Visitors to Manassas Spent More Than $72 Million in 2018

Manassas, VA — September 11, 2019 — Data released by the United States Travel Association
(USTA) reveals that all regions in Virginia posted an increase in tourism activity last year. The City of Manassas continued its trend of
annual gains for the 9th consecutive year with expenditures reaching $72.7 million, a 2.3% increase from 2017.
Tourism is a critical contributor to the Manassas economy. In 2018, visitor spending was directly responsible for 583 jobs with an
annual payroll of $12.3 million and $1.9 million in local tax receipts. Efforts by the City of Manassas to promote a strong tourism
economy benefits 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.

“Virginia’s tourism industry had a banner year in 2018, hitting new records and making important impacts on our communities across
the Commonwealth,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary
of Virginia is for Lovers and the tourism industry’s continued growth this year, we also celebrate the people who impact and influence
our communities with their vision, passion, and love for the tourism industry. Our industry is made up of creative, hard-working, and
dedicated professionals, and they work every day to make our communities more vibrant and dynamic. They help to make Virginia the
best place to live, work, and visit, and are our most powerful ambassadors for Virginia is for Lovers.”
“This past year more than 450,000 people came to Manassas to visit our attractions or to enjoy our festivals, parades, events, and
markets – that number increased 20% by 70,000 people from last year” said Manassas Mayor Hal Parrish. “In the most recent Citizen
Satisfaction survey residents ranked Manassas 22% higher than the National average as a place to visit.” Positioning the city as a
tourist destination has also created an outstanding place to live. Over 75% of residents plan to stay in Manassas for at least the next
2 years, and 80% have lived in Manassas for over 5 years already.

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The Virginia Tourism Corporation receives its annual economic impact data from the U.S. Travel Association. The information is based
on domestic visitor spending (travelers from within the United States) from per-person trips taken 50 miles or more away from home.
Detailed economic impact data by locality is available on www.vatc.org under Research.