West Virginia has highest percentage of out-of-state tourists, study says

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia might not be the most popular tourist destination, but according to a recent study, compared to its population, it is crowded with out-of-state guests.

A recent study by travel company Go2Africa ranked the United States by their tourist-to-resident ratios and found that West Virginia, with a population of less than 1.8 million, has the highest out-of-state tourist rate. The ranking said that the Mountain State attracts an estimated 75 million people each year, which is more than 42 times the state’s resident population.

For comparison, the next highest ratio was 32.7:1 in North Dakota.

Although West Virginia relies on its growing tourism industry, according to the study, it could have some negative impacts on the state because the infrastructure may not have the capability to hold that many people, and it could cause tension between tourists and locals.

The study also equated a high ratio to a state being crowded by tourists. However, compared to states like New York, which attracts more than 300 million out-of-state visitors but has a radio of less than 16, West Virginia’s remote outdoor recreation opportunities likely won’t be as saturated with people. Every single state has more tourists in a year than it does year-round residents.

West Virginia’s recent booming out-of-state tourism is likely due to the newest national park, the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, being added in West Virginia in 2020. According to park data, the NRG has seen record visitors since it became a national park, and in 2024, it saw more visitors than West Virginia has residents.

And according to West Virginia State Parks, West Virginia’s 36 state parks draw more than 7 million tourists every year.