Visitor economy
Galax
Independent city · Southwest Virginia - Blue Ridge Highlands. Visitors spent $18M here in 2025, up 1.3% on 2024 and up 15.9% on 2019.
$18M
Visitor spending, 2025
107 of 133 localities
212
Jobs supported
95 of 133
$1.0M
Local taxes from visitors
98 of 133
$5.7M
Wages paid
$0.6M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $7.1M, 39.0% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $2.6M14.3%
- Food and drink
- $7.1M39.0%
- Retail
- $2.3M12.5%
- Recreation
- $1.1M6.1%
- Transport
- $5.1M28.1%
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 | $18M | +1.3% | $2.6M | $7.1M | $2.3M | $1.1M | $5.1M | 212 | $1.0M |
| 2024 | $18M | +6.9% | $2.6M | $6.7M | $2.5M | $1.2M | $5.1M | 209 | $0.9M |
| 2023 | $17M | -40.4% | $2.4M | $6.2M | $2.3M | $1.1M | $4.8M | 203 | $0.9M |
| 2022 | $16M | +4.0% | $2.3M | $5.9M | $2.2M | $1.1M | $4.7M | 197 | $0.8M |
| 2021 | $16M | +34.8% | $2.5M | $5.5M | $2.1M | $1.0M | $4.5M | 185 | $0.8M |
| 2020 | $12M | -26.4% | $1.7M | $4.2M | $1.6M | $0.7M | $3.4M | 181 | $0.6M |
| 2019 | $16M | +1.6% | $2.1M | $5.8M | $2.1M | $1.2M | $4.6M | 219 | $0.8M |
| 2018 | $16M | +5.8% | $2.1M | $5.7M | $2.1M | $1.1M | $4.5M | 219 | $0.8M |
| 2017 | $15M | +0.8% | $2.0M | $5.3M | $2.1M | $1.1M | $4.3M | 222 | $0.8M |
| 2016 | $15M | — | $2.0M | $5.1M | $2.2M | $1.1M | $4.2M | 223 | $0.8M |
How that compares
- 0.05% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 1.6% of the Southwest Virginia - Blue Ridge Highlands region, which took $1.17B.
- Ranks 107 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 98 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Galax is +1.3%.