Virginia tourism revenue rises to $21.5B in 2013

MICHAEL FELBERBAUM
AP Business Writer

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia is celebrating a record high for tourism across the state.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday that tourism revenue rose to $21.5 billion in 2013, representing $59 million per day. That’s a 1.4 percent increase over the previous year.

The tourism industry also supported 213,000 jobs, comprising 7 percent of the state’s total private employment. The industry also provided more than $1.42 billion in state and local taxes in 2013.

Officials say a majority of tourism spending in Virginia was for food service, followed by auto transportation and lodging.

Since 2004, the state’s tourism revenue has grown more than 43 percent.

Tourism officials have touted Virginia’s varied landscapes and historic sites, as well as the film and wine industry as drivers for growth over the past few years.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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