Visitor economy
Alexandria
Independent city · Northern Virginia. Visitors spent $1.01B here in 2025, down 0.1% on 2024 and up 17.0% on 2019.
$1.01B
Visitor spending, 2025
8 of 133 localities
5,732
Jobs supported
9 of 133
$54M
Local taxes from visitors
8 of 133
$295M
Wages paid
$28M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $395M, 38.9% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $237M23.3%
- Food and drink
- $395M38.9%
- Retail
- $111M10.9%
- Recreation
- $141M13.9%
- Transport
- $131M12.9%
Lodging includes short-term rentals and second-home spending. Transport covers both ground and air.
Year by year
| Year | Total | Change | Lodging | Food | Retail | Recreation | Transport | Jobs | Local tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.01B | -0.1% | $237M | $395M | $111M | $141M | $131M | 5,732 | $54M |
| 2024 | $1.02B | +7.9% | $241M | $386M | $108M | $149M | $131M | 5,773 | $54M |
| 2023 | $941M | +17.6% | $222M | $357M | $101M | $138M | $123M | 5,611 | $50M |
| 2022 | $801M | +30.6% | $182M | $299M | $91M | $119M | $110M | 5,087 | $44M |
| 2021 | $613M | +37.7% | $127M | $238M | $72M | $92M | $84M | 4,244 | $33M |
| 2020 | $445M | -48.6% | $87M | $171M | $58M | $64M | $65M | 4,123 | $29M |
| 2019 | $867M | +4.2% | $213M | $314M | $99M | $125M | $116M | 6,676 | $49M |
| 2018 | $832M | +4.0% | $207M | $294M | $101M | $119M | $111M | 6,538 | $47M |
| 2017 | $800M | +3.8% | $205M | $280M | $97M | $112M | $107M | 6,718 | $47M |
| 2016 | $770M | — | $192M | $267M | $97M | $108M | $107M | 6,583 | $46M |
How that compares
- 2.80% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 6.0% of the Northern Virginia region, which took $16.91B.
- Ranks 8 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 8 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Alexandria is -0.1%.