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 trade shows and seeking new leads for Fairfax County. Here are some recent updates:

  • We started off September at the Destination East trade show event in Providence, RI, where we met with twenty association and corporate planners over the course of two days.  The following week we were in Buffalo, NY for the Small Market Meetings Conference, where we met with twenty-six planners. (photo coming)
  • The next week, we were in Richmond, VA, where we exhibited at the Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE)Fall Conference & Expo, along with three of our great Fairfax County meeting hotels.  (photo coming)
  • We began October at the Association Executives of North Carolina (AENC) Fall Conference, spreading the good word about meeting in Virginia with five of our fellow Virginia DMOs.
  • The next week, it was off to Knoxville, TN, for the Small & Boutique Meetings trade show event, and one-on-one meetings with another two dozen association and corporate planners.
  • November will see us in New Orleans, LA, for the Meetings Today Live! trade show event, where we’ll talk up Fairfax County to another two dozen meeting planners.
  • Also in November, we’ll welcome more than 600 wine lovers from around the world to the American Wine Society’s annual conference, which will be held at Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles.
  • And we’ll close out the calendar year in Richmond, VA, at the annual VSAE Holiday Luncheon, chatting with Virginia state association executives and planners.
  • For the third consecutive year, Visit Fairfax was named as a top DMO in Meetings Today magazine’s annual “Readers Choice” balloting.  Meetings Today is America’s largest circulation publication edited for meeting professionals, with a readership of 60,000+.


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 the National Museum of the United States Army for being awarded as one of American Bus Association's “Best of the Best-Cultural Institute in the United States” for 2025.


Events and Happenings:

  • In August, we attended SYTA and met with 26 student tour planners. Outlook for the 2026 student season during the conference is cautiously optimistic, with interest from schools staying flat year over year.


In the News:

  • Lori Scott was appointed to the Student Youth Travel Association’s Student Youth Foundation as a member of the Board of Trustees, serving with prestigious travel organizations, planners, and business leaders across the country. The foundation connects youth with the resources required for travel experiences that will inspire youth to be confident, connected, and globally responsible citizens. It offers resources through programs that provide financial aid to students who cannot afford travel costs and aims to make travel accessible and transformative for young people, fostering cultural awareness and care for the world.
  • Stemming from last quarter's Familiarization Tour with Thomas Cook India, Visit Fairfax has secured itineraries visiting many Visit Fairfax County stakeholders for the winter 2025 and spring 2026 seasons for multiple series groups from India. We are happy to share that those partners include The Winery at Bull Run, Bombay Tandoor, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and the Crowne Plaza.   


What's Next:

  • In October, Visit Fairfax will be attending and sponsoring in partnership with Visit Williamsburg and Visit Charlottesville to promote Virginia and the three destinations for America’s 250th at the WorldStrides Vendor Showcase. 
  • In November, Visit Fairfax will be attending the National Travel Association Conference and Travel South International. 


Opportunities for You:

  1. We need more experiences! We receive countless requests for group experiences for seniors, outdoor soft-adventure experiences, guided tours, culinary classes and demos, etc. If you are interested in attracting more groups and more visitors, please contact Lori Scott.
  2. After the past several conferences, Visit Fairfax continues to receive requests from International Inbound Tour Operators and Receptive Operators for new hotel product. This is expanding with notice on Europe, India, and Latin America. If your hotel is interested in gaining new international group and FIT visitors let us know. We soon will be running campaigns with hotel third-party sellers so why not get ahead of the market and the promotions by securing a better rate with direct contracting.

 

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:
 

Upcoming Events/Activities:

  • October 13-16, 2025: TEAMS Conference & Expo (Columbus, OH). In partnership with other CVBs in the state that are part of the Sports Virginia tourism alliance, Visit Fairfax will have the opportunity to network with prospective clients and have access to lead information generated through 70+ appointments at one of the sports travel industry’s largest tradeshows. At TEAMS, Visit Fairfax will also host two client events, one in partnership with Visit Prince William and Tour Stafford as part of its SportsNOVA regional sports tourism alliance, and the other with Sports Virginia, the coalition of DMOs, sports commissions, and other tourism partners dedicated to promoting Virginia as a premier destination for sporting events and tournaments.
  • October 15, 2025: Fairfax County Athletic Council Meeting (Fairfax, VA).  The FCAC serves in an advisory capacity to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, School Board, and county agencies on matters relating to the use of public sports facilities and the programming of youth/adult sports programs in the county.  Meetings take place on the third Wednesday of every month (Pennino Building at 12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035; 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd floor in room 206).  Please contact Eric Kulczycky at ekulczycky@fxva.com for more information.   
  • New Sports Venues Expand Year-Round Event-Hosting Opportunities. There are two new exciting sports venues in Fairfax County: the renovated Mount Vernon Rec Center (MVRC) in Alexandria and the Down the Line Sports Center in Annandale.  After a comprehensive renovation, MVRC now features two state-of-the-art, NHL-regulation ice sheets, making it an ideal location for hockey, figure skating, and other events. The Down the Line Sports Center offers 12 championship pickleball courts, golf simulators, a pro shop, and a full-service restaurant and bar.  Together, these venues enhance the county’s ability to host year-round travel sports competitions while also serving as valuable community assets that promote active, healthy lifestyles for residents of all ages.

Past Events/Activities:

  • WAGS Tournament Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary.  For half a century, the WAGS Tournament has been a trailblazer in expanding opportunities for women and girls in soccer. What began in October 1975 as a groundbreaking 25-team, all-female competition has evolved into one of the nation’s premier events, now welcoming more than 560 elite female teams each year. This October, the tournament proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary—a milestone that honors its enduring mission to build confidence, strength, character, and leadership in young women through the beautiful game. Visit Fairfax was proud to support this milestone event through hotel sourcing assistance, the development of a custom tourism microsite, and hospitality support.
     
  • Sports Events & Tourism Association’s 4S Summit (Annapolis, MD; September 23-25, 2025).  Offering sports tourism professionals valuable opportunities to share best practices and innovative strategies in sales, services, sponsorship, and social media, the Sports ETA 4S Summit fosters collaboration and idea exchange among peers from across the country.  The Summit provided actionable insights and tools to enhance Fairfax County’s sports tourism performance through educational presentations by sports travel industry experts and networking opportunities with tournament planners.
     
  • CONNECT Sports Marketplace (Miami Beach, FL; August 25-27, 2025).  CONNECT Sports is an annual education conference and appointment-only trade show bringing together active planners and rights-holders, suppliers, and experts in sports events for three days of general sessions, workshops, and pre-set appointments.  Visit Fairfax met with 25 tournament planners and, in conjunction with Sports Virginia and other DMOs in the Commonwealth pursuing the sports market, co-hosted tournament planners at a special client function during the show.