Visitor spending reached nearly $1B in Charlottesville and Albemarle in 2022

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Charlottesville says visitor spending for the city and Albemarle County reached a combined total of $903 million in 2022.

The city announced Wednesday, September 27, that Albemarle County saw $511.4 million in visitor spending, a 21.3% increase over 2021. Charlottesville received $392 million in visitor spending, a 13.1% increase over 2021.

“Tax revenue generated from visitors to Charlottesville and Albemarle County is at an all-time high. We’re thrilled to see the return of the tourism sector following COVID, but caution that prices are also at an all-time high and labor remains a challenge,” Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Dir. Courtney Cacatian said in Wednesday’s release.

Charlottesville says the leading tourism sectors in Virginia are recreation and food & beverage, which have exceeded 2019 levels by 10%. Transportation, specifically air travel, has had a slower rebound but was the fastest growing tourism sector in 2022, aiding the commonwealth’s regions that are more dependent on-air travel.

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