Tourism, central to Norfolk’s economy, is poised for recovery
Monday kicks off National Travel and Tourism Week. As one of the most connected cities in the country, Norfolk understands the power of travel and the critical role tourism plays in making our city vibrant and supporting jobs and businesses. We are looking forward to the recovery of this important economic sector.
Tourism is a vital economic driver for Norfolk and, like many industries, it suffered devastating economic tolls at the hands of the coronavirus. That is why last summer VisitNorfolk and Visit Virginia Beach teamed up to launch “Together at Last,” a trailblazing cooperative marketing initiative that marketed us as one can’t-miss destination. Together, our hotels generated more than 7,500 bookings with revenue exceeding $6 million.
Throughout the pandemic, the Elizabeth River Trail, the Virginia Zoo, Norfolk Botanical Garden and Nauticus offered
visitors throughout the region and the state exceptional opportunities for socially distanced recreation. A summer season devoid of visitation would be incredibly difficult to recover from and we are grateful that we
decided to take action.
The pandemic has made clear that the tourism industry is important to Norfolk and an integral part of our social fabric. The Virginia Arts Festival and FestEvents recognize this and continue to create innovative ways to draw audiences to socially distanced outdoor performances, interactive exhibits and live events. Surveys of patrons for these activities have revealed that 61% visited a restaurant and 40% visited a retail store.
Our tourism and leisure sector is on the verge of renewal. The Norfolk Tides are resuming play at Harbor Park on May 18 and the Virginia Arts Festival’s new Bank Street Stage has opened in the heart of the Norfolk arts district. After a one-year hiatus, the Norfolk NATO Festival and the Virginia International Tattoo will return June 3-6. In 2022, Carnival Cruise Line plans to bring the Carnival Magic to Norfolk. This 1,000-foot, 4,000-passenger ship will be the largest Carnival vessel to sail from our downtown cruise terminal and will connect passengers to Bermuda and the Caribbean.
In 2019, Norfolk’s tourism industry employed more than 8,000 people and had an economic impact of just under $1 billion. While tourism is a big business, it is made up of mostly small business — our friends and neighbors who help support our economy and provide so many visitors with a lifetime of memories. Their work will, in part, drive our economic recovery and help define our community’s way forward on both the national and local levels.
The spirit of recovery behind National Travel and Tourism Week 2021 is more relevant than ever this year for that very reason. Mask usage, social distancing measures, and growing vaccination rates are working to drive down rates of infection allowing us to steadily open Norfolk.
As we look towards the future with a sense of optimism, we know that tourism will be a fundamental component of Norfolk’s economic reemergence.