Downtown D.C. might be the first place in the region that comes to mind when considering areas that draw tourists in large numbers, but many visitors are flocking to a specific part of Fairfax County, too.
In 2024, Fairfax County drew visitors from places like Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and southern Virginia, according to Barry Biggar, president and CEO of Visit Fairfax. Last year’s data “brought us almost … at about 1% under pre-pandemic (levels),” he said.
Biggar attributed some of that growth to Fairfax County’s historic significance. The area features Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, and Gunston Hall, the home of George Mason.
“You just look at those two areas alone, and then you compile the Civil War sites and history that we have, that is certainly a very major market for us,” Biggar said.
While Tysons Corner Center could be considered a regional hub, it’s also a significant attraction for visitors who aren’t local, Biggar said. Other guests visit the area for performances at venues like Wolf Trap in Vienna.
Tysons, Biggar said, is one of three sections of Fairfax County that has experienced considerable growth. Potomac Banks has too, and the Dulles Corridor has been busy because of an increase in business travel.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, tourism has started to rebound across the D.C. region. The city attracted almost 26 million visitors in 2023, setting a new record, according to Destination DC. Data for 2024 isn’t yet available.
In Maryland, Montgomery County attracted 8.6 million visitors in 2023. A spokeswoman for Visit Montgomery said that visitor interest in outdoor experiences has surged. Popular destinations include the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal National Historical Park and downtown Rockville and Bethesda.
But in Fairfax County, Biggar said business travel hasn’t yet reached pre-pandemic levels.
“We rely so much on business travel from Monday to Thursday that that has really held us back,” Biggar said.
This year, forecasters are predicting both business travel and international travel to return to, and possibly surpass, pre-pandemic levels, he said.
Visit Fairfax works with research organizations to track visitor activity, Biggar said.
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