• The deadline for the next round of applications for the LCVA Cooperative Marketing Fund is January 31, 2008. For more information, and application forms, please click here. The deadline for the next round is expected to be late March 2008.
  
  
• The LCVA is accepting applications for the 2008 Sports Grants. The deadline to submit applications is February 5, 2008. Click here for more information on the Sports Grants and to download the application form.
  
  
• RSVP now to Jennifer Ritter for the next DOS Luncheon Meeting to be held on Monday, February 4, 2008 from 12-2:00pm at the National Conference Center.
  
  
• Buy your tickets now! The LCVA's 12th Annual Meeting and 2007 Tourism Awards Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 from 11:30am-2pm in the brand new ballroom at West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center. The LCVA's Annual Meeting celebrates and honors Loudoun's tourism industry and it is a great time for networking and recognition. The LCVA's voting members also elect the board members for the next three year term. Click here to register and buy tickets. The LCVA Tourism Awards program is made possible by program sponsors. For more information on sponsorship opportunities click here or contact Wendy Ferrigno at 703-771-2170 ext. 24.
  
  
• The LCVA is producing a quarterly media enewsletter to be sent to local and national travel media, informing them about new developments in the Loudoun tourism industry for the coming year. Please forward information about any new packages, programs, renovations, events, etc. you would like to promote to the travel media in 2008 to Chris Geno by Thursday, January 31, 2008.
  
  
• The LCVA launched the User-Generated Review feature on VisitLoudoun.org, which gives visitors the ability to post travel reviews.
  
  
• Virginia's 75th Annual Historic Garden Week will be April 19-27, 2008. The Virginia Tourism Corporation Public Relations team is promoting this as America's largest statewide garden week to national and state travel media. If you are interested in developing events, packages, or special offers for Garden Week in Loudoun County to promote to travel editors, please contact Chris Geno at 703-771-2170 ext. 17 as soon as possible.
  
  
• The LCVA is hiring a sales manager and a marketing coordinator. Click here for more information. The deadline to submit applications is January 31, 2008.
  
  
• The Virginia Tourism Corporation provides advertorial content to media partners and it is often unscheduled. To ensure that your destination or attraction is eligible for consideration for these types of opportunities, please be sure to update your event listings on Virginia.org here. All advertorial content is generated from Virginia.org.

• Northern Virginia's largest ballroom opened in January at West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center. The new room, which accommodates groups of up to 1,800, features 16,500 square feet of event space with 18 foot ceilings. This facility was designed to bring the biggest and best events, galas, banquets, and meetings to Loudoun County. Click here to read a recent Washington Post article.
  
  
• Elizabeth Vatty has joined The National Conference Center as an executive meeting manager. Elizabeth will book and plan small meetings in the government, religious, and social sectors for The National Conference Center. She previously spent more than 12 years in sales and marketing for Paramount Parks, Inc. in Virginia and California.
  
  
• Vintage 50 in Leesburg is pleased to announce that Windy Merrill has joined the restaurant as their new certified sommelier.
  
  
• The Goodstone Inn & Estate has been nominated by Condé Nast Johansens, the prestigious international luxury travel guide, for the 2008 "Award for Excellence." Only select properties globally are nominated for the award, with winners to be announced later this month. Past winners have been some of the finest hotels in the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands. The Goodstone Inn & Estate is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
  
  
• The Norris House has just been voted # 1 Bed & Breakfast in Loudoun County for the second year by Leesburg Today readers.
  
  
• Pro-Fit Ski & Skate (www.ski-skate.com) of Leesburg has been selected as one of SKI Magazine's East Coast Regional Gold Medal shops for the 2007-2008 season. Click here to view the article. Ski shops are nominated for this honor by SKI Magazine readers and judged by a panel of editors, industry experts, ski manufacturer executives, and sales representatives.
  
  
• The SpringHill Suites by Marriott Dulles is proud to celebrate their one year anniversary this month. The SpringHill Suites Dulles has 158 suites and can accommodate meetings of up to 50 people.
  
  
• Art in the Foothills, an annual juried art show and sale in Bluemont, is issuing a call to artists to participate in the exhibit from May 9-11, 2008. Entry packets will be mailed on March 3rd with an entry deadline of April 7th. Contact Pam Forbes at 540-554-8715 to be included on the mailing list. Art in the Foothills will be held at the Stable at Foggy Bottom Vineyard. Proceeds benefit Friends of Bluemont, a nonprofit conservation and preservation organization, which is hosting the exhibit.
  
  
• The National Conference Center in Lansdowne and the Hyatt Place in Sterling both have job positions open. For more information, please click here.
  
  
• Want to advertise employment opportunities to the industry? You can do so on the LCVA website under Industry Jobs. Email Greg Harp or call him at 703-771-2170 ext. 14 for more information.

Please email your industry news to Chris Geno, LCVA Director of Industry & Media Relations, by February 15, 2008 for inclusion in the February Tourism Industry Compass.