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Join Us to Celebrate Fairfax County's 275th Anniversary
During the calendar year of 2017, Fairfax County will mark its 275th Anniversary with events celebrating our history. The signature celebration of the anniversary will take place on June 17, 2017 from 10am-4pm in the area surrounding the Historic Fairfax Courthouse located in central Fairfax. And for this special day, Lord and Lady Fairfax will be attending the celebration as honored guests all the way from England.
This signature celebration brings together 60+ historical sites and organizations in one place for the first time ever, including George Washington's Mount Vernon, George Mason's Gunston Hall, all Fairfax County Park Authority historical attractions, Fort Belvoir, the Fairfax County History Commission, the Workhouse Arts Center, and many more. Other highlights include three entertainment areas with performances and family-friendly activities, speeches by elected officials and Lord Fairfax, living history encampments and interactive storytelling, and so much more.
We hope that you will join us in celebrating Fairfax County's 275th Anniversary! To find out more about the event, watch a fascinating video series, revisit years past by browsing historical photos, and more, please visit www.fairfax275.com. Also, be sure to pick up the Fairfax County Park Authority's new Discovery Trail Map, which encourages participants to explore 12 distinctive parks to discover their history. This year, the map will also encourage participants to look for and snap a selfie with Lord Fairfax VI at the various sites for a chance to win prizes. Learn more about the trail map program here.
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Visit Fairfax Celebrates National Travel & Tourism Week
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From May 7 – 13, Visit Fairfax and participating stakeholders celebrated National Travel & Tourism Week. Since 1984, National Travel & Tourism Week has been celebrated with hopes of raising awareness of the importance of tourism and reminding the public and elected officials just how crucial the hospitality industry is to the economy and job creation.
This year, to honor all the Faces Of Travel being celebrated during this important week, Visit Fairfax held a special open house reception at our offices in Fairfax, VA. We celebrate our industry each and every day, but it was a lovely way to raise our glasses and come together during a time when the rest of the nation joins in.
We would like to thank our great caterers, Maggiano's, and all those who helped make National Travel & Tourism Week a success this year! For more information on Tourism Week, you can still visit our special landing page to find out more about the impact of travel in Virginia and the United States.
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Join Us at VRLTA's Next Networking Mixer in Fairfax County
Save the Date for Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, Travel Association's next Member Mixer – June 22, 2017 at 5:00pm taking place at Glory Days Reston. All VRLTA members and non-members are invited to join.
As the only unified voice in Virginia for the restaurant, lodging, travel and hospitality suppliers associations, VRLTA creates value for their members by promoting the legislative interests of the industry, networking, providing educational opportunities, and protecting free enterprise. To find out how you can be more involved in VRLTA, and to get membership information, please contact Kristen Karrfalt at 703-352-1037 or kristen@vrlta.org.
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Visit Fairfax Sales Staff Busy Selling Fairfax County
The Visit Fairfax sales team is busy selling and promoting the county at various tradeshows and events! Here is a list of recent activities as well as what will be happening over the next few months:
Associations and Reunion Market:
- In April, we conducted two days of sales calls on Virginia state association accounts in the greater Richmond area. Representatives from the Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport and the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks joined us for the sales effort. (see photo)
- Also in April, we traveled to Roanoke, VA, to attend the Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE) annual conference, where Visit Fairfax was a Silver Sponsor. National Sales Manager Dean Miller was one of the presenters for the conference's IGNITE session. (see photo)
- May saw us travel to New York City for the Connect NYC trade show, where we met one-on-one with 17 corporate and association meeting planners.
- May also had us teaming up with the Virginia Tourism Corporation and eight of our fellow Virginia DMOs for two days of sales calls throughout Maryland, in search of additional national association leads.
- In July, we'll be attending the Smart Meetings event in Leesburg, VA, to meet one-on-one with corporate and association meeting planners.
- And in August, we'll travel to New Orleans, LA, for Connect Marketplace, a three-day conference featuring one-on-one appointments with association planners from around the country.
Government:
- Earlier this month, Visit Fairfax attended the 2017 Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP) National Education Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL, the largest annual event in the government meetings industry.
- Visit Fairfax conducted additional site inspections with representatives of iWomen to select the host hotel in Fairfax County for the organization's 2018 conference. iWomen, which provides networking and education opportunities for women in fire service, was considering proposals from multiple destinations throughout the United States – including Orlando, FL; Orange County, CA; and Philadelphia, PA.
- Visit Fairfax also attended the SGMP NATCAP monthly meeting this past March, where the topic was the State of the Government Meetings Market.
- Visit Fairfax recently discussed potential target clients for the Workhouse Arts Center special events space with Fairfax County Park Authority consultants.
Tour and Travel:
- For the second year, Visit Fairfax attended Active America China. This tradeshow took place from April 23 – 25, 2017 in Portland, OR, bringing tour operators from China to the US for pre-scheduled appointments. Please email mmcclure@fxva.com if you would like the notes from this tradeshow. (see photo)
- Visit Fairfax hosted a group of 40 tour operators and media overnight on May 30th as a part of a Pre-FAM to IPW. Thank you to our partners at the Sheraton Reston for helping to make this possible as well as hosting an amazing reception.
- As part of the Northern Virginia Visitors Consortium, Visit Fairfax hosted 19 tour operators/media on a "Virginia's Cultural Region" Pre-FAM making stops at George Washington's Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, and Tysons Corner Center. Also, the FAM tour featured wine from The Winery at Bull Run. Thank you so much to these fantastic partners for making the FAM so successful. Great memories always help sell Fairfax County to their clients and readers.
- Visit Fairfax attended IPW with our own booth within the Capital Region USA aisle. This tradeshow allowed us to have pre-scheduled appointments with some of our largest international clients, as well as introduce ourselves to many new international tour operators. The Hilton Washington Dulles Airport and Tysons Corner Center partnered with us on our booth.
- Travel Alliance Partners' TAP Dance will be taking place this year in Tucson, AZ from June 11 – 14, 2017. As a Guild Member, this organization and tradeshow allows Visit Fairfax to check in with one of our top receptive operators in the area and encourage other tour operators to purchase product through them as well as make their own.
Visitor Services:
- The annual Celebrate Fairfax Festival featured staff greeting residents and visitors at the Visit Fairfax booth. Tots, teenagers and their parents always enjoy spinning the giant prize wheel for a chance to win small - and large - prizes donated by local hospitality-related businesses. Of course, the Fairfax County Official Visitors Guide, distributed to all comers, is always a big hit for suggestions on what to see and do in the county.
- Fairfax Ambassadors took their semi-annual tour through parts of the county to experience what new adventures are available for individual and group visitors. Tour stops included Go Ape, the new zip line adventure at South Run Park, Room Escape (great for corporate team building, etc.), Flight Trampoline Park (fun for parties, school groups, etc.), the new Springfield Town Center/Dave and Busters, and a final stop at Fair Winds Brewing Company in Lorton.
Sports Market:
- Visit Fairfax hosted the Fairfax County Sports Committee meeting this past April. Composed of major public and private facility managers and other select sports stakeholders, the committee discussed new facility developments in the region as well as other sports-related issues facing county stakeholders. Thanks to Buffalo Wing Factory on Lee Highway for the delicious food and wonderful service.
- Visit Fairfax also recently conducted hotel site inspections with representatives from SYA Babe Ruth and Faster2First for upcoming baseball and softball events.
- The topic of the National Association of Sports Commissions' best practices webinar in March was "How to Digitally Market a Global Sporting Event." Todd Lehrke, Director of Sports Development at Bloomington Sports, discussed activation, education, promotion, and digital marketing for the Ryder Cup.
Media & Communications:
- In May, Visit Fairfax hosted Xu Tie Long, a major influencer and travel author from Beijing, China, as part of a familiarization tour of the National Capital Region. He explored the region on his own, but Visit Fairfax provided a suggested itinerary that included Reston Town Center, Lake Anne Plaza (see photo), bike trails, Great Falls Park, and George Washington's Mount Vernon. Thank you also to the Hyatt Regency Reston for additional assistance with this visit.
- With IPW in Washington, DC this year, Visit Fairfax, in conjunction with the Northern Virginia Visitors Consortium, hosted five international journalists as part of a Virginia Tourism Corporation-assisted familiarization tour of Northern Virginia, Shenandoah Valley, and Charlottesville. Thank you to George Washington's Mount Vernon and The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner for assistance with this tour.
- Visit Fairfax also took part in IPW's Media Marketplace this year, in partnership with Northern Virginia Visitors Consortium. Our media table at the Marketplace in early June allowed us to have pre-scheduled appointments with up to 40 international and domestic travel writers to pitch Virginia's Cultural Region.
- Other media opportunities as a result of IPW included the Destination DC-sponsored Media Brunch and assistance with the official pre-familiarization tour, which saw another 40 tour operators and media visit various parts of the National Capital Region.
- As a result of Visit Fairfax's sales mission to China this past spring with Capital Region USA (CRUSA), we saw great success with in-country media hits. A roll-up report from CRUSA includes 15 articles with 18 million impressions valued at more than $242,000.
- Visit Fairfax continues to see incredible growth on our social media accounts. Please help us continue to grow by tagging us (@VisitFairfax) on your own accounts and by using our hashtag, #FXVA.
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| June |
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| Through June 25 |
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at 1st Stage Tysons |
| June 11 |
Tea at the Royal Court at Green Spring Gardens |
| June 11 |
The B-52's at Wolf Trap |
| June 14 |
Constitution/Bill of Rights Tour at Fair Oaks Mall |
| June 15 |
Signature 275th Anniversary Lecture: Nicholas Fairfax, 14th Lord Fairfax of Cameron at The Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center |
| June 15 |
Jr. Farmer Family Fun at Frying Pan Farm Park |
| June 15 |
Father's Day Campfire at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park |
| June 16 |
Farm to Table: Reception, Tour & Dinner at George Washington's Mount Vernon |
| June 16-17 |
Taste of Reston at Reston Town Center |
| June 16 |
Army Historical Foundation Annual Golf Classic at Fort Belvoir Golf Club |
| June 16 |
Casey Abrams Trio with Osama Malik at Jammin' Java |
| June 16-18 |
Pirate's and Dad's Takeover at Pohick Bay Regional Park |
| June 17 |
Fairfax County's 275th Anniversary Celebration at Historic Fairfax Courthouse |
| June 17 |
Boardwalk Astronomy at Huntley Meadows Park |
| June 17 |
Sounds of Summer Tour with Slightly Stoopid, Iration, J Boog, and The Movement at Wolf Trap |
| June 17 |
Innovations in Flight Family Day and Aviation Display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center |
| June 17 |
Pohick Bay Golf Course Beer Tasting Cookout at Pohick Bay Golf Course |
| June 17 |
17th Annual Musicale: "It's a Party" at George Mason University's Center for the Arts |
| June 17-18 |
Father's Day Weekend at Mount Vernon at George Washington's Mount Vernon |
| June 18 |
44th Annual Antique Car Show at Sully Historic Site |
| June 18 |
Father's Day Celebration at Colvin Run Mill |
| June 18 |
Father's Day Gourmet Cuban Pig Roast & Live Jazz at Paradise Springs Winery |
| June 20 |
Alex & the Kaleidoscope at Wolf Trap Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods |
| June 21 |
Little Tots: Kara & Matty D at Fairfax Corner |
| June 21 |
Colonial Living Experience at Claude Moore Colonial Farm |
| June 22 |
Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Imperial Bedroom Tour at Wolf Trap |
| June 22 |
Improv Comedy Night at NextStop Theatre Company |
| June 22 |
Michael Tolcher with Special Guest Mutlu at Jammin' Java |
| June 23 |
Deanna Bogart Band with Special Guest Ron Holloway Band at Jammin' Java |
| June 23 |
Taj Weekes & Adowa at Grist Mill Park |
| June 24 |
The Legwarmers at The State Theatre |
| June 24 |
Chronology of the Civil War in Fairfax County, Part I at Civil War Interpretive Center at Historic Blenheim |
| June 24 |
The Later Late Show: Main Stage Comedy Showcase at Jammin' Java |
| June 25 |
Escape from the Workhouse 5K Adventure Run at Workhouse Arts Center |
| June 24-25 |
10th Annual Northern Virginia Summer Brewfest at Bull Run Regional Park |
| June 28 |
The Great Zucchini at Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center |
| June 30 |
Independence Fireworks at George Washington's Mount Vernon |
| June 30 |
Summer Concert Series: For King & Country at Tysons Corner Center Plaza |
| July |
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| July 1 |
Independence Day Fireworks at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 1 |
Roots Rhythm & Soul Tour 2017: Harry Jay & the Bling + Roosevelt Dime + Jenna Lotti at Jammin' Java |
| July 1-8 |
The Complete History of Fairfax: The Musical! at James Lee Center Community Theatre |
| July 1 |
Irish Cultural Night: Irish Breakfast Band at Ossian Hall Park |
| July 2 |
City of Falls Church Concert Band at Mason District Park Amphitheater |
| July 2 |
Sunset Kayak Tour at Fountainhead Regional Park |
| July 3 |
Garden Sprouts: Nature Playgroup at Green Spring Gardens |
| July 3 |
Oh Say Can You See: Fun Facts, Games, and Trivia for the 4th at Sully Historic Site |
| July 4 |
Herndon's 4th of July Celebration at Herndon Community Center |
| July 4 |
An American Celebration at George Washington's Mount Vernon |
| July 4 |
Town of Vienna 4th of July Celebration at Town of Vienna |
| July 4 |
McLean 4th of July Fireworks Celebration at Churchill Road Elementary School |
| July 5 |
Wheels of Soul 2017 Summer Tour with Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Wood Brothers and Hot Tuna at Wolf Trap |
| July 6 |
Trevor Hall with Satsang at The State Theatre |
| July 7 |
Summer Concert Series: Danny Gokey at Tysons Corner Center Plaza |
| July 7 |
Dairy Days: Ice Cream Making and Butter Churning at Sully Historic Site |
| July 8 |
Mount Vernon Nights: North of Mason-Dixon (NOMaD) at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 8 |
Summer Saturdays at George Mason's Gunston Hall |
| July 9 |
Civil War Day at The Winery at Bull Run |
| July 9 |
Gin Blossoms at The State Theatre |
| July 12 |
Four Star Combo at Lee District Park Amphitheater |
| July 15 |
Heritage Family Days: Your Eclipse at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center |
| July 15 |
Morning Kayak Tour at Occoquan Regional Park |
| July 15 |
Garden Tour, Ice Cream Social and Exhibit at Green Spring Gardens |
| July 15 |
Bavarian Night: "Alt WashingtoniaSchuhplattlerVerein" at Ossian Hall Park |
| July 15 |
Brian Franke Live at Forge Brew Works |
| July 15-16 |
Summer Market Fair at Claude Moore Colonial Farm |
| July 21 |
Toby Lightman at Jammin' Java |
| July 22 |
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra String Quartet at Burke Lake Park Amphitheater |
| July 22-23 |
The DC Big Flea & Antiques Market at Dulles Expo Center |
| July 26 |
The Nighthawks at Lee District Park Amphitheater |
| July 26 |
Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards at Wolf Trap Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods |
| July 28 |
Summer Concert Series: LeAnn Rimes at Tysons Corner Center Plaza |
| July 29 |
Mount Vernon Nights: Jarekus Singleton at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 29 |
Darkness at Noon at Sully Historic Site |
| July 29 |
Herbs & Tea: Tour and Tasting at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens |
| July 30 |
Run of the Mill at Colvin Run Mill |
| August |
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| Through August 18 |
Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp Exhibit at Greater Reston Arts Center |
| August 2 |
Washington Balalaika Orchestra at Lee District Park Amphitheater |
| August 3 |
Soul in Motion: It's Our Time at Wolf Trap Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods |
| August 4 |
Jerry Garcia Birthday Bash featuring On The Bus + David Gans at Jammin' Java |
| August 5 |
Starlight Cinema Drive-in Movies: "Moana" at Trinity Center Parkway |
| August 5 |
Native Plants and Animals of Virginia at Pohick Bay Regional Park |
| August 5-6 |
BrickFair at Dulles Expo Center |
| August 11 |
Hollywood Goes to War: World War I On the Big Screen – "The Millionaires' Unit: U.S. Naval Aviators in the First World War" at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center |
| August 11 |
Meteor Shower & Night Sky Kayak Tour at Fountainhead Regional Park |
| August 12 |
Workhouse Brewfest at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| August 12 |
The grandsons, jr. at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Amphitheater |
| August 12 |
Reston Concerts on the Town – In the Mood at Reston Town Center |
| August 13 |
Lifehouse and Switchfoot with Brynn Elliott: Looking for Summer Tour at Wolf Trap |
| August 16 |
Elvis Tribute Show at Jammin' Java |
| August 16 |
19th Century School Days at Sully Historic Site |
| August 16-20 |
Cirque du Soleil: OVO at EagleBank Arena |
| August 17 |
Seldom Scene at Nottoway Park |
| August 19 |
On The Border: The Ultimate Eagles Tribute at The State Theatre |
| August 19 |
Tobacco Harvest at Claude Moore Colonial Farm |
| August 19 |
Date Night: Chef's Table at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| August 20 |
40th Anniversary Celebration at Colvin Run Mill |
| August 22 |
Exhibit: Art in the Garden at Green Spring Gardens |
| August 23 |
Gallagher, Stang, Lewis and Bullock with Eddie Hartness at Mason District Park Amphitheater |
| August 25 |
National Park Service Birthday: Fee Free Day at Great Falls Park |
| August 26 |
Mount Vernon Nights: King Soul at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| August 26 |
Summer Saturdays at George Mason's Gunston Hall |
| August 26 |
Nicky Jam & Plan B El Ganador Tour at EagleBank Arena |
| August 27 |
Udvar-Hazy Center Summer Concert Series at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center |
| August 28 |
Mr. Knick Knack! Performances for Children at Reston Town Center |
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Roll Call
Where we've been, what we've been doing, and who we've been chatting with: |
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A few upcoming groups coming soon to Fairfax County:
- Cadillac & La Salle Club Grand National – 1670 room nights
- American Legion Department of Virginia Annual Convention – 745 room nights
- USS Forrestal (CVA/AVT-59) Association Reunion – 705 room nights
- The Hershey Company Global Supply Chain Conference – 625 room nights
- The Society of the 39th Engineer Battalion Reunion – 200 room nights
- USS Furse (DD/DDR-882) Association Reunion – 162 room nights
If you'd like to meet our team to talk about how we can help you, please contact us at 703-790-0643. We'd love to help in any way we can!
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Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center Sales Team Globally Recognized
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Luxury hotel Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center takes the title of Hyatt Corporation Sales Team of the year, receiving the honorable 2016 Hyatt Leadership Award for Sales.
Since opening in 2015, the Sales Team has supported and driven the growth of the modern and state-of-the-art hotel by providing excellent service and memorable experiences for guests.
In 2016, the property was awarded 1st place in the global "It's Good Not to Be Home" Corporate Activation Challenge with the Sales and Marketing Team as the driving force behind colleague and guest interactions for the activations of the campaign.
Part of the winning sales team, Nancy Longstreth was nominated for Sales Director of the year, Mike Trietiak was nominated for Revenue Director of the year, and Carla Carandang was nominated for Senior Sales Manager of the year.
Read the full release here and learn more about the hotel here.
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Fairfax County Hotels Debut New Renovations
Two of Fairfax County's largest meeting hotels recently unveiled brand-new renovations.
Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles recently transformed two-thirds of its 60,000-sq. ft. of function space. New features include stylish updates to the main lobby, new small-group rooms with glass walls, new carpeting, wall coverings, furniture, and art. The hotel also recently installed a customizable 15x10-ft. media wall in the lower rotunda and created The Studio, a high-tech boardroom with a touch-screen table, adaptive colored lighting and surround-sound conference call audio. Learn more here. (Photo courtesy Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles.)
Blending comfort and elegance with fashion and couture, The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner recently completed a multi-million-dollar redefinition for its 25th Anniversary. The project extended to all 398 guest rooms, suites, and the Club Lounge in an effort to enhance the overall guest experience. Read more here.
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If you have any local or national industry news to share, please send it to amorris@fxva.com so we can help spread the word. Thank you.
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Fairfax County Tourism Indicators
Fiscal YTD* through April 30, 2017
- Occupancy: 68.9%
- Room Night Leads: 105,275
- Website Unique Visitors: 512,347
* FY16: July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017
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Did you know?
- Fairfax County is one of the top contributors of expenditures to Virginia's tourism industry.
- Visitors to Fairfax County contributed over $2.93 billion to the local economy in 2015.
- Fairfax County's tourism industry creates almost 30,000 jobs within the County.
- On average, visitors to our website clicked on and viewed individual stakeholder listings approximately 40,000 times per month. Ask us how to maximize your property's results.
Source: Virginia Tourism Corporation's Tourism Economic Impact Data
*Share your information with us. Is there something you would like to share with the Fairfax County tourism community? Send your news to Visit Fairfax so that we can include it in the next newsletter. Email amorris@fxva.com.
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Copyright ©2017 FXVA, All Rights Reserved.
3702 Pender Drive | Suite 420
Fairfax, VA 22030
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