Tourism

The Director of Tourism serves the public by performing a wide variety of marketing, administration, and coordination duties to develop travel and tourism in Franklin. The retired train depot in Downtown Franklin currently serves as the Franklin Visitor Center and tourism office. To obtain information regarding shops, restaurants, lodgings, attractions and special events, call 757-562-8506 or visit Visitors | City of Franklin (franklinva.com)  For more information about the travel and tourism industry in Virginia visit the Virginia is for Lovers website.

The Impact of Tourism

Tourism = New Money. When tourists visit, they stay in hotels, dine, shop, and visit our sights. The community benefits directly with more local jobs and a sustainable, thriving community. 

TOP 3 BENEFITS OF LOCAL TOURISM

1. Jobs - Tourism is the fastest form of Economic Development by impacting a local economy with an influx of cash and the creation of jobs - customer service/hospitality jobs that can't be outsourced or replaced by technology. 

2. Increased Spending - This increase in spending means increased revenue for local businesses (hotels, restaurants, attrcations, shops, gas stations, convenience stores, etc.) resulting in a two-fold benefit. First, direct sales, lodging and meals taxes are collected and that money is re-injected into the economy by government, and secondly, local employers and employees spend their money earned locally as well. Tourism's "new money" ultimately helps reduce the amount of taxes local citizens pay. 

3. Quailty of Life - Tourism product increases the quaility of life for locals as much -if not more - than for visitors. A thriving tourism industry brings more restaurants and shops, and more activities such as golf courses, museums, wineries, art galleries, entertainment venues, etc. to the community. 

Additional benefits include: Small business entrepreneurial apportunities, the preservation of culture and the creation of "placemaking."