Visit Loudoun 2012 annual report

Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association © 2012 Robb Sharetg/sharetgpictures.com. All Rights Reserved.

July 2011 - June 2012 Annual Report

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Our vision

Visit Loudoun’s vision for tourism in Loudoun is to be a “must visit” destination supported by the community that recognizes the economic and quality of life benefits that come from sharing our home with visitors. We seek to be the preferred East Coast wine country experience.

Our mission

The mission of Visit Loudoun is to generate economic benefits for Loudoun County and its jurisdictions through marketing Loudoun as a visitor destination.

Our objectives for fiscal year 2012 1. Communication: To use a variety of communication tools to engage our audiences and effectively deliver our brand promise.

2. Sales and Market Promotions: To use an innovative sales approach to generate maximum community impact.

3. Visitor Services: To serve as the official resource for visitors to enhance their experience, increase their spending, and create destination evangelists.

4. Education and Training: To foster a culture of continual learning to promote destination prosperity. © 2012 Robb Sharetg/sharetgpictures.com. All Rights Reserved.

5. Product Development: To lead Loudoun’s destination development.

6. Organizational Excellence: To ensure that Visit Loudoun’s culture, infrastructure, and financial and staffing resources contribute to the organization’s success.

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Officers

Directors

Chair

Victoria L Bendure Bendure Communications Inc

Melanie Schmidt The Medical Spa at Nova

Felix B. Bighem BWM of Sterling

LaMott K. Smith Raspberry Golf Management

Greg J. Miller PM Hospitality Strategies

Vice Chair Margaret Gene Ford Print Management Inc

Secretary

Christopher U. Brown Washington Dulles International Airport

Lori Corcoran Corcoran Vineyards & Brewing

Amy Cross-Monroe Tourism Advocate

Treasurer

Prem Devadas Salamander Hospitality

Beth M. H. Erickson Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership

Shye G. Gilad ProJet Aviation Herbert E. Glose BF Saul Company Ellen S. Goldberg Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast Inn Jacqueline B. Gosses Homewood Suites/Hampton Inn & Suites Leesburg

FY 2012 Staff List

Carrie G. Whitmer Lightfoot Restaurant Eric Whitson The National Conference Center

Ex-Officio Gary M. Clemens Loudoun County Circuit Court, Visit Loudoun Foundation Marantha Edwards Town of Leesburg Thomas M. Flynn Loudoun County Department of Economic Development

Clyde Housel Hiddencroft Winery

Anthony J. Howard Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce

Carolyn E. Howell Fun Company Events, LLC

Cynthia C. Pearson Town of Middleburg

Tina R. Johnson JP Events & Consulting

 Of f ic er s, B oar d & Staff

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

Administration

Sales

Patrick Kaler President & CEO

Jennifer Ritter Director of Sales

Greg Harp Director of Finance & Administration

Karin Aaron National Sales Manager

Marketing Jeremy Harvey Vice President of Marketing Jackie Saunders Director of Public Relations

Ashleigh Dawson Client Services & Sales Manager Naomi Kurzyna Sales Project Specialist

Research

Stacey Sheetz Marketing Communications Manager

Brian Jenkins Director of Business Strategy & Research

Wendy Ferrigno Tourism Marketing Manager

Industry Relations

Jennifer Christie Marketing Project Specialist

Janet Tamassia Industry Relations Manager

Sharon Wells Visit Loudoun Brochure Delivery

Visitor Center Hosts Anna Fasolo Roberta Fasolo Martha Kling Nancy Phillips Patti Hartle

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Dear Loudoun Tourism Industry & Friends, As we wrap up 2012, I’d like to thank you for the

Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon continues to provide

opportunity to serve as your board chair this last year.

national exposure. Our continued efforts to attract and

Our industry, the board members, Loudoun as a

support these events will result in greater visitor spending

destination, and the talented team at Visit Loudoun

and return and repeat visitation.

inspire me. Fiscal year 2012 saw continued and exciting change in the organizational and programmatic structure of Visit Loudoun under President & CEO Patrick Kaler.

Greg Miller, Board Chair

During the past year, I had the opportunity to continue as chairman of the Destination Development Committee.

This committee explores the issues and opportunities

These changes brought a new and aggressive business

associated with the development of tourism and ventures

plan that aligned the organization with better defined roles

that may impact tourism in Loudoun County. Loudoun is

and functions. The business plan’s success is measured

an emerging destination and Visit Loudoun will continue

in positive economic impact for Loudoun County which

to be a voice for the visitor and provide subject matter

resulted in a highly productive year through innovative

expertise to distinguish Loudoun from other destinations.

programs and dedicated professionals.

As we look to the future, the momentum for Visit

Visit Loudoun concentrated on event development

Loudoun’s new perspective and opportunities will

opportunities that will generate visitation and provide

continue to grow and prosper with the county’s tourism

regional or national recognition for the destination brand.

economy. We look to you, our industry partners, to

Continued success is expected and the dividends will be

continue to work with us as we implement the plans

significant. Major events such as North Face Endurance

you helped develop and to become the destination

Challenge, National Paintball, and Destination Races’

we envision.

Sincerely,

Greg Miller, Board Chair

 L e t t er f r o m B oar d Ch ai r

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Dear Loudoun Tourism Constituents & Partners, Visit Loudoun is charged with marketing Loudoun

tour of Downtown Leesburg, new retail and restaurant

County as a premier business and leisure destination.

development in the Town of Purcellville, the addition of

Loudoun County, or DC’s Wine Country as it has also

new soccer fields at Morven Park, and the dedication

come to be known, is rapidly developing into a regional

of Loudoun County’s Bolen Park. DC’s Wine Country®

center for new business – enhanced by a coveted

now boasts nearly 40 wineries and tasting rooms and

quality of life and proximity to the Nation’s Capital. The

continues to be the Virginia Commonwealth’s largest and

significance and importance of tourism to this equation

fastest growing wine region. Loudoun County’s diverse

cannot be understated.

activities and tourism product were also featured in the

Last year, the tourism industry for Loudoun County

multiple award winning nine episode web series Get Lost

continued to generate just over $1.5 billion in direct

In Loudoun produced by Visit Loudoun.

economic impact while supporting 15,789 hospitality-

As the nation’s economy continues to recover, Loudoun

related jobs. Tourism in Loudoun County also generated

County will carry on to see further positive growth of

over $67 million in state and local taxes and provided a

business as a key indicator to improve and thrive. More

®

Patrick Kaler, President & CEO

tax relief of $604.88 per Loudoun County household.

visitors to the destination translates into increased stays

In addition to the economic benefits of tourism, DC’s Wine

in our hotels, small inns, and B&Bs as well as meals being

Country® enjoys continued growth and the development

eaten in our restaurants, cash registers ringing in our

of projects that enhance the lives of residents as well

shops, and more guests experiencing Loudoun’s attractions

as visitors. Enhancements to Loudoun’s offerings to

and activities. All of these activities translate into more

leisure and group business over the last year include

spending which ultimately converts into additional jobs

new products such as DC Metro Food Tour’s walking

and further economic benefit for our great county.

Sincerely,

Patrick Kaler, President & CEO

 L e t t er f r o m P r e s i d en t & CEO

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Program highlights during the year include:

Industry Accreditation Visit Loudoun’s accreditation was renewed under the Destination Marketing Association International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program for 2012. The program recognizes destination marketing organizations that meet or exceed industry standards.

Visit Loudoun was accepted under the program for five years in 2008 and is accredited under the program through March 31, 2013.

g n i t e k r a m m highlights progra

Visit Loudoun University During the past year, Visit Loudoun continued its implementation of its strategic plan, and with it, led the destination forward in new directions and with new initiatives. We sought to engage with the industry, strengthen our communications, and provide more educational opportunities. With an eye toward innovation, we’ve sought to provide more value to our partners and increase economic impact.

Visit Loudoun University is Visit Loudoun's education initiative that includes a variety of seminars and information programs designed to keep the industry connected, learning, and collaborating with Visit Loudoun and with one another. Visit Loudoun University includes four components: Friday Tourism Forums, Resource Hours, Industry Familiarization (FAM) Tours, and the Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) Training Program. The CTA Program is a program of The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership that is marketed by Visit Loudoun. A total of 70 new Certified Tourism Ambassadors were accredited this year.

Tourism Forums held this year were attended by 205 people, and included: • Virginia Tourism Marketing Grants • Restaurant Business Matters • Visit Loudoun is Going International • New Opportunities to Gain Search Engine Visibility

• Using Google to Enhance Your Marketing • LivingSocial and the Changing Power of Social Commerce • Visitor Trends

Familiarization Tours attracted 65 industry participants and focused on: • Civil War sites in/around Leesburg

• A walking tour of the town of Middleburg • Waterford and Lovettsville

Industry Communications In an effort to further enhance communication between Visit Loudoun and the Loudoun tourism industry and its stakeholders, a monthly industry eNewsletter was launched, reaching an audience of over 1,000 people with each issue. The eNewsletter serves as Visit Loudoun’s main business-to-business communication tool, and includes all of Visit Loudoun’s program and event announcements and opportunities for businesses and organizations to participate in those programs.

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Research

2011 Category

ALL

Corporate

15.0%

Government

19.2%

SMERF (social, military, educational, religious, fraternal)

5.7%

Team sports/events/tournaments

2.1%

Association

2.1%

Individual Business (non-group)

29.3%

Tourists visiting the area (local attractions/historic sites, etc.)

9.3%

Visiting local friends & relatives

2.4%

Group tour/Motorcoach

6.1%

Weddings/Reunions/Family events

3.8%

Other

5.0%

© 2012 Robb Sharetg/sharetgpictures.com. All Rights Reserved.

Lodging Study Results

Visit Loudoun produced a new Lodging Study of hotels, motels, and B&Bs in the county. The purpose of the study was to determine the percentage of occupancy driven by thirteen market segments, annual occupancy percentages, travel party information, and top leisure feeder markets. Based on the research, from 2007 to 2011, Loudoun County lodging room inventory increased by 20% with an overall addition of 1,127 rooms.

100%

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Efforts Focused on Driving Traffic to VisitLoudoun.org

...the website saw 223, 067 unique visitors this year, an increase of 25% over last year.

more of our destination while they are here. In addition, in conjunction with of our Civil VisitLoudoun.org, Visit War marketing campaign, Visit Loudoun’s main consumer Loudoun added 50 Civil War focused website, continued to related sites open to the public in draw strong traffic and even experienced an uptick toward the Loudoun including battlefields, museums, Virginia Civil War end of 2012. In total, the website Trails markers, and more. saw 223,067 unique visitors this calendar year, an increase of 25% Driving Loudoun’s Holiday over last year. To enhance Visit Experiences Online Loudoun’s efforts to attract sports Visit Loudoun implemented a events and activities, a sportsholiday marketing campaign focused section was added to VisitLoudoun.org, leveraging the for the 2011 season promoting sports assets we’ve compiled and great holiday events, packages, and shopping opportunities in offering sports and tournament Loudoun. The Facebook focused planners a one-stop planning tool. The section highlighted the advertising campaign targeted an audience within a 1-3 hour “Top 7 Reasons to Bring Your drive to encourage overnight Sporting Event to Loudoun.” visitation. The advertising reach on Facebook generated 35 New Visit Loudoun Brand million impressions and 9,000+ Pages on Foursquare clicks to the Visit Loudoun Visit Loudoun recently created brand pages on the social media Facebook page and more than 2,700 new “likes.” A local goodie check-in site Foursquare. package was awarded each They feature descriptions of day from Dec 1-12 to keep users the destination, links to our engaged. Overnight stays were website and other social media encouraged via a “Third Night accounts, and links to many Loudoun attractions, destination Free” accommodations promotion for nights booked between restaurants, wineries, etc., to encourage visitors to explore November 18 and December 26.

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

Promoting Travel for Valentine’s Day A marketing campaign to promote travel to Loudoun for the 2012 Valentine’s Day was run online. Facebook ads and pay-per-click marketing targeted a 2 hour drive radius.

The campaign featured multiple messages including February is for Lovers, Romance Packages, and Valentine’s. The campaign generated 6,508,901 impressions and garnered 1,593 click throughs to the Visit Loudoun website.

Targeting Civil War-Interest Travelers with Spring Marketing Campaign To promote Loudoun as a destination to visit during the Civil War Sesquicentennial, an online marketing and social media campaign was launched in early March to promote Loudoun as a destination for heritage travelers. The campaign generated 14 million impressions, 11,800 clicks to the Civil War site, 5,803 Facebook likes and 1,034 registrations for the Civil War giveaway contest.

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Promoting Summer 2012 Travel to Loudoun

Leveraging the Fastest Growing Social Media Sit

To promote visitation during the summer months of 2012, Visit Loudoun launched a marketing campaign at the end of May. Housed on the DC’s Wine Country Facebook page, under the theme, “Summer’s Perfect Pairing,” the campaign focused on attracting food and wine travelers to Loudoun to experience our wineries, events, and more, and promoted packages and other experiences to encourage overnight stays.

The campaign also promoted the destination for visitors who travel with their pets. The campaign featured two prize packages and generated 57 million impressions, 20,633 clicks to our Facebook page, 3,869 new Facebook likes, and 462 contest registrations.

In 2011, Visit Loudoun launched its presence on the hottest social media site around: Pinterest.

The image and video sharing site included 13 Loudoun boards on DC’s Wine Country, Sweet Treats, Civil War, and some fun ones such as Four Legged Loudoun and LoCo in Lo.Co. The boards can be seen at Pinterest. com/VisitLoudoun.

Expanded Presence on Virginia.org Visit Loudoun placed banner advertising in the attractions sections of Virginia.org for May and June. These generated 50,000 impressions. During the two months, the ads generated 519 click throughs to VisitLoudoun.org.

S “ ummer’s Perfect Pairing” focused on attracting food and wine travelers to Loudoun to experience our wineries, events, and more, and promoted packages and other experiences to encourage overnight stays.

Reaching Trip Advisor Users Via a Destination Sponsorship Visit Loudoun launched a “Destination Sponsorship” with TripAdvisor in August. The campaign featured an enhanced destination presence on the number one-ranked trip planning website and included photos and video, content, and banner ads.

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Video Content Marketing Online Video Continued to Prove Popular and Generated Views

duration of the campaign and also provided a reason for the audience to return, increasing their exposure Visit Loudoun’s library of video to the brand. By promoting this content continued to show video series on some of the nation’s great return on investment and most popular websites – and generate tremendous exposure through some of NBC and Bravo’s for the destination. More than most popular TV shows - we were 60 videos were hosted on 14 able to reach a whole new set of sites including YouTube.com, TravelChannel.com, Triporia.com, potential travelers.

The objective for the web series and TripAdvisor.com. In total, and campaign was to create new a total of 86,064 video views content and videos for the web were generated in FY12. Since Visit Loudoun launched its video that would tell a compelling story about our destination, and get users campaign in 2007, more than engaged with Loudoun in a new 277,000 video views have been and deeper way. Visit Loudoun generated. engaged visitors through a variety of online platforms, media, and New Web Series Aimed touch points, encouraging them to at Adventure Seeking Gen Ys and Xs watch, learn more, share, and enter Visit Loudoun’s main content to win their own experience. initiative this year was a campaign The results were: around a new web series called • Increase in market share of “Get Lost in Loudoun.” This web younger demographics series showcases, in reality-style (13-44 years old): +14.1% and unscripted format, the varied • Total impressions experiences of the destination generated: 17,784,318 through the exploits of real people.

• Total views of videos: 24,866 Episodes highlighted activities such • Total number of visits to as whitewater rafting, paintball, GetLostInLoudoun.com following a Civil War mystery, ghost microsite: 15,502 hunting in a historic mansion, • Total number of getaway chasing pigs and chickens, and experience contest entries: more. Episodes were released 1,264 weekly which extended the

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

is g g Lost GettinGood Thin a

Get Lost in Loudoun A Loudoun County Adventure Web Series

Series begins September 27th!

This 9 episode web series follows the adventures of two women and two men as they seek to break out of their routines and go local in Loudoun. GetLostinLoudoun.com

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Display Advertising

Visit Loudoun initiated a partnership with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to install diorama displays at Washington Dulles International Airport. The displays promote Loudoun’s wine country, heritage, towns and villages, horse country, and the “Get Lost in Loudoun” web series. The dioramas include QR codes for easy access to the consumer website and Visit Loudoun’s social media sites.

They are posted in the domestic baggage claim area.

Banner Stands Promoted Loudoun Products Five new banner stands were produced to showcase Loudoun products. The banners were utilized at trade and industry events and were taken to Germany as part of Loudoun Board of Supervisor Chairman Scott York’s mission to MainTaunus Kreis, in which Visit Loudoun participated.

EVENTS

Showcasing Loudoun to Sports Planners

Thursday: Early Packet Pickup @ Potomac River Running Store (Cleveland Park) / Welcome Reception @ Ardeo+Bardeo Friday: Race Expo @ Lansdowne Resort / Race Dinner @ Morvan Park Carriage Museum in Leesburg Saturday: Race Start and Wine & Music Festival @ Doukenie Winery / Finishers Celebration & Concert @ Tarara Winery C

Greeting Arrivals to Dulles Airport Loudoun County

lR oo

s in Beautiful P ace lac es

destinationraces.com

Visit Loudoun developed a new trade show booth of sports-related images for use at sports shows and events.

Local Artist Featured on Wine Country Half Marathon Poster Visit Loudoun produced new poster artwork for the 2012 Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon. The poster, created

by Loudoun artist Jill EvansKavaldjia, featured the scenic view of the start and finish line into Doukénie Winery.

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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Visit Loudoun Publications and Printing Loudoun’s Culinary Travel Experiences Showcased in New Updated Guide A new, updated edition of the Touring Guide to Loudoun, Virginia: DC’s Wine Country® was produced which showcased Loudoun’s wine country and included descriptions of wineries, Loudoun Destination Restaurants, breweries, a distillery, and other food and wine experiences. Each of the five clusters was introduced with a description of the area.

The 2012 edition included two new Destination Restaurants, four new wineries, and one new brewery.

New Expanded Touring Map and Visitors Guide Produced Visit Loudoun produced a new edition of the Touring Map and Visitors Guide which included new attractions such as wineries and tasting rooms, the Unison Battlefield Historic District, and new Virginia Civil War Trails markers. New categories added included movie theaters, bowling alleys, breweries, and more.

The Leesburg Trolley Route and the electric vehicle charging station in Hamilton were included as well.

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Targeting Business Travelers In its continued efforts to convert business travelers to leisure, Visit Loudoun produced a twosided tent card for placement in hotel and B&B rooms in the county to promote the “Get Lost in Loudoun” web series and the Loudoun Civil War website.

Loudoun, Virginia

A D I S T I N C T I V E D E S T I N AT I O N D C ’ S W I N E C O U N T RY ® | U P S C A L E S H O P P I N G

Targeting Heritage Travelers with New Civil War Brochure Visit Loudoun, in conjunction with its partners Morven Park, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, and Lansdowne Resort, produced a new brochure and map of Civil War sites in Loudoun titled The Civil War in Loudoun. The brochure includes 14 sites open to the public, 40 historic Civil War markers, and a contest for a weekend stay at a Leesburg historic home where Robert E. Lee stayed in 1862. The brochure was partially funded by a $5,000 marketing grant from the Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission.

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VISITLOUDOUN.ORG

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Targeting International Travelers and Planners Visit Loudoun produced two new international marketing brochures in English and German to promote Loudoun as a

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

destination for foreign visitors.

The brochures were distributed at PowWow in April which Visit Loudoun attended, and during

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the German sister-county visit in April.

Quick Reference Brochure for Meeting Planners An updated and revised version of our Meeting Planners Quick Reference brochure was produced. The brochure offered 10 reasons to meet in Loudoun, included an easy reference chart of Loudoun meeting specs, and location and destination information.

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Sports Brochure Highlighted Destination Assets Visit Loudoun produced a sports brochure for distribution at sports shows positioning Loudoun as the ideal sports event destination. The piece highlighted “7 Reasons to Bring Sports Events to Loudoun,” several of Loudoun’s signature sports facilities, testimonials, major events, and more.

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

Promotions and Events Targeting Wine Bloggers Visit Loudoun hosted 15 bloggers for a pre-conference familiarization tour for those attending the Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville July 21-22. The tour included visits to Breaux, Chrysalis, Tarara, and Sunset Hills along with dinner at Grandale Farm and lunch at Market Salamander.

Visit Loudoun escorted the bloggers around the destination and then to the conference.

Additionally, Visit Loudoun exhibited at the conference and had two staff members attend to network with the bloggers.

Loudoun Hosted Wine Bloggers About 40 wine bloggers descended on Loudoun in early May as part of TasteCamp East. The bloggers visited several Loudoun wineries over the three day weekend.

Hosting bloggers to write about Loudoun and its wine is part of the strategy to engage online influencers.

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International Marketing

LEFT: Boxwood Winery RIGHT: Hillsborough Vineyards; Breaux Vineyards; the Restaurant at Patowmack Farm; Goodstone Inn & Restaurant

CLOSE-UP

LOCAL WINES

Expect delightful Chardonnays, Cabernet Francs, Cabernet Sauvignons, Chambourcins, Merlots, Viogniers, and Nortons—from a native Virginia grape. Loudoun has 30 wineries and tasting rooms. To make touring easy, Loudoun has grouped them into driving clusters: Loudoun Heights, Waterford, Potomac, Mosby, and Harmony. Look into them all, but you really can't go wrong. Each drive is a unique experience on scenic country roads, with frequent stops for wonderful wines, food, and more.

Leesburg

Loudoun County VIRGINIA

Washington, D.C. Richmond Norfolk

VIRGINIA

Loudoun

LOCAL FOODS

DC’s wine country is known for good food and excellent restaurants. The Loudoun Destination Restaurant Program identifies nine county dining establishments as “restaurants that are so interesting, different, or special, that people travel just to eat there.” Restaurants are nominated and judged by a Loudoun tourism industry panel on their ability to: offer a unique experience, create a culinary/cultural adventure that educates as well as entertains, utilize locally grown products, be a local favorite and good neighbor, provide consistently excellent quality, and serve Loudoun wines.

Known as DC’s wine country for its proximity to the heart of Washington, DC (just 25 miles), Virginia’s Loudoun County provides a breath of fresh air and so much to discover.

T

he rolling hills of Loudoun County are a treasure trove for visitors looking for something to do. Its countryside has remained untouched for decades, with winding roads that lead past elegant estates and picturesque horse farms. Loudoun County is proud of its equestrian legacy, as evidenced by its many race tracks, riding trails, shows, and equestrian-related museums. The gently rolling pastoral landscape is a haven for golfers, hikers, rock climbers, cyclists, and birdwatchers. There are family farms and dozens of tasting rooms to visit, as well as art exhibits, concerts, and theatre to take in.

Besides offering so much in recreation and entertainment, DC’s wine country offers a feeling that is deep and true. Loudoun County’s history is America’s history. This fervent connection to the nation’s legacy can be experienced around every turn—in the heritage areas, Civil War battlefields, and the last cable-operated ferry on the East Coast.

A scenic breath of fresh air, Loudoun County is wonderful for a driving or walking tour. You’ll discover a gracious landscape of horses, vineyards, historic towns and villages—a place you’ll want to return to again and again.

inside scoop Loudoun County’s 30 wineries are grouped into five driving clusters. Each cluster is an experience unto itself, offering plenty to do for days. So book a room (there are more than 5,000 here) and settle into DC’s wine country.

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touringandtasting.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOXWOOD WINERY (BOXWOOD); TOM LUSSIER (BREAUX VINEYARDS); VISIT LOUDOUN (HILLSBBOROUGH & PATOWMACK); GOODSTONE INN & RESTAURANT (POOL)

LOCAL FINDS

7 Small Historic Towns The towns of DC’s wine country are fun to explore. There’s a great little mercantile store in Hamilton. Hillsboro’s newest structure was built in the late 1800s. Leesburg is full of historic attractions and shopping and dining opportunities.

The town of Lovettsville still celebrates the German heritage of the immigrants who settled there in the 1730s. The nation’s horse and hunt capital, Middleburg, offers individually owned stores and original buildings. Despite a series of historic fires, downtown Purcellville maintains a friendly hometown feel. And the sleepy town of Round Hill hosts a monthly bluegrass festival.

Touring & Tasting

For a one-of-a-kind experience, stay at the Goodstone Inn & Restaurant, just north of Middleburg. Accommodations are provided in authentic buildings across the estate, including the Carriage House, the French Farm Cottage, the Bull Barn, and the stately Manor House.

The estate’s award-laden restaurant, headed

by Executive Chef William Walden, is a Loudoun Destination Restaurant Program restaurant whose menu features many estategrown ingredients. There’s plenty to do on the property, and there’s always Middleburg and great wineries nearby.

visitloudoun.org goodstone.com

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promote Loudoun to international Visit Loudoun Increased its International Marketing Efforts visitors. Visit Loudoun placed a Visit Loudoun leveraged its strong brand, proximity to Washington, D.C., and Washington Dulles International Airport, to increase its presence internationally and generate tourism from abroad. In conjunction with its partners Capital Region USA (CRUSA), Visit Loudoun attended the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow trade show for international tour operators, reception operators, and media.

Visit Loudoun Leveraged its Regional Partner to Attract International Visitors Visit Loudoun participated in several marketing initiatives with Capital Region USA to

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banner ad on the CRUSA home page, participated in an email to international operators, and added our “Get Lost in Loudoun” video trailer.

Visit Loudoun hosted a dinner in New York in September with several receptive tour operators, the businesses that package our product to international tour operators.

Print Advertising Telling Loudoun’s Story Through Advertising Visit Loudoun promoted the destination through a year-long print advertising campaign that featured ads in the following publications. The leisure market was targeted in the Official DC Visitors Guide, Touring

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

& Tasting Magazine, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide. For the international market, Visit Loudoun advertised in the Capital Region USA Travel Guide (English and German).

Meetings publications included the Virginia Meeting Planners

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Guide. The wedding market was targeted in Destination Weddings Magazine. And the group tour market was targeted with the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Group Tour Planner.

Outside Funding Initiatives Visit Loudoun Leverages Outside Funding for Marketing Efforts

Morven Park, in partnership Visit Loudoun participated in an with Visit Loudoun, the Northern advertorial in Touring & Tasting Virginia Regional Park Authority, and Lansdowne Resort received Magazine for their Summer/Fall 2012 edition. The article featured $5,000 in marketing leverage funding from Virginia Tourism an overview of Loudoun’s wine country and included information Corporation’s Marketing Leverage Fund to produce a on our towns and villages, Destination Restaurants, and the new visitor-focused brochure on Loudoun’s Civil War sites. The Goodstone Inn & Restaurant, brochure was produced in March. a co-op partner, and provided a weekend stay for a giveaway Awards promotion. Circulation: 55,000 Visit plus online.

Loudoun Visit Loudoun placed a halfpage ad in the 2012 edition of the Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide. This publication is the primary fulfillment piece for consumers requesting information through the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Circulation is 600,000 plus online.

Recognized for Video Marketing Efforts

The microsite for the “Get Lost in Loudoun” web series, GetLostInLoudoun.com, was awarded a “Best in Show” Gold ADDY® award in District 3 (Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) of the American Advertising Federation.

Visit Loudoun’s web series, “Get Lost in Loudoun,” was awarded two Telly Awards. Two bronze awards were given in the categories of Travel/Tourism and

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

• WTOP the People’s Choice. The Telly • Dallas Morning News Awards is the premier award honoring the finest film and video " The Ultimate Antiquing productions. The Telly Awards Tour" Southern Living received over 13,000 entries from Magazine, November 2011 all 50 states and 5 continents. “ 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations 2012” Media Relations Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Generating earned media February 2012 for Loudoun and positioning Extended reach included: Loudoun in the media as an • CBS6 WTVR, Richmond, VA engaging destination was an • International Business important goal for this year.

Times: IBTraveler Using a variety of strategies • The Washington Post including hosting media for site Lifestyle visits and familiarization tours, • Huffington Post Travel inviting media to luncheons in • Chicago Tribune (CBS clip) New York, and visiting media • Boston Globe at their offices for desk-side • NBC4, Washington, DC appointments, Visit Loudoun’s • NBC29, VA media relations campaign • WJLA7, Washington, DC leveraged the power of the • WUSA9, Washington, DC media to tell the story of the • Augusta Free Press destination. During this year, • AlexandriaNews.org media relations generated • WTOP 50,135,320 impressions for an • Washington Examiner advertising value of more than • The Post and Courier $1 million. Highlights included: Charleston “ Get Lost in Loudoun’s “ Destination Guide, Loudoun Web series aims to spur County, Virginia” Meetings tourism” The Washington & Conventions Magazine, Post, September 2011 April 2012 “ The 10 Best Wine Regions “ Team Building with Food” You've Never Heard Of” Meetings & Conventions Budget Travel, October 2011 Magazine, April 2012 Extended reach included: • FOX.com National

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“ 2012 a very good year: Loudoun County welcoming four new wineries” Washington Business Journal, June 2012

Luncheon Engages New York Media In September, more than 20 key media were in attendance at Per Se restaurant in New York City to learn more about Loudoun and enjoy lunch paired with Loudoun wines.

Visit Loudoun’s mission in New York City was to influence key travel and lifestyle media with the goal of showcasing Loudoun County as a destination and to enlighten audiences about the travel opportunities. The team had the opportunity to position Loudoun County as a “must see” destination and create new and lasting relationships with top receptive operators and nationally recognized media.

Representatives from partners Salamander Hospitality, Tarara Winery, and Lansdowne Resort supported the event by attending and promoting the county’s offerings. Additional partners provided wine for pairing and the media were introduced

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to all Loudoun has to offer in an overview by President and CEO, Patrick Kaler and VP of Marketing, Jeremy Harvey.

Top media attendees included Redbook, Conde Nast, Town & Country, Travel & Leisure, Money, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, O Magazine, and many more.

Visit Loudoun’s media team followed up the luncheon with individual desk side appointments with top media such as Departures Magazine, Wine Spectator, and The New York Times. The event helped establish relationships with media and generated several articles and blog posts.

Visit Loudoun Hosts Wine Bloggers Visit Loudoun hosted TasteCamp, an event that brought influential wine bloggers to Loudoun in May. Over its three first years, TasteCamp generated significant attention for the wine regions where it has taken place, generating dozens of stories and articles every year. It also offers emerging wine regions an exceptional

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

opportunity to have their wines tasted by a passionate outside audience that brings a different light to local wine production and creates new conversations with local winemakers.

Welcoming Media to Loudoun Visit Loudoun also hosted numerous journalists for site visits and familiarization tours this year, many in partnership with Virginia Tourism Corporation, Capital Region USA, and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership.

Visit Loudoun partnered with Destination DC and Virginia Tourism for NYC spring media blitz events.

Virginia Tourism Corporation’s media blitz included deskside with top NYC media. Visit Loudoun and other Virginia partners met with five different media to pitch story ideas.

Destination DC held a media reception and invited top NYC media to experience all that DC and DC’s Wine Country has to offer.

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medigihalights

h coverage

“ Get Lost in Loudoun’s Web series aims to spur tourism” The Washington Post, September 2011 “ Visit Loudoun decided to create a video series in the spirit of the CBS reality show ‘The Amazing Race’ in which a small group of people would participate in challenges and activities across the county. A casting call went out nationwide, and five young professionals — four participants and a host — were selected.

None had ever set foot in Loudoun.

Andrew McDonald, a freelance videographer from Texas, said that he had been to Washington but that he was surprised to find sprawling rural landscapes just 25 miles outside the city. ‘ It was beautiful,’ he said. ‘One of the days, when we were shooting the intro, we just got to hike along the Appalachian Trail, and it was just breathtaking.”

“ The 10 Best Wine Regions You’ve Never Heard Of” Budget Travel, October 2011 Travel writer Stefani Jackenthal spent the past year exploring wine regions around the country for her new book Wanderlust Wining.

She hit all the classic regions, of course—Napa, the Finger Lakes— but she also stumbled upon some lesser–known gems. Here are her favorite new discoveries: ten under–the–radar wine regions worth visiting. Get there before the crowds do!

1. Loudoun, VA Where: Dubbed “D.C.’s Wine Country,” Loudoun is a quick 30– minute drive from the heart of our nation's capital.

Why go: This is the wine region for history buffs. Tasting rooms are sprinkled across historic landscapes, battle sites, and former president’s plantations.

Regional specialties: For reds, you'll find Merlot, Cabernet Sauvigon, and Cabernet Franc, along with a hefty amount of Petit Verdot—a varietal quickly gaining notoriety. For white wine lovers, there’s plenty of Viogner and Chardonnay.

Winery to try: Named the “Best Winery in Loudoun County” for eight consecutive years, the family–owned Tarara Vineyard and Winery (13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg, VA) is situated on a meticulously manicured 475-acre farm paralleling the Potomac River.

They craft crowd–pleasing Charval and Rose’ ($20.00 per bottle).

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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“ The Ultimate Antiquing Tour” Southern Living Magazine, November 2011

“10 Best Wine Travel Destinations 2012” Wine Enthusiast Magazine, February, 2012

“…stop for lunch and more antique shopping in Leesburg, Virginia. Warm up with Lightfoot Spicy Creamy Tomato Soup and Honey Ham Biscuits with Smoked Virginia Ham at Lightfoot Restaurant (11 North King Street; 703/771-2233), a soaring space that used to be an old bank. Afterwards, walk the same paths (now brick sidewalks) that General George Washington once strolled to the Leesburg Antique Emporium (32 South King Street; 703/777-3553) to admire furniture, linens, old books, jewelry, and various architectural items selected by more than 55 dealers.

“Historically significant sites, picturesque pastoral landscapes, elegant equestrians and affable winemakers set Virginia apart as an excellent wine destination on the East Coast. With six AVAs and nearly 200 wineries to explore in every part of the state, a comprehensive visit is nearly impossible. Luckily, visitors can begin their Virginia wine journey in Washington, D.C., and take in terrific wineries, historic inns, outdoor activities and mouthwatering meals via scenic drives through Loudoun County and Charlottesville.

Continue on U.S. 15 to Middleburg, in the heart of Virginia’s hunt and wine country. Stop for a drink at The Red Fox Inn and Tavern (2 East Washington Street; 540/687-6301), the oldest continually operating inn in the United States. The basement taproom once served as a hospital for Confederate soldiers, and the bartender just might save your life with a Hendricks and Tonic adorned with a spear of cucumber. Once fortified, amble along Washington Street to some of the finest antiques stores in Virginia, including Hastening Antiques (7 East Washington Street; 540/687-5664), JML French Antiques (17 East Washington Street; 540/687-6323), and Middleburg Antique Emporium (107 West Washington Street; 540/687-8680), a multi-dealer store specializing in fine antiques; English, American, and French furniture; sterling; regal clocks; fine porcelains; linens; paintings; and more. Follow the fragrance of freshly baked pastries (and the prospect of chocolate chip cookies to go) to Home Farm Store (1 East Washington Street; 540/687-8882), a stylish market selling the region’s best artisanal cheeses, perfect produce, and heirloom meats, among other temptations.”

Where to taste: At North Gate Vineyard, the solar-powered, LEED Gold-certified winery building features a wheelchairaccessible tasting room and live music. The Sunset Hills Vineyard in Purcellville boasts spectacular mountain and sunset views. It offers affordable tastings ($7 for seven wines) and monthly ‘Winemaker for a Day’ events that let novices blend their own wines.

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

Where to dine: Local cheeses and meats are the focus at The Wine Kitchen, a convivial wine bar with themed flights (such as ‘Pinot Envy’). Set in a restored 19th-century grain mill in Old Town Leesburg, the rustic Tuscarora Mill offers local ingredient-packed dishes, 14 beers on tap and a 2,000-bottle cellar. Vintage, in the gorgeous Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, offers Southern specialties with a global twist.

Where to stay: On the premises of the gorgeous Barboursville Vineyards is the 1804 Inn, a restored 19th-century estate and Palladio, the vineyard’s Italian eatery. The 265-acre Goodstone Inn and Estates, with roots dating to 1768, is located near 30

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wineries, and offers a fine restaurant and luxurious plantation-style accommodations.

Local in-the-know: Rachel Martin, executive vice president of Boxwood Winery, says: ‘The Middleburg area is rich with agriculture.’

Additional Wineries to Visit: Boxwood Estate Winery - With its state-of-the-art, modern barrel room and gorgeous grounds, Boxwood is a must-visit. Run by the family of former Redskins® owner John Kent Cooke, the 16-acre vineyard produces estate-bottled Bordeaux-style blends (renowned French winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt consults). Call ahead to schedule a tasting and tour.

Tarara Winery - Located on the banks of the Potomac River, this scenic, 475-acre vineyard in the Catoctin foothills offers visitors a stunning setting in which to taste their single-vineyard wines. Don’t miss Tarara’s top-seller, Viognier.

Must-Try Restaurants: The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm - It doesn’t get more farmto-table than at this restaurant. Rustic American cuisine—featuring organic produce from Patowmack Farm—is served in a windowfilled space overlooking the Potomac River and pastoral grounds.

Goodstone Inn and Restaurant - Chef William Walden’s earthy but refined French food wins wide acclaim and the lengthy wine list has many local Virginia selections. Favorite dishes include Duck L’Orange and a Wild Mushroom Crepe (with shiitake, hedgehog, oyster and hen of the woods mushrooms) drizzled with truffle sauce.”

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Big Wins for Loudoun

diresacltes Visit Loudoun’s direct sales program focuses on meetings, weddings and sports. Our goal is to increase visitor spending in Loudoun by targeting groups that travel and stay overnight. Our approach is strategic to fit the product we have and the time periods we need business the most. The sales team generated 140 qualified leads to our local hoteliers and brought in an estimated $4,240,554.00 in visitor spending to Loudoun.

This revenue was generated by out of town wedding guests, visiting sports teams and their families, and meeting attendees brought to the county by the sales team’s efforts.

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Loudoun has been building an impressive sports resume as a place to play for a multitude of different sporting events.

New this year included the PGA’s Senior’s National Tournament, the USA Hockey U12 National Championship, and the Washington Figure Skating Eastern Championships, which was a competition of the Olympic hopefuls for the 2014 World Games. These new events generated $670,606 in economic impact for Loudoun County. Visit Loudoun has maintained the Wine Country Half Marathon, Spartan Races, and the North Face Endurance Challenge as signature events for Loudoun, which generated $1,312,536 in economic impact for Loudoun County.

Direct Sales Targets Multiple Market Segments Building relationships with planners by networking locally and in our feeder markets such as Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Richmond played important roles as we networked with regional and national associations. Visit Loudoun exhibited on behalf of the destination at ten tradeshows throughout the nation, hosted client dinners and leveraged

Showcasing the Destination First-Hand

partnerships with Virginia Tourism Corporation; Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services; and Loudoun hotel partners. Visit Loudoun also conducted sales missions to Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., Richmond, and New York.

planners increase attendance and connected the incoming visitors to Loudoun’s restaurants, shopping, and attractions. Visit Loudoun provided services for approximately 132 groups bringing in an economic impact of $1,820,850.00.

The best way to sell Loudoun is to experience Loudoun. The Visit Loudoun sales team hosted 19 individual site visits of hotels and attractions. Visit Loudoun hosted familiarization tours for meeting planners, wedding planners, tour operators, and statewide sports sales managers to showcase the destination and attractions significant to their market. Familiarization tour highlights this year included witnessing the arrival of the Space Shuttle Discovery and meeting Chris Cooley of the Washington Redskins in his Leesburg art gallery.

Inside Sales: An Important Component The sales team secured over 17,000 room nights for Loudoun.

Visit Loudoun contacted every client to offer complimentary services. These services ranged from local vendor referrals, transportation coordination, offsite activities and itineraries, and mobile visitor centers. Our services program helped the

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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2011 Visit Loudoun Tourism Award Winners Judy Patterson Award

ip h s r e b m me sty highlights

Punkin Lee

Event of the Year: Attendance Over 3,000

& indu

Membership remained strong in FY12 with 101 members, with Visit Loudoun welcoming new members Osborne Events, Creighton Farms, Riverside on the Potomac, and Foreverview Weddings.

We had a retention rate of 84%.

Volunteer of the Year

Humanitarian Award

George Tiedeman Mosby Heritage Area Association

Mid-Atlantic Spartan Sprint

Distinguished Service

Christmas in Middleburg

Front Line Employee

Event of the Year: Attendance Up To 3,000

Aziz Elhamdani The National Conference Center

Sporting Art Museum Opening at the National Sporting Library & Museum

Management Employee Emily Tabachka Goodstone Inn & Restaurant

Tourism Promotion/ Campaign

Terra Capps Loudoun County Office of Emergency Management

Visit Loudoun Partner of the Year Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services

Carly Landers Stone Bridge High School University of Pittsburgh Schaefer Beardsley Briar Woods High School James Madison University

Aziz Elhamdani

Punkin Lee

Terra Caps

George Tiedeman

Emily Tabachka

Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

The following Loudoun County students won $1,000 scholarships for 2 years from the Visit Loudoun Foundation.

Henry Machado Park View High School Johnson and Wales University

2nd Annual Leesburg Airshow—Town of Leesburg and Custom Graphics

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Visit Loudoun Foundation Scholarship Winners

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FY12 Visit Loudoun Revenue

l a i c n a n i f formation in

FY12 Visit Loudoun Expenses

Town of Leesburg Dues/Partnership Fees of Middleburg 3% 2% 1% Town 1% Misc. Income

Visitor Center Program Operations

Reimbursement to Loudoun EDC

11

%

15

%

7% 4%

63%

Restricted for Tourism Destination Strategy

Marketing

93% Loudoun County

Loudoun County Town of Leesburg Town of Middleburg Dues/Partnership Fees Miscellaneous Income

$2,312,000 $80,000 $10,000 $53,123 $27,877

TOTAL $2,483,000

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

Marketing Program Operations Reimbursement to Loudoun EDC Visitor Center Restricted for Tourism Destination Strategy

TOTAL

$1,644,772 $396,834 $185,000 $290,712 $113,494

$2,630,812

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FY 2012 Marketing Leverage Fund APPLICANT

LEVERAGED AMOUNT

Lucketts Community Center Advisory Board: 2012 Luckett’s Fair

$10,000

$3,000

$25,075

Spartan Race Inc: 2012 Super Spartan Mid-Atlantic Race

$10,000

$7,500

$100,000

Hawkeye Sports: 2012 North Face Endurance Challenge

$10,000

$5,600

$17,231

Waterford Foundation: 2012 Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit

$25,000

$13,880

$62,550

Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship: 2012 Spring Marketing Programs

$2,750

$1,000

$2,750

Harpers Ferry Adventure Center: 2012 Marketing & Advertising Campaign

$19,712

$6,800

$39,425

Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center: 2012 Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour

$5,000

$2,500

$16,664

$25,000

$5,000

$77,307

$4,400

$2,200

$54,053

BF Saul Company Hospitality Group: Executive Conference & Training Center Marketing Project

$10,000

$10,000

$22,700

Major League Paintball: National Professional Paintball League Super 7 World Series DC Challenge

$25,000

$25,000

$102,850

$750

$500

$2,250

Awakening Ministries: 2012 Awakening Music Festival Morven Park: Lure Brochure

Loudoun Veg, Inc.: Loudoun Veg Out Guide

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REQUESTED AWARD AMOUNT AMOUNT

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112-G South Street, SE, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 703.771.2170 VisitLoudoun.org/industry

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Loudoun County Visitors Association 2011-2012 Annual Report

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