The sales team at Visit Fairfax is hard at work promoting and selling Fairfax County as a prime meeting destination. From virtual tradeshows and virtual FAM tours to in-person conferences, events, and meetings, our sales managers are planning many exciting strategies to represent the great assets and businesses of Fairfax County.
Here is a snapshot of some upcoming events, activities, and appointments our sales team is working on. The team is always happy to share updates and notes from these events, so feel free to reach out at any time.
On the Associations/Reunions Side:
Dean Miller, our National Sales Manager in the Associations/Reunions markets, has been on the road at tradeshows and seeking new leads for Fairfax County. Here are some recent updates:
- We continue to conduct a full slate of site inspections of hotels and venues throughout the county, with planners from various associations looking to place programs here. We visited the National Museum of the United States Army with the planners from the 14th Transportation Battalion, a US Army reunion group, in March; the group has since selected Fairfax County for their 2025 reunion. (see photo)
- We kicked off May by attending the Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE) Annual Conference in Norfolk, VA, where we met one-on-one with over thirty state association executives and meeting planners.
- May also saw us attending the Fairfax Loudoun Event Executives (FLEX) breakfast meeting at the Hilton Fairfax.
In June, we traveled to Richmond, VA for two days of sales calls with the planners for 15 Virginia state associations. Representatives from the Archer Hotel Tysons and the Sheraton Reston accompanied us on these calls. (see photo)- We wrapped up June by playing host to The Military Reunion Network’s annual Educational Summit, which was held at the Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport. Along with our stakeholders at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and the National Museum of the United States Army, we showcased Fairfax County as an ideal reunion destination to more than 45 reunion planners throughout the three-day program. (see photo below)
- We’ll attend the all-day FLEX Summer Camp program in Leesburg, VA, in July, where we’ll showcase Fairfax County to more than 150 locally-based association, corporate, and government meeting planners.
- August will take us to Milwaukee, WI, for the annual Connect Marketplace trade show, where Dean Miller will meet with more than 25 national association planners, and Eric Kulczycky will showcase Fairfax County to more than 25 sports tournament organizers.
On the Tour & Travel Side:
Lori Scott, our National and International Sales Manager, continues our efforts in the tour & travel market both domestically and internationally:
Stakeholder Spotlight! - Congratulations to Silver Diner Restaurants on an exciting new initiative! Your decision to welcome and collaborate with tour groups visiting the area is not only commendable but also demonstrates a remarkable commitment to enhancing the overall visitor experience. By offering your renowned hospitality and delicious cuisine to travelers, you are not just providing a meal but creating memorable moments that will resonate long after they leave. Your dedication to catering to diverse audiences and embracing new opportunities exemplifies your forward-thinking approach and sets a shining example for others in the industry. Here's to Silver Diner's continued success in creating exceptional dining experiences for all!
Tour Market Updates:
Visit Fairfax in April traveled with CRUSA (Capital Region USA) and met with planners in Germany and Switzerland providing education to Travel Agents, and Tour Planners including CANUSA and others. And also met with Visit USA-Switzerland’s President and United Airlines Switzerland team to receive updates on the market in Zurich and the region. (see photo)- The international efforts continued in Los Angeles, California in May at 2024’s IPW. Partnering with Virginia, Visit Fairfax met with tourism related planners and operators from around the globe. (see photo)
- In June, Visit Fairfax will hit the road and joined other VA-DMO’s on a sales mission through North Carolina and South Carolina meeting with AAA Offices and Tour Planners to provide updates and promote Fairfax County and other regions of the state.
- Stemming from our UK Sales Mission conducted in March of this year, Visit Fairfax was excited to welcome the team from American Affair to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, in May for their Familiarization Tour of the state taking in the top experiences available for their guests for future itineraries to the region. (see photo below)
- In August, Visit Fairfax will be attending the Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) annual conference being held in New York City immediately followed by the regional NC/SC/VMA Conference in Williamsburg, VA.
News and Opportunities in the Tour Market:
- Calling all restaurants! Did you know that the number #2 need for all leisure groups and visitors is food? In fact, as reported by Tourism Economics and Virginia Tourism Corporation, Total Visitor Spending in 2022 came in at $8.5B making up 29% of the overall spend, only being surpassed by transportation. In Fairfax County, there is a great demand for group friendly options and more locations are desperately needed near roadways and attractions groups are visiting. If your restaurant is interested in working with the group motorcoach industry and building upon sales, let us know and contact Lori Scott for further information and insight on this market.
- Dulles International Airport is reporting record recovery numbers from Western European markets and are seizing these opportunities to expand service. In April, they began daily non-stop service to Zurich with SWISS International Air which now, in conjunction with Unite Airlines, provides 14 daily non-stop flights a week to Switzerland and coming soon in July, AeroMexico will be the newest addition with daily non-stop service to Mexico City.
- For any hoteliers or attractions interested in capitalizing upon these opportunities and wish to attract international leisure visitors, call us and we would be happy to assist you.
On the Sports & Corporate/Government Side:
Eric Kulczycky, our National Sales Manager in charge of the sports, government and corporate markets, has been working hard on furthering Visit Fairfax's foray into sports event tourism and also in the government and corporate landscape:
- 2024 Sports Events & Tourism Association Symposium (April 22-25; Portland, OR). Visit Fairfax attended one of the sports travel industry’s largest tradeshows, the Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA) Symposium, which generates lead opportunities through appointments with decision-makers responsible for selecting destinations for state, regional, national, and international events. SportsNOVA, a regional sports tourism alliance of which Visit Fairfax is a founding member, hosted an event with clients whose events generate thousands for room nights each year for Northern Virginia hotels, and the alliance enjoyed successful promotional exposure through its sponsorship of the show.
