‘A walking museum:’ Richmond’s growing tourism scene

Samantha Granados, Contributing Writer

With tourism heavily on the rise, Richmond’s rich arts, culture, history and diverse food and beverage scene has recently earned a No. 1 ranking as a town to visit in June 2024, according to CNN Travel.

Carla Murray, the director of marketing communications at Richmond Region Tourism, was not surprised with this finding and completely agrees with the ranking, she said.

“I hope it will bring more people to experience the Richmond region, and tourism definitely has a strong impact on local businesses,” Murray said. “I think many travelers seek out the unique things that we have to offer. So I think it hopefully will have a great effect.”

Richmond Region Tourism not only represents the city of Richmond, but six surrounding counties and towns including Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Colonial Heights, New Kent and Ashland, according to Murray.

The article was specifically looking at cities that aren’t a top tourist destination, as those top tier destinations have become expensive and crowded. An experience in those places is not what one might want out of a vacation, Murray said. 

Murray believes the Richmond region has all the same things as a top tier destination, with a world class art museum, over 1,000 restaurants with every kind of cuisine imaginable, amazing outdoor recreation and more, while still having an excellent quality of life, she said. 

The organization has received an influx of interest from media, content creators and influencers, indicating the news is spreading and peaking interest in the Richmond region as a destination for travelers since the CNN Travel article, according to Murray. 

The new president and CEO of Richmond Region Tourism, Katherine O’Donnell, has made it a personal mission for the organization to use tourism as a force for good, changing perceptions of what the Richmond experience looks like, Murray said.

“We have such deep rooted history, but we want to tell the whole story, ” Murray said. There was a lot of time when we didn’t tell the whole story of what Richmond has been like over the past 400 years, so we want to be able to share that.”

Richmond Region Tourism promotes and supports Black culture and history, and the region is seen as a place for people to come to learn about this history and experience the culture, according to Murray.

“That is one of the most important messages that we can ever get across as a destination for travelers is that we are welcoming to everyone,” Murray said. “It’s a place that everyone can enjoy and feel comfortable and safe and walk away with an excellent experience.”

The 2023 fiscal year was a record-breaking year for the region, with hotels generating $35 million in lodging taxes, a 16% increase from the previous fiscal year, with sports tourism leading the way, representing two thirds of bookings, according to the Richmond Region Tourism Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Economic Impact Report. 

In 2022, the Richmond region hosted 17.5 million visitors who spent $3.5 billion or $9.6 million per day; an overall 22% increase from the previous fiscal year report, according to the report. Tourism supports 27,634 jobs with wages and salaries totaling $1.1 billion in the U.S.

Without tourism spending, Richmond region households would pay an additional $585 per year in taxes, according to the Richmond Region Tourism’s website. 

Chef Theresa Headen of Elegant Cuizines noticed more tourists visiting the city and her business since its start in 2016, she said. The restaurant originally catered before it was able to establish a brick and mortar, which is when more tourists began to visit. 

Headen believes the unique architecture of Richmond solidified its ranking as a No. 1 town to visit, she said. She describes Richmond as a “walking museum” with so much to see as the architecture resembles monuments.

“Obviously maybe more outsiders will want to come and visit and see ‘Okay if they’re rated No. 1, let’s go see what this is about,’ so that could help places like Elegant Cuizines,” Headen said. 

Headen believes increased tourism is likely to happen as her restaurant has already experienced a lot of outsiders from places like D.C. and North Carolina, she said. 

Having a restaurant in Richmond allows her to connect with more people and create a solid, supportive client base who consistently show up for her business, according to Headen. 

Katie McBride, the vice-chair of the board at Gallery5, also agrees with the No. 1 ranking as the city is an easier town to find accessible attractions compared to New York and D.C., while still experiencing “world class stuff,” she said. 

Gallery5 is a visual and performing art center, with art exhibitions ranging from themed solo or group shows, local favorites and emerging unknown artists, according to its website. New work is on display every month and the gallery has additionally hosted hundreds of musicians and performing arts groups over the years. 

During McBride’s 20 years living in Richmond and her time at Gallery5, she has noticed more outsiders moving to the city, especially to attend universities in the area after graduating high school, she said. 

McBride believes certain areas in Richmond, such as Grace Street, have developed tremendously from the 1990s to the early 2000s and even now, McBride said. 

She said she hopes this ranking will bring folks from all over the nation to Richmond and the gallery who will recognize its uniqueness.