DESTINATION: YOUR CITY

How do people perceive Austin, Portland, and Las Vegas? Isn’t part of the lasting brand of a destination the impression of the skyline and bright city lights? How can we brand Virginia Beach? Richmond? Charlottesville? Culpeper? These were some of the discussions at this year’s Virginia-1 Summit in Northern Virginia.

Tourism is a $21.5 billion industry in Virginia, employing 213,000 Virginians across the Commonwealth. Virginia’s hospitality industry thrives on the growing flow of visitors to our mountains, valleys, cities, farms and seashores. Our hotel and restaurant customers rely on bright, eye-catching and inviting electric signs to lead this inflow of people through their doors, and many attended the Tourism Summit at the Hyatt Regency Reston this week.

The conference was held at a luxurious hotel located in the Reston Town Center, just a few miles away from where the new Silver Metro Line now connects Reston to Washington, DC. As I looked out my 10^th floor hotel room Sunday night, I could see the bright lights from the Reston Bowtie Cinema, one of our recent sign projects; and during a luncheon video presentation highlighting Norfolk’s skyline, I noticed the high-rise electric sign we made for the Dominion Resources Building shining bright. It’s neat to see our signs at work! There is just something about the way a city street lights up at night that really leaves a lasting ambiance. It is kind of a romantic feeling and it makes me remember the area and I want to come back. It’s all a big part of destination marketing, which was a topic of this year’s summit.

The three-day conference offered many great workshops about new ways to boost Virginia as an attractive tourist destination, and the group became energized during a lunch session yesterday by Governor Terry McAuliffe. The Governor said that the Virginia tourism industry has become very important, especially in light of sequestration.  

Here are portions of an official press release from the conference:

“We’re unified by one common goal: to make Virginia a better place to live, work, play, and raise a family,” said Governor McAuliffe.

VA-1, the Commonwealth’s annual summit that focuses on ways to maximize Virginia’s tourism potential, had more than 400 people from all sectors of Virginia’s tourism industry in attendance this year.  The summit also aimed at identifying new and game changing ideas to stay competitive, leveraging new opportunities through networking and relationship building, and advancing Virginia’s prominence as a premier, global travel destination.  Breakout sessions included topics such as “The Power of Creative Communities,” “Building Major Music Festivals,” “Marketing Virginia Weddings” and “Eco Travel & Tourism.” 

Also driving home the importance of tourism in Virginia, Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones said, “Tourism has consistently proven to be a sound investment for Virginia. “It is an instant revenue generator, channeling millions of dollars into the Commonwealth’s coffers and into the revenue stream to local governments.” 

For more information on Virginia Tourism, visit vatc.org, virginia.org and vhta.org.

 

Branding & Wayfinding Signs:

• What is the Cocooning Effect?
• Shopping Center Repositioning
• Re-Branding a Retirement Community
• Turning Eyeballs into Smiles
• Green Marketing
• Site Lighting and Your Brand
• Flexible LED Case Study
• Custom Awnings
• Richmond Executive Airport
• Branding Grace Church
• Shopping Center Makeovers Boosting Economic Development
• Branding and Anniversary at Kings Dominion

Digital Messaging Signs:

6 BENEFITS OF DIGITAL SIGNS:

• Part 1- They Connect With The Community
• Part 2- They Can Be Paid For By Your Vendors
• Part 3- They Grab Attention of the Masses
• Part 4- They Allow You to Own the Media Channel
• Part 5- They Have a Long Track Record of Getting Attention
• Part 6- Use Them for Promoting Loss Leaders

Contact: Mark Hackley

Account Executive

mhackley@holidaysigns.com

540-416-3154