Visitor economy
Portsmouth
Independent city · Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads. Visitors spent $153M here in 2025, up 0.9% on 2024 and up 148.8% on 2019.
$153M
Visitor spending, 2025
36 of 133 localities
1,138
Jobs supported
41 of 133
$6.1M
Local taxes from visitors
42 of 133
$41M
Wages paid
$18M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Recreation is the largest single category here at $92M, 60.4% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $8.9M5.8%
- Food and drink
- $27M17.9%
- Retail
- $7.6M5.0%
- Recreation
- $92M60.4%
- Transport
- $17M10.9%
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 | $153M | +0.9% | $8.9M | $27M | $7.6M | $92M | $17M | 1,138 | $6.1M |
| 2024 | $151M | +9.5% | $9.1M | $26M | $7.4M | $92M | $17M | 1,133 | $6.0M |
| 2023 | $138M | +118.6% | $8.6M | $25M | $7.1M | $81M | $16M | 1,085 | $5.6M |
| 2022 | $63M | +8.6% | $7.9M | $23M | $6.7M | $9.9M | $16M | 682 | $4.2M |
| 2021 | $58M | +57.5% | $6.8M | $21M | $6.4M | $8.2M | $15M | 605 | $3.7M |
| 2020 | $37M | -39.7% | $3.9M | $13M | $4.7M | $4.4M | $11M | 556 | $2.4M |
| 2019 | $61M | +4.3% | $6.9M | $23M | $6.7M | $8.3M | $17M | 790 | $3.4M |
| 2018 | $59M | +0.6% | $7.0M | $22M | $6.7M | $7.8M | $15M | 779 | $3.3M |
| 2017 | $59M | +2.5% | $7.7M | $22M | $6.5M | $7.7M | $15M | 781 | $3.3M |
| 2016 | $57M | — | $7.5M | $21M | $6.5M | $7.6M | $14M | 787 | $3.4M |
How that compares
- 0.42% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 2.1% of the Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads region, which took $7.17B.
- Ranks 36 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 42 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Portsmouth is +0.9%.