Visitor economy
Petersburg
Independent city · Central Virginia. Visitors spent $41M here in 2025, up 5.7% on 2024 and up 7.8% on 2019.
$41M
Visitor spending, 2025
82 of 133 localities
364
Jobs supported
79 of 133
$2.2M
Local taxes from visitors
76 of 133
$12M
Wages paid
$1.2M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $15M, 36.9% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $7.9M19.3%
- Food and drink
- $15M36.9%
- Retail
- $2.4M6.0%
- Recreation
- $2.8M6.8%
- Transport
- $13M31.0%
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 | $41M | +5.7% | $7.9M | $15M | $2.4M | $2.8M | $13M | 364 | $2.2M |
| 2024 | $39M | -6.1% | $7.4M | $14M | $2.3M | $2.7M | $13M | 360 | $2.1M |
| 2023 | $41M | -0.3% | $7.9M | $14M | $2.4M | $3.0M | $14M | 366 | $2.2M |
| 2022 | $41M | +4.9% | $7.9M | $14M | $2.4M | $3.0M | $14M | 368 | $2.2M |
| 2021 | $39M | +28.3% | $7.8M | $13M | $2.3M | $2.8M | $13M | 356 | $2.0M |
| 2020 | $31M | -19.1% | $6.0M | $10.0M | $2.0M | $2.2M | $10M | 357 | $1.6M |
| 2019 | $38M | +6.5% | $6.6M | $13M | $2.5M | $2.6M | $13M | 433 | $1.8M |
| 2018 | $36M | -1.9% | $6.1M | $12M | $2.4M | $2.4M | $12M | 410 | $1.7M |
| 2017 | $36M | +2.6% | $6.4M | $13M | $2.6M | $2.4M | $12M | 428 | $1.7M |
| 2016 | $35M | — | $6.4M | $13M | $2.5M | $2.4M | $12M | 425 | $1.7M |
How that compares
- 0.11% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 0.6% of the Central Virginia region, which took $6.33B.
- Ranks 82 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 76 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Petersburg is +5.7%.