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March 29, 2024
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
It’s almost here!
Registration is now open for our 2024 National Travel & Tourism Week Awards Luncheon. National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual celebration that underscores travel’s essential role in driving our nation's economy, cultivating vibrant communities, and forging connections.
In Virginia Beach, NTTW has become a cherished tradition, celebrating our hospitality community, and highlighting how travel and tourism stimulates economic growth, creates quality jobs, inspires new businesses and elevates the quality of life. Our hospitality industry supports more than 32,000 jobs, creating a resilient workforce of industry professionals who successfully hosted more than 13.5 million visitors to our destination in 2022 alone. NTTW is dedicated to them.
Scheduled for Thursday, May 2 at our Convention Center, we are excited to again have Sinclair Communications Creative Director Allen Fabijan serving as emcee of our program this year as well as a slated host of city and community leaders. As is customary, we will host a light reception beginning at 11 am followed by the luncheon and awards program starting at noon.
I encourage everyone to register at this link to join in the celebration of our amazing hospitality industry. Pre-registration is required for all who wish to attend. Make plans to be in the audience when the top honors are announced - I look forward to seeing everyone there!
CVB Sales Activity and News:
The CVB team supports the bureau’s strategic pillars of Engagement, Growth, Brand Development, Culture, and Accountability.
We’re pleased to share the following examples of recent media coverage:
- Click here for the print edition of the Scottish Sun featured Virginia Beach’s Delta Hotels by Marriott in ‘Late Deals’ section (not available online)
- Virginia Beach is #14 in Sports Business Journal’s “Top 15 cities for sports hosting events without a major league sports team”
- Journalist Lindsay Cohn featured Sandbridge Beach in Veranda’s recent round-up titled “The 16 Best East Coast Beaches in the U.S.”
- AZ Central announces a new Breeze airways Norfolk – Arizona nonstop flight
The M&C Sales & Service Team was out in full force this week selling, engaging, and providing services to our clients and partners. Scott Warren was in Chicago for MPI’s Regional Business Exchange where he represented the CVB as a sponsor and spread the word about our destination. He was joined by more than 30 planners and held close to 18 one-on-one “speed networking” meetings. Jamie Rawls, Dee Mittman and Amy Overstreet held site visits for several 2025 events looking to convene in Virginia Beach! And our mighty Services Team was busy working with seven hotels, our Convention Center, and volunteers on behalf of the American Association of Physician & Provider Recruitment, providing seamless shuttle services to over 1,000 delegates throughout the resort. Go Team!
Free parking in the Resort area is set to expire on March 31 which includes the off-season parking along Atlantic Avenue. Paid parking will begin on April 1 for designated street parking, municipal lots, and municipal garages. Download the VB GO app from Android and Apple app stores for real time availability and rates.
This week, the Convention Center successfully hosted 800 attendees for the annual conference of the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment. Approximately 2,000 people are expected this Sunday for Trinity Church’s Easter Service.
Don’t Miss the Easter Bunny Tomorrow at Town Center of Virginia Beach - Hop on down to the Fountain Plaza to celebrate with the Town Center Easter Bunny at their first ever Easter Eggstravaganza tomorrow, March 30, from 11 am to 2 pm. This free, family-friendly event is for children ages 7 and under only. Among other fun activities, children can enter a dance contest for prizes and get free photos with the Town Center Easter Bunny. There will be a best Easter bonnet/hat contest, games, face painting, and more!
Easter Egg Hunts (times may fluctuate):
- Ages 1-3 12:00 pm
- Ages 4-5 12:30 pm
- Ages 6-7 1:00 pm
Take advantage of specials from Town Center restaurants and retailers. Go to www.towncentervb.com to learn more.
VB WAVE & BayFront Shuttle Service - Hampton Roads Transit’s VB Wave Trolley and Bayfront Shuttle services are an easy way to get around the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Rudee Inlet, and even reach First Landing State Park along the Chesapeake Bay to walk the trails. Hop aboard, kick back, and let them do the driving! Find more information here.
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
Click here to view the 2024 CVB Events Calendar. To view the Resort area entertainment schedule, click here and for easy access the Town Center of Virginia Beach events and activities listing, 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 March 10 - March 16: Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the week of March 10 – March 16 was up 12.9% at 61.1% occupancy and up 3.0% for the running 28-day trend. ADR was up 2.1% at $135.79 and up 0.7% for the running 28-day trend. RevPAR was up 15.2% at $82.98 and up 3.7% for the running 28-day trend.
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