The City of Danville’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism and the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History have received grants from the Virginia Tourism Corporation for tourism marketing.
The grants are part of the more than $2.7 million recently announced by Governor Glenn Youngkin for local and regional programs.
The Office of Economic Development & Tourism will use a $20,000 grant to create a comprehensive visitor guide promoting tourism assets in Danville and Pittsylvania County.
Lisa Meriwether, tourism manager for the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, said nearly 90 percent of all visitors ultimately decide on a destination because of information provided in a visitor guide.
“They (visitor guides) are also effective at lengthening stays,” Meriwether said. “We are grateful to the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) for its support of this project.”
She said many tourism partners in the area have overwhelmingly supported the project. Those partners include the River District Association, Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex, Caesars Virginia, and the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History.
The guide will include information about local and regional attractions, lodging, and food and beverage, as well as highlight the beauty of the city and county. Guides will be placed in state welcome centers and local and regional visitor centers. They will also be made available to local and regional businesses to share with visitors and customers.
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History (DMFAH) received a $10,000 grant for its video project: “Share What You Love – Weaving Together Danville’s History.” The museum will team up with local historical sites, and tour and humanities groups to produce an overview of the city’s architecture and the stories they tell.
Elsabe Dixon, DMFAH executive director, said the video project will feature a range of sites, including Green Book civil rights sites, historical churches, tobacco and textile warehouses, Italianate villas and Millionaires’ Row Victorian houses, and the textile mill tenement of the Schoolfield village.
“We want to highlight the historical narratives and timelines of our beautiful city and share this information with our community and the many visitors to our destination,” Dixon said. “We are so pleased to have the support of the Virginia Tourism Corporation.”
Filming for this project will begin right away.
Rita McClenny, VTC president and CEO, said the grants provide an important opportunity for communities to accelerate recovery efforts and continue with their best-in-class marketing initiatives to attract new travelers.
“Increased visitation translates directly into revenue generation, underscoring tourism’s important role in stimulating economic growth and expansion,” McClenny said.
The VTC Regional Marketing Program aims to help Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) drive overnight visitation and to supplement funding for economically significant special events and festivals in order to increase overnight visitation. The DMO funding is projected to drive more than 125,000 room nights over the next 18 months.
More information on the VTC’s Regional Marketing Program can be found at vatc.org.
About Virginia Tourism Corporation
Virginia is for Lovers is one of the most iconic and recognizable travel brands in the world. Using that powerful brand equity, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is charged with promoting the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination by showcasing all there is to love in a Virginia vacation. The dollars spent by travelers fuel the economy, provide jobs for Virginians, and improve communities across the state. Simply put, tourism helps make Virginia a great place to live, work, and vacation. Learn more at virginia.org.
About the City of Danville’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism
The office of Economic Development & Tourism is responsible for leading the City of Danville’s tourism efforts by aggressively branding and promoting the city and Pittsylvania County to differentiate it from other regional competitors through advertising, promotions, trade events, and visitor experience initiatives to stimulate economic growth for the region.
About the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History is Danville’s cultural center for the arts and history. It also serves the outlying communities of Pittsylvania and Caswell County. The museum aims to share the stories of all its collections — art, Civil War and civil rights — and facilitate ways for the local community to share their own stories.