Tourism spending grows in Fredericksburg, region

U.S. travelers spent about $612.5 million in the Fredericksburg region in 2017 and $186.6 million in the City of Fredericksburg alone, according to an annual report released Wednesday by the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC).

Tourism-related spending in the City of Fredericksburg was up 5.3 percent from 2016. It is up about 46 percent in the past decade (see chart below).

“We are pleased with the gains, which we attribute in part to our wonderful restaurants, historical attractions, lodging options, outdoor amenities, arts, frequent events and more,” said Fredericksburg City Manager Tim Baroody. “But we are always looking for ways to improve, working with our local partners and neighboring localities. We plan to study and analyze our tourism-related efforts in the coming year with an eye toward achieving even higher numbers.”

The VTC’s annual report, titled “Economic Impact of Domestic Travel On Virginia Counties,” analyzed the spending of U.S. residents traveling away from home overnight in paid accommodations, or on any overnight and day trips to places 50 miles or more from home.

The $612.5 million spent by these travelers in Fredericksburg, Stafford County and Spotsylvania County — the area covered by the Fredericksburg Regional Tourism Partnership (FRTP) — was 4.6 percent higher than in 2016. Each of the three localities saw increases.

Tourism spending also supported about 6,250 jobs in the Fredericksburg region, according to the report. Statewide, tourism expenditures reached $25 billion in 2017 and supported 230,000 jobs.

Here is a breakdown of tourism-related spending in the City of Fredericksburg over the past decade, according to the report.