Visitor economy
Buena Vista
Independent city · Shenandoah Valley. Visitors spent $7.3M here in 2025, up 5.8% on 2024 and up 19.2% on 2019.
$7.3M
Visitor spending, 2025
123 of 133 localities
79
Jobs supported
118 of 133
$0.3M
Local taxes from visitors
122 of 133
$2.2M
Wages paid
$0.2M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $2.7M, 36.3% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $1.6M21.4%
- Food and drink
- $2.7M36.3%
- Retail
- $0.5M7.2%
- Recreation
- $1.2M15.8%
- Transport
- $1.4M19.3%
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 | $7.3M | +5.8% | $1.6M | $2.7M | $0.5M | $1.2M | $1.4M | 79 | $0.3M |
| 2024 | $6.9M | +9.5% | $1.5M | $2.5M | $0.5M | $1.1M | $1.3M | 76 | $0.3M |
| 2023 | $6.3M | +3.0% | $1.3M | $2.3M | $0.5M | $1.0M | $1.2M | 75 | $0.3M |
| 2022 | $6.1M | +5.2% | $1.3M | $2.2M | $0.5M | $1.0M | $1.2M | 68 | $0.3M |
| 2021 | $5.8M | +35.5% | $1.3M | $2.1M | $0.5M | $0.9M | $1.1M | 60 | $0.2M |
| 2020 | $4.3M | -29.9% | $0.8M | $1.7M | $0.3M | $0.6M | $0.8M | 56 | $0.2M |
| 2019 | $6.1M | +1.0% | $1.4M | $2.3M | $0.5M | $0.9M | $1.1M | 80 | $0.3M |
| 2018 | $6.1M | +1.9% | $1.3M | $2.3M | $0.5M | $0.9M | $1.1M | 84 | $0.3M |
| 2017 | $6.0M | +2.3% | $1.2M | $2.3M | $0.5M | $1.0M | $1.0M | 88 | $0.3M |
| 2016 | $5.8M | — | $1.2M | $2.2M | $0.5M | $1.0M | $1.0M | 88 | $0.3M |
How that compares
- 0.02% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 0.4% of the Shenandoah Valley region, which took $1.74B.
- Ranks 123 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 122 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Buena Vista is +5.8%.