Virginia Beach convention business thrives as other regions see decline
Posted By HR Partnership on August 28, 2009
WVEC-TV’s Vanessa Coria recently reported that top meeting and convention destinations across the country are suffering, problems that started with the down economy.
But convention bookings in Virginia Beach are up. At the height of the summer season, the resort area is a very busy place. But it’s not just leisure and vacation travel that make this region tick.
“We make a big switch as we go into the fall and into the spring. Most of our business comes from meetings and conventions during that time period,” said Martha Fraser of the Oceanfront Hilton.
Fraser says about 50% of their overall rooms revenue comes from groups and conventions.
The Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau says those bookings are growing.
In fiscal year 2007-08, the Beach had visitors staying for 218,266 hotel nights and 28 conventions. But in FY 2008-09, the numbers jumped to 223,872 hotel nights with 46 conventions. That’s nearly 6000 more room nights and 18 more conventions.
“Our number one customer is the sports marketing arena,” said Al Hutchinson of the CVB. “Over the last year which ended June 30, 42% of our definite hotel room nights that we booked for future years was made up of sports business, from soccer groups to field hockey groups. They make up that bulk of our bread and butter.”
After sports events, military and government events account for about 29% of business. CVB officials say we’re lucky because our market, unlike many across the country, is insulated.
Several factors help keep the Beach competitive despite a down economy, including affordability, government presence in the form of military bases and defense contractors, and that huge sports business the CVB attracts.
The heads of all of the local convention and visitors bureaus have formed what’s called the ‘Southeastern Virginia Tourism Alliance’ to better serve the region. Visit their website: Southeast Virginia Tourism Alliance
Follow this link for more on this story and the related video.
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