The Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association announced a 6.7 increase in city visitor spending in 2010 at its annual meeting Friday held at United Way International in North Old Town.

Last year, visitors spent $657 million in the city, generating $22.4 million in tax revenue. The number of hotel rooms booked in city has also risen in each of the last two years, bucking downward national trends created by the country’s economic downturn.

“We understand that investing in tourism promotion generates revenue to pay for services needed by the citizens of Alexandria, and supports businesses that enhance the quality of life,” City Councilman and ACVA board member Paul Smedberg said.

Smedberg gave full credit to ACVA President and CEO Stephanie Pace Brown and her staff.

“We’ve seen a remarkable transformation of this organization in the last four or five years,” Smedberg said.

“Clearly tourism contributes to our quality of life,” Mayor Bill Euille said in his remarks.

Brown, who briefed the assembled crowd of city officials and business people on upcoming changes to the ACVA website, expanded tourism training offerings and other measures, awarded the Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants team the ACVA Tourism Partner of the Year award.

Owners of the Hotel Monaco, Lorien Hotel and Spa and the Morrison House in Old Town, Brown said the Kimpton group has done a lot in the last year to support “the Alexandria brand of historic ambience and contemporary flair” in doing everything from collaborating with the Office of Historic Alexandria to promote the city’s Civil War history to hosting doggie happy hours at Hotel Monaco.