The tourism numbers were up again in 2017 in the Roanoke Valley – an 8th consecutive year of growth according to Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Overall hotel room revenue in the Blue Ridge region was up almost 4 percent over 2016 and a near-three percent increase in the number of rooms sold was another record. Virginia’s Blue Ridge is defined as localities in the Greater Roanoke Valley, including Botetourt and Franklin Counties. More than 1.2 million hotel rooms were sold in the region last year. Landon Howard is President of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge:
