Visitor economy
Williamsburg
Independent city · Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads. Visitors spent $479M here in 2025, up 4.1% on 2024 and up 7.6% on 2019.
$479M
Visitor spending, 2025
15 of 133 localities
3,235
Jobs supported
17 of 133
$23M
Local taxes from visitors
15 of 133
$160M
Wages paid
$15M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Recreation is the largest single category here at $141M, 29.4% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $109M22.8%
- Food and drink
- $132M27.5%
- Retail
- $58M12.0%
- Recreation
- $141M29.4%
- Transport
- $39M8.2%
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 | $479M | +4.1% | $109M | $132M | $58M | $141M | $39M | 3,235 | $23M |
| 2024 | $461M | +0.3% | $107M | $124M | $55M | $137M | $38M | 3,208 | $22M |
| 2023 | $459M | +3.8% | $107M | $123M | $55M | $136M | $39M | 3,205 | $22M |
| 2022 | $443M | +23.0% | $103M | $117M | $54M | $130M | $38M | 3,019 | $21M |
| 2021 | $360M | +57.6% | $79M | $94M | $44M | $112M | $30M | 2,667 | $17M |
| 2020 | $228M | -48.8% | $43M | $59M | $31M | $74M | $20M | 2,359 | $13M |
| 2019 | $446M | +3.6% | $109M | $93M | $47M | $161M | $37M | 4,219 | $22M |
| 2018 | $430M | +4.9% | $105M | $89M | $48M | $153M | $35M | 4,329 | $21M |
| 2017 | $410M | +1.2% | $102M | $84M | $47M | $142M | $35M | 4,316 | $21M |
| 2016 | $405M | — | $103M | $82M | $48M | $136M | $35M | 4,397 | $21M |
How that compares
- 1.32% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 6.7% of the Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads region, which took $7.17B.
- Ranks 15 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 15 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Williamsburg is +4.1%.