Transit Enhances Virginia Tourism • September 2000

Tourism is big business in Virginia. In 1999, travelers to the Commonwealth spent $12.36 billion. Compared to other industries in Virginia, tourism ranks 3rd for employment and 3rd in retail sales.

With transit, tourists can easily see points of interest, relax and enjoy their visits, and avoid traffic and parking hassles. Easy access to tourist attractions encourages return trips, which boost Virginia’s economy. Transit is essential to maintaining Virginia’s thriving tourist industry.

Here are some examples from communities across Virginia which demonstrate how transit enhances tourism in the Commonwealth. These cases may give you ideas for effectively and profitably linking transit and tourism in your community.

Many tourists are hesitant to drive through a new city, worried that they will get confused or lost and waste precious vacation time. In Richmond, The Cultural Connection eases this stress by offering a convenient park and ride system. A $1 fee allows visitors unlimited rides and transfers all day, covering 21 stops throughout the city. Tourists can board at any of the stops to get connected to area attractions, historic sites and gardens, as well as unique shopping and dining areas. Starting its second year, the Connection has already seen ridership increase by twenty-five percent.

Shakespeare's in love -- with Staunton, VA. Shenandoah Shakespeare has numerous projects in the works in Staunton, including building replicas of the indoor playhouse, Blackfriars, and the famous Globe Theater. The playhouse is scheduled to open in 2001, and the Globe in 2005, with the increase in tourism projected at 60,000 and 270,000, respectively. To accommodate these potential new tourists, Staunton will embark on a one-year pilot program to test the use of downtown trolleys. Trolleys will run from satellite locations every 15 minutes. This will be the first mass transit system in Staunton since the 1980’s and its genesis is directly linked to tourism.

There is nothing worse then being stuck in traffic on a hot day, especially when you’ve been waiting all week to throw on your bathing suit and dive into the ocean. In Virginia Beach, the Beach Trolley makes life more pleasant for the tourists while relieving the congestion problem at the beach in the summer. In the City of Norfolk, the only way civilians can see the Naval Station up close is by the daily tours provided in partnership by Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) and Naval Station Norfolk. This is the most popular of all the local tours HRT provides and ridership has increased annually to over 30,000 trips during the 1999 season.

The Williamsburg Area Visitors Shuttle allows tourists to "Relax and Ride" for only $1 while traveling to various locations between the Williamsburg Pottery Factory, Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens/Water Country. This project has been extremely successful in an area with limited parking, a need to reduce congestion and the desire to keep streets "walkable." During the 1999 Season, 104,000 tourists utilized this service, keeping over 31,000 cars off the road.

Metrorail in the Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. area is a saving grace for the millions of tourist who visit every year. Without the Metro, 260,000 more cars per day would be on the road. It would take an estimated 1,400 additional lane-miles of roadway to accommodate this extra traffic. During special events, such as the Fourth of July and the Cherry Blossom Festival, which both attract over 500,000 visitors, the Metro works closely with its riders and the media to encourage public transit use and explain the best routes to take. Without this system in place, it would be impossible for our nation’s capitol to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of visitors that these special events attract. There simply would not be enough parking or roadways.

Trolleys add a special feeling of nostalgia and history to a simple ride along the beach. In Colonial Beach, also known as "the Playground of the Potomac," historic-styled street trolleys transport vacationers and locals to twenty featured stops along the peninsula. The trolleys are wheelchair accessible, and especially attractive to tourists with ample room for shopping bags and beach supplies.

Did You Know?

• On an average day in VA, travelers' spending generates $1,653,700 in state tax revenues and $1,067,000 in local tax revenues, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC).

• Virginia is ranked 10th in the nation in domestic traveler spending, according to VTC.