MORGANTOWN — Most people think of West Virginia and picture college football games, country roads or even couch-burning parties at WVU. But, what many do not realize is that this state is becoming one of the most visited places in the country.
According to a new national report, West Virginia has the highest out-of-state tourism rate in the country for 2024. With a visitor count nearly 42 times the population, more people are coming to the Mountain State than almost anywhere else.
Former Governor and current U.S. Sen. Jim Justice released a statement this week celebrating the milestone.
“While serving as governor, I made it a priority to show the world our great state and the great people of West Virginia. – I’m proud to see that work paying off,” Justice said. “Americans are coming in droves to see our beautiful towns, state forests, our new state park at Summersville Lake, and our new national park at New River Gorge.”
The state invested hundreds of millions into advertising, infrastructure and outdoor recreation, which helped tourism spending reach $6.3 billion in 2023. That’s a 23% increase from 2019, more than double the national average growth rate of 9%, according to the state’s 2023 tourism impact report.
At the center of this growth are West Virginia’s public lands. With 36 state parks drawing more than 7 million visitors annually, and New River Gorge National Park — the newest addition to the U.S. national park system — seeing record numbers.
Places like Summersville, Fayetteville and Davis are now tourist hotspots, bringing a huge demand for restaurants, lodging and small businesses. More visitors mean more jobs, more tax revenue and more opportunity for locals.
By working to help protect and invest in the natural beauty of the state, West Virginia can continue to build on this — keeping jobs local, supporting small towns and ensuring future economic growth is invested into what makes the state special.
Justice urged current state leaders to continue investing in tourism, saying, “West Virginians depend on it.”
West Virginia may not be the largest or most talked-about state, but its natural beauty is attracting attention.
