Tourism Research
Tourism in Vermont is a $3 billion industry that supports over 30,000 jobs (over 10% of Vermont's workforce).
The Vermont Department of Tourism & 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.
Economic Impact and Visitation Trends
Travel Spending by Visitors in Vermont
2019
$2,850,000,000
2020
$1,590,000,000
2021
$2,720,000,000
2022
$3,190,000,000
Source: U.S. Travel Association as compiled by Tourism Economics
Tourism Related Taxes, Employment and Trends
Tax Revenues
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Estimated Tax Revenue Generated by Tourism 1 | $367,700,000 | $328,700,000 | $387,300,000 | Pending2 |
| Tourism-related Tax Revenue: Rooms, Meals, Alcohol, Sales, Gas | $163,800,000 | $128,200,000 | $177,700,000 | Pending2 |
| Tourism-related Tax Revenue: Rooms/Lodging | $54,700,000 | $35,200,000 | $64,700,000 | Pending2 |
1: Source: Internal analysis based on tax data from the Vermont Department of Taxes and employment data from the Vermont Department of Labor. Includes rooms, meals, alcohol, and gas taxes attributed to visitors, as well as income taxes collected from employees in the leisure and hospitality sector and property taxes paid by second-home owners. Methodology available in 2017 benchmark report.
2: Preliminary estimates of 2022 tax revenue numbers are expected to be released by the Vermont Department of Taxes in mid-2023.
Employment
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Total Number of Jobs in Leisure and Hospitality (and Percentage of Vermont’s Workforce) | 37,893 (12.2%) | 25,993 (9.2%) | 29,541 (10.1%) | 34,429 (11.5%)3 |
| Jobs in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (subset of total Leisure and Hospitality jobs) | 4,144 | 3,186 | 3,704 | 4,9293 |
| Jobs in Accommodations and Food Services (subset of total Leisure and Hospitality jobs) | 25,837 | 22,806 | 33,749 | 29,5003 |
Source: Vermont Department of Labor
3: reporting through September 2022
Wages Paid in Leisure and Hospitality Sector
2019
$887,900,000
2020
$677,500,000
2021
$825,600,000
2022
$732,100,0004
Source: Vermont Department of Labor
4: reporting through September 2022
Visitation Trends
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Overnight Occupancy by Out-of-State Visitors at Vermont State Parks (Source: Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation) | 426,764 | 330,640 | 514,048 | 503,204 |
| 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 |
| Annual Visitor Traffic at the Vermont Information Centers (Source: Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services) | 3,269,856 | 856,067 | 1,718,601 | 2,294,465 |
| Burlington International Airport Enplanements (Source: Burlington International Airport) | 705,165 | 209,320 | 388,834 | 587,504 |
| Crossings at the U.S.-Canadian Border into Vermont (Source: US Department of Transportation) |
2,489,941 | 401,650 | 220,294 | 1,407,329 |
A large percentage of visitors to Vermont come from neighboring states including New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and New Jersey, however even states as far away as California and Texas contribute tens of millions of dollars to our economy each year.
Top 15 States Bringing Visitor Traffic (including approximate market value/spending)
2020
NY ($351M)
MA ($238M)
NH ($204M)
NJ ($118M)
CT ($112M)
FL ($57M)
PA ($54M)
CA ($27M)
VA ($22M)
TX ($21M)
ME ($20M)
MD ($20M)
RI ($19M)
NC ($15M)
CO ($12M)
2021
NY ($413M)
MA ($323M)
NH ($262M)
CT ($143M)
NJ ($137M)
FL ($84M)
PA ($83M)
CA ($65M)
VA ($44M)
TX ($43M)
MD ($38M)
ME ($35M)
RI ($29M)
NC ($28M)
CO ($27M)
2022
NY ($444M)
MA ($369M)
NH ($301M)
CT ($165M)
NJ ($136M)
FL ($101M)
PA ($82M)
CA ($66M)
VA ($44M)
ME ($42M)
MD ($39M)
TX ($38M)
RI ($34M)
NC ($33M)
CO ($33M)
Source: Estimated spending in Vermont by visitors from noted states, extrapolated using credit card spending data
Additional research on visitor profiles was last conducted in 2014 in a joint project between VDTM and the Vermont Tourism Research at the University of Vermont. The summary report provides survey data from visitors about their tourism and recreation experiences in Vermont at welcome centers, state parks, and attractions.
Tourism Benchmark Reports
Periodically the department develops a larger encompassing study that captures a number of significant insights and puts tourism numbers and trends into context.
Sector-Specific Economic Impact 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.
- The 2020 report shows outdoor recreation accounts for 3.7% of Vermont’s GDP.
- In 2021, Vermont’s GDP from outdoor recreation rose to 4.1%, the third highest in the nation behind Hawaii and Montana.
- 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. 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 & 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 & 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 & 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.