Virginia Tourism Corporation

Information for Virginia's Travel Industry

  • about
    • Contact VTC
    • Virginia Tourism Corporation Board of Directors
    • Virginia Film Office
    • Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion Resources
    • Directions to Virginia Tourism Corporation Office
    • Employment Opportunities
  • operations
    • Consumer Services and Fulfillment
      • Bulk Publication Order Form
    • Virginia Welcome Center Services
    • Merchandising
      • Virginia is for Lovers Store
    • PMAP Program
  • marketing
    • Brand Management
      • Brand Campaigns & Initiatives
      • Industry Advertising Co-Op Program
      • 2026 Virginia Travel Guide Advertising
      • LOVEworks Reimbursement Program
        • LOVEwork Request
      • Virginia Is For Lovers Logo Request
      • Creative Services
      • Advertising Opportunities
      • Photo & Video Guidelines
    • Communications
      • Public Relations
    • Content Marketing
      • Social Media
    • Digital Marketing
      • Get Listed on Virginia.org
    • Group Tours, Meetings and Sports Marketing
    • Global Marketing and Media
  • grants
    • Sign Up for VTC Grant Updates
    • (VTC) Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program
    • (VTC) Vacation Starts with VA DMO MMLP Co-Op Program
    • Virginia DMO Marketing Grants
    • VTC Marketing Leverage Program
    • Virginia Special Events & Festivals Program
    • VTC VA250 Tourism Marketing Program
    • Grant Reimbursements
    • Tourism Development Financing Program
  • partnership marketing
    • Destination Development Managers
    • DRIVE Tourism
    • Business Resources
    • Development Resources
    • Workshops and Educational Opportunities
      • Virginia Tourism Orientation Program
    • Tourism Development Financing Program
    • Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs)
    • Tourism Zones
    • GO Virginia
  • research
    • Economic Impact of Travel
    • Economic Impact of Meetings and Conventions
    • Economic Impact of Sports Tourism
    • Arrivalist
    • Travel Data and Profiles
    • International Travel
    • Black Travel Research
    • Lodging Reports
    • Research Reports
    • Virginia Excise Tax Collections
    • Research Links
  • essentials
    • Sign Up for the Pulse of Virginia
    • Orientation Program
    • Tourism Industry Contacts
    • Merchandising
    • Bring LOVEwork to Your Destination or Event
    • Virginia Is For Lovers Logo Request
    • Employment Opportunities
    • VA-1 Governor’s Tourism Summit
You are here: Home / Tourism Zones

Tourism Zones

Much like a traditional Enterprise Zone, a Tourism Zone allows for businesses to take advantage of local tax incentives and deductions not available to businesses elsewhere.  Any city, county, or town may establish, by ordinance, one or more Tourism Zones.

  • The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation in 2006 authorizing Virginia localities to create Tourism Zones and offer tax incentives and provide certain regulatory flexibility within a Tourism Zone.
  • Tourism Zones are passed by local ordinance and may contain both requirements and benefits for existing and new or expanded tourism businesses, including lodging, dining, retail, meeting and sports facilities, outdoor recreation areas, theme parks and event venues.
  • Local incentives may be offered to stimulate business attraction, growth, and increased employment opportunities within certain areas of a locality. This can include, but is not limited: hiring credits, sales & use tax incentives, expense and interest deductions, discounted utilities hook-up and payment plans, sewer facility hookup payment plans and reduced parking requirements.
  • Currently, there are approximately 75 Tourism Zones, statewide, across Virginia in 47 different localities.

Statewide Tourism Zone map: Tourism Zone Map (8.5 x 11) * click map for larger view

Based on a Tourism Zone Survey completed in 2018, the following are prominent trends found within local Tourism Zones.

  • 60% of Tourism Zones have established capital investment and job creation requirements for a business to be eligible for Tourism Zone incentives.
  • 53% of Tourism Zones offer Business, Professional, and Occupational License (BPOL) tax incentives for qualifying businesses.
  • 43% of Tourism Zones offer fee reductions, waivers, or rebates as an incentive to qualifying businesses.
  • 20% of Tourism Zones offer targeted industry status or an expedited review process as an incentive to qualifying businesses.

For a full list of incentives offered through Tourism Zones in Virginia, please visit the Tourism Zones Incentives Matrix.

Tourism Zones

  • Tourism Zones Overview
  • Tourism Zone Legislation
  • Tourism Zone Map (8.5 x 11)
  • Tourism Zones Incentives Matrix

Contact Staff

Wirt Confroy
Director of Business Development
wconfroy@virginia.org
804-545-5552

Contact Us
Careers
Privacy Policy
Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion
Sign up for the Pulse

Virginia.org
Virginia.org Extranet
Press Room
Virginia Film Office
Virginia is for Lovers Store

Copyright © 2025 – Virginia Tourism Corporation, 901 E. Cary St., Suite 900, Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 545-5500, [email protected]

All rights reserved.

This site uses cookies to enhance the user experience and measure marketing activities.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. To find out more, please see our Privacy Policy
Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT