Tourism Research
Tourism in Vermont is a $4 billion industry that supports over 30,000 jobs (over 10% of Vermont's workforce).
The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing collects and compiles data on visitor spending, tax revenue generated, employment in the sector, and visitation to define the economic impact of tourism in Vermont. The information below reflects key data that we monitor on an annual basis as a way of assessing trends and the health of the industry as a whole.
Data is collected from various state and federal agencies, as well as partner organizations and research firms in the travel and tourism sector as noted.
-
$4.0B Visitor Spending
In 2023, an estimated 15.8 million visitors spent $4.0 billion dollars on lodging, food and beverage, retail, arts and entertainment, recreation, and more.
-
9.3% of Vermont’s GDP
The value of all visitor-associated goods and services produced in Vermont in 2023 is estimated at $4.0 billion, comprising 9.3% of the state of Vermont’s total GDP.
-
$282.3M in State/Local Taxes
In 2023 visitor spending contributed an estimated $282.3 million dollars in state and local taxes, which is the equivalent to about $1,039 per Vermont household.
Scroll to see the data available, or use the links below to navigate to specific areas of interest on this page.
- Economic Impact and Visitation Trends
- Economic Impact Reports
- Visitor Profile Research
- Sector-Specific Reports and Data
- Relocation Programs
Economic Impact and Visitation Trends
Estimated Travel Spending by Visitors in Vermont
| 2019 $3.3 billion |
2020 $2.2 billion |
2021 $3.2 billion |
2022 $3.9 billion |
2023 $4.0 billion |
2024 Not Yet Available |
|---|
Source: Tourism Economics, Longwoods International, (see economic impact report section for the latest report)
Estimated Vermont Visitor Volume
| 2019 15.8 million |
2020 10.7 million |
2021 13.8 million |
2022 15.9 million |
2023 15.8 million |
2024 Not Yet Available |
|---|
Source: Tourism Economics, Longwoods International, (see economic impact report section for the latest report)
Visitor Supported Employment in Vermont
Amounts in Number of Jobs
| 2019 33,626 |
2020 23,903 |
2021 26,450 |
2022 29,837 |
2023 31,053 |
2024 Not Yet Available |
|---|
Source: Tourism Economics, Longwoods International, (see economic impact report section for the latest report)
Other Visitation Trends
| Visitation Trends by Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camping and day-use visitation by Out-of-state Visitors at Vermont State Parks (Source: VT Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation) | 373,648 | 260,382 | 389,693 | 385,578 | 323,258 | 362,659 |
| Skier visits (for seasons ending in the year indicated) (Source: Vermont Ski Areas Association) | 4,178,533 | 3,664,326 | 3,532,186 | 3,762,047 | 4,134,832 | 4,100,000 |
| Annual Visitor Traffic at the Vermont Information Centers (Source: Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services) | 3,269,856 | 856,067 | 1,718,601 | 2,233,396 | 2,351,880 | 2,369,3062 |
| Burlington International Airport Enplanements (Source: Burlington International Airport) | 705,165 | 209,320 | 388,834 | 615,877 | 660,097 | 290,0241 |
| Crossings at the U.S.-Canadian Border into Vermont (Source: US Department of Transportation) | 2,489,941 | 401,650 | 220,294 | 1,407,329 | 2,102,027 | 2,266,4392 |
| Attendance State Historic Sites (Source: Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, Division for Historic Preservation Office) | 63,655 | 18,214 | 42,229 | 44,566 | 36,274 | 80,997 |
| Ticket Receipts at State Historic Sites (Source: Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, Division for Historic Preservation Office) | $444,056 | $85,149 | $336,434 | $279,873 | $461,471 | $512,053 |
1: Reporting through June 2024
2: Reporting through November 2024
Hotel Trends
| Hotel Trends by Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Monthly Occupancy Rate | 61.8% | 41.5% | 61.9% | 69.4% | 66.3% | 65.5%1 |
| Average Daily Rate (ADR), Annually | $146.40 | $119.40 | $154.30 | $180.90 | $191.811 | $192.081 |
1: Reporting through November 2024
Source: Smith Travel Research
Vacation Rental Trends
| Vacation Rental Trends by Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Guest Nights*, Annually | not available | 981K | 964K | 1.0M | 1.0M | 1.2M |
| Annual Average Daily Rate (ADR) | not available | $202 | $237 | $262 | $274 | $289 |
*Guest Nights = Total nights reserved by guests for the given period
Source: Key Data
Economic Impact Reports
Tourism Economic Impact Analysis
Tourism Economic Impact Analysis: In 2024, the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing contracted with Tourism Economics to perform an economic impact analysis for Vermont for calendar year 2023, plus annual historical summaries back to 2019. The Tourism Economics approach uses an IMPLAN model customized for tourism and specifically for the state of Vermont. Inputs and manual validation took into account multiple Vermont-specific data sources to estimate state-level visitation numbers as well as state and country level impacts on spending, taxes and employment. Tourism Economics is well versed in tourism-based economic impact analyses and performs similar work for destinations across the country.
April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Economic Impact
The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing commissioned two studies to analyze visitation and estimate the economic impact resulting from the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.
Tourism Benchmark Reports
From 2013 through 2017, the department worked with the state economist, who studied multiple data sources in order to offer significant insights and put tourism numbers and trends into context.
Visitor Profile Research
Longwoods International Studies (2019-2023)
Longwoods International is a respected leader in tourism-related market research. The Longwoods Travel USA syndicated study conducts quarterly surveys with an average sample of 325,000 trips per year. VDTM purchased their services in 2024, including the following reports:
- 2019 Travel USA Visitor Profile (includes overnight and day visitor profiles and year-over-year comparisons).
- 2022 Travel USA Visitor Profile (includes overnight and day visitor profiles and year-over-year comparisons).
- 2023 Travel USA Visitor Profile (includes overnight and day visitor profiles and year-over-year comparisons).
University of Vermont Visitor Profile Research (2014)
Visitation research was conducted in 2014 in a joint project between VDTM and the Vermont Tourism Research at the University of Vermont.
- The 2014 Vermont Tourism and Recreation Survey report provides survey data from visitors about their tourism and recreation experiences in Vermont at welcome centers, state parks, and attractions
Brand Research (2010)
The research study “Opportunities for Vermont Vacation Providers” was completed in 2010 to study the perceptions of Vermont and how these perceptions affect decision making for choosing a vacation destination.
- Download the full report (PDF).
- A presentation, Leveraging the Vermont Brand, based on the research is also available.
Sector-Specific Reports and Data
Outdoor Recreation
Spending time recreating outdoors is often what drives visitors to Vermont for the first time and the economic impact of outdoor recreation continues to grow.
- The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis compiles annual statistics on the contribution of outdoor recreation to the economy on a state level.
- BEA’s 2023 report estimated the economic contribution of outdoor recreation to Vermont’s economy at 4.8% of GDP, still second highest in the nation
- See also: BEA State Summary Sheet for Vermont
- The 2022 report shows that outdoor recreation accounted for 4.6% of Vermont's GDP – second highest in the nation behind only Hawaii (5.6%)
- In 2021, Vermont’s GDP from outdoor recreation rose to 4.1%, the third highest in the nation behind Hawaii and Montana.
- The 2020 report shows outdoor recreation accounts for 3.7% of Vermont’s GDP.
- BEA’s 2023 report estimated the economic contribution of outdoor recreation to Vermont’s economy at 4.8% of GDP, still second highest in the nation
- In 2017, Governor Phil Scott established the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) with the charge of promoting prudent stewardship of State recreation assets and marketing the outdoor recreation values and attributes of Vermont to effectively foster economic growth. VOREC’s work to strengthen Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy includes the popular VOREC Community Grants Program.
- The Vermont Tourism Center at the University of Vermont collects research on Outdoor Recreation and Trail Use as well as the Northern Forest.
- In 2012, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development completed a study on the Economic Impacts of Walking and Biking.
Arts and Culture
Arts, culture, and other creative enterprises are key economic drivers and the vital anchors for many of Vermont’s communities. The Vermont Arts Council and Vermont Creative Network have commissioned, complied and collaborated on a variety of research projects documenting the economic impact of the creative sector in Vermont.
- According to the 2022 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and cultural production in Vermont contributes $1.16 billion to the economy, accounting for 2.85% of the state's total economic output and supporting 10,574 jobs
- In 2022-23, the Vermont Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) report found that the sector generated $158.6 million in economic activity during 2022—$103.2 million in spending by arts and culture organizations and an additional $55.4 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences. That economic activity supported 2,712 jobs, provided $112.8 million in personal income to residents, and generated $34.8 million in tax revenue. Visit the Vermont Arts Council site to learn more, including about the 2022 National AEP6 Study, which showed the importance of the nonprofit arts and culture sector nationwide.
- In 2019 the Assessing Vermont’s Creative Economy study documented over 40,000 jobs in the creative economy sector in Vermont.
- In 2017, the national Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 survey documented that the nonprofit arts and culture industry in Vermont generated $123 million in economic activity. Field research for the latest AEP6 study was conducted in 2022 and 2023, with findings anticipated to be released in September 2023.
Agriculture, Agritourism and Vermont-Made Products
Eating local in Vermont has been a way of life for many, long before the phrase “farm-to-table” was coined, and Vermont is recognized as a national leader in both agritourism experiences and for producing high-quality craft beverages and specialty food products.
- In June 2023, Penn State completed and released state-by-state factsheets intended to provide insights into Agritourism and direct sales.
- The VT factsheet shows that Vermont has a total of 6,808 farms, 1,953 of which offer direct sales or agritourism.
- Recognizing the importance of agriculture and food to Vermont’s economy, environment, and culture, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) was reauthorized in 2019 to create a second 10-year strategic food system plan.
- The Vermont Agriculture and Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030 includes specific issue briefs on:
- The Vermont Tourism Center at the University of Vermont provides tools, resources, and research findings for farmers and agricultural service providers looking to learn more about the economic opportunities that agritourism provides.
- The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is also a great resource for regulations and policy research on agritourism and market development research on specific products, including a Maple Data dashboard.
Relocation Programs
In 2018, the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing launched the Stay to Stay Program to support the state's efforts in attracting, inspiring and assisting people interested in moving to the state. The program has since evolved and been fully integrated into the larger the Think Vermont initiative and regional relocation network.
- 2021 Stay to Stay Program Update
- 2019 Stay to Stay Program Report
- 2018 Stay to Stay Pilot Program Report
Additional reports on relocation incentive programs administered by the Department of Economic Development include annual reports on funds awarded and an economic analysis conducted by the Department of Financial Regulation.