~ Press release issued by Page County Economic Development and Tourism office
LURAY, May 9 — The Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism will underscore Page Valley’s natural beauty in four seasons, opportunities for outdoor recreation and fresh-air relaxation and “so much more” through two new tourism marketing campaigns thanks to funding from two state grants.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday that the Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism was selected to receive a total of $40,000 from the Virginia Tourism Corp. (VTC). The Page County office, which oversees the Page Valley Destination Marketing Organization, received $20,000 through VTC’s Marketing Leverage Program (MLP) and $20,000 through VTC’s Regional Marketing Program (RMP).
In total, VTC awarded more than $3.2 million for 236 local and regional tourism marketing programs across the state. The award announcements coincide with National Travel and Tourism Week, an annual observation that celebrates the U.S. travel community.
“VTC’s marketing and sponsorship programs are powerful incentives creating tourism partnerships across Virginia that are a robust part of Virginia’s economic ecosystem,” said Youngkin. “From first-time applicants like Foxfield Races and Paradise Springs Winery to large music festivals in Hampton Roads and Southwest Virginia driving inbound overnight visitation, these programs show that tourism and tourism partnerships help Virginia’s vibrant communities grow and thrive.”
Using the hub and spoke tourism partnership model, Virginia entities partner to apply for funding. Partners may consist of Virginia cities, towns, counties, convention and visitors’ bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events and other tourism-related businesses.
“VTC’s tourism marketing and sponsorship programs are designed to increase visitor spending by leveraging limited marketing dollars, to stimulate new tourism marketing through partnerships, and to extend the ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ brand to drive visitation,” said Rita McClenny, VTC President and CEO.
The Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism received a $20,000 MLP grant for its “So Much More in Page Valley” campaign, and will contribute $20,000 in matching funds. The campaign aims to inspire return trips and longer stays by targeting visitors while they are in Page Valley through the creation and distribution of inspiration guides. The guides — to be distributed to Page Valley lodging partners — are set to include engaging feature stories, themed itineraries, compelling images and QR codes leading visitors to up-to-date and seasonal information on pagevalley.org.
The project serves as a companion to the upcoming Page Valley Visitor Guides, set to be distributed later this year. Like the ARPA-supported visitor guides, the magazine-style inspiration guides will showcase anchor attractions, but also call on and spur visitors to return to experience anchor attractions again, as well as lesser-known but equally compelling attractions, activities and experiences.
“So Much More in Page Valley” campaign partners include cabincapital.com — a visitor website overseen by the Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center — and the Page Valley Fair Association.
The Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism received a $20,000 RMP grant for its “Calling All to Page Valley” campaign, also matched by $20,000. The campaign will focus on strategic advertising, appealing to a variety of first-time and returning visitors by “calling all” to find what they seek in Page Valley.
Included in the campaign are plans for targeted video advertising through VTC’s Digital Co-op, as well as header and mobile footer advertisements on the state’s visitor website virginia.org. Similar to pagevalley.org‘s hero videos — captured in part with grant funding from VTC’s 2022 Recovery MLP — the 30-second video ads will spotlight places to stay and things to do in Page Valley and target key feeder markets in the Washington metropolitan area. The campaign also includes plans to run a two-page ad in the 2024 Virginia Travel Guide that will appear first in the guide’s Shenandoah Valley Region section.
“Calling All to Page Valley” campaign partners include Shenandoah National Park’s concessioner Delaware North and the Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center. The Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism each year funds operations at the visitor center in Downtown Luray.
“As proud as I am for our department receiving the maximum amount of funding possible from these grant programs, I am especially proud of the relationship-building between the department, industry partners and the Small Business Development Center,” said Director of the Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism Nina Fox. “Through this joint effort, Page County businesses and organizations received an additional $60,000 in VTC funding, representing a combined total of $100,000 to market Page and the Shenandoah Valley.”
In addition to Page Valley’s campaigns, three local campaigns received $20,000 each in MLP dollars to market the area: Stanley’s Wisteria Farm and Vineyard, Luray’s Shadow Mountain Escape and the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association (SVTA). Page Valley partnered with Wisteria in its “Stanley Loves Family” campaign and offered letters of support for Shadow Mountain Escape and SVTA’s respective campaigns.
Page Valley is the lead marketing and promotional Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Page County, Virginia and is funded by Transient Occupancy Tax revenue. The Page County Office of Economic Development and Tourism oversees the Page Valley DMO, and is assisted by the Page County Tourism Council. Together, Page County staff and council members work to serve our partners in Page Valley, as well as the thousands of visitors who stay with us each year.
For more information about Page Valley, visit pagevalley.org.
More information on VTC’s Marketing Leverage and Regional Marketing Programs
may be found at vatc.org/grants.
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Wisteria Farm & Vineyard site of county’s third LOVE sign thanks to VTC grant
Page County’s Economic Development and Tourism office unveils new website and logo
Be the first to comment