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hospitality and tourism

FILE - Travelers check American Airlines flight information screens for their flight status at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. (AP photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
May 10, 2025

More warning signs emerge for US travel industry as summer nears

Expedia cites reduced U.S. travel demand for its weak Q1 revenue, as consumer confidence dips and tourism from Canada and abroad continues to decline.

A glass-fronted building in the left side of the frame has "Norfolk Casino" lettering on it. A pool and lounge chairs are shown, as well as a waterfront with sailboats in the water.
May 9, 2025

Norfolk casino developer pledges $1M to NSU

Boyd Gaming, the company behind the $750 million Norfolk casino, pledged $1 million to Norfolk State University to support its business school’s tourism and hospitality management program.

Newport News aims for summer music festival
Mar 31, 2025

Newport News aims for summer music festival

Newport News is preparing to launch a major music festival this year to boost tourism and support area businesses. Mayor Phillip Jones says the city is currently trying to attract national talent and is reviewing applications from people and organizations wanting to help organize, partner with and promote the festival. Although Newport News has “a […]

The 2019 Something in the Water festival was “by far” the biggest event ever staged at Virginia Beach, says John Zirkle, president of the city’s hotel association. Photo courtesy city of Virginia Beach
Jan 22, 2025

Va. Beach gives Something in the Water 5-day deadline over contract breach

After receiving a brief reprieve, the clock is ticking for organizers for Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water music festival. Organizers were given five days to make significant progress in meeting Virginia Beach’s requirements for a lineup of performers and a start to ticket sales, city officials decided Tuesday. If organizers do not meet the […]

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Jan. 8, 2025, discusses a winter storm that led to massive power outages, as well as a water outage affecting the City of Richmond and neighboring counties.
Jan 8, 2025

Richmond water crisis shuts down many restaurants, businesses

Jan. 9 update: Richmond starts water testing, but city remains under boil water advisory “Dry January” became all too literal in Richmond, where most city residents and businesses were struggling with a water outage that started Monday afternoon and was still leaving much of a city with a population of more than 225,000 people without […]

Southwest tourism spending climbs
Dec 31, 2024

Southwest tourism spending climbs

Visitor spending in Southwest Virginia reached $766 million in 2023, a 12% increase from 2022, according to data from the Virginia Tourism Corp. The region also saw a 29% increase from 2019, a rise that puts it well above that of the state as a whole, which saw a 15% increase in tourism revenue from […]

A man in a suit stands in the foreground. The Omni Homestead Resort's large brick building is in the background.
Nov 6, 2024

Omni Homestead GM receives lifetime achievement award

The American Hotel & Lodging Association presented Mark Spadoni, managing director of The Omni Homestead Resort in Bath County, with the association’s General Manager Lifetime Achievement Award on Oct. 28. The association honored Spadoni in San Antonio at its second annual The Hospitality Show conference, cosponsored by Questex’s Hotel Management brand. “I am deeply honored [&hel[...]

Opening doors
Oct 31, 2024

Opening doors

The Hard Rock entertainment, gaming, and hospitality brand is solidifying its place in Bristol on Nov. 14 with the formal opening of its Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, a $515 million resort and casino. The company has had a presence in the city for the last two years via a temporary casino facility, but […]

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Oct 30, 2024

Meeting of the minds

Inclusive narratives, a post-pandemic restaurant industry and artificial intelligence are just a few of the topics that will feature in this year’s VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit, an annual gathering of tourism professionals from across the state and beyond. Scheduled Nov. 13-15, the 2024 VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit will take place at Hot Springs’ The Omni […]

Fed’s Fifth District economy grows modestly
Oct 25, 2024

Fed’s Fifth District economy grows modestly

Economic activity in the Federal Reserve’s Fifth District (a multistate region including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland) grew modestly from early September, according to the latest edition of the Fed’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. Published eight times per year, the Beige Book is based on anecdotal information about economic conditions gathered [...]

Rendering of the permanent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol
Oct 9, 2024

Hard Rock Bristol to open permanent facility Nov. 14

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol will open its approximately $515 million permanent facility on Nov. 14, with country music star Blake Shelton making an appearance at the ceremony, its development team announced Wednesday. The temporary Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock opened July 8, 2022, making it Virginia’s first operating casino. Since then, […]

Aug 5, 2024

Va. tourism generated $33.3B for 2023

Virginia’s tourism industry generated $33.3 billion in visitor spending in 2023, an increase of nearly 10% over 2022, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday.  “The commonwealth’s record-breaking visitor spending numbers are a testament to our abundance of attractions and unique destinations,” Gov. Youngkin stated in a news release.  Virginia’s tourism industry supported over [...]

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