NFBPA 2012 is Outstanding Success

16 May 2012 2:51 pm
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The 2012 National Forum for Black Public Administrators, held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, was an outstanding success! Thanks to the unyielding efforts of many people working hard for the months leading up to, during and after the convention the 2012 NFBPA was hailed as one of their best forums ever.

There are many individuals that contributed to the overall success of the convention and because of their efforts the level of customer service delivered was first-rate. When clients with such high standards tell us we should bottle what we do and teach every CVB in the country customer service you know you had success!

Below are just a few of the many positive comments and feedback from 2012 NFBPA attendees:

Virginia Beach Convention Center:

“Your building is beautiful and functional”
“Raleigh was right on and made everything go very smoothly”
“The building was well wired”
“The staff (were) all helpful and loved like they enjoyed working”
The attention to the “right music in the lounge was noted”
“As someone who does event planning in my city I know how hard it is to put this one and you all excelled”

Overall City Experience:

“Entire city knew where here and embraced us”
“Suburb hotels and CVB”
“Banners everywhere and staff in buttons made us feel welcome with blue shirts”
“Incredible- the entire city was prepared”
“Signs in stores to welcome a nice touch”
“Cooperation between hotels, center and CVB impressive and I am not easy to impress”

NFBPA Is Bringing It to the Beach

14 March 2012 4:20 pm
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The National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) is the principal and most progressive organization dedicated to the advancement of black public leadership in local and state governments. This year, the NFBPA will hold its annual forum in Virginia Beach. The 2012 Forum will feature a combination of educational workshops specifically geared to offer the tools public administrators need to tackle today’s toughest issues and a roster of nationally known speakers. For more information about what to expect from this year’s forum, view this video of John Saunders, Executive Director; V. Toni Adams, Conference Chair; and Deborah Norton, National Site Committee and Hampton Roads Chapter President.

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Virginia Beach Nominee David Renzi Earns Meeting Professional of the Year Award

01 March 2012 3:53 pm
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David Renzi received the Meeting Professional of the Year Award from the Event Service Professionals Association following a recommendation from the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau.

As a member of the Virginia Beach CVB Sales & Marketing team, I’m excited to announce that our nominee for the Event Services Professional Association’s Meeting Professional of the Year award, David Renzi, was the winner.

In 2011, David worked with the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau to bring the American Helicopter Association’s International 67th Annual Forum to Virginia Beach and its Convention Center. During the course of working together, the Convention Services team – led by CMP Senior Convention Services Manager Teri Wiley – witnessed David’s commitment, focus and expertise in providing his attendees an even better annual forum experience than in preceding years. By capitalizing on past successes from previous cities and offering a sincere drive to deliver a more efficient, well communicated and successful meeting experience to all of his delegates and partners behind the scenes, David Renzi epitomized the ESPA’s highest honor of Meeting Professional of the Year. The VBCVB Team nominated him and the rest is history!

David was selected from a pool of meeting planners from around the country. In December, during the ESPA convention in San Diego, David accepted the award via video and thanked the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau and its hardworking staff.

“I would also like to thank Teri Wiley of the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau for nominating me for this award,” David said. “Teri, it’s always a great pleasure working with you and the entire Virginia Beach team. Your team is a class act, and I’m always grateful for the excellent support our group receives when we visit Virginia Beach.”

The Meeting Professional of the Year award was designed to recognize the hard-working meeting professional who exhibits personal and professional characteristics that create an environment that focuses on team work, as well as shows support for the Convention Services Profession.

Congrats, once again, to David!

For more information on the ESPA or to view David’s complete speech, visit www.acomonline.org/meetingprofessional.html  

 

Virginia Beach’s Take on 2011 TEAMS Conference

03 February 2012 6:14 pm
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Contributed by Matt Robinette, Sports Marketing Event Supervisor at the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” didn’t ring true for the Virginia Beach CVB’s Sports Marketing department, who brought back many new insights and potential leads for sporting events from the 2011 TEAMS conference this past October. Produced by SportsTravel magazine, the TEAMS Conference and Expo is a significant conference for the sports events industry and the City of Virginia Beach Sports Marketing department.

TEAMS refer to “Travel, Events and Management in Sports” and host entities known as “event owners.” The conference provides these event owners with educational sessions, keynote speakers and the opportunity to get to know host cities. For the Virginia Beach Sports Marketing crew, it offers a chance to build and maintain relationships in hopes of luring new sporting events to select the resort city as their host destination. This year, the team was able to connect with USA Field Hockey, CrossFit Games, Dog Agility Association, US Lacrosse, Competitor Group and many more event owners.

For TEAMS11, we partnered with Sports Virginia, Virginia Tourism Corporation’s sports division. Sports Virginia understands what sports travel is and the type of impact it has on a region’s economy. VTC culls together a number of cities throughout the state focused on sports tourism to create a unified group under one umbrella. Overall, the TEAMS conference is a great experience that generates business for the City of Virginia Beach and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Virginia Beach’s Green Hospitality Initiatives Garner Recognition by the National League of Cities

05 January 2012 6:46 pm
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Pamela Lingle, communications manager at the Virginia Beach CVB, and Courtney Dyer, general manager at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, man the Virginia Beach booth at the NLC’s Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix last November.

Resort City One of 24 Destinations Selected for NLC City Showcase Program – a guest post by Pamela Lingle, Communications Manager, Virginia Beach CVB

Virginia Beach was recently selected to participate in the 2011 National League of Cities (NLC) Congress of Cities and Exposition, held November 9–12 in Phoenix, Arizona. Titled Virginia Beach: A “Virginia Green” Destination, the city’s hospitality industry application was submitted by a team of us here at the Convention and Visitors Bureau and was subsequently selected as one of 24 programs nationwide to take part in the exposition.

At the Congress of Cities and Exposition, we presented in the “Economic Development” category, sharing ways in which our city’s tourism and hospitality industry is making great strides in lessening our overall ecological footprint, providing more eco-conscious alternatives for both tourists and business travelers.

The Virginia Beach team shared the origin of our green hospitality program and talked about how the program has evolved over time, taking on a more global approach. A critical element to the success of the program has been the integration of sustainability efforts of the CVB, our hospitality industry partners and the City of Virginia Beach (including the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Visitor Information Center). In other words, we’re all working together here in Virginia Beach toward a common goal of a more environmentally sustainable destination.

Our grassroots “Virginia Beach GREEN TEAM,” and the collaborative approach we’ve taken, was a critical element considered by the NLC when selecting us as one of only 24 destinations to be showcased. As a city, we have worked together to spearhead a number of initiatives, such as an oceanfront recycling program and a seasonal shuttle service that uses hybrid-electric buses, to help offset the environmental impacts that often result in an area heavily reliant upon tourism for economic growth. We’re all proud of what we’ve accomplished, and the recognition we’ve received through the NLC, and we look forward to continuing to advance our efforts in sustainability here in the resort city.

Contact Pam for more information on the NLC recognition or Virginia Beach’s presentation at the Congress of Cities and Exposition. To learn more about the sustainable, environmentally friendly initiatives in place and view related announcements click here.

Virginia Beach Plays Host to USA Rugby’s 2011 Women’s National Championships

12 December 2011 6:40 pm
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A guest post by Matt Robinette, Sports Marketing Event Supervisor at the Virginia Beach CVB.

Virginia Beach recently hosted the 2011 USA Rugby Women’s Premier, Division 1, and Division 2 Championships. USA Rugby is the national governing body for the Olympic sport of Rugby in the United States. Continue reading →

Popular Virginia Beach Unique Meeting Venue Puts a New Face on a Great Oceanfront Destination

01 November 2011 10:18 pm
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A guest post by Erika Guess, Public Relations Associate at MOCA…

Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is known by locals as one of Virginia Beach’s hidden gems. Not only is the facility a popular unique meeting venue within the resort city; it’s also a premier cultural attraction for visitors. More recently known as the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, MOCA features regularly changing exhibitions in contemporary media—painting, sculpture, glass, video, installation art and more. It’s a vibrant museum teeming with excitement. Recently accredited by the American Association of Museums, MOCA is pleased that our new name (and our new look) lets visitors know that this is a dynamic place! Continue reading →

Virginia Beach to Host 5th Annual MODSIM World Conference and Expo October 11–14, 2011

30 September 2011 7:23 pm
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A guest post by the MODSIM World Conference Committee.

When considering venues for the Fifth Annual MODSIM World Conference and Expo, our team couldn’t think of a better place than the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Here’s why. Continue reading →

Virginia Beach CVB Helps AATC “Give Back” with Scholarship Awards to Local Tourism Students and Donations to UNCF at their 12th Annual Conference

31 August 2011 5:21 pm
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During the opening ceremonies of the 12th Annual African-American Travel Conference held in Virginia Beach this spring, I saw our Corporate Social Responsibility program in action as three area students were presented scholarships toward their college education.  For AATC, it marked the first time in conference history that the organization incorporated a formal program of this type into their event as a way to give back to the host community. For Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads community, it meant three of our future tourism/hospitality professionals were one step closer to reaching their goals. Continue reading →

“One Beach, One World” FAM Tour Demonstrates Virginia Beach’s Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

30 June 2011 10:06 am
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In May, we hosted our annual spring FAM tour for meeting planners and journalists. This year’s event, “One Beach, One World,” focused on ways to incorporate social responsibility and sustainability elements into meetings, conventions and other events held here in Virginia Beach.   Continue reading →