Name change for Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association

The Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association (VHTA) has changed its name to the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA).

“After 22 years operating as the VHTA, this new designation better aligns our brand with our member base and ensures that our elected officials know who we are,” Debbie Donehey, the board’s chairman, said in a statement. “We represent not just hotels and tourist attractions but also restaurants and other companies and organizations that are committed to providing the traveling public with the highest quality customer service.”

The VHTA began in 1993 when the Virginia Restaurant Association, Virginia Travel Council and Virginia Hotel and Motel Association came together under a single umbrella.  They will continue in that manner, but under the new name.

The association is the primary advocate for the tourism industry across the state and will again focus its legislative efforts on defending post Labor Day school openings, fighting local meals and lodging taxes, advocating to ensure ABC laws are fair to restaurants and eateries and pushing for more tourism marketing support from the state and localities in fiscal year 2017.

“Our members and the public will see a new logo and Website as well as a refreshed social media effort and valuable educational programs moving forward,” says Eric Terry, the association’s president.