Virginia Tourism data: Bristol posts strongest visitor‑spending growth among localities after casino opening

Dan Roberts, vice president of research and strategy for the Virginia Tourism Corporation, presented state and local tourism data Sept. 23, saying Virginia tourism set record totals in 2024 and that Bristol’s growth has outpaced other localities. “In 2024, Virginia’s tourism industry grew at 5.5 percent,” Roberts told council, and he reported that Bristol’s visitor spending reached about $180 million in 2024. Roberts said that, compared with 2019, Bristol was the fastest‑growing locality for visitor spending across Virginia in 2024, a trend state officials tied in part to the new casino. Recreation (where casino spending is recorded) represented about $70 million, or roughly 39 percent of Bristol’s total visitor spending in 2024, far above the statewide recreation share. Food and beverage spending in the city totaled about $51 million and lodging about $32 million. Why it matters: Roberts emphasized that much of the city’s growth was not only casino related; excluding recreation, food, lodging, retail and transport together grew 18.5 percent in 2024 over 2023, indicating broader gains for restaurants, hotels and other businesses. He also said tourism generated roughly $21.2 million in state and local revenue in 2024, of which about $6.8 million was local revenue (primarily transient occupancy, local sales and meals taxes and property taxes). Local reaction: Council members praised the presentation and said the tax offset for residents was significant: staff noted the visitor‑borne local revenue equated to about $933 per household and ranked Bristol seventh in the commonwealth on that measure. Matt Bolas of Explore Bristol was in the audience and worked with state tourism staff on outreach and co‑op marketing, the mayor noted. Data sources and caveats: Roberts said figures draw from multiple sources — state lottery reports (for casino spending), the Weldon Cooper Center and tax records — and represent calendar year 2024; hotel occupancy and other indicators showed continued momentum into 2025. Roberts recommended using data to inform development and marketing plans. What’s next: The presentation is informational; council members said they valued the statewide context when weighing local economic and fiscal planning.