NEWS: Region's Budget-Friendly Reputation Bolsters Tourism Amid Economic Uncertainty
'Visit Williamsburg' efforts focus on attracting visitors within driving distance
More than one-third of Americans view traveling as essential spending, according to an economic forecast provided by local tourism officials, yet despite this enthusiasm, the tourism industry still faces significant headwinds. Amid “angst about tariffs and an increasingly pessimistic financial outlook, travelers are starting to make adjustments, including sticking to stricter trip budgets and selecting destinations they deem affordable,” the industry report states. Despite the potential economic challenges ahead, local tourism leaders are hopeful that the Historic Triangle can weather the situation better than other destinations by encouraging budget-conscious travelers to visit.
Impact of economic uncertainty on tourism
The forecast indicates that over 36.5% of Americans plan to restrict their travel budget, 35.6% intend to drive instead of fly to save money, and 35.2% are seeking more affordable destinations, while just 25% are expecting more leisure travel than last year. One prominent tourism-focused organization, Visit Williamsburg, which also promotes Jamestown and Yorktown, has responded with cost-friendly messaging in core markets stretching from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.
As their Chief Executive Officer, Edward Harris, explained in an email, “Consumer confidence certainly plays a role when it comes to visitation in the Historic Triangle, and it also influences our marketing tactics.” He elaborated that “[f]ortunately, we have a positive perception as a family-friendly ‘road trip’ market. We’re hoping that families will choose Williamsburg this summer over taking flights to further destinations like Orlando, FL based on tightened spending.”
Harris noted that most of their advertising efforts are focused on markets within a six hour drive. The convenience of traveling to the region is underscored by the fact that 86% of trips are planned less than 3 months in advance. In terms of setting an itinerary for their trip, family and friends are visitors’ biggest source of information and recommendations. Other resources visitors often use to plan their trip include social media, online travel websites and VisitWilliamsburg.com.
The region’s diverse offerings also make it a desirable destination, as the interests and hobbies that motivate people to visit the region include a desire to learn more about American History, experience arts and culture offerings like museums and exhibits, outdoor recreation, as well as eating good food. “Like other leading tourism destinations, we have to continue to evaluate trends and focus on the ‘visitor experience’ to compete for visitor dollars in a very competitive tourism arena.” Unique events that Harris mentioned included the Virginia Cat Festival in Williamsburg, Pirates Invasion in Yorktown and Military through The Ages hosted at Jamestown.
Visit Williamsburg indicates that many visitors are families with children and Harris mentioned several programs meant to encourage families to visit attractions across the region, including a “Cool Summer Savings Mobile Pass” for popular attractions like Busch Gardens. The theme park recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and remains the region’s biggest motivator for visits, followed by Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and outlet shopping. “We also need to connect with visitors on their terms. I’m excited about the new mobile passes we’ve developed that visitors and locals can download on their smart phones to get access to discounts from businesses across the Historic Triangle,” Harris wrote.
Snapshot: Historic Triangle visitors in 2024
55% are 25 - 54 years old
45 - 54 are biggest age group at 21% of visitors, 65+ second ranked age group
51% have an average household income $100k+
19% are from Washington DC metropolitan area
7% of visitors from Richmond/Petersburg, the largest in-state visitor market
Marketing messaging
A current marketing campaign being run by Visit Williamsburg’s is described as “Moments That Move You,” which began in January and will continue into mid-summer. Another campaign is called “Where America’s Journey Begins,” focused on the 250th anniversary of the Country’s Independence. Harris worte that the goals of these efforts include increasing overnight stays by promoting local attractions and businesses. “Visit Williamsburg’s primary focus is putting ‘heads in beds',’ he added. According to provided data, James City County accounts for 53% of all stays, Williamsburg gets 27% and York County comes in at 16%.
Investment and ROI
Much of the funding used to market the Historic Triangle comes from region-specific sales and accommodations taxes authorized by the State. These funds are split among local jurisdictions as well as several tourism-related business development organizations including Visit Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle Recreation Facilities Authority (HTRFA), a partnership between local jurisdictions which is building the new sports and entertainment center.
As an organization, Visit Williamsburg spent $10.5M total on advertising efforts in 2024, with the bulk coming between January and June. The largest single expense was $4.4M for “Digital (Display & Video),” followed by $3.4M on television ads. In a sign of the times, the organization also paid “Influencers” $426K.
Snapshot: Visitor impact on local economy in 2024
27% - share of visitor restaurant spending / $130 per visit (avg.)
20% - share of visitor retail spending / $140 per visit (avg.)
62% - share of visitor spending on attractions / $71 per visit (avg.)
74% - visitor share of accommodations spending / $445 per visit (avg.)
One of the outcomes of focusing on core markets is increased individual exposure to the region’s marketing campaigns over time. As a result, Visit Williamsburg states that awareness of the region has increased, driving the number of visits, average length of stay, number of attractions visited, and ultimately the total money spent on the trip. For example, people unaware of the advertising spend an average of $1,148 per visit, while those with exposure to Visit Williamsburtg ads spend $1,270 per visit.
Overall, in 2024, the organization states that their advertising efforts reached 14 million households and influenced $457M in visitor spending. This equates to a $44 total return on investment (ROI) for each dollar spent, a significant increase over the estimated $30 ROI in 2023.
Check out the new Williamsburg Independent shop! (hosted on Ko-Fi.com)
