Alexandria Unveils 5-Year Tourism Plan After Record $1B Spending in 2024

Alexandria's tourism boom continues. The city plans to keep visitor spending above $1 billion by 2027, supporting thousands of jobs and boosting tax revenues.

, and Administrator

2025 October 5 . 3:21 AM

1 min read

It is the beautiful view of the city. At the top there is the sky. There are so many houses and... — It is the beautiful view of the city. At the top there is the sky. There are so many houses and buildings one beside the other. At the bottom there are plants and sand.

Alexandria Unveils 5-Year Tourism Plan After Record $1B Spending in 2024

Alexandria, Virginia, has unveiled a strategic plan for the next five years, covering fiscal years 2026 to 2030. The city's tourism industry has seen remarkable growth, with visitor spending surpassing $1 billion in 2024 for the first time. This follows a significant increase in media coverage and digital impressions in the same year.

Visit Alexandria, the city's tourism promotion agency, secured over 1,000 media stories and generated over 200 million digital impressions in 2024. This marks an 8% increase from 2023 and a strong recovery from pandemic lows in 2020. The surge in tourism has led to a significant boost in consumption tax revenues, with the industry generating $88 million for Alexandria in fiscal year 2025.

Alexandria's tourism growth rate has outpaced both Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. This growth has been recognized by several prestigious travel publications. In 2025, Alexandria rose to No. 5 on Travel + Leisure's 'Best U.S. Cities' list, its highest ranking ever. Additionally, the city has been named one of Condé Nast Traveler's 'Best Small Cities in the U.S.' for the seventh consecutive year. The tourism industry now supports more than 5,700 jobs in Alexandria.

Visit Alexandria has published a comprehensive five-year strategic plan, aiming to maintain visitor spending above $1 billion by fiscal year 2027. The city's tourism industry has shown remarkable resilience and growth, with significant increases in media coverage, digital impressions, and tax revenues. This growth has led to increased recognition from travel publications and supports a substantial number of jobs in Alexandria.