|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inaugural Workhouse BrewFest Set for August 13, Highlighting Local Breweries
|
|
|
Visit Fairfax is proud to be a part of the upcoming 1st Annual Workhouse BrewFest, in collaboration with the Workhouse Arts Center, Fairfax County Government, Fairfax County Park Authority, and Celebrate Fairfax. In a spectacular event on August 13th, join 30+ breweries offering nearly 100 craft brews from 10am-6pm at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. The festival will feature a dozen bands performing on three stages, numerous food trucks, lawn games, and more. The artists-in-residence at the Workhouse will also be in their galleries, which will be open for visitors to explore – and perhaps buy some one-of-a-kind art.
Come out and try some fresh local beer, and meet some of the newest faces in the Fairfax County craft beer scene, including the two newest breweries that opened their doors this spring: Mustang Sally Brewing Company and Lake Anne Brew House.
|
|
Mustang Sally Brewing Company held its grand opening on May 25 at its 14,000 sq. ft. facility in Chantilly. A production brewery, the team will brew on a 30-barrel system and serve beer influenced by both Old World brewing tradition and American craft innovation. Lake Anne Brew House, which opened to massive success in mid-April, is a nanobrewery located on beautiful Lake Anne in Reston. Serving hand-crafted, small-batch beer, the community-focused taproom strives to uphold the 'Live-Work-Play' philosophy that late Reston founder Robert E. Simon had envisioned for his town. Congratulations to both on their openings.
We hope to see you all in attendance at the inaugural Workhouse Brewfest. If you are interested in sponsorships, please contact Ricki Marion at RickiMarion@workhousearts.org. If you want to buy tickets, click here. If you want to learn more about Fairfax County's beer scene, view our website here.
|
|
|
|
Visit Fairfax Celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week
|
From May 1 - 7, Visit Fairfax and participating stakeholders celebrated National Travel & Tourism Week. Since 1984, National Travel and 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.
In conjunction with this celebratory Week, Visit Fairfax held a special reception at the Sheraton Reston Hotel to observe and emphasize the importance of the travel industry and all of our hard-working stakeholders.
|
|
|
We would like to send a sincere thank you to the Sheraton Reston Hotel and all those who helped make National Travel & Tourism Week a success this year. For more information on Tourism Week, you can still go to our special landing page to find out more about the impact of travel in Virginia and the U.S.
|
|
|
|
|
Summer Content Needs; Update Your Amenities & Listings on FXVA.com
|
|
|
Visit Fairfax wants to promote your summer packages, events, special offers, and more. We're looking for content for our website, social media and e-newsletter program. Do you have summer travel packages? How about 4th of July events or an offering for the upcoming Cirque du Soleil show in Tysons? We want to know about all of it. Please send any packages, events, images, and offers to Ali Morris at amorris@fxva.com.
Also, don't forget to update your listing on FXVA.com through the Partner Extranet. (Need a log-in? Just ask Ali.) This is an easy, and no cost, way for you to get additional exposure for your business. (Here's an example of a no cost listing on our site.) You can edit, add, or remove content, post special offers and/or packages, update your visitor amenities or details, add social media links, and more.
If you have any questions, or need a log-in, please contact Ali Morris at amorris@fxva.com or 703-752-9505.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
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:
-
Visit Fairfax spent two days in April calling on 16 Virginia state association and corporate accounts in Richmond, VA, looking for additional meeting leads. Our hotel partners with the Tysons Corner Marriott and the Westin Tysons Corner accompanied us.
-
We were in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area of North Carolina for three days at the end of April, looking for meeting leads, as part of a sales blitz spearheaded by the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Fourteen of our DMO counterparts from around Virginia joined us. (see photo)
-
Fairfax County hosted the Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE) for their annual conference in early May. This was the first time in the group's 67-year history that they had held this program here in Fairfax County. Our three hotel partners (the Westfields Marriott, the Westin Washington Dulles Airport, and the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport) all helped to entertain the attendees, who also got to see some of our outstanding attractions, including The Winery at Bull Run, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, and the Reston Town Center. More than 80 association executives from around Virginia got to see why Fairfax County is such an attractive destination for association meetings. (see photo)
-
In May, we attended the Smart Meetings magazine meeting planner event in New York City, and talked with New York-based planners about putting their corporate meetings and events in Fairfax County.
-
This month, we'll travel to Chicago, IL to meet with corporate and association planners, again in conjunction with the Virginia Tourism Corporation and seven other DMOs from around Virginia.
-
In July, we'll attend the Smart Meetings magazine meeting planner event in Washington, DC to meet with association and corporate planners.
-
We'll attend the Connect Marketplace in Grapevine, TX for the eighth consecutive year. Dean Miller will meet with association planners and Eric Kulczycky will meet with sports tournament rights holders.
-
Also in August, we'll attend the Overseas Brats Homecoming in Colorado Springs, CO in search of additional "Brat" reunion groups.
Tour and Travel Market:
-
Visit Fairfax participated in a domestic sales mission with Virginia Tourism Corporation in April to help refresh and inspire tour operators within our drive markets to create more tours to Fairfax County, Virginia. If interested in receiving the lead notes from this sales mission, please email mmcclure@fxva.com.
-
From June 5th through 8th, Visit Fairfax attended Travel Alliance Partnership's annual show TAP Dance in Duluth, Minnesota. This show allows us to meet with all 30+ tour operators who are members of TAP to promote tours to our region and work more closely with our receptive partner, Mid Atlantic Receptive Services.
-
This year's International PowWow (IPW) is taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana and Visit Fairfax will be represented with our own booth. We are delighted the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and B.F. Saul Company Hospitality Group will be beside us as booth partners this year. This travel-tradeshow allows Fairfax County to show off our destination to the international market in a big way with one-on-one appointments as well as lots of networking opportunities.
-
Coming up in August is SYTA's annual tradeshow which will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary in Orlando, Florida. With such a large student tour group market within Fairfax County, this show allows us to keep in touch with the needs of the tour operators so that we are able to continue growing relationships and providing great service.
-
Special shout out to restaurateurs. If your Fairfax County restaurant is looking for more group business, we would love to meet with you. Please email mmcclure@fxva.com so that we can talk about future partnerships.
Sports Market:
-
Visit Fairfax attended the 2016 National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) Sports Symposium in Grand Rapids, MI. One of the sports travel industry's largest tradeshows, the Symposium generated lead opportunities through appointments with sports event planners and decision-makers responsible for selecting destinations for state, regional, national, and international events.
-
Visit Fairfax also participated in NASC's webinar, "The Power of Sports: A New Playing Field for DMOs." Featured presenters were Tim Schneider (President & CEO, Schneider Publishing) and Jim Wood (CEO of Meet Atlantic City), who discussed best practices that destinations could implement to capture more of the growing sports travel market.
-
We also conducted site inspections to land the 2017 Paintball Extravaganza International tradeshow. The client was also considering properties outside of Fairfax County, but ultimately selected the Hyatt Regency Dulles as host hotel.
-
We recently hosted the Fairfax County Sports Committee meeting at the Dulles Expo Center, which recently completed a 30,000 square foot addition to its existing 100,000 square foot space.
Government Market:
-
Visit Fairfax attended and exhibited at the 2016 Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP) National Education Conference, the largest annual event in the government meetings industry. We participated in Supplier Strategies Boot Camp, which reviewed best practices to market and sell the government market (topics included methods and rules when responding to a government RFP and how to use SAM and other required government bidding processes).
-
We also attended the SGMP meeting of National Capital Area, in which the featured topic was "Site Selection of Government Facilities."
Visitor Services:
-
The 2016 National Cherry Blossom Festival hosted 1.5 million people and many of them visited Fairfax County for Festival events sponsored by Visit Fairfax. Cultural demonstrations of origami and calligraphy were presented at the Fairfax County Official Visitor Center, located in Tysons Corner Center. Green Spring Gardens hosted a Madame Butterfly Tea and visitors made fans and tasted green tea at Sully Historic Site. Art aficionados strolled through galleries at the Workhouse Arts Center, which exhibited artwork related to the blossoms. Throughout the entire Festival, visitors to several of the county's lovely gardens, including Meadowlark, River Farm and Green Spring, took self-guided tours and received a special souvenir of the Festival. (see photos)
- "I never knew this was in Fairfax County." That's what is often exclaimed by attendees on the Visit Fairfax Ambassador tours. The most recent tour – held on June 8, "The Something for Everyone Summer Fun Tour" – was no exception. Fairfax Ambassadors learn about County sites in the classroom, but seeing the actual places on these semi-annual tours always reinforces the fact that Fairfax has so many diverse offerings for clients. Highlights of this year's no cost tour included one of Fairfax County's newest breweries, Aslin Beer Company in Herndon, professional theatre company NextStop Theatre, the kid-friendly Roer's Zoofari (formerly Reston Zoo), the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and Frying Pan Farm Park. To learn more about the Ambassador Program, please email Sue Porter at sporter@fxva.com.
Public Relations/Communications:
-
Visit Fairfax attended the quarterly meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance in Old Town Alexandria, a cooperative partnership with more than 50 PR professionals from DMOs in the Mid-Atlantic.
- In May, we hosted three writers from Toronto on a familiarization tour of Northern Virginia in conjunction with the Northern Virginia Visitors Consortium (NVVC). These writers visited all 5 destinations in the region and explored why Virginia's Cultural Region is a haven for history, culture, food and wine. Thank you to all those partners who assisted with this tour.
-
In June, we hosted a second familiarization tour with NVVC – this time with three writers from Montreal. Again, these writers visited all 5 destinations in the region with a focus on history, culture and epicurean living. Thanks to all those partners who contributed to this FAM.
- In partnership with Virginia Tourism Corp. and Capital Region USA, Visit Fairfax hosted a group of five luxury writers from Brazil in June.
- Also in cooperation with both VTC and CRUSA, Visit Fairfax was honored to be a part of a large international FAM (alongside Virginia Beach) that welcomed a total of 12 writers from our target countries of China, Brazil, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France. A huge thanks go out to all the partners who helped support us in this.
- 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.
|
| June |
| June 10-12 |
Celebrate Fairfax! Featuring The B-52s, Plain White T's, and Living Colour at Fairfax County Government Center |
| June 10-12 |
Tinner Hill Blues Festival at City of Falls Church |
| June 10-11 |
Summer Escape at George Washington's Mount Vernon |
| June 11 |
George Mason Day at George Mason's Gunston Hall |
| June 11-12 |
Chalk on the Water Festival at Lake Anne Plaza |
| June 15 |
Barenaked Ladies Last Summer on Earth Tour with OMD and Howard Jones at Wolf Trap |
| June 17 |
The Army Historical Foundation Annual Golf Classic at Fort Belvoir Golf Club |
| June 17-18 |
Taste of Reston at Reston Town Center |
| June 17-18 |
The Legwarmers at The State Theatre |
| June 17 |
Summerfest on the Plaza Concert at Tysons Corner Center |
| June 18 |
Herndon Garden Tour at Town of Herndon |
| June 18 |
Mount Vernon Nights: Jeffrey Foucault Trio at Workhouse Arts Center |
| June 18 |
Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center |
| June 18 |
Date Night: Chef's Table at Workhouse Arts Center |
| June 18-19 |
Father's Day Weekend at George Washington's Mount Vernon |
| June 18-19 |
NOVA Summer Brewfest at Bull Run Regional Park |
| June 19 |
Father's Day Family Fishing at Riverbend Park |
| June 19 |
43rd Annual Antique Car Show at Sully Historic Site |
| June 21 |
Lisa Loeb at Wolf Trap's Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods |
| June 22 |
Little Tots at Fairfax Corner at The Plaza at Fairfax Corner |
| June 23 |
Garden Tour & Tea at Historic Green Spring Gardens Manor House |
| June 24 |
Goodnight Walk: Owls at Hidden Oaks Nature Center |
| June 24-25 |
Stephen Kellogg's 6th Annual SK Family BBQ – 2 nights at Jammin' Java |
| June 25 |
Collegium Cantorum Chorale at ArtSpace Herndon |
| June 25 |
For Brotherhood and Duty: The Civil War History of the West Point Class of 1862 at Civil War Interpretive Center at Historic Blenheim |
| June 25-26 |
Falls Walk Weekends at Great Falls Park |
| June 25 |
Reston Concerts on the Town at Reston Town Center |
| June 26 |
The U.S. Navy Commodores Jazz Ensemble Concert at George Mason University's Center for the Arts |
| June 29-July 4 |
Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the National Mall |
| July |
| July 1 |
Carter Lou &The Project Album Release Party at Jammin' Java |
| July 1 |
America the Beautiful with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap |
| July 2 |
Independence Day Fireworks at Mount Vernon |
| July 2 |
Independence Day Fireworks at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 2 |
The Goodlife Theatre at Mason District Park Amphitheater |
| July 4 |
Various Independence Day Fireworks in Fairfax County – check webpage for details |
| July 4 |
An American Celebration at Mount Vernon |
| July 4 |
A Capitol Fourth Concert at the U.S. Capitol Building |
| July 4 |
Oh Say Can You See: Fun Facts, Games and Trivia for the 4th at Sully Historic Site |
| July 6 |
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo at Wolf Trap's Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods |
| July 7-10 |
Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the National Mall |
| July 8 |
McLean Community Players present "Footloose" at The Alden Theatre |
| July 8 |
The Fabulous DialtonesRockin' and Dancin' Party at Jammin' Java |
| July 9 |
Maks and Val Live on Tour: Our Way at EagleBank Arena (formerly Patriot Center) |
| July 9 |
Ice Cream Social at Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 9 |
Family Fun: Herb Container Workshop at Green Spring Gardens |
| July 10 |
Run of the Mill at Colvin Run Mill |
| July 14 |
Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular at The State Theatre |
| July 14 |
Summerfest on the Plaza Concert at Tysons Corner Center |
| July 14 |
Doc Scantlin and his Imperial Palms Orchestra at Fairfax County Government Center |
| July 16 |
Slide the City: Block Party at Jones Branch Drive in Tysons Corner |
| July 16 |
Mestey Films Productions presents "Live On Stage: The Wizard of Oz in Fairyland" at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 21-Sept 4 |
Cirque du Soleil presents "KURIOS: A Cabinet of Curiosities" at Lerner Town Square at Tysons II |
| July 22 |
The Later Late Show: Main Stage Comedy Showcase at Jammin' Java |
| July 23 |
The Civil War and the Fairfax Courthouse at Civil War Interpretive Center at Historic Blenheim |
| July 23 |
Bolivian Cultural Heritage Night at Ossian Hall Park |
| July 24 |
Summer of Science Celebration with the Children's Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall |
| July 27 |
Mr. Jon & Friends at Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center |
| July 28 |
Jr. Farmer Family Fun at Frying Pan Farm Park |
| July 30 |
Mount Vernon Nights: The United States Air Force Celtic Aire at the Workhouse Arts Center |
| July 29 |
Fifth Harmony: The 7/27 Tour at EagleBank Arena (formerly Patriot Center) |
| July 30 |
Star Trek Into Darkness with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap |
| August |
| August 2 |
9:30 Club presents Jay Brannan at Jammin' Java |
| August 4 |
Will Overman Band at Frying Pan Farm Park |
| August 6 |
The grandsons, Jr. at Burke Lake Park Amphitheater |
| August 6 |
Cold Press Soap Making at Green Spring Gardens |
| August 6 |
We Share STEM! Connecting Across Cultures at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center |
| August 7 |
The Victorian Seaside at Historic Green Spring Manor |
| August 8 |
NextStop's Dark Nights Series presents "Fish in a Barrel" at NextStop Theatre Company/Industrial Theater |
| August 10 |
Matt Nathanson and Phillip Phillips at Wolf Trap |
| August 11 |
Jr. Farmer Family Fun at Frying Pan Farm Park |
| August 12-13 |
Vienna Youth Players present "Jesus Christ Superstar" at Vienna Baptist Church |
| August 13 |
Film: "Inside Out" at Trinity Center Parkway |
| August 13 |
Garden Tour and Ice Cream Social at Green Spring Gardens |
| August 13 |
Workhouse BrewFest at Workhouse Arts Center |
| August 13-14 |
Civil War Encampment Weekend at Sully Historic Site |
| August 15 |
All-American Girl: Living Dolls at Colvin Run Mill |
| >August 17 |
Newsboys Love Riot Tour at EagleBank Arena (formerly Patriot Center) |
| August 19 |
The Mount Vernon Inn and Port City Brewing Company's Garden Fresh Vegetarian Dinner at Mount Vernon Inn |
| August 20 |
Date Night: Chef's Table at Workhouse Arts Center |
| August 20 |
9:30 Club presents Johnny A at Jammin' Java |
| August 25 |
A Tribute to Simon & Garfunkel performed by Aztec Two-Step at the Fairfax County Government Center |
| August 31 |
Boney James with Martha Ambrosius at Wolf Trap |
|
 |
Roll Call
You may have recently spotted Visit Fairfax at or with: |
|
-
Brainstorming with our Marketing Advisory Committee for next fiscal year
-
Meeting the owner of Fairfax County's newest brewery, Lake Anne Brew House
- Learning about and meeting the team at two new Fairfax County hotels that are getting ready to open this summer
- Celebrating National Travel & Tourism Week with our wonderful partners at the Sheraton Reston Hotel
- Attending the quarterly meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance in Old Town Alexandria
- Working with partners at Workhouse Arts Center, Fairfax County Government, Fairfax County Park Authority and Celebrate Fairfax to plan the upcoming Workhouse BrewFest, happening this August
- Celebrating the impending arrival of summer with our friends at JR's at their cookouts at the Hunt Club and Turkey Run Pavilions
- Checking out the newest restaurant at Springfield Town Center – Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar
- Participating in the grand opening celebration at another new brewery in Fairfax County – Mustang Sally Brewing Company
- Escorting two groups of writers from Canada around Fairfax County to see some of the places that make this such a great destination, in partnership with the Northern Virginia Visitors Consortium
- Meeting the new chef and team at Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro
- Chatting with the folks at the new Dave & Buster's, and popping in to meet some group-friendly restaurants in South County
- Hosting a successful VSAE Conference at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles Hotel – the first time this association has met in Fairfax County
A few upcoming groups coming soon to Fairfax County:
-
Phi Rho Pi National Tournament – 2100 room nights
- Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Masons Annual Convention – 1057 room nights
- American Legion Department of Virginia Annual Convention – 745 room nights
- International Association of Yoga Therapists SYTAR Conference – 733 room nights
- Paintball Extravaganza International (trade show) – 607 room nights
- The B-47 Stratojet Association Reunion – 504 room nights
- The Salvation Army Virginia Youth Council Annual Meeting – 404 room nights
- Ben Franklin Institute / Summit for Clinical Excellence – 227 room nights
- USS Bayfield Association Reunion – 163 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.
|
|
|
|
New Direct International Flights at Washington Dulles
|
|
Washington Dulles International Airport has added new non-stop service from two airlines: LAN Peru and Air Canada, strengthening the airport's position as the region's international gateway.
Now, the National Capital region has nonstop access to Lima, Peru, and Toronto, Canada through Washington Dulles International Airport. Dulles Airport now serves 120 destinations within 51 countries.
|
LAN Peru recently began nonstop service with four flights per week - Monday, Thursday and Sunday - from Washington Dulles to Lima. LAN Peru is the only airline offering nonstop capital to capital flights from Washington, D.C., and Lima. Air Canada also began new service recently, operating three flights daily between Dulles International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport.
"The addition of LAN Peru and Air Canada to the international route offerings at Washington Dulles provides great travel options for our passengers. These new routes from the National Capital region better connect Washington, D.C., to Lima and to Toronto through the international gateway at Dulles International Airport," said Dulles International Airport Manager Christopher U. Browne.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority was also awarded a Virginia Tourism Marketing Grant of 50,000 dollars in matching funds to market the new service between Lima and Washington, according to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. The grant is part of a Marketing Leverage Program fund administered by the Virginia Tourism Corporation to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia's localities through tourism.
Read full press releases here and here.
|
|
National Park Tourism in DC Area Generates 1.6 billion dollars in economic benefit
A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2015 shows that the spending by more than 56 million visitors to national parks in the National Capital Region resulted in 16,917 jobs and contributed almost 1.6 billion dollars to the region's economy.
"The experiences offered at the national parks of the Greater Washington area draw visitors from across the country and around the world," Regional Director Bob Vogel said. "From locals enjoying their daily jog at Prince William Forest Park or a concert at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, to tourists seeing the Lincoln Memorial for the first time, visitors to our region's parks have a big impact on our economy, returning 10 dollars for every dollar invested in the National Park Service."
|
|
|
The report shows 16.9 billion dollars of direct spending by 307.2 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 295,000 jobs nationally; 252,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was 32 billion dollars. The report and other tools are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage.
|
|
|
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.
|
Fairfax County Tourism Indicators
Fiscal YTD* through April 30, 2016
- Occupancy: 67.7%
- Room Night Leads: 76,291
- Website Unique Visitors: 433,871
* FY16: July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016
|
Did you know?
-
Fairfax County is one of the top contributors of expenditures to Virginia's tourism industry.
-
Visitors to Fairfax County contributed over 2.85 billion dollars to the local economy in 2014.
-
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 70,000 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.
|
|
Copyright ©2016 FXVA, All Rights Reserved.
3702 Pender Drive | Suite 420
Fairfax, VA 22030
|
|
