July 25, 2025

Dear Valued Industry Partners,

I hope everyone is doing their very best to stay cool during these dog days of summer which have arrived a bit earlier than usual this year. 

We are pleased when we can share opportunities with our stakeholders to provide feedback on important issues. Now your valuable input is needed by our partners at Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) who have engaged Hunden Partners to facilitate a new Statewide Strategic Tourism Plan. This plan will guide Virginia's tourism growth, sharpen the Commonwealth's competitive edge and increase both visitation and traveler spending over the next three years. The focus of this regional plan is on tourism product development within each of the 10 tourism regions across the Commonwealth. Please participate in a brief survey and be a part of shaping the future of tourism in Virginia. The survey closes July 31, 2025. The link to the survey may be found here.

It’s always a treat for our team to engage with our community during events hosted by our partners. Last week, Team CVB showed up in force to support the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association and the kickoff of the Duke’s Hot Tomato Summer campaign promoting the iconic southern duo of tomatoes and mayo. We were honored to have Mayor Dyer join us on the Boardwalk - check out some of the fun we had!

We’re pleased to share this week’s press hits: 

• Mommy Poppins suggested a day trip to Virginia Beach to beat the heat in D.C.
• Brandpoint MAT release published on USA Today
• A Yahoo! Creators feature about budget friendly beach getaways included Virginia Beach
• Charlottesville Family rounded up the best water parks in Virginia and included Virginia Beach’s Ocean Breeze Water Park

📣 Partner with Us on Social! We’re excited to share the latest efforts from the CVB Marketing Team across Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook. By following Visit Virginia Beach on these channels, you'll stay up to date on our newest content, campaign rollouts, and stories that showcase the spirit of our destination.

🤝 We’d love for you to engage with us, share posts that resonate with your audience, and help amplify Virginia Beach’s message. When sharing, be sure to tag @visitvabeach so we can highlight and celebrate you in return!

The Meetings & Convention Sales Team continues to hit the ground running in FY’26 with its sales, site visits and other activities. This past week, Dee Mittman hosted a site visit for a multi-cultural group. Scott Warren is in Miami attending NorthStar Meeting Group’s South East Destination’s appointment show. Sally Noona participated in a sales luncheon with one of the state educational associations to work on a multi-year contract. 

In more sales news, Jim Coggin was recently in Atlanta attending a regional motorcoach association meeting. Conference activities included desk-side appointments with tour operators from Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Louisiana. 

With summer here, Destination Services has been busy delivering brochures, signature sweets, maps and other items to our partners for the annual summer conventions that visit our city each year. The team has also been working diligently behind the scenes preparing for the numerous tradeshows and sales missions which help promote our destination and brand throughout the country in the coming year.

It’s an exciting weekend for sports tourism in Virginia Beach, with three premier events bringing top athletes and their families from across the country to our city. From softball diamonds to field hockey pitches and lacrosse fields, Virginia Beach is once again the stage for unforgettable competition and community.

The Youth Softball World Series – Session 1 is in full swing at the Princess Anne Athletic Complex, running Wednesday through Sunday. This is the first of three sessions being hosted here in Virginia Beach, welcoming over 800 elite youth softball players from across the nation. Session 1 and the upcoming Session 2 build anticipation for the highly awaited 2025 Baseball/Softball Youth Virginia Beach All-American Games, which will debut in our city from August 7h –10th. Across all three events, more than 1,900 athletes and their families will experience everything Virginia Beach has to offer, making it a major highlight on the summer sports calendar.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Summer Bash returns Friday through Sunday to the USA Regional Field Hockey Training Center. Around 600 field hockey athletes will hit the astroturf for a weekend of intense matchups and development. This event continues to be a strong draw for youth athletes and showcases the Training Center as one of the top field hockey destinations on the East Coast.

Rounding out the weekend is the 2025 Seaside Showdown, taking place Saturday and Sunday at the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex. Known as one of the marquee lacrosse events of the season, it will bring in around 1,500 athletes and their families for two days of high-energy play. The Seaside Showdown not only delivers exciting action but also reinforces Virginia Beach as a growing lacrosse hub.

Together, these events highlight Virginia Beach’s growing reputation as a top-tier sports destination, bringing in thousands of visitors who will contribute to our local economy while enjoying world-class competition.

Marina District is Open During Construction: The local businesses, restaurants, and attractions in the Marina District at the Oceanfront remain open and ready to serve everyone during City construction on Winston Salem Avenue. The project will improve pedestrian access and connectivity between Mediterranean Avenue, the Rudee Loop Walkway, and Pacific Avenue. 

• For a complete list of businesses and more information on the project, click here. 
• Those interested in getting email updates and news from the City on this project can sign up here.
• Help visitors and guests explore the Marina District during construction – find a flyer here with the best routes to the Marina District or request printed copies by emailing WinstonSalem@vbgov.com.

ViBe Creative District to Host International Night Markets - The International Night Market is back! Rooted in the heart of the ViBe Creative District, this cultural series returns to celebrate the global diversity of Virginia Beach. Each event will highlight the international flavors, spotlighting diverse artists, musicians, food trucks and vendors from around the world, all coming together to ignite community pride, fuel local business and create a space where everyone belongs.

Join the excitement at the next market night event scheduled for Friday, August 15th at 6 p.m. Located at 723 20th Street, beside Dwell in the ViBe Apartments, and in collaboration with the ViBe Creative District and the City of Virginia Beach, this family-friendly evening will transform the 20th Street cul-de-sac into an open-air cultural block party. Guests can expect vibrant live music, energetic dance performances, local artisan vendors, hands-on art, games and activities for all ages, and a global lineup of food trucks offering authentic flavors from across Latin America. 

Inspired by the spirit of street festivals found in cities like São Paulo, Cartagena, and San Juan, the Night Market is more than an event, it is a celebration of identity, culture, and connection. The series is spearheaded by Victor Leite of Dwell, a Brazilian-born entrepreneur and active member of the Friends of the Creative District business association, who has made it his mission to create space for international voices to be seen, heard, and honored.

Each Night Market will spotlight a different cultural heritage, including celebrations of African, Asian & Pacific Islander, Indian, Middle Eastern, and European communities. Together, they represent the colorful mosaic of cultures that give Virginia Beach its vibrant, creative, and uniquely connected heartbeat. Find out more, including the upcoming dates, here.

Beach Blanket Cinema Offers Free Family Fun - Claim your place in the sand at 8:30 pm on Thursday evenings this summer for outdoor cinema nights, and get ready for high-energy family adventures! Want the movie lineup? Click here and we’ll see you there!

Summer Fest at Town Center Offers Free Live Entertainment Throughout August - It's Summer Fest at Town Center! Free live entertainment continues from 5:00 - 9:00 or 5:30 - 8:30 on select nights in the Town Center Fountain Plaza. Listen to some of your favorite local musical artists throughout the summer. Enjoy the free music and stay for the delicious food and drink offered in one of the many Town Center establishments. The planned August entertainment schedule is as follows: 

Fri. 8/1 | 5:00-9:00PM Lucky 757
Sat. 8/2 | 5:00-9:00PM The Janitors
Sun. 8/3 | 5:00-9:00PM The AmbassadorZz
Thu. 8/7 | 5:30-8:30PM Frank Sings Frank
Fri. 8/8 | 5:00-9:00PM Brandon Bower Band
Sat. 8/9 | 5:00-9:00PM Rocky 7
Fri. 8/15 | 5:00-9:00PM The Steals
Sat. 8/16 | 5:00-9:00PM The 9th Life
Fri. 8/22 | 5:00-9:00PM Vince Kornegay Band
Sat. 8/23 | 5:00-9:00PM Snackbar Jones
Sun. 8/24 | 5:30-8:30PM Frank Sings Frank
Fri. 8/29 | 5:00-9:00PM Aaron Firestone Band
Sat. 8/30 | 5:00-9:00PM Vinyl Headlights
Sun. 8/31 | 5:30-8:30PM Fond Memories

Know Before You Go - Parking and WIFI are always free in Town Center. Garage parking is recommended as on-street parking times have limitations. In inclement weather, all outdoor entertainment may be cancelled. Follow the CBDA Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/CentralBusinessDistrictAssociation. This event, produced by the Central Business District Association, is provided for your enjoyment by the businesses of Town Center of Virginia Beach, Armada Hoffler Properties, and the City of Virginia Beach.

Partner Professional Development Opportunities - To support our strategic pillar of accountability to the industry, we are pleased to share information about upcoming opportunities for professional development:  

2025 VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit Early Bird Pricing Now Available: Whether you’re with a hotel or restaurant, a hospitality supplier or a CVB or DMO, VA1 is your chance to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the power of Virginia’s tourism economy. Register today for this year’s Summit and join more than 500 industry professionals for networking, education, and inspiration like nowhere else. Find all the details here.

Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association Hospitality Training (VRLTA) 2025 Regional Seminar Series Offers Professional Development Opportunities - VRLTA’s 2025 Regional Seminars aim to provide education and resources on critical industry topics, extending VRLTA’s outreach and enhancing their statewide presence through valuable, focused programming. The organization also regularly offers a variety of training and certification opportunities in the hospitality industry. These include online courses, career and technical education programs, and certification programs. Visit https://www.vrlta.org/hospitality-training/ for more information.

2025 Miles Partnership Professional Development Dates -  For more information about the following opportunities and/or to register to participate, visit  https://www.milespartnership.com/how-we-think:

• September 16 – Traveler Segments, Powered by the State of the American Traveler
• November 18 – Stewardship & Sustainability Insights, Powered by the State of the American Traveler

I encourage everyone to try to attend one of these insightful professional development opportunities if possible.

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

Find the 2025 CVB Event Calendar here, the Virginia Beach Events entertainment schedule here, and a link to the many fun 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 June 2025 - Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the month of June was down -2.0% from June of 2024, at 78.5% occupancy, and down -0.5% year to date. ADR was down -1.1% from June of 2024, at $210.61, but up 1.2% year to date. RevPAR was down -3.2% from June of 2024, at $165.39, but up 0.7% year to date. 

Source: STR, LLC. Republication or other reuse of this data without the express written permission of STR, LLC is strictly prohibited.

To view previous Friday updates, visit the CVB Partner Blog.