We’re number one! CLICK HERE to check out the full list!
MSN.com receives 139,025,413 unique monthly visitors
VB Tops MSN.com’s list of Best Beaches for Memorial Day Weekend!
Brad Speaks at Virginia Legends Walk Induction of Gov. Doug Wilder
Last week, former Virginia Governor, Doug Wilder, the first elected African-American governor in the United States, was inducted into the Virginia Legends Walk at the Virginia Beach Resort area. CVB Director, Brad Van Dommelen, took to the stage during the ceremony to congratulate the Governor on this wonderful achievement, and to speak to the importance of historical experiences such as the Virginia Legends Walk in regards to tourism in Virginia Beach, and the state of Virginia as a whole. By offering the opportunity to explore the great Virginians of both yesterday and today, free of charge, The Virginia Legends Walk aids in the efforts to ensure that everyone who visits Virginia Beach is able to do just that.
North American Sand Soccer Tournament Returns to VB Oceanfront for 23rd Year!
Check out some of the new additions to this local-favorite annual event!
* “Ramiro Amarelle Beach Soccer Camp” – first time in the USA for such. On the Oceanfront June 4-9. Amarelle is a beach soccer legend from Spain and the Captain of the FC Barcelona beach soccer team. You can google him to see all his heroics. He will be bring over 6 Barcelona clinicians; then stay on to play with his incoming team in the U.S. OPEN and also serve as the 2016 NASSC “guest celebrity”. Chance for local soccer kids to be mentored by the best in the sport! Hails from the same FC Barcelona club as superstars Messi, Neymar and Suarez…
* USA National Beach Soccer Team tryout June 4/5 Oceanfront – first-time event here, conducted by United States Soccer Federation (USSF); will be held adjacent to Ramiro Amarelle youth camp
* New U.S. OPEN international entries – in addition to FC Barcelona (who won the 2015 OPEN over local 3-time winners HRSC Elite), we have attracted the Costa Rican National Team, a professional entry from Meta, Colombia, Team Canada from Toronto and Team Pugg consisting of top athletes from several countries. Also, the Florida Beach Soccer FC Brazilian veterans who have won the OPEN twice…
– NASSC will stage a U.S. OPEN players welcoming reception on Thursday, June 9 at Peabody’s Night Club, during which the official “draw” will occur for placement in the several competitive brackets.
– Peabody’s will also serve as the viewing site Saturday evening for a “COPA AMERICA” professional match between the USA and Paraguay.
* New Title Sponsor! Our title sponsor this year is a civic and sports-minded consortium of four organizations led by Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group and including London Bridge Trading (LBT), Il Giardino Ristorante and 37 North Restaurant. LBT is also serving as the Presenting Sponsor of the U.S. OPEN.
* New NASSC Presenting Sponsor – the City of Virginia Beach has joined the NASSC as Presenting Sponsor of the Festival itself
* New video sport – thanks to Studio Center and Perfect Event Rentals, NASSC will feature first-time live video and streaming coverage of its “U.S. OPEN” pro division
* Shannon Lane, Miss Virginia 2015, will be with us, the 3rd consecutive Miss VA to participate as a celeb. While here, she’ll be speaking to the local Special Olympics group June 11 at 4 PM on the sand
* NASSC will again present its highly popular “SideKick” beach venues including coed football, lacrosse, sand hockey, wrestling, All-volley futbol and new attractions “Spikeball”, involving 2v2 competition using a mini-trampoline, and “Knockerball” (bubble soccer) coming to the U.S. from overseas
After 23 years of operation, the mission of NASSC remains that of:
– generating revenues to support the development and maintenance of the 75-acre privately operated “Hampton Roads Soccer Complex” in Va Beach; tournament volunteers come from the HRSC-affiliated soccer clubs of Beach FC, the Virginia Rush, the men’s Over-30 Soccer League and the Southeastern Virginia Women’s Soccer Assn
– provide youth and adult athletes the opportunity to enjoy a rapidly developing sport. NASSC remains the largest amateur and pro/am beach soccer festival in existence worldwide
– sport of beach soccer growing rapidly in the USA; when NASSC began in 1994, it was only one of two such competitions in existence. Now there are about 60+
Beach compared to grass soccer:
– faster paced overall; more akin to ice hockey
– more shots on goal: typically average 60 shots per match
– less dribbling due uneven sand surface
– usually played bare-footed; sand socks optional; nice if temps get toasty
– more aerial action – headers and “bicycle” kicks
– less chance for injuries.. sand more forgiving than grass
– more festive atmosphere; termed “salsa on the sand”
– sand viewed as the “great equalizer” in skill and endurance
– and finally, what’s not to like about surf, sun and sand with your soccer?
Register today for “Scoring Big with Sports Marketing!”
We are proud to announce the second industry event of the 2016 Tourism Excellence in Business & Leadership Seasonal Series, “Scoring Big with Sports Marketing” will be held Thursday, June 2 at the Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club. The event will feature Jon Schmieder, Founder and CEO at Huddle Up Group LLC, who will discuss the challenges and opportunities of Sports Marketing in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. This event is open to all stakeholders within the Virginia Beach hospitality, tourism and travel industry. Happy hour will be sponsored by the Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club. Event registration is available online at www.visitvirginiabeach.com/leadershipseries.
WHO:
Our awesome Sports Marketing team!
WHAT:
2016 Tourism Excellence in Business & Leadership Seasonal Series Event: “Scoring Big with Sports Marketing”
WHEN:
Thursday, June 2, 2016
2:30-3:00pm EST Registration
3:00-3:30pm Hot Topics
3:30-5:00pm Speaker
5:00-6:00pm Happy Hour
WHERE:
Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club, 1950 Thomas Bishop Ln, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
COST:
Free
ATTIRE:
Casual Company Logowear
Tiffany Russell Earns National APR Accreditation!
Congratulations are in order for Tiffany Russell, Director of Public Relations and Interim VP of Marketing and Research here at the CVB, for earning the prestigious Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)! The APR credential was established in 1964 to recognize public relations practitioners who have mastered the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to develop and implement strategic communications. Way to go, Tiffany!
CLICK HERE to learn more about Tiffany’s achievement.
CVC Exhibit Hall
Check out the action from the first day at the Exhibit Hall from last weeks CVC East veterinary trade show at the Convention Center. It was a GREAT DAY in the Exhibit Hall according to CVC producing record record sales! Way to go, team!
Showing the VB Love in DC
VSAE Annual Meeting in Fairfax
Repping VB in NYC
A few members from our CVB Communications Team were in NYC last week to meet with Time, Inc. media and to attend Coastal Living’s Virginia Beach-themed takeover of Time Inc.’s new culinary space. The event was open to media and NY-based influencers and allowed guests to immerse themselves in all things VB under the theme of “Seasoned by Salt Air.” In addition to the CVB, a host of VB purveyors and influencers traveled up for the event – including Pleasure House Oysters, Surf & Adventure Co., First Landing Woodworks, Terrapin Restaurant, Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum, Commonwealth Brewing, Blue Pete’s Restaurant and Commune Restaurant – to help tell the VB story to over 300 media members in attendance.
ECSC Featured on About.com
The East Coast Surfing Championships received a super awesome feature within the travel section on About.com (Unique Monthly Visitors: 28,505,498). It’s always exciting to see such big features on one event, including additional festivities that take place at the boardwalk.
CLICK HERE to see the great feature!