Visitor economy
Lee County
County · Southwest Virginia - Heart of Appalachia. Visitors spent $23M here in 2025, down 0.2% on 2024 and up 6.9% on 2019.
$23M
Visitor spending, 2025
100 of 133 localities
194
Jobs supported
100 of 133
$0.8M
Local taxes from visitors
105 of 133
$4.9M
Wages paid
$0.5M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Retail is the largest single category here at $7.8M, 33.7% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $6.1M26.4%
- Food and drink
- $4.0M17.1%
- Retail
- $7.8M33.7%
- Recreation
- $1.6M7.1%
- Transport
- $3.6M15.7%
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 | $23M | -0.2% | $6.1M | $4.0M | $7.8M | $1.6M | $3.6M | 194 | $0.8M |
| 2024 | $23M | +4.6% | $6.1M | $3.8M | $7.8M | $1.7M | $3.8M | 196 | $0.8M |
| 2023 | $22M | +2.0% | $5.9M | $3.6M | $7.4M | $1.7M | $3.6M | 192 | $0.8M |
| 2022 | $22M | -0.7% | $6.0M | $3.5M | $7.0M | $1.6M | $3.7M | 188 | $0.7M |
| 2021 | $22M | +30.5% | $6.5M | $3.6M | $6.8M | $1.5M | $3.5M | 189 | $0.7M |
| 2020 | $17M | -22.5% | $6.1M | $2.6M | $4.6M | $0.8M | $2.6M | 184 | $0.6M |
| 2019 | $22M | -0.6% | $6.8M | $3.4M | $6.6M | $1.2M | $3.7M | 215 | $0.8M |
| 2018 | $22M | +0.6% | $7.0M | $3.3M | $6.7M | $1.2M | $3.6M | 217 | $0.8M |
| 2017 | $22M | +1.6% | $7.2M | $3.2M | $6.5M | $1.1M | $3.6M | 218 | $0.8M |
| 2016 | $21M | — | $7.1M | $3.2M | $6.4M | $1.2M | $3.5M | 221 | $0.8M |
How that compares
- 0.06% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 10.1% of the Southwest Virginia - Heart of Appalachia region, which took $230M.
- Ranks 100 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 105 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Lee County is -0.2%.