The industry itself generated more than a billion dollars in taxes, it was the first year we topped a billion, and if you think about what that’s doing for our economy here in West Virginia, it’s an incredible number,” Ruby said.
Ruby said that approximately $597.8 million in tax revenues went directly to state and local governments, and tourism-generated tax dollars contributed to a total of $835 per household to maintaining government services.
These most recent tourism numbers were presented at the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism that was held last week at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
During the conference, Justice was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership in growing the state’s tourism industry.
Ruby said Justice has truly been a gamechanger for the industry.
“The West Virginia Tourism industry has never had a champion for tourism like Governor Justice, the governor has supported the industry like no has before, the governor has invested in the industry like no-one has before, and he has delivered for the industry,” said Ruby.
Gov. Justice was grateful for the award and the recognition for all he has managed to get done for tourism in the state.
“From day one, I knew that investing in our tourism industry was going to be a key driver in West Virginia’s rise,” Justice said. “There’s a reason we’re on worldwide travel guides saying West Virginia is the state to visit. It’s because we have four incredible seasons and the nicest people on the planet. What we’ve been able to accomplish in this industry is truly amazing, and I cannot thank Secretary Ruby and everyone involved in the tourism industry enough for making our state shine bright like the diamond we are, because it’s working.”
Story by Kat Skeldon, MetroNews