INSIDE Future Of Rt. 28 Takes Shape .....Page 4 A PRI L 2011 VOLUME 8 NO.5
Tourism Heads Closely Watching Gov't, Travelers
By Kara Clark, Staff Writer
As the economy tumbled, so did the numbers of leisure and business travelers patronizing lodging establishments nationwide. In Loudoun, although insulated from much of the catastrophic collapse experienced by many in other states, there were some tough times to be had. Some had to lay off employees or drastically reduce rates; others could only watch as night after night unfilled rooms left owners wondering what could be done to hit revenue projections. “This industry is always the last to
recover,” Anna Lyons, general manager of the aloft Dulles North Hotel, said. “But in the worst economic times this area is the last to be affected.” While this could mean that Loudoun’s tourism industry has had only a relatively small hiccup compared to others, many hotel general managers locally are eager to see what 2011 will bring. Early indicators are promising. “In the last 12 months through February our hotel revenue is up 5 percent over last year,” Greg Miller, of PM Hospitality Strategies, Inc., said. “Last year at the same 12-month period we were down over 21.6 percent. It does indicate that we hit bottom
and we’re coming back.” There are several factors hotel industry heads are closely watching, some of which may turn the tide for a breakout 2011. Other areas have been identified as key strengths and weaknesses in Loudoun.
Government
National Conference Center General Manager Kurt Krause was patiently waiting for the verdict on whether the federal government would experience its first shutdown in more than a decade. That would determine whether a large government agency would be taking up the hundreds of rooms it had committed to for training programs less than a week later.
The ambivalence over the federal government budget has left many in the hospitality industry twiddling their thumbs. Krause said he has had several large federal agencies or government contractors postpone their training programs as they await an agreed-upon budget. “Of our $35 million to $40 million budget of revenue about $20 million of that comes from the federal government and military; $5.4 million of that $20 million has been postponed or cancelled in three months,” he said. “That’s the reality of numbers.” Krause is still confident the conference center can meet its budget for 2011. He was See Travel, Page 12
Former Visit Loudoun CEO Among Award Honorees
It was a homecoming of sorts for former Visit Loudoun CEO Cheryl Kilday at the county tourism body’s annual tourism awards, held March 31 at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott.
Kilday, who left the organization after 15 years last summer to take a similar position in Spokane, WA, was honored with the Judy Patterson Award, the highest award given during the tourism body’s annual
awards ceremony, named in honor of the late publicist who was instrumental in growing many county tourism events. Fighting back a few joyful tears, Kilday said receiving the award “is the highlight
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of my career,” noting that two former recipients of the award, Stephen Hines and Margaret Hubert, were on the search committee that selected her as head of Visit
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