Justice says tourism topped $7 billion in 2022

Sep. 12—West Virginia had a banner year for tourism in 2022, with the economic impact of out-of-state visitors exceeding $7 billion.

Furthermore, visitors to the state had direct spending of $5.3 billion last year, an all-time high, Gov. Jim Justice said Monday.

Justice said the Mountain State saw a 17 percent increase in visitor spending compared to pre-pandemic levels. That's far higher than the United States' overall 1 percent post-pandemic tourism recovery, according to Justice.

The Republican governor was joined Monday by 300 tourism industry officials at Canaan Valley Resort State Park in announcing the new tourism data.

"All we needed to do was show the world what we already knew we had in West Virginia, and now with these numbers today, it's truly amazing to see what we have achieved," Justice said. "Tourism's been one of my top priorities as governor from the very beginning of my time in office, and it's wonderful to see our investment pay off in a major way."

Food and beverage spending topped $1.4 billion in 2022. Lodging spending surpassed $800 million for the first time ever, led by a 275 percent increase in short-term rental revenue since 2019, according to the governor's office.

A key driver locally for tourism growth in southern West Virginia has been the Hatfield-McCoy Trail, which extends through Mercer and McDowell counties.

In Mercer County, visitor spending in 2022 topped $130.7 million, an increase from the previous year.

"That includes hotels, motels and any attractions," Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Jamie Null said when the local county tourism numbers were released in July. "Anything a visitor can spend money on when they come into Mercer County."

Hotel occupancy rates in Mercer County in 2022 stood at 61.1 percent, an increase of 1.2 percent over 2021. This includes an estimated 10,000 rooms sold to riders of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail system.

By partnering with popular travel bloggers and social media influencers, the local CVB office in Bluefield also has been able to showcase Mercer County's unique attractions and experiences to thousands more.

Two of the social media influencers who visited the area in 2022 shared the story of Mercer County with another 148,179 online followers.

Statewide, visitor spending in West Virginia has grown by more than 30 percent — or more than $1 billion a year — since 2016 despite the pandemic. And even during the pandemic — when masking and social distancing was encouraged — many sought outdoor getaways in West Virginia where it was easier to avoid larger crowds.

The tourism industry supports more than 53,000 West Virginia jobs, one out of every 16 in the state, according to the governor's office.

"Gov. Justice's commitment to tourism has paid off in a huge way," Chelsea Ruby, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism, said Monday. "We're proud of the growth we've been able to achieve and the impact it has on our state's economy. But most of all, we're thrilled that more people than ever are discovering what West Virginia has to offer. We have the best tourism destination in the country, and these numbers show that the rest of the world is receiving that message."

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens