2023 VisitNorfolk Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT

fiscal year 2023

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN REVIEW

Tourism is a powerful catalyst for communities, not only driving economic growth but also weaving a tapestry of vibrancy and allure that enhances both local living and visiting experiences. In our fiscal year report for 2023, we take immense pride in our continued growth, surpassing pre-pandemic levels achieved in 2019.

Throughout the fiscal year from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, Norfolk warmly hosted 223 groups, drawing nearly 100,000 conference attendees, including 64 organizations returning for repeat visits. Some of the key events included the VA-1 Governor’s Tourism Summit, ECHL All-Star game, Destinations International Marketing & Communications Summit, and the MEAC Basketball tournament, all of which emphasized our city’s thriving appeal. This increased demand served as a robust foundation for our hotels, with a 3% demand growth over FY22 and an impressive 9% surge over FY19. Norfolk’s hotel room revenue also soared, reaching $149,450,000, marking a 9% upturn over FY22 and a significant 27% leap over FY19. One notable achievement is the third season of our immensely successful City With Bite restaurant campaign, boasting over 1 million video views and 68,000 landing page video views an astonishing 819% increase compared to the combined viewership of seasons 1 and 2. Additionally, our 2023 City Guide reached 60,000 readers in hard copy and over 1,800 online in only six months. Of course, none of this success would be possible without the unique attractions and businesses, dedicated city employees and exceptional citizens contributing to Norfolk’s energized and welcoming atmosphere.

The remarkable success of this fiscal year is also a testament to the extraordinary dedication of the VisitNorfolk team. Their collaborative efforts across departments not only made the year successful but also enjoyable, earning VisitNorfolk the honor of being recognized as a Best Place to Work in 2023 by CoVaBIZ magazine. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support of VisitNorfolk and your dedication to shaping the future of tourism. Together, we eagerly anticipate further collaboration as we continue to amplify our city’s narrative, inviting more visitors to discover the vibrant treasures they’ve been missing.

– KURT KRAUSE | President & CEO of VisitNorfolk

OUR MISSION

To promote Norfolk’s unique experiences and expansive amenities to residents and visitors as the best city of its kind to start, study and stay.

OUR vision

To elevate Norfolk, VA from a “nice to see” destination to a “necessity” destination.

OUR CORE VALUES

APPRECIATION

We want you to know we’re happy you’re here.

COMMUNITY

We grow and go together—a rising tide lifts all ships.

DIVERSITY

We welcome and celebrate a melting pot of people, cultures and ideas.

INGENUITY

We face challenges with action, creativity and tenacity.

MALLEABILITY

We encourage, embrace and enable positive change.

AUTHENTICITY

We stay true to ourselves, our history and our heart.

Destination overview

Tourism is essential to our region and plays an integral role in Norfolk’s economy. As the third largest economic driver for our city, the travel and tourism industry mobilized over $1 billion in 2022. With over 7,000 jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector, our industry attracts a multitude of talents and provides significant economic benefits to both local businesses and Norfolk residents.

1.3 million+ room nights

The city’s occupancy was 68.5% and ADR was $116.01 +

38 local hotels

=

Room revenue generated 9.1% more in FY23 than FY22, the highest total revenue ever

$149.7 Million+ total revenue

why tourism matters

3rd economic driver in the city

7,000+ jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector

4,282,532 passengers flew in/out of Norfolk International Airport (July 2022–June 2023)

150,000+ cruise passengers welcomed to Norfolk

DOMESTIC VISITOR SUMMARY (FROM JULY 1, 2022 TO JUNE 30, 2023)

The top domestic visitor origin states and metropolitan areas for Norfolk include nearby states like North Carolina and Maryland, as well as metropolitan areas such as Washington, D.C., Richmond and Newark, New Jersey areas. These top regions contribute significantly to Norfolk’s overnight visitors.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

New-York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

Virginia non-metropolitan area

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Roanoke, VA

Pittsburgh, PA

Credit Photo: Joel Mulbah & Alyssa Gilbert

Marketing & Communications

This year brought increased visitation and funding with receiving $850,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). We split this funding between fiscal years 23 and 24 to maximize its impact. We received $40,000 in Virginia Tourism Corporation grants boosting the spring and summer advertising campaigns, leading to a 233% increase in hotel bookings. We grew our social media following by 3% and also distributed 27 newsletters to various segments of our 30,000+ subscribers.

REBRANDED WEBSITE RESULTS

In April 2022, VisitNorfolk launched the brand new visitnorfolk.com, with a mobile-first design, reimagined back end with enhanced contentmanagement features and a revolutionary experience engine, allowing users to view content specifically curated for them.

30% increase in visitation

25% increase in time on site

815,528 visitnorfolk.com website users

Top 5 viewed pages/blogs

➡ Things To Do

➡ Events

➡ Together for the Holidays

➡ Meetings

➡ Festivals in Norfolk

“When visiting downtown Norfolk, visitors don’t have to go far to find public art. ”

Karon Warren

“But not as well known is that Norfolk has one of the largest glass art collections in the world.”

Jackie Sheckler Finch

LAUNCHED NEW PERK UP PASS

Our new Perk Up Pass highlights seven of our local coffee shops throughout Norfolk. Residents and visitors can receive exclusive access to discounts and rewards with every visit to participating local coffee shops!

“ There’s a particularly fascinating array of attractions awaiting nature lovers in Norfolk.” Jared

Ranahan

THROUGH THE LENS OF MEDIA AND INFLUENCERS

VisitNorfolk welcomed 20 travel writers and influencers to Norfolk—resulting in great coverage and features in Thrillist, Forbes, USA Today 10Best, Group Tour Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Virginia Global Traveler, Shes Wanderful and more. We also incorporated more video into our social media strategy and had over 1,700 shares on our videos. Hosted influencer Sunshine Solimen (@withsunshinesol), produced two holiday reels, which resulted in a combined reach of 2,443,572 views, 103,933 likes and 69,129 shares, which were record numbers on two videos.

2.4 MILLION+ views on two holiday reels

24 reels created in-house highliting Norfolk’s gems

CHANGE COURSE CAMPAIGN

Beginning in February and running through June, VisitNorfolk’s Change Course campaign introduced the visitnorfolk.com experience engine into its retargeting creative units. The campaign delivered over 5 million impressions at a 34% lower cost per acquisition than 2022.

5 MILLION+ impressions

44,700+ clicks

10,000+ conversion activities

TOGETHER FOR THE HOLIDAYS CAMPAIGN

For the 2022 holiday season, VisitNorfolk partnered with Visit Virginia Beach to create a joint holiday campaign promoting the many holiday events, attractions and experiences that make the season so special.

17% increase in holiday pass downloads

64% increase in page engagements

60% better click-through rate from previous efforts

Campaigns Overview

CITY WITH BITE SEASON 3

Coming back for thirds, VisitNorfolk’s awardwinning City With Bite series served up its best results yet streaming episodes to binge watch like a TV show. Viewers made this season hit record numbers.

1 Million+ completed video views

68,000 landing page video views

819% more views than season 1 & 2 combined

MEET IN THE MIDDLE - MEETING AND CONVENTIONS CAMPAIGN

This new campaign promoted Norfolk’s big city amenities and easy accessibility on the Mid-Atlantic coast with the messaging “Meet in the Middle, without giving up a thing” to meeting planners. The campaign evaluated and placed direct buys with Northstar, PCMA, USAE, ASAE, MPI and Connect including a mix of display, custom newsletters, dedicated e-blasts and print.

x2 number of website RFP submissions

84% increase in click thru rate YOY

Our collective campaigns generated 55.2 million impressions, resulting in 370,000 clicks and 106,000 conversions. We enhanced tracking with Factual, monitoring out-of-market campaign viewers who subsequently visited our attractions, hotels and restaurants.

233% increase in overall hotel bookings

21,000 unique hotel bookings

107,000 restaurant visits

1,400 attraction visits

Sales & Destination Services

Our Sales team is a diverse group consisting of meeting and conventions managers and tour and travel group managers, each assigned to various territories and markets nationwide. Some are based in Washington, D.C. and Chicago. Meeting-focused managers seek association and corporate convention business, while tour and travel managers concentrate on tour groups, travel agents and consumer travel.

$130,554,140 direct economic impact from booked groups

TOP MARKETS, ROOM NIGHTS & LEADS

The top markets for meetings and conventions bookings stem from national associations, corporate entities and religious groups. In FY23, religious groups made a strong return, ranking second in lead generation post-COVID.

ANNUAL SALES PACE

Our sales pace averages a lead time of three months. Numerous groups have committed to multi-year contracts and future bookings, resulting in 55,000 definite room nights on the books through 2030.

Pacing ahead with 55,000 definite room nights on the books for 2024–2030

Awards and Recognitions

the Hampton Roads Chamber.

OUTSTANDING AFFILIATE MEMBER

LEAD 757 GRADUATION

Rita Powers Matthews, VisitNorfolk Senior Sales Manager received the Outstanding Affiliate Member award from the Association Executives of North Carolina (AENC).

Maria Herring, VisitNorfolk Vice President of Sales and Destination Services graduated from Lead 757 in November 2022 with

IT TAKES A WHOLE TEAM

During FY23, our Sales Team traveled the country, participating in meetings, events, trade shows, and appointment-based shows. These dedicated efforts enabled us to surpass our goal, booking over 200,000 room nights with a remarkable 52% lead-to-booking conversion ratio, exceeding industry standards.

8+ Sales Missions

66+ In-person Site Visits

55+ Industry Trade Shows, Meetings & Events

522+ Sales Appointments

122,585

210,074

Total Room Nights

87,489

Destination Services

Booked by Meetings and Conventions

Booked by Tour and Travel

The Destination Services team demonstrated excellence by orchestrating seamless experiences for 223 groups, overseeing every detail from inception to completion. Our unwavering support in planning conventions positioned Norfolk as a premier destination. We served as liaisons, ensuring over 97,525 attendees enjoyed memorable events. Throughout the year, we found ways to connect conference attendees with community projects and initiatives to foster a spirit of giving back to the community we love. During the VA-1 Governor’s Tourism Summit, we invited the Norfolk Street Choir, comprised of unhoused individuals, to share their talents with an encouraging and supportive group of conference attendees. At the Destinations International Marketing & Communications Summit, we urged local hotels and attendees to donate toiletries for The Union Mission Ministries, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

97,525+ conference attendees welcomed to Norfolk

223 groups serviced by the Destination Services Team

98.1% overall customer satisfaction

NOTABLE EVENTS & INDUSTRY CONFERENCES HOSTED

3,142+ Prospecting Calls �� Travel South FAM | November 2022

�� AAA FAM | December 2022

VA-1 Governor’s Tourism Summit | November 2022 �� East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) All-Star Game Weekend | January 2023

Destinations International Marketing & Communications Summit | February 2023

MEAC Basketball Tournament | March 2023

Visitor services & Mermaid Market

The Visitor Services team extended a warm welcome to a diverse range of event attendees, convention-goers, cruise ship passengers, vacationers and more. The team hosted a Retail Alliance meet and greet at the Visitor Center/Mermaid Market, effectively bolstering local community engagement. The Mermaid Market, nestled within the Visitor Center, collaborated with 13 local businesses and showcased the talents of community artisans, resulting in an 8% increase in sales and a 3% rise in online transactions. Additionally, our revamped Mobile Visitor Center van covered over 1,500 miles, visiting 13 State Welcome Centers in Virginia and neighboring states, even participating in three local parades. The team engaged in advertising display blitzes at New Kent, New Church, and Covington Visitor Centers, amplifying our outreach.

34,770+ visitors in the Mermaid Market, with the Mobile Visitor Center, during cruise ship arrivals and at other events

145+ local and statewide events attended

RE-WRAP OF OUR MOBILE VISITOR CENTER (MVC)

105 EVENTS ATTENDED BY THE MOBILE VISITOR CENTER

MERCHANDISE COLLABORATIONS FEATURED IN THE MERMAID MARKET

➡ Made in Norfolk collab: Pride shirts created for Pride Month and Pridefest

➡ African Violet Candle Co.

➡ Mermaid Factory

➡ Redwood Smoke Shack

➡ Richport Coffee

➡ Kelsey Finnie Glass

➡ T. Rose Glass

➡ Fluid Designs from d’Art Center

➡ Nuland Hot Stuff Company

OTHER COLLABORATIONS INCLUDE:

➡ African needlework display curated by Pure Lagos & Stitches of Heritage displayed during Black History Month

➡ Norfolk Tides merchandise/window display

➡ Norfolk Admirals merchandise/window display

➡ ERT merchandise/window display

BROCHURE DISTRIBUTION

Crafting inspiring materials that the team can distribute to both residents and visitors fills us with pride. Our City Guide, which is designed in-house, is a collaborative labor of love from dedicated staff and agency expertise, Sway Creative Labs. Our staff has distributed over 60,000 2023 City Guides throughout the state of Virginia and beyond beginning in January 2023. We also produced and distributed over 30,000 other diverse brochures. These brochures include Waterways to Freedom, Change Course, Cannonball Trail and the Downtown Mermaid Map. We also partner with Downtown Norfolk Council to collaborate on Downtown maps with a Greater Norfolk map also available. Other resources include Dining Guides, Monthly Calendar of Events and other attraction/museum rack cards. Our Visitor Experience staff plays a pivotal role by providing valuable insights to both residents and visitors, driving business to our partners through their extensive knowledge. While our brochures serve as great tools, it’s the unique insights and personalized recommendations they offer that truly set them apart.

60,000+ City Guides distributed (since January 2023)

30,000+ in-house brochures distributed (since January 2023)

THE MVC DROVE OVER 1,500 MILES THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA

THE MOBILE VISITOR CENTER VISITED ALL 13 STATE WELCOME CENTERS

Norfolk tourism Foundation

The Norfolk Tourism Foundation was founded in 2004 to generate relevant research about the tourism industry’s positive impact on the local economy to demonstrate that travel is essential to enhancing the quality of life in our region. Since COVID, the Foundation has shifted its primary focus to supporting workforce development for the hospitality and tourism industry. By building partnerships with local schools, secondary education programs and workforce development professionals, we are thrilled to have supported more students this past fiscal year than ever before.

$10,000+ was given to the CROP Foundation to support programming, scholarships and mentorships to Norfolk Public school students.

131% more funds were raised at our Annual Gourmet Golf Tournament than prior years.

NORFOLK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

20 students sponsored from Old Dominion University, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University to attend tourism conferences that were held in Norfolk.

Paid internship Program developed through Norfolk State University’s hospitality college.

professional development grant developed a new annual spring fundraiser that supports employees who are already in the hospitality industry by providing them a Professional Development Grant to further their education or training. This year the spring fundraiser was called Cruise for a Cause.

NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK | MAY 7–13, 2023

National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual tradition to celebrate the U.S. travel community and tourism’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day. To celebrate tourism in our city and to shine a light on the individuals and teams who make Norfolk such a welcoming city to experience, VisitNorfolk and the Norfolk Tourism Foundation established the Champion of Hospitality Awards.

This year’s Peter G. Decker, Jr. Associate of the Year Award went to Ricky White, front desk manager of Nauticus. Ricky has been an employee at Nauticus for over 20 years greeting over 370,000 guests each year with a smiling face and welcoming attitude. See all 2023 winners

“I was a Norfolk Tourism Foundation Scholarship recipient in 2020 and 2021 and am incredibly thankful for the opportunities that this award allowed me to have during and after college! I graduated in May of 2022 and now work as the executive meetings manager at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. I want to thank you and your Foundation for providing not only mentorship but financial assistance in earning my degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Studies with a concentration in Tourism Management from Old Dominion University. It was an honor to receive such an award and truly a blessing. I appreciate what your organization has done for myself and so many others! Thank you for all you do.”

—Alyssa Boone

QUOTE FROM OLD DOMINION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

In FY23, revenue was derived from diverse sources, including the city outside agency fund, a $1 bed tax per occupied hotel room, grants, co-op opportunities and partner contributions for initiatives like the annual City Guide and Celebration of Success. Expenses were allocated by department to effectively support our organization’s goals and operations.

TOTAL REVENUE: $5,732,416

TOTAL EXPENSES: $5,732,416

Company Culture

VisitNorfolk prioritizes team unity, social engagement and community connection. We believe that strong relationships among team members result in an enhanced ability to connect with and serve our community. We stay attuned to Norfolk’s ever-evolving landscape to share positive news and exciting developments with our engaged network of visitors and residents. Our commitment to team building and camaraderie is evident through our monthly themed potlucks, where our staff comes together to share delicious dishes. VisitNorfolk values the diverse identities of our staff and aims to enhance team dynamics. The organization administered DISC assessments to better understand each employee’s personality, strengths, challenges and preferred communication styles. A professional coach was hired to evaluate the results, fostering self-awareness and improved communication for the organization.

Named as one of the“Best Places to Work 2023.” CoVaBIZ

CULTURE, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PASSION

Our commitment to Norfolk goes beyond promotion; we actively engage in enhancing our community’s beauty. Since 2012, VisitNorfolk has participated in the city’s Adopt a Spot program, adopting 21st Street in Ghent. Each quarter, interested employees team up with gloves, trash bags and safety shirts for a few hours of litter cleanup along both sides of the street. But the fun doesn’t stop there. We organize various enjoyable events, such as outings to Tides games, where employees are encouraged to bring their families for a day. We also offer trips to local attractions to experience the city firsthand while also sponsoring employee participation in the annual ADP Corporate 5K. Additionally, we collectively decide on the location for our end-of-year celebration, complete with food, drinks, entertaining activities and ample time for socializing beyond the office environment.

Meet our team

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Kurt Krause (President & CEO)

Latosha Walker (Executive Assistant)

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

Frank Reynolds (Chief Financial Officer)

Brionna Taylor (Accounting Manager)

Sarah Carroll (Director of Human Resources)

NORFOLK TOURISM FOUNDATION

Kelsey Backe (NTF Foundation Director)

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Sarah Hughes (VP of Marketing & Communications)

Angela Blue (Digital Content Manager)

Ophélie Le Livec (Creative Brand Manager)

Paige Hawsey (Communications Manager)

Valerie Mitchell (Marketing Coordinator)

Vega Overstreet (Social Media Specialist)

VISITOR SERVICES

Barbara Gullickson (Director of Visitor Experience)

Lisa MacKenzie (Front Desk Advisor)

Heidi Brinker (Visitor Services Coordinator)

VISITOR INFORMATION SPECIALISTS

SALES TEAM

Maria Herring (VP of Sales & Destination Services)

Dawn Whittaker (Director of Sales)

Rita P. Matthews (Senior Sales Manager)

Vianetta Johnson, CMP (Sales Manager)

Wayne Callis, CGMP (Sales Manager)

Sherri Thadeus (National Account Manager)

Aileen Laracuente (National Sales Manager)

Dana Howe (Consumer Sales Manager)

Melissa Hopper (Associate Director of Tour & Travel)

DESTINATION SERVICES

Catherine Williamson, CMP (Director of Destination Services)

Jennifer Lopez (Senior Destination Services Manager)

Rosanna McNeal (Destination Services Manager)

SALES & SERVICES ASSISTANTS

Amy Maxwell (Sales & Services Administrator)

Elisabeth Andrew (Sales Assistant)

Jessica Kelly (Sales Assistant)

Lyddy Mendoza (Sales Assistant)

Larelle Kelly, Sally Slaughter, Deborah Breen, Trish Doherty, Liz Nobles,Christopher Shields, Holly Christopher

thank you to our Board of Directors

VISITNORFOLK

Jim Carroll, Chair of the Board

Jay Hardy Lang, Vice-Chair | Hampton University

Robert W. Cross, Secretary & Treasurer | Virginia Arts Festival

Jeff Miller, Immediate Past Chair | Millers Energy

Hon. Kenny Alexander, Ex Officio | City of Norfolk

LaVoris Pace, Ex Officio | City of Norfolk

Ted Baroody, Ex Officio | Norfolk Festevents, Ltd.

Dianna Starkey, Ex Officio | VRLTA Norfolk Chapter

Jolene Price-Thompson, Ex Officio | NTF Chair

Alan Smith | Truist

Andrew Sinclair | Virginia Port Authority

Anne Thuma | Hampton Roads Chamber

Charles “Chip” Rock | JA Green & Company

Charlie Braden | Norfolk International Airport

David J. Beatty | TowneBank Commercial Mortgage, LLC

Duane Gauthier | Commonwealth Commercial

Erik Neil | Chrysler Museum of Art

Georgie Marquez | Andren + Marquez Architects, INC.

Jack Ankerson | NTF Chair Emeritus

Jessica Trotman | Mahoney & Richmond, PLLC

Judy Ocasio | AAA Tidewater Virginia

Kathie Strauss | Norfolk Premium Outlets

Lawrence “Larry” Epplein | Norfolk State University

Lindsey Janssen | BBL Hospitality

Mary Miller | Downtown Norfolk Council

Rodney Ferguson | Headwaters Resort and Casino

Shawn Avery | Hampton Roads Workforce Council

Stephen Kirkland | Nauticus

Tom Van Benschoten | Rover Cruises

Darius Davenport, Legal Counsel | Crenshaw, Ware & Martin

NORFOLK TOURISM FOUNDATION

Jolene Price-Thompson, Chair | City Cruises Norfolk

Andrea Bear, Vice Chair | Bear in Mind Strategies

Patricia Rawls, Treasurer | Community Volunteer

Kurt Krause, Secretary | VisitNorfolk

Jack Ankerson, Chair Emeritus | HR Sports Commission

RADM Jack Kavanaugh, Past Chair | Freemason St. Area Assoc.

Dr. Barbara Blake Gonzalez | Old Dominion University

Bruce Watts | Woda Cooper Companies

Chris Conway | Dominion Enterprises

James Wofford | MacArthur Center

Jim Carroll | VisitNorfolk Chair

Judy Boone | Judy Boone Realty

Karla Smith | COVA Brewing Co.

Kevin O’Connor | O’Connor Brewing Co.

Kisha Moore | Hummingbird Dessert Boutique

Matheau Hall | FUtBolr

Nealy Gihan | Meridian Group

Nicole Carry | ADP

Omar Boukhriss | Omar’s Carriage House

Phillip Decker | Community Volunteer

Raffaelle Allen | Marathon Development Group

Roy B. Martin IV | Wells Fargo Advisors

Terri Ruby | Blue Ridge Bank