Visitor spending in Danville and Pittsylvania County reached $415.2 million in 2025, a 50.9% jump from the prior year, according to WSLS 10, citing new data from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
That rate of growth ranked the region first among all Virginia localities for visitor spending for the second consecutive year. Tourism also supported 3,941 jobs in the region, a 20% year-over-year gain, while tourism-related labor income rose 26.57%.
Lisa Meriwether, tourism manager for Visit SoSi, told WSLS 10 she was stunned when the figures were released two weeks ago.
Targeted marketing based on visitor research had begun producing measurable results, she said, drawing travelers who had not previously considered the region.
Recreation Spending Leads the Surge
Recreation was the single largest driver of the growth. Spending in that category, which covers festivals, events, and attractions, reached $207 million, an 86.9% increase from 2024.
WDBJ7 reported that events such as the Three Sisters Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier, contributed by drawing out-of-city visitors who explored downtown businesses during the race.
Steve Scott, the marathon's race director, told WDBJ7 he chose Danville specifically to channel foot traffic toward local shops.
Caesars Virginia, which completed its first full year of operation captured in the 2025 data after opening in 2024, was a significant factor. Meriwether described the casino's contribution as exceptional.
Even stripping out Caesars Virginia from the totals, Visit SoSi said visitor spending still rose more than 30%, pointing to broad-based growth across the region's other draws, including Virginia International Raceway, the Danville Science Center, and the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History.
Local Businesses Feel the Difference
Downtown business owners interviewed by WDBJ7 described tangible changes. Cheryl Sutherland, owner of Main Street Art Collective and a 34-year Danville resident, said many visitors are surprised by how much the city offers.
Landon Moss, co-owner of Moss Mountain Outfitters, said foot traffic has increased noticeably and that meeting out-of-state visitors has become a regular occurrence.
Adam Jones, owner of The Brick Running & Tri Store, said he hopes first-time event attendees leave with enough of an impression to return without a race as the draw.
At Links Coffee House in downtown Danville, barista Lila Headden told WSLS 10 that staffing schedules have had to expand around events, and that tips have grown alongside the busier shifts.
Tax Revenue and the Statewide Picture
The regional tourism industry generated $18.7 million in local tax revenue in 2025. State tax collections tied to visitation in the area rose 78.77%, while local tax collections climbed 44.49%. Those figures sit well above the statewide trajectory.
Virginia as a whole recorded $36.2 billion in visitor spending last year, a 3.1% increase, with a record 46.6 million overnight visitors and nearly 232,000 tourism-supported jobs across the state.
Meriwether told WSLS 10 that the region is still in an early stage of discovery and that the figures reflect years of community effort to build a destination worth visiting.