Virginia Tourism Corporation recently announced that sports tourism in the state generated $2.7 billion in direct spending in 2022, marking a 12 percent increase from 2021.
This growth came from 12.1 million sports travelers participating in tournaments or attending other sports-related events in Virginia.
Sports tourism in 2022 accounted for nearly 8 percent of the overall visitor economy, directly contributing $2.4 billion in visitor spending. Sports-related travelers in 2022 spent $7.3 million daily in Virginia, reflecting a substantial $1 million increase compared to 2019. Sports tourism also employed 28,138 Virginians in 2022 and drove $344 million in state and local tax revenues.
Among the industries impacted by travel, the most significant contribution from sports tourism was towards the food and beverage sector, totaling $713.8 million, which equates to 27 percent of the overall spending share.
“We are thrilled to see how sports tourism helped power Virginia’s tourism recovery,” says Dan Roberts, vice president of research and strategy for Virginia Tourism Corporation. “These numbers show the significant impact sports tourism has on the economic growth of communities across the Commonwealth by creating job opportunities, driving development in new infrastructure and venues, increasing tax revenue, and boosting local businesses in the area.”
On a regional basis, the highest concentration of total sports spending is the central and southern Virginia region, which incorporates Richmond and Lynchburg. This region represents 32 percent of total sports spending, generating $849 million, an increase of 10 percent from 2021.
The Northern Virginia region, which includes Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, ranks as the second-highest region for sports spending, generating $758 million in 2022, an increase of 13.7 percent from 2021.
Virginia Tourism Corporation collaborated with Tourism Economics to conduct this comprehensive impact study. For this study, sports tourism includes only adult and youth amateur tournaments and collegiate tournaments featuring participants or spectators traveling more than 50 miles or staying overnight away from home. The study excludes all collegiate regular season games or other professional sports, including minor league or mid-level professional games and general recreation.
Attendance data for sports events came directly from Virginia’s local sports tourism partners through Tourism Economics and applied to the analysis. Additionally, visitor profile data from Longwoods International visitor volumes and expenditures for travelers to Virginia participating in sports tourism were included.
For more information on Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Sports Tourism Impact study, visit vatc.org/research/sports-tourism-impact.
