More travelers are visiting Manassas.
New data released by the United States Travel Association shows all regions in Virginia saw an increase in tourism activity last year. Manassas continued its trend of annual gains for the 10th consecutive year with expenditures reaching $74.6 million, a 2.6% increase from 2018.
Tourism is a critical contributor to the Manassas economy, city officials said. In 2019, visitor spending was directly responsible for 578 jobs with an annual payroll of $12.7 million and $1.9 million in local tax receipts.
Efforts by the City of Manassas to promote a strong tourism economy benefit local residents as well as visitors. In the 2018 Manassas Citizen Satisfaction Survey, 85% of residents loved the events and festivals put on in the historic downtown district. These events drove local
and visiting traffic to the downtown area, aiding in the ongoing revitalization effort by spurring more small business investment and entrepreneurial activity.
Since 2014, confidence in the city’s revitalization efforts, ability to attract and retain private-sector jobs, and availability of employment have all increased. The city’s downtown, it’s largest tourism magnet, drew 500,000 people for festivals, parades, events, and farmers markets.
“Over 75 percent of residents plan to stay in Manassas for at least the next 2 years, and 80% have lived in Manassas for over five years already,” states Mayor Hal Parrish II.
Nearby Manassas National Battlefield Park, the starting place of the U.S. Civil War, also attracts about as many visitors during normal year, during non-pandemic years. Most of the visitors are those who live within 100 miles of the park, but the park also draws visitors from all over the U.S. and internationally.
“When international travel was still possible [before the coronavirus pandemic of March 2020] we would have people from Western Europe, Australia, the English-speaking countries of the world who find our civil war interesting and want to come and study it,” said battlefield park ranger Gregory Wolf.
The battlefield park is located outside of the city in Prince William County, at 6511 Sudley Road.
