|
September 22, 2023
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
It was great to see so many of you during the CVB’s Open House this past Monday. Thank you for the enthusiastic show of support. It was exciting to meet several of you for the first time, and, of course, it’s always good reconnecting with partners I don’t get the chance to see as often as our calendars allow. It was a great day! Again, thank you for your support and for helping us “open” for business in our new offices.
For those who may need this information, the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau is now located at 600 22nd Street, 2nd Floor, Virginia Beach, in Pavilion II of the Towne Bank building complex. There is plentiful (free) parking in our lot; we only ask guests to be mindful of the reserved spaces that are designated for other offices in our building. Upon arrival, please enter the main doors. The elevator is located in the hallway to the left past the Towne Bank offices on the first floor. When exiting the elevators on the 2nd floor, please go to your right to our reception area. Our main phone number remains 757-385-4700.
As promised, our state-of-the-art conference rooms are ready for meeting bookings. All three of our conference rooms are located directly off the reception area:
- The Atlantic Boardroom has a conference table equipped with electrical outlets and USB charging ports. The table can accommodate 25 guests and another 50 can sit in a gallery that includes a notetaker’s desk.
- The two small conference rooms, The Sandbridge and The Chesapeake Bay, each have a table which seats 8 comfortably; the capacity is a total of 12 people in each room.
Please call Alvia Cabbler at 757-385-4700 to check the availability of these rooms.
 
CVB Sales Activity and News: The VBCC had another busy week with the Auto Glass Week/WFCT Conference in house. We are delighted to host this new, unique event and appreciate the collaboration between multiple CVB units and the Fire Marshal's office to produce a successful gathering.
From the M&C team, Dee Mittman is on the road to DC for the Black Legislative Caucus. Sally Noona and Jamie Rawls each have site visits, while our Services team is busy providing transportation support for Auto Glass Week.
The Resort Management Office advises that permanent stage canopy construction will begin on the 31st St. Stage following the end of the Neptune Festival Boardwalk weekend (Friday, September 29 - Sunday, October 1st). The restrooms at 31st St. along with the sidewalk on the north side of the 31st St. Park will be closed to public access between approximately October 4 and the reopening in summer, for Memorial Day Weekend 2024.
Mark Your Calendars & Plan to Celebrate the 49th Annual Neptune Festival - Hundreds of thousands of people celebrate the beach life each year during the Neptune Festival. This year the dates are Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 12. Get ready for free daily concerts at festival stages featuring local, regional, and national acts. More than 250 artists will set up shop on the boardwalk for Neptune's Art & Craft Show, along with tasty food options! From crab cakes to Italian ice, stained glass to pottery, there is sure to be something to delight young and old festival goers alike. Take a walk through the International Sandsculpting Championship tent, where you will find 22 incredible works of art created by 32 of the world's most talented sculptors. Back by popular demand are free sandsculpting clinics taught by the pros! More than 35 local, regional, and national acts will perform. All concerts are free and open to the public. Find out more about all the festivities here including a parade and an 8K. Find the Road Closure Notification here for Neptune’s Grand Parade and 8K race. Please be sure to inform your staff and guests of the potential for delays as indicated on the notification.
2023 VB Summit Set For Wednesday, November 15 - Planning is underway for the 2023 VB Summit. As we shared recently, Tourism Economics President, Adam Sacks will be our keynote speaker. An authority on measuring the economic impact of visitor activity, Adam will present our 2022 tourism economic impact data to City Council on the evening of Tuesday, November 14 and again the next morning to the industry and the public during our VB Summit. In addition to the presentation, there will be a trade show exhibition component to the event which will offer all partners the opportunity to have a presence at the tradeshow. The CVB will be providing tables and we invite everyone to sign up to join us. Email Teresa Diaz at tdiaz@visitvirginiabeach.com for more information.
What’s New in 2024, Virginia Beach? - The CVB Public Relations team is compiling a list of “What’s New in 2024.” Please send us new openings, renovated, or expanded attractions, accommodations, major events, and travel services opening in Virginia Beach next year. This information will be shared with in-state, national, and international media, and we would like to start engaging with media partners as soon as possible to ensure Virginia Beach receives proper coverage. Please send to Erin Goldmeier at egoldmeier@visitvirginiabeach.com. Images are helpful, too.
2023 Readers’ Choice Awards Voting - All year long, Convention South has been taking nominations for the best destinations, CVBs, hotels, and meeting facilities in the South. Now they’ve compiled those nominations and are asking you to vote for the best of the best for their 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards. You may vote for as many of the meeting sites that you think are deserving of a Readers' Choice Award. Please select the meeting sites that you feel offer the highest quality service, professionalism and/or amenities. Voting is open through midnight on Sunday, October 1st. Vote here for the Virginia Beach venues which made the list. Good luck to all!
Here is a sample ballot:
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
The CVB Events Calendar for July 1 - December 31, 2023 may be found here. To view the Resort area entertainment schedule, click here. For Town Center events and activities, click here.
My team and I are committed to you and our industry and are here to help any way that we can. Please let me know how we can assist you.
Sincerely,
Nancy Helman
CVB Director
CVB Strategic Pillars:
Engagement|Growth|Brand Development|Culture|Accountability
Note: Hotel occupancy data was not available at publishing; we will resume publishing when the data is available to us.
| 
