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February 9, 2024
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
While you may not be a Chiefs or 49ers fan, or a Swiftie, undoubtedly, we’re all huge fans of the travel industry. As we approach one of the biggest weekends in American sports, I thought you’d enjoy reading about the power of travel from an entertainment perspective.
Below are highlights from Taylor Swift Might Be The Most Powerful Person In Travel, courtesy of Skift:
The Taylor Swift Economy
Los Angeles Tourism CEO Adam Burke told Skift that one stop of the tour brought $320 million in incremental business sales, 3,300 jobs and an additional $160 million in local wages. A new line to the city light rail saw a 250% increase in passengers, and nearly 5,000 more trips every night of the show.
The singer caused a so-called ‘SwiftQuake’ in Seattle when dancing fans shook the city to the magnitude 2.3 on the Richter scale.
A Travel Power Player
“The ripple effect of Taylor Swift’s Era Tour extended far beyond the devoted fans who filled stadiums,” said Pranavi Agarwal, senior research analyst at Skift. We estimate the tour generated an incremental $1.2 billion for the U.S. travel industry in 2023 across flights, hotels, short-term rentals and other additional expenditure.”
U.S. cities lucky enough to get a slot have seen monthly hotel room revenues up over 7% on average, according to analysts at Bernstein. When the Eras tour came to Chicago in June, it was the best weekend in the city’s history. Occupancy hit a record 97%.
CVB Sales Activity and News: The CVB team supports the bureau’s strategic pillars of Engagement, Growth, Brand Development, Culture, and Accountability.
February got off to a great start at the Convention Center with the Mid-Atlantic Sports & Boat Show and the East Coast Leisure Show last weekend. Over 2,000 people came to see the latest in watercraft and enjoy the hot tub displays. Today the Consolidated Benefits Office hosts the BEWell Health Fair for Virginia Beach City and Virginia Beach Public School employees. This weekend, residents and guests can enjoy the Coastal Virginia Wine Expo and the SGK Gun Show. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the VBCC will host the annual winter retreat for City Council.
This week, Dee Mittman attended and engaged at the monthly meeting of Meeting Planners International of Virginia hosted by our partners at the Delta Marriott Hotel Virginia Beach Waterfront. Also, several members of the M&C Sales & Services Team recently took a field trip to the impressive, newly renovated South Building at the Virginia Aquarium.
This weekend Virginia Beach is proud to host three spectacular events, showcasing a diverse array of athletic talent across two premier venues. The action kicks off at the Virginia Beach Sports Center with the 2024 Pre-Nationals Track & Field event, where we anticipate the participation of 600 exceptional athletes ready to display their prowess. Concurrently, the same venue will buzz with energy on the court side, as the AAU at the Beach Grand Prix attracts 1,200 volleyball athletes, promising thrilling competition and sportsmanship. Not to be outdone, the Virginia Beach Tennis & Country Club will serve as the battleground for the USTA National L2 Girls 12's and Boys 14's Championships, featuring 60 of the nation's top tennis talents. These events not only highlight the versatile sporting infrastructure of Virginia Beach but also our commitment to fostering athletic excellence across multiple disciplines.
During events on Fridays and Saturdays in February, staff from the Visitors Information Center will oversee an information/welcome desk at the Sports Center. On hand to assist guests with questions about Virginia Beach, staff engaged with more than 200 attendees during the Lego building activity and the Track & Field events last weekend.
Festivals and special events play a key and important role in the economic health and quality of life we enjoy in Virginia Beach. Recently, the Resort Management Office was able to tout that among colleagues from around the Commonwealth, Assistant Resort Administrator Bill Kelly participated in a panel discussion at the Meeting Planners International Virginia chapter’s continuing education seminar. The topic was Safety and Security at Large-Scale Events. Bill shared subject matter expertise gained from working more than 20 years in the field of special events. He was joined by others from Public Safety, Traffic Operations and Parks and Recreation to illustrate the cooperative manner in which we work as a team here in Virginia Beach.
Help Convention Center Retain LEED Gold Status - Participation in a brief, two question survey is encouraged to help the Convention Center retain their U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold certification. All responses will be anonymous (unless you choose to be contacted) and no email is required. Please click here to take the survey. For questions, contact Convention Center Sustainability Coordinator Kimberlee Dobbins at 757-385-2168.
Nominate Your Hospitality Heroes - It’s time to recognize the best of the best in the Virginia Beach hospitality industry. Nominations are open through Friday, March 1, for the 2024 National Travel & Tourism (NTTW) awards. Top honors in 14 categories will be awarded during our 2024 NTTW Luncheon at the Convention Center on May 2. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this prime, free opportunity to shine a light on those on your staff whose hard work and dedication help make Virginia Beach the destination of choice for more than 13 million guests annually. Nominate a hospitality hero today! Go to www.visitvirginiabeach.com/nttw for more information and to submit your nominations today!
City Council Retreat to Be Livestreamed February 13 and 14 - The Virginia Beach City Council will hold a two-day Council retreat at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th St., Suite 3, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 13 and 14.
Livestreaming Hours:
- Tuesday, Feb. 13: 9 a.m. to approximately 4 p.m.
- Wednesday, Feb. 14: 9 a.m. to approximately 12:15 p.m.
The meeting is open to the public both days and the livestream will be shown on the City's website, VirginiaBeach.gov/media, and the City's Facebook page, facebook.com/CityOfVaBeach. It will also be cablecast live on VBTV via Cox channel 48 and Verizon channel 45. The full meeting will be posted to the City's YouTube channel, youtube.com/AccessVirginiaBeach, within 36 hours of the meeting’s conclusion. The retreat agenda will be made available in advance of the meeting on VirginiaBeach.gov/citycouncil once finalized.
Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant Program Opportunities - Virginia Tourism Corporation grant programs are now open and close on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Information about the programs, including eligibility, funding tiers, and application instructions can be found on www.vatc.org/grants. Please read over the program Terms and Conditions before applying.
The following programs are now open:
- Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Program
- Virginia Tourism Corporation DMO Marketing Program
- Virginia Tourism Corporation Special Events & Festivals Program
Please note there are new funding tiers, match levels, and attendance requirements for 2024. A recorded webinar that goes over these changes is available on www.vatc.org/grants.
Temporary Road Closure of Baltic Avenue & 18th Street - Due to continued street infrastructure enhancements and associated utility improvements, the intersection of Baltic Avenue and 18th Street is temporarily closed. Weather permitting, the intersection is scheduled to reopen April 26. To safely facilitate the work, Baltic Avenue will be closed to through traffic between 19th Street and Virginia Beach Boulevard. Detours will be set to reroute traffic to adjacent streets until work is complete and will reopen immediately upon completion. Advanced warning signs are posted advising motorists of the detours and closures. For additional information and questions, contact Denis Ozowara with Virginia Beach Public Works at 757-385-4131 or 18stProject@vbgov.com
February at Town Center of Virginia Beach - Shop, dine, take in a show or a class, and enjoy the many February happenings at the beautiful Town Center of Virginia Beach. Check out the latest edition of Town Talk and make plans today.
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
To view the 2024 CVB Events Calendar, click here. 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 January 21- January 27: Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the week of January 21 - 27 was up 5.5% at 44.4% occupancy and up 3.9% for the running 28-day trend. ADR was down -1.3% at $101.08 but up 2.2% for the running 28-day trend. RevPAR was up 4.1% at $44.90 and up 6.2% for the running 28-day trend.
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