Sign In
Free Newsletter
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 […]
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 [...]
Cashing in
In 2019, a state study forecast that if the General Assembly allowed five casinos to operate in five economically disadvantaged Virginia cities — Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond — that one-third of the revenue generated would stem from out-of-state visitors. In other words, if you build it, casino backers sang out to the commonwealth’s […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: RITA D. McCLENNY
As head of the state’s tourism agency since 2012, McClenny has seen the industry through ups and downs. In the wake of the pandemic, she helped secure federal dollars to assist statewide tourism rebound. In 2021, 102 million visitors spent $25.2 billion in Virginia, according to a study released by the agency last fall, still […]
Va. tourism pitch hits Saks Fifth Ave. windows
New Yorkers and Manhattan visitors will spot an intriguing sight at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship department store — two windows featuring a Virginia tourism campaign. Virginia Tourism Corp., United Airlines and Saks partnered to highlight three high-end resorts in Virginia — the Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club in Virginia Beach, Keswick Hall in […]
Fairfax campaign hopes for tourism boost
Visitors to Fairfax County often are drawn to its dense, urban environment and entertainment offerings, from the upscale Tysons Corner Center mall to Wolf Trap. Now, the county’s southern portion is staking a claim to the tourism economy. In May, Fairfax officials announced a new name for that area, Potomac Banks, which encapsulates the Mount […]
Hospitality | Tourism
NEIL P. AMIN CEO, SHAMIN HOTELS, RICHMOND The past year has been a bit of a mixed bag for Amin and Shamin Hotels, one of the United States’ largest independent hoteliers. Shamin, which owns more than 60 hotels, saw its Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa in Short Pump enter receivership in January after falling behind on […]
Northam proposes $353M for small biz, tourism relief
Ahead of the General Assembly’s August special session, Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday he wants to spend $353 million of Virginia’s federal relief funding on small business recovery and assisting the tourism industry. Virginia received $4.3 billion in federal funds through the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan passed in March. The Democratic-controlled General Assembly will […]
Playing it safe
The Virginia Tourism Corp.’s DMO WanderLove Recovery Grant Program will award $866,000 in grants to 90 destination marketing organizations that were heavily impacted by the pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. Each recipient will receive a maximum grant of $10,000, which can be used for efforts including participating in VTC co-ops, local advertising and out-of-state […[...]
State offering relief grants to destination marketing organizations
A new state relief program, the WanderLOVE Recovery Grant Program, will provide up to 50 grants of up to $10,000 apiece to destination marketing organizations (DMOs) across the commonwealth that have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. The program, which is being administered by the Virginia Tourism Corp., began […]
