Charlottesville-Albemarle tourism dollars lagging behind by millions Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau office located in Charlottesville. (Source: WVIR) By Elizabeth Holmes | February 19, 2021 at 5:51 PM EST - Updated February 19 at 5:51 PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Tourism dollars in central Virginia are lagging behind by the millions, thanks to COVID-19.
The Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVACB) reported that transient occupancy tax revenue, which comes from people staying in area hotels, was drastically lower last year compared to previous years.
Tourism normally creates more than $10 million during the summer and fall seasons. This year, tourism dollars are behind by roughly $3 million.
The CVACB said tourism not only impacts small businesses in the area, but also can determine how much the city and county budget has to allocate toward tourism efforts.