Virginia Tourism to air national commercials during international bike race in Richmond

Virginia Tourism Corp. (VTC) is planning to air at least 500 commercials across the country during the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Richmond in September.

The 30-second commercials will be aired on Universal Sports, NBC Sports Network, CNBC, and NBC. The spots will feature Virginia’s travel experiences, such as outdoor recreation, beaches, mountains and culinary scenes before a large audience tuning in to see the bike race.

The commercials are part of a $2 million partnership between the VTC and Richmond 2015,  an independent nonprofit corporation responsible for the organization and marketing of the 2015 UCI Road World Championships.

“The tourism industry is an important component of building a new Virginia economy, and the UCI World Championships present a tremendous opportunity for the commonwealth to drive economic development, promote tourism, and showcase Virginia as a premier travel destination to consumers worldwide,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a statement.

The “Virginia is for Lovers” brand will be featured throughout many aspects of the 10-day championships, including the finish line, time trial start ramps, sign-in stage, awards podium, press conference backdrops and event credentials.

This is the first time in nearly 30 years that the race has taken place in the United States. Event staging and visitor spending are estimated to contribute $158 million in economic impact.