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March 21, 2025
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
Today is the deadline!
U.S. Travel has designated May 4 – 10 as National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) 2025. This weeklong celebration was designed to highlight those superstars within our industry who shine the brightest and bring their best to our industry, keeping the tourism wheels turning all day, every day!
Our planning team is excited about all the engagement we’ve had with many of you who are excited that we’re getting close to this special time of year for our industry. Most importantly, nominate your top tier talent today! Visit the link provided here to find out more, including a downloadable Adobe form for nominations. Please help spread the word and let’s get ALL deserving members of our workforce to the table this year.
Also, don’t forget to save the date of Friday, May 9 at the Convention Center for our annual awards luncheon beginning at 11 am. We hope to see many of you supporting your teams with us on this very important day of recognition for those we rely upon to help make Virginia Beach THE destination of choice for millions each year.
While many brands presume public relations (or “PR”) is simply about landing media coverage or that it will produce immediate, measurable results, we understand that PR is a long-term strategy focused on building relationships, shaping public perception and positioning our brand for sustainable success. That’s one reason why I remain continually impressed by the “boots on the ground" work performed by our different teams, and the interest shown in our destination by an array of media outlets including journalists, bloggers and influencers. Here are some recent examples of the variety and breadth of work covering our destination:
- Virginia Beach’s new developments and event spaces are featured in Prevue
- VBCVB is mentioned in the TravelPulse Canada article, “American Destinations Still Wooing Canadians”
- WhereverFamily included Virginia Beach in “4 Family-friendly Destinations to Visit in 2025”Selling Travel highlighted the exciting new openings and events set for 2025, including Atlantic Park, The Dome and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in the article, “Surf’s up – and more – in Virginia Beach”
- Virginia Beach is included (slide 23) in the U.S. News & World Report article titled, “27 Cheap Beach Vacations for Maximizing Your Budget”
- Journalist Angela Dowdy, who visited VB in March 2024, wrote a story for She Buys Travel titled, “Virginia Beach: Solo Fun in Shoulder Season”
- Mommy Poppins featured family-friendly Virginia Beach activities in “Ultimate Virginia Bucket List: 100 Things To Do With Kids in VA”
- Journalist Kaitlyn Rosati, who visited VB last year on a road trip with her dog, included Virginia Beach in the InsideHook article, “The Year of Return Travel: Why I Spent 2024 Going Back to the Places I Love”
- Southern Living featured Virginia Beach attractions in “There's So Much More To This Coastal City Than The Boardwalk”
- Travel Pulse CA highlighted the Loonie Saver pass in “Virginia Beach Makes Waves with Savings and Special Events”
- Profession Voyages reported “Virginia Beach: événements, attractions et rabais pour les Canadiens”
- Open Jaw Quebec included the Loonie Savers Pass in “Virginia Beach News & Deals: Special Offers for Canadians”
- Journalist Alexandrea Groves at VA Trip Guide featured Virginia Beach spring Save the Date highlights in “Virginia Beach Spring 2025 Event Lineup– Festivals, Fun, And Fresh Air!”
- Islands Magazine featured Virginia Beach in “The 'World's Longest Stretch Of Pleasure Beach' Is An East Coast Boardwalk Of Activities, Food, & Beauty”
This impressive list is exactly what we hope for as we participate and engage in frequently scheduled sales, public relations and marketing missions.
We’re excited to announce that we will be launching a free, mobile-exclusive savings passport to appeal to visitors this Summer, 2025 called the Virginia Beach Savings Pass! This pass will function similarly to a free digital coupon savings book with the major difference being that it is delivered via text and emailed to passholders’ phones.
The pass will be featured throughout the Visit Virginia Beach Website and Social Channels, providing additional exposure to the businesses participating. Also, this pass will provide an additional incentive for potential travelers to book their trip to our destination or participate in additional experiences throughout their travels. Learn more about the pass here and please email Alex Smith at ajsmith@visitvirginiabeach.com if you have any questions or if you’d like to participate!
Last weekend the Convention Center was the site for the Shamrock Expo and packet pick-up. Thousands of runners along with friends and family came to pick up race packets, purchase flair to celebrate the St. Patrick’s holiday in style, and look for the latest in running innovations. That led directly into the Atlantic Dominion Food Distributors Conference which was on-site to showcase all sorts of deliciousness. Opening today and running through the weekend are both Treasures of the Earth Gem & Jewelry Show and a job fair for Live Nation and The Dome. The newest entertainment facility opening in Virginia Beach, The Dome hosts Three Dog Night as their first event this spring.
The M&C Sales & Services Team has been on the go a bit more than usual these past few weeks. Last week, Sally Noona & Dee Mittman were in Chicago for a sales mission where they presented to major association management companies and met with national accounts. Meanwhile, Eric Logan and Amy Overstreet worked on preparations for the Oceantic group arriving in town in less than a month. This week, Dee is in Atlanta on a sales mission, Amy is in PA on a joint Virginia destination marketing organization (DMO) sales mission and Jamie Rawls attended the Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE) Northern Virginia seminar. Scott Warren and Eric Logan are headed to Hershey, PA to work with the Mid Atlantic Shriners Association (MASA) during their annual spring meeting in preparation for MASA’s return to Virginia Beach again this fall.
In more sales news, Jim Coggin was recently in Owensboro, KY attending the Select Traveler Conference. Conference activities included 30 desk-side appointments with Affinity Group Travel Planners.
Recently, STARR Tours brought a group to Virginia Beach for a three day tour utilizing their newly branded Virginia Beach motorcoach. The group visited such sites as the lighthouses, the Military Aviation Museum and the Virginia Aquarium.
Virginia Beach continues to solidify its reputation as a premier sports destination, and this weekend will be no exception. With three great events taking place across the city, thousands of athletes, coaches, and fans will be arriving to compete, celebrate, and enjoy all that Virginia Beach has to offer.
Starting today and running through Sunday, the 2025 Adidas Track Nationals will take over the Virginia Beach Sports Center, welcoming the nation’s top youth track & field athletes for the grand finale of the indoor season. With competitors representing 46 states, this event is known as the ultimate showdown to close out the indoor track & field calendar. Upwards of 3,500 athletes are expected to compete, where personal bests will be broken, records will be rewritten, and the stars of tomorrow will make their mark on the track. Virginia Beach is proud to host this premier event, showcasing the nation’s top talent in a venue built for championship moments.
On Saturday and Sunday, the International Indoor Cup returns to the Virginia Beach Field House, bringing with it an international flair and a festival-like atmosphere. With 3,500 soccer athletes in attendance, including teams from South America and up and down the East Coast, this event continues to expand, taking over the entire Field House for the first time this year. More than just a tournament, the International Indoor Cup is a celebration of the sport, featuring music, food trucks, family-friendly activities, and more. The high-energy competition on the field, combined with the lively atmosphere off it, makes this one of the most unique soccer experiences in Virginia Beach.
Rounding out the weekend, beginning yesterday and running through Sunday, the 38th Annual Virginia Beach Dart Classic returns to the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront, bringing together 700 players for one of the most highly anticipated dart tournaments on the East Coast. Now in its 38th year, this event continues to be a staple in the competitive darting community, drawing top players and passionate fans alike. Whether it’s casual players looking to test their skills or seasoned competitors vying for top honors, the Dart Classic delivers intense matchups and a great atmosphere, all set against the scenic Virginia Beach coastline.
With elite track & field, international soccer, and a long-standing dart competition all happening in one action-packed weekend, Virginia Beach is once again proving why it is a top-tier destination for sports tourism. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Virginia Beach’s hotels, restaurants, businesses, city employees, and event staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that every athlete, spectator, and visitor has an unforgettable experience in our city.
The Chesapeake Bay Center (CBC) located at First Landing State Park is now open on Fridays and Saturdays in March from 10 am to 3 pm. Both the CBC and the main Visitor Information Center (VIC) at 2100 Parks Avenue are closed on Sundays.
The main Visitor Information Center (VIC) at 2100 Parks Avenue offers limited spaces for motorcoach parking on a first come, first served basis. Virginia Beach partners interested in this service are asked to first call 757-385-7873 with a date inquiry to check on availability. Overnight parking requires a 2025 parking pass, and this will be sent by a VIC staff member upon scheduling. Please do not give out parking passes without checking with the VIC first. Also, if you no longer need the parking spot, please call and cancel to allow another partner to utilize the space.
MOCA Hosts Ceramic Designers Association Pop-up Market – This Saturday and Sunday, between 10 am and 4 pm, plan to visit the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) to discover one-of-a-kind ceramics, from functional ware to decorative art, all while supporting local artisans. This pop-up market features the work of talented ceramic artists and designers from the Ceramic Designers Association (CDA). The CDA is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 1967 with a mission to connect & educate artists in the ceramic community. Since then, it has grown to a vibrant organization of approximately 90 members who can exhibit and sell their work while participating in a supportive community that offers workshops, demonstrations, and forums to share ideas & techniques. For more information about MOCA programs, click here.
U.S. Travel Industry News - Get the latest U.S. travel industry news in the March 20th edition of U.S. Travel's SmartBrief newsletter found here.
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
Find the 2025 CVB Event Calendar here, the Virginia Beach Events entertainment schedule here, and a link to the events at Town Center of Virginia Beach here.
My team and I are committed to you and our industry and are here to help in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Nancy Helman
CVB Director
nhelman@visitvirginiabeach.com
CVB Strategic Pillars:
Engagement|Growth|Brand Development|Culture|Accountability
Hotel Occupancy for February 2025 - Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the month of February was down -6.5% from Feb. 2024, at 46.2% occupancy, and down -4.1% year to date. ADR was down -1.9% from Feb. 2024, at $109.12, but up 0.7% year to date. RevPAR was down -8.3% from Feb. 2024, at $50.38, and down -3.4% year to date.
Source: STR, LLC. Republication or other reuse of this data without the express written permission of STR, LLC is strictly prohibited.
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