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December 15, 2023
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
As you may be aware, this week City Council approved funding for two new music festivals. We welcome these additions to our robust entertainment lineup for 2024. My team and I are excited to partner and collaborate with event producers, Audacy and IMGoing, to bring these events to our residents and visitors.
The CVB is proud to be aligned with our partners at the state tourism office, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), and we’re pleased to share the “VTC Top 14” Marketing and Development Resources Guide. This concise two-page informational guide offers VTC’s top 14 resources for Marketing & Consumer Services, and Research, Funding, Development & Education, as well as contact information for many of our VTC partners. We hope you will find this information helpful to your marketing and development efforts in 2024 and beyond.
VB Sales Activity and News: The CVB team supports the bureau’s strategic pillars of Engagement, Growth, Brand Development, Culture, and Accountability.
This weekend Virginia Beach is the place to be for sports enthusiasts as we host two great athletic events. The excitement begins at the Oceanfront and Convention Center with the J&A Racing Surf N Santa 5 Miler, a highly anticipated race that is expected to attract over 4,000 participants. Runners will take to the streets in a festive atmosphere, adding a unique energy to the Virginia Beach Resort area. Simultaneously, the Virginia Beach Sports Center will be the venue for the prestigious Track 757 2023 Grant Holloway Holiday Invitational. This event will see more than 1,600 high school track and field athletes compete in various disciplines, under the watchful eye of Olympic medalist, World Champion, and local hero Grant Holloway. These events not only highlight the athletic prowess of the participants but also bring together the community in a celebration of sports and fitness!
The Meetings & Convention Sales & Services Team continues to push towards the end of the year with great energy toward continued growth! Dee Mittman just returned from the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners last week and was appointed to their national board for calendar years 2024 - 2026. Jamie Mitchell is on her way with three hotel partners to Association Executives of North Carolina’s Annual trades to heighten brand awareness by engaging with partners while selling the destination.
This week, Kelli Norman is traveling with Capital Region USA in Europe, meeting one-on-one with tour operators and travel trade partners. Also, this week, Jim Coggin is in Toronto, Canada attending the Ontario Motorcoach Association Marketplace where he will engage with Canadian-based tour operators during 31 desk-side appointments.
Check out our latest social content video, Cheat Meal! Cheat Meal was produced in collaboration with the Miles Partnership, Odyssey Studios, and Places. Travel to promote engagement via our social channels and highlight the extensive and unique culinary scene in Virginia Beach. Make sure to like, subscribe, and follow the Visit Virginia Beach YouTube Channel, Instagram, and Facebook page to stay up to date on all things Virginia Beach, including content, social videos, events, and more!
The 2023 BayPort Credit Union Surf N Santa 5 Miler & Rudolph’s 1K Presented By Bon Secours - This weekend brings the event recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest Santa Claus run in the world! The 2023 Surf N Santa 5 Miler will draw thousands of athletes to our destination to experience a run through the holiday lights on the Boardwalk before celebrating at an indoor post-race party. Grab your race swag at the Convention Center during packet pickup today (Friday, Dec. 15), between 4 and 7 pm or tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 16) between 2 and 4 pm. Don’t forget Rudolph’s 1K starts at 6 pm tonight! For race schedules and all the details, click here. Please note that there will be temporary traffic impacts in the Resort area. See the Road Closure Notice here for more information. Whether you’re participating in a run or cheering on your favorite Santa, this weekend is sure to ignite the spirit of the season!
3rd Annual Virginia Beach Gingerbread House Competition and Exhibit Presented by the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association in partnership with Coastal Virginia magazine and the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum – Viewing and voting is now open for the 3rd Annual Virginia Beach Gingerbread House Competition and Exhibit. Entries will be on display at The Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum located inside the historic de Witt Cottage, 1113 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, through December 30, 2023. Voting ends December 23. Fun for the whole family! For more information, click here.
Ring In The New Year at Town Center’s Last Night On The Town - Ring in 2024 at Virginia Beach’s premier New Year’s Eve event, Last Night on the Town (LNOTT). Created by the Central Business District Association, this is a New Year’s Eve celebration not to be missed. This is LNOTT’s 10th year of offering a free, family-friendly way to celebrate. The fun starts at 6 pm on the Town Center Fountain Plaza. For more information, including a link to purchase special VIP experience tickets, click here.
Hampton Roads Transit Holiday Service Notices - Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) will adjust their public transit services during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. For the Christmas Service Notice, click here. To view the New Year’s Holiday Service Notice, click here.
Virginia Beach Hotel Association Announces 2024 Coastal Virginia Hospitality Expo - Dig out your neon, puffed sleeves and leg warmers because it’s back to the 80’s! SAVE THE DATE of Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, for this prime opportunity which brings together vendors, industry experts and the hospitality community in an exchange of products, services, and ideas. To learn about partnership opportunities and more, contact Teri Wiley at teri.wiley@vbha.net. You won’t want to miss this Expo!
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
To view the Resort area entertainment schedule, click here. For easy access to all of Town Center’s 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
Hotel Occupancy Data for the Week of November 26 - December 2: Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the week of November 26 - December 2 was down -1.4% at 41.1% occupancy and down -4.5% for the running 28-day trend. ADR was up 2.6% at $103.46 and up 1.5% for the running 28-day trend. RevPAR was up 1.2% at $42.50 but down -3.1% for the running 28-day trend.
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