Category: Tourism and Hospitality
The occupancy rates for Norfolk's and Virginia Beach's hotels are creeping back up toward pre-recession levels, and in 2011, Virginia Beach hotels saw their highest revenues per available room in five years.
Figures show that Norfolk's occupancy rate rose to 57.3 percent in 2011, up from 55.5 percent in 2009 and 56 percent in 2010. In 2007, occupancy rates were 63 percent, the highest over a 10-year period.
According to Travel Leaders, a Minnesota-based travel agency, more business travelers will be ditching coach to opt for business or first-class flights this year.
The annual Travel Trends Survey, which polled travel agents in the TL franchise, also found that 97 percent of respondents have business travel clients who use electronic boarding passes at airports.
After Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms halted the public debate about a headquarters hotel development next to the Virginia Beach Convention Center, leaders in the tourism industry are weighing in on what's next for the project - and whether the hotel proposal can grow legs.
Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed repealing a law that prohibits schools from starting before Labor Day - a stance that has created friction among some in the tourism community.
Doing away with the law that prevents schools from starting before Labor Day, which was enacted in the '80s, would have a negative economic impact on businesses that depend on keeping staffs in place for the entire summer season, said Katie Hellebush, director of government relations for the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association.
Virginia was named by Wine Enthusiast Magazine among the top 10 best wine travel destinations for 2012.
It shares the honor with Italy, Spain, France, New Zealand, Hungary, Germany and Chile. Virginia and two California regions were the only domestic destinations that won the distinction.
Pivotal players in the transformation of the 31st Street at the Oceanfront project spoke last week at the International Council of Shopping Centers' Southeastern Virginia Next Generation meeting at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
The speakers were Bruce Thompson, CEO of Gold Key/PHR Hotels and Resorts; Warren Harris, Virginia Beach's director of economic development; and William Almond, vice president of WPL, a landscape architecture and engineering firm in Virginia Beach.
The Norfolk Consortium, a new, city-funded alliance of arts and cultural facilities, has introduced its first initiative to draw visitors to Norfolk and get venues working together.
A brainchild of Norfolk's new city manager, Marcus Jones, the consortium, through an initiative called Norfolk Shines, has launched a December travel package deal called the "Holiday Spectacular."
The package is just one of several ideas the consortium plans to launch in coming months to enhance tourism in the city.
A proposal for a headquarters hotel near the Virginia Beach Convention Center will go before City Council on Dec. 13, with details presented to the public Dec. 6.
Jim Ricketts, director of the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, confirmed the proposal will include a $61.8 million investment on the city's part, covering over half of the $109.2 million project costs.
The hotel will be a 15-story, 361-room Hyatt Regency, he said. The brand has 18 convention center hotels throughout the country.
The Smithfield and Isle of Wight Convention and Visitors Bureau knows its strengths. Small-town charm, coupled with prominent names associated with the area, works in its favor.
"Smithfield is the ham capital of the world, and Paula Deen is quite a spokeswoman," said Judy Hare Winslow, director of tourism at the CVB.
Virginia Beach was ranked America's top eighth city, according to Bloomberg Businessweek's first "best cities" ranking, released last week.
The ranking was based on cultural and recreational amenities, school performance, bars, restaurants and museums, the poverty rate, environment and other quality of life factors.
