Tourism in West Virginia reached an all-time high in 2024, generating a record $9 billion in economic impact, according to the West Virginia Department of Tourism. This milestone was fueled by more than 77 million visitors to the state—an increase of 2 million compared to the prior year. Chelsea Ruby, Secretary of the Department of Tourism, credited the growth to a comprehensive promotional strategy that has elevated the state’s profile across the eastern United States. n n”Our state is consistently investing in marketing campaigns that showcase what West Virginia has to offer,” Ruby explained. “We’re ensuring that potential travelers in nearby regions see compelling content about our state and are encouraged to make their first visit.” n nThe department has expanded its outreach beyond neighboring areas, now placing advertisements in cities such as Tampa, New York, and Myrtle Beach—locations with direct flight access to the state. This broader geographic targeting aims to attract tourists from regions previously less engaged with the state’s offerings. n nBeyond marketing, infrastructure enhancements have played a crucial role in retaining visitors. The state has allocated over $150 million for upgrades across its park system, while private sector investments continue to grow. Recent developments include a new mountain coaster in Mercer County, a hotel currently under construction in Fayette County, and recently launched tram systems at Pipestem Resort. n nVisitor spending totaled more than $6 billion within the state, averaging approximately $18 million per day. These expenditures contribute significantly to tax revenues through fuel, lodging, dining, and recreational activities. According to Ruby, tourism generates over $1 billion annually in combined state, local, and federal tax revenue. n nThe industry also supports one out of every 15 jobs in West Virginia. Ruby emphasized that the financial contributions from tourists help reduce the tax burden on local households. “If tourism spending were to disappear—which is highly unlikely—each household would need to pay an extra $859 annually to sustain current public service levels,” she noted. n nThe state’s branding as “Wild and Wonderful” continues to resonate with travelers, particularly those from urban centers seeking tranquility and natural scenery. Demand is also rising for sports events, conferences, and tournaments, with major soccer competitions now regularly held in areas like the Kanawha Valley and Morgantown. n— news from WCHS
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West Virginia Tourism hits record $9 billion economic impact as visitor numbers soar
The tourism industry in West Virginia is booming, with the West Virginia Department of Tourism announcing a historic $9 billion economic impact in 2024. Contributing to the rise in impact is the over 77 million people who visited the Mountain State, a 2 million increase over the previous year. Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said a multifaceted approach is what has helped make West Virginia a destination for many on the East Coast. n n”First, I ‘ll tell you that our state continues to invest in tourism marketing,” Ruby said. “We continue to make sure that folks in our surrounding markets are seeing ads about West Virginia and are taking those first trips to West Virginia.” n nRuby said the department is advertising in areas that are within a four to five hour drive of the state, while also reaching further out into the country. n n”So you ‘ll see West Virginia advertising in Tampa now. You ‘ll see West Virginia advertising in New York. You ‘ll see it in Myrtle Beach,” Ruby said. “So places where you can get direct flights, those are new areas that we ‘re targeting.” n nWhile targeting audiences gets them into West Virginia, Ruby said its the improvements people see in the state that keep them coming back. Further contributing to the historic rise in tourism numbers. n n”We ‘re also investing in the infrastructure. We ‘ve done over $150 million in upgrades at our state parks. And we ‘ve got private investment going on all around the state,” Ruby said. “We ‘ve seen the new mountain coaster that just opened in Mercer County. We ‘ve got a hotel under construction in Fayette County. We ‘ve got the new trams at Pipestem that just opened.” n nAccording to the Department of Tourism those 77 million visitors spent over $6 billion in the state, and to break that down even further that ‘s around $18 million spent every single day. n n”If you think about a visitor who comes to West Virginia, they ‘re going to pay taxes on their gas. They ‘re going to pay taxes on their food, all their activities,” Ruby said. “They ‘re going to pay taxes on their hotel. And all that adds up to state and local and federal taxes that we generate in the tourism industry each year of over a billion dollars.” n nBut how does this impact the average West Virginian? One in 15 jobs in West Virginia are supported by the tourism industry, and Ruby said the impact generated relieves some of the tax burden for people across the state. n n”I can tell you that if visitors spending in West Virginia were to be eliminated, which could never actually happen. But for sake of this example, each household in West Virginia would have to pay an additional $859 to maintain the same level of state and local services,” Ruby said. n nThe states motto of Wild and Wonderful is one of the aspects continuing to bring in millions of visitors every year. n n”People in big cities want to escape. They want to come to a place that ‘s peaceful like West Virginia. Natural beauty continues to be among the list of travel motivators,” Ruby said. “And we see a lot of growth in West Virginia relating to sports, meetings, and events. So the big soccer tournaments that you see here in the Kanawha Valley, you ‘re seeing a lot of that up near Morgantown as well.”