HAMPTON, Va. - Memorial Day is the unofficial kick off to summer and the tourist season, and the city of Hampton tells News 3 they're ready.
“2022 was one of our healthiest years in this city’s history in terms of economic impact from visitors, and I expect 2023 to be as good or better,” said Mary Fugere with the Hampton Convention & Tourism Bureau.
Here are some of the statistics from 2022:
- 983,000 people visited Hampton
- $227,000,000 in economic impact
- 606,000 hotel rooms booked
Fugere told News 3 they often gauge how the tourist season is going based off hotel occupancy. She said if they are around 70-80%, that's a good thing.
“It’s new money into the economy, so visitors come, they inject their dollars and they don’t require a lot of services, so every dollar that is brought by a visitor benefits our residents, benefits the region,” said Fugere.
A big economic driver is the Hampton Aquaplex, which opened in fall of 2022. As of Memorial Day weekend, the outdoor splash park is now open, and they're expecting a lot of activity.
“It is something that’s going to be entertainment for both visitors and our residents, and it will complement the indoor facilities, the competition pool, and the programming pool," said Fugere.
Fugere also said the tourism industry in Hampton has surpassed pre-pandemic levels and continues to rise.
“Hampton is ready for visitors,” said Fugere.
To see a list of events and activities happening in Hampton this summer, click here.
