Visitor economy
Emporia
Independent city · Southern Virginia. Visitors spent $29M here in 2025, up 5.9% on 2024 and up 14.5% on 2019.
$29M
Visitor spending, 2025
90 of 133 localities
342
Jobs supported
80 of 133
$1.6M
Local taxes from visitors
83 of 133
$9.9M
Wages paid
$0.9M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $11M, 36.8% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $5.5M18.6%
- Food and drink
- $11M36.8%
- Retail
- $4.2M14.4%
- Recreation
- $4.2M14.3%
- Transport
- $4.7M16.0%
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 | $29M | +5.9% | $5.5M | $11M | $4.2M | $4.2M | $4.7M | 342 | $1.6M |
| 2024 | $28M | -1.5% | $5.3M | $9.9M | $3.9M | $4.1M | $4.5M | 342 | $1.5M |
| 2023 | $28M | +5.3% | $5.4M | $9.9M | $3.9M | $4.2M | $4.6M | 343 | $1.5M |
| 2022 | $27M | +3.3% | $5.1M | $9.4M | $3.6M | $4.1M | $4.5M | 327 | $1.5M |
| 2021 | $26M | +37.8% | $5.0M | $8.9M | $3.6M | $4.1M | $4.3M | 317 | $1.5M |
| 2020 | $19M | -26.8% | $3.2M | $6.8M | $2.8M | $2.8M | $3.2M | 314 | $1.2M |
| 2019 | $26M | -13.4% | $4.8M | $9.3M | $3.3M | $4.0M | $4.2M | 405 | $1.6M |
| 2018 | $30M | -0.4% | $6.6M | $11M | $3.5M | $4.2M | $4.3M | 457 | $1.8M |
| 2017 | $30M | +3.0% | $7.0M | $11M | $3.5M | $3.9M | $4.5M | 468 | $1.9M |
| 2016 | $29M | — | $6.7M | $10M | $3.5M | $3.9M | $4.5M | 465 | $1.9M |
How that compares
- 0.08% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 3.8% of the Southern Virginia region, which took $767M.
- Ranks 90 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 83 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Emporia is +5.9%.