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August 1, 2025
Dear Valued Industry Partners,
Welcome to August!
I’d like to congratulate those Virginia Beach businesses who applied for and received a grant from the City for matching façade improvements:
- Beach Bully BBQ
- JMT Sweets & More
- The Vintage Cauldron
- Rockafeller’s
- Karma Longboards
- Robins Consulting
- Driveway Motors
- MMM Coffee
- MNPM Ladies’ Boutique and More
- Plaza Bakery
- Lakeshore Property I
- JWNSF Hilltop
- Atlantic Veterinary Center
- Snip Atlantic
- Esoteric
- Atlantic Avenue Association
- Animal Medical Center
- Waffles & Co.
- The Pig Barbeque Eatery
- MPN Group/Virginia Beach School of the Arts
We will look forward to seeing these improvements which will serve to enhance the City for guests and residents alike.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to assist our state partners at Virginia Tourism Corporation 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. Stay tuned for the results when released.
If you are interested in learning more about state grant programs for your tourism business, click here for more information including a staff listing.
We are pleased to share several of the latest press hits featuring our destination:
- Travel + Leisure featured Virginia Beach’s Chic’s and Sandbridge Beaches in “This Peaceful Southern Spot Was Just Named the Calmest Beach in the U.S.—and It Has Small Town Charm and Few Crowds”
- Islands mentioned Virginia Beach as one of the top places to retire in the U.S.
- Luxury Travel Advisor named The Hunt Room and Orion’s Roof to a list of the best hotel restaurants in the U.S.
- Waterman’s and Chix on the Beach were mentioned in a roundup on famous boardwalk restaurants in Cheapism
📣 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!
It was an honor to be on site at the Convention Center this week for an all-hands training and to present a special recognition from Mayor Dyer to Jace Schotthoefer for his work on the Veterans Memorial. This weekend, the Center will be bustling with the Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show, Superstar Anime, and the Bachata Vida Dance Party.
The Destination Services Team is preparing for National Celebrate Services Week August 4th - 8th. The Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA) created National Celebrate Services Week as a time to:
- Celebrate the role of the event service professional
- Advocate for the event services profession
- Provide our partners a local networking opportunity with event services peers
Across North America, destinations, hotels, and venues will gather together in honor of this special time. The Visit Virginia Beach Destination Services Team will join in by hosting a special networking event with the Virginia Beach Hotel, Convention Services Managers and the Convention Center Event Services Team to celebrate together.
This weekend, Virginia Beach continues to shine as a premier destination for youth sports, with two exciting events taking place across the city hosted by the Sports Tourism team.
From Wednesday through Sunday, the Athletx Youth Softball World Series rolls into Session 2 following a highly successful opening week. More than 400 athletes will take the fields for another action-packed stretch of competitive play, building on the momentum of Session 1, which brought over 70 teams to town. As teams battle for bragging rights and team pride, the competition sets the stage for next week’s All-Star Series, one of the most anticipated highlights of the summer tournament lineup.
Meanwhile, from Friday through Sunday, the Beach Soccer Bash makes its return to the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex. Hosted by the OTSL (Over Thirty Soccer League), this event welcomes around 700 adult soccer players for a thrilling weekend of fast paced play. With teams traveling in from across the region, the fields will be buzzing with energy as athletes showcase their skills in one of the area’s top annual adult soccer events. Virginia Beach is proud to host these dynamic events and the talented young athletes who bring them to life. From the diamond to the pitch, it's another exciting weekend of sports tourism here in Virginia Beach.
Marina District Businesses 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.
- Support the Marina District during construction – download a flyer with the best routes to the Marina District or request printed copies by emailing WinstonSalem@vbgov.com.
Join the Fun During First Fridays in the ViBe Creative District - If you are looking for a variety of fun this evening, look no further than the ViBe Creative District at the Oceanfront. From walking tours to a flea market, you're sure to have a ball! Get all the info at https://vibecreativedistrict.org/upcoming-events/
August Summer Fest at Town Center Offers Exciting Lineup of Entertainment - 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 through September 1st. 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.
August 7 is National Lighthouse Day - Where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Chesapeake Bay, two lighthouses stand at Cape Henry. Listed on the Register of National Historic Landmarks, old Cape Henry Lighthouse will be open to the public in recognition of National Lighthouse Day on Thursday, August 7th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event includes new lighthouse tours, food, activities for children, special talks, and displays. For more information about the events, call 757-422-9421. To learn more about the history of these landmarks, read our blog post “America’s First Lighthouse | The Story Of The Cape Henry Lighthouse
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!
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.
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