Tourism in and around Richmond is a multi-billion-dollar industry that continues to grow, driving the regional economy.
Visitors spent an estimated $3.9 billion in the Richmond region last year, a 4.7% increase from the year before, Richmond Region Tourism, the area’s tourism agency reports.
Their spending supports more than 29,600 jobs, a total that grew by more than 325 last year.
Tourism-related spending in lodging, food and beverage, retail, recreation and transportation categories generated $183.8 million in local taxes and $110.2 million in state tax revenues.
While the biggest thing tourists do when visiting Richmond remains the quiet mainstay of tourist spending nationwide — visiting family — a stepped-up effort to woo out-of-towners has brought new events and expanded some long-time stalwarts, said Katherine O’Donnell, Richmond Region Tourism president and chief executive officer.
The new Allianz Amphitheater on the hillside above the James River, by the Tredegar Iron Works museum, brought sold-out GWAR and Dave Matthews Band concerts this summer, for instance.
“New events come from our great facilities…the Allianz Amphitheater is bringing new acts,” O’Donnell said.
NASCAR resurgence
The successful wooing that brought a NASCAR Cup Series race back to Richmond International Raceway with the Cook Out 400 filled grandstands for the first time since 2008 at what may well be Virginia’s biggest venue outside the stadiums at football factories Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.
“What we have done is work very hard with leadership at Richmond Raceway to sell it out,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said, at a kickoff event at the Executive Mansion for a summertime race weekend that included Virginia is for Lovers 150 race, part of the Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR’s oldest and original series, and Friday’s regular season finale race in NASCAR’s Truck Series.
The push went beyond selling seats — it marked a concerted effort to woo a second Cup Series race back to Richmond, Youngkin said.
“That’s been a huge part of our emphasis. Listen, I was frustrated when one of the races left, and we’re going to work hard to try to get it back. And I think having a big, big race week is exactly what we need to demonstrate,” he said.
Impact of Tourism Improvement District
The Virginia Commonwealth Games, with roughly 10,000 athletes competing in 38 sports, will come to Richmond next year, for the first time in 36 years, bringing an estimated $6 million plus economic impact.
A two-year courtship by Richmond Region Tourism and the Richmond Forum is paying off, with the region’s hosting of the National Speech and Debate Tournament.
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That event will bring 7,000 high school students, along with families and teachers from across the country to Richmond.
“With the state’s largest convention center, a thriving small business community, diverse culture and a strong workforce, Richmond offers the infrastructure, talent and quality of life that make it an ideal destination,” said Angie Rodgers, director of economic development for the city of Richmond.
The marketing that brings debaters, athletes and NASCAR drivers and fans to the area, along with organizations like National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts’ annual gathering or Jalsa Salana, the formal, annual convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, got a big boost with the two-year-old Tourism Improvement District, which levies a 2% fee on nightly rates at hotels with at least 41 rooms.
“It means we can advertise year-round now, which we couldn’t before… we can be at more trade shows and have a bigger presence there,” O’Donnell said.
“We can recruit more events; it can take years to win one, and we’re starting to see the impact now,” she said.
Last fiscal year, Richmond Region Tourism partners booked 21 more events using Tourism Improvement District resources.
Those events generated a 12% increase in contracted room nights and an estimated $17 million worth of economic impact
Sports tourism growth
Richmond is seeing growth across sports tournament, meeting, convention, leisure travel and group tour sectors, O’Donnell said.
Sports tourism has been a tourism staple for years, with the region hosting the USA Field Hockey national indoor championship since 2011; while the Richmond Marathon and Half Marathon have been selling out, reaching capacity caps of 16,200 runners between the two events.
USA Fencing will hold its North American Cup in Richmond next year.
“The region’s entertainment offerings and first-class facilities make us a top destination,” said Dennis Bickmeier, executive director of the Henrico Sports and Entertainment Authority, which hosts the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship and the National Wheelchair Basketball Association National Championship, as well as outdoor youth sports travel team events.
Investment in new fields and facilities pays off, too, said J.C. Poma, Chesterfield County’s executive director of sports, visitation and entertainment.
“Sports tourism is booming in our region and we’re seeing visitation soar,” Poma said.
“Chesterfield continues to introduce new fields and facilities that provide a true home field advantage for our residents, while also attracting teams and tournament decision-makers,” he said.
Rachel Smith, tourism director for Hanover County said she’s seeing a rising interest in agritourism experiences like farm visits, festivals and seasonal events.
Richmond Region Tourism brings together Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent counties, the cities of Richmond and Colonial Heights and the town of Ashland — and that regional effort is a big reason for its successes — and especially on a marketing strategy that aims to build on past and current visitors’ experiences here, O’Donnell said.,
“Think about a family that flies in from Florida for the field hockey; they play in Chesterfield, stay in a hotel, go out to eat in Carytown, visit the VMFA, go shopping in Short Pump,” O’Donnell said. “When they go home and friends ask them where they’ve been, they’ll say ‘Richmond.’”
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