Visitor economy
Chesapeake
Independent city · Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads. Visitors spent $534M here in 2025, up 3.2% on 2024 and up 22.0% on 2019.
$534M
Visitor spending, 2025
14 of 133 localities
5,111
Jobs supported
12 of 133
$28M
Local taxes from visitors
12 of 133
$158M
Wages paid
$16M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $208M, 39.0% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $101M18.8%
- Food and drink
- $208M39.0%
- Retail
- $62M11.7%
- Recreation
- $80M15.0%
- Transport
- $83M15.4%
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 | $534M | +3.2% | $101M | $208M | $62M | $80M | $83M | 5,111 | $28M |
| 2024 | $518M | +0.6% | $99M | $195M | $60M | $77M | $87M | 5,077 | $27M |
| 2023 | $515M | +0.6% | $99M | $191M | $60M | $78M | $88M | 5,040 | $27M |
| 2022 | $511M | +9.6% | $99M | $184M | $60M | $77M | $91M | 4,945 | $26M |
| 2021 | $467M | +29.7% | $91M | $168M | $58M | $68M | $82M | 4,505 | $24M |
| 2020 | $360M | -17.9% | $69M | $133M | $46M | $45M | $67M | 4,253 | $20M |
| 2019 | $438M | +5.8% | $85M | $159M | $59M | $54M | $81M | 5,070 | $24M |
| 2018 | $414M | +5.6% | $79M | $151M | $59M | $51M | $75M | 4,889 | $22M |
| 2017 | $392M | +4.6% | $76M | $144M | $56M | $47M | $69M | 4,903 | $22M |
| 2016 | $375M | — | $72M | $138M | $55M | $44M | $65M | 4,853 | $21M |
How that compares
- 1.48% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 7.5% of the Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads region, which took $7.17B.
- Ranks 14 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 12 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Chesapeake is +3.2%.