 |
|
| Trends & Statistics |
|
|
Hotel occupancy down 1.5% YTD through July |
|
|
Hotel revenue up 6.3% YTD |
|
|
Website unique visitors up 20% YTD |
 |
Visitors Center traffic down 70% YTD |
|
| Mark Your Calendar |
| |
Upcoming LCVA Events |
|
|
Fall Networking and Benefit Auction "Barbecue and Bluegrass"
5:30-8:30pm
Thursday, October 12
Whitehall Manor, Bluemont
Download an RSVP form here.
|
|
|
LCVA Holiday Open House
10am-4pm Thursday,
December 7
LCVA Offices, Leesburg
|
|
|
LCVA Meeting Reminders |
|
|
LCVA Annual Meeting/Tourism Awards/Auction Committee
October 4, 8:30am
LCVA Offices
|
|
|
LCVA Industry Outreach Committee
October 5, 9:30am
LCVA Offices
|
|
|
LCVA Executive Committee
October 11, 8:45am
LCVA Offices
|
 |
LCVA Bylaws/Nominations Committee
October 16, 9am
LCVA Offices
|
|
LCVA Marketing/Sales Advisory Committee
October 17, 3:30pm
Hampton Inn & Suites Leesburg
|
|
LCVA Board of Directors Meeting
October 25, 3:30pm
Location TBD
|
|
|
|
| PRINTING TIP: |
| To print the Compass, set your page margins to .25 inches. |
|
|
| September 2006 |
|
The LCVA is revitalizing its former newsletter by launching this eNewsletter to our industry partners, elected officials, and business leaders. We hope you'll stay abreast of the tourism destination marketing and sales activities coordinated by the LCVA and that you will take advantage of the opportunities offered to fully benefit from Loudoun's tourism promotion.
The LCVA is underway with an exciting new endeavor; we are establishing a foundation. The first step is a scholarship program that will be implemented in conjunction with the Northern Virginia Community Foundation where the LCVA has a scholarship fund. A fundraiser is being hosted by the tourism industry on October 12th. Whitehall Manor and Celebrations Catering are contributing the location, food, and staff; the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott and the Hampton Inn & Suites Leesburg are hosting the beverages; B.F. Saul is hosting the entertainment; the Washington Airports Task Force is sponsoring a giveaway item for everyone; and the industry is helping donate and secure auction items.
Some of you may ask why LCVA is involved in developing a scholarship program. As tourism industry leaders we know that work force is an issue many of our partners face. The goal of the scholarship program is to encourage local high school students to study in tourism and hospitality fields in order to help our future work force. Your contributions to this foundation effort are appreciated and we hope to exceed our fundraising goals. The many volunteers and sponsors are to be thanked for their vision to create such a program. We encourage you to attend; auction items have a broad range of prices and the networking will be worthwhile. |
|
|
|
- The LCVA's Fall Networking and Benefit Auction "Barbecue and Bluegrass" will be held at beautiful Whitehall Manor in Bluemont from 5:30-8:30pm on Thursday, October 12, 2006. The cost is $15 per person with all the proceeds benefiting the Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association Scholarship Fund. Sponsors are providing the location, food, and beverages. A silent auction will be held from 5:30-7pm followed by a live auction from 7:30-8pm hosted by local celebrity auctioneer, Hunter deButts. Download the RSVP form the homepage of our Tourism Industry Website at www.VisitLoudoun.org/lcva.
Great auction items like a trip to New Orleans' Mardi Gras, flights on Southwest Airlines, sports memorabilia, golf tee times, dining, wine tours, gift baskets, and more will be on the auction block. The LCVA would also like to thank everyone who has donated items for the live and silent auctions. It's not too late to donate auction items. Contact Chris Geno at Geno@VisitLoudoun.org.
The LCVA would like to thank our generous sponsors: Celebrations Catering and Whitehall Manor, Washington Dulles Airport Marriott, Hampton Inn & Suites Leesburg, B.F. Saul Company, and the Washington Airports Task Force.
- The LCVA's new publication, Towns and Villages of Loudoun County, Virginia, will soon be available for distribution. This 50-page guide offers visitors a cultural overview of Loudoun's seven incorporated towns and several villages. It also introduces them to the people, places, and stories that make them unique. The guide includes a county-wide map that highlights each of the towns and villages mentioned, as well as roads classified as Virginia Scenic Byways so that visitors can choose the most picturesque routes from town to town. Contact Grafton deButts to be included in the distribution, deButts@VisitLoudoun.org.
|
|
| Industry News |
- The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm was selected as one of the top 25 restaurants in Northern Virginia by the Northern Virginia Magazine, August 2006. In the fall issue of Loudoun Magazine, Chef Christian was included in the article "Kitchen Conversations" as one of Loudoun's top chefs. They were also chosen as one of 12 restaurants to be included in the October 2006 section of "The Great Restaurants of America" in Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines.
- The Middleburg Training Center, which encompasses 150 acres between St. Louis and Foxcroft roads just outside of Middleburg, and is used for the training of racehorses, has been sold to noted horseman, Randolph Rouse.
- Eyetopia was named the number one place to buy handbags in the Washington area according to the Channel 9 Washington A List. Visit them at their new location: 223 Loudoun St. SE, Leesburg.
- Chris Blosser of Breaux Vineyards appeared on Channel 9 on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 in a segment promoting the winery and the Virginia Wine Festival.
If you have any news about your organization you would like to share with the tourism industry in Loudoun County, please contact Chris Geno, Geno@VisitLoudoun.org.
|
|
| Program Updates |
- The LCVA is working on the new edition of VISIT LOUDOUN: The 2007-2008 Official Visitors Guide to Loudoun County. This guide is the LCVA's primary marketing tool to entice leisure travelers to visit Loudoun County. The 2007-2008 edition will have some added bonuses: a special weddings section, and in-room and on-site distribution at local hotels. Don't miss out on promoting your business to over 100,000 potential visitors! To reserve space in the new guide, please download the sales kit from the industry news section of our Tourism Industry Website by clicking here, or contact Grafton deButts by email at deButts@VisitLoudoun.org or by phone at (703) 771-2170 ext. 12. The deadline for participation is October 31, 2006.
- The Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association provides a Cooperative Marketing Fund (formerly called the Tourism Grant Program) to assist with tourism promotion. It is a matching funds program with maximum payout up to a $1 for $1 match. Non-profit organizations may include professional in-kind services as part of the match and must provide proposals detailing the in-kind value to verify the match.
Applications are accepted twice a year and are reviewed by a volunteer committee of individuals who are not directly related to the applicants. The first round of applications was accepted in July. The second round of applications will be accepted by 5pm November 17, 2006.
For eligibility, application criteria, and process, please click here to go to the industry news section of our Tourism Industry Website and scroll down to LCVA Tourism Cooperative Marketing Fund Program.
- The LCVA participated in the first ever Tourism Leadership Forum hosted by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) and co-sponsored by each state (when?). Virginia had a dinner for our elected congressman and senators and their staff and then met with as many offices as possible the next day.
- The LCVA was invited to provide information and travel perspective to Southwest Airlines as they are planning their routes. Jeremy Harvey represented the LCVA and the Loudoun tourism industry on August 4th and shared our key markets and what we'd hope they would consider for new routes out of Washington Dulles International Airport.
- The LCVA participated in a press conference with Congressman Wolf's office and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center regarding the new regional transit route along the Rt. 28 corridor that stops at the Dulles Town Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, and the Udvar-Hazy Center.
- The General Services Administration (GSA) announced the Federal per diem rates effective October 1, 2006 and Loudoun County has been removed from the Washington, DC metro rate. The LCVA has met with Congressman Wolf's office and the GSA, and is working with the hotels and meeting facilities on this issue.
- The LCVA's FY 07 advertising campaign was launched with branding advertising in Gourmet Magazine and Where Magazine (Northern Virginia).
|
|
| Sales Activity Report |
- The LCVA attended and exhibited at the ASAE Convention/Tradeshow in Boston and the Affordable Meetings Show in Chicago.
- The LCVA exhibited at the Mid-Atlantic Tourism PR Alliance Media Marketplace attended by 45 travel and lifestyle writers from local, regional and national media.
- LCVA exhibited in a corporate tradeshow at Quest Communications. Leisure opportunities in Loudoun County were promoted during the event to more than 300 employees.
- The LCVA represented Loudoun County to the military and family reunion market through its participation and exhibition at The Reunion Network attended by 35 military planners from national organizations.
|
|
| Economic Impact Update |
The LCVA finalized the year-end numbers for the FY 06 economic impact of LCVA programs and discovered a spreadsheet formula error in the FY 04 and 05 reports. Here are the three years [as corrected]: FY 04 $48.8 million, FY 05 $50.5 million and FY 06 $56.7 million.
|
|
