West Virginia Governor declares record $7 billion tourism impact in 2022

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice united with over 300 tourism-industry associates to declare West Virginia’s
finest tourism year ever, with the sector’s financial influence surpassing $7 billion in 2022. This figure
signifies a 17% surge in visitor expenditure equated to the levels before the pandemic, which is far advanced than the United States’ entire 1% post-pandemic tourism retrieval.

In 2022, West Virginia witnessed more tourists, and those tourists spent more cash than they did in earlier
years. Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics firm evaluating tourism expenditure and financial influence, found that tourists to the state had direct expenditure of $5.3 billion in 2022, marking an unsurpassed high.

The company delivers influence research for 30 places and is the formal research provider of U.S. Travel,
which encourages American tourism globally.

West Virginia’s tourism segment witnessed an intense development ever since Gov. Justice assumed charge in 2017. Tourist expenditure has developed over 30% or over $1 billion each year since 2016, in spite of a worldwide pandemic.

Traveler expenditure in West Virginia funds considerably to the economy of the state. Food and
beverage expenditure outdid $1.4 billion last year.

Accommodations expenditure exceeded $800 million for the first time ever, headed by a 275% surge in
temporary rental income since 2019.

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