How to Use the Virginia.org Website Administration Tool
The system has been optimized for use with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher web browser. Go to www.microsoft.com to download the latest version.
Known Problems with Netscape 4.7 - You must reload the page if no changes occur after hitting submit on the system screens. Click on the Reload icon on the Netscape browser.
How to: Get Started Using the System
How to: Use the Manage Listings Page
How to: Make Changes to Existing Listings
Guidelines For Events & Festivals Listings For Virginia Tourism Corporation Calendars
Guidelines for adding an Itinerary
How to: Get Started Using the System
Go to www.virginia.org and click on Add a Listing at the bottom of any page.
A new window will open with the Log In screen.
If you have never used the system before, click on Click here to Register for a New Account to create your own user ID and password. Fill in all fields as applicable. Your ID must be 5 characters and/or numbers. The ID and password are case sensitive. Do not use the same Password as your ID.
After filling in the form you will receive an email confirmation from a VTC Electronic Marketing staff member to let you know when your account is activated.
Once your account has been activated, Log in to the Administration Tool.
You must login before you can add or change information on the website.
Enter your user ID and password in the designated fields.
Click Submit.
How to: Use the Manage Listings Page
If you are a first time user, you will see the screen above. It will show that you have no listings in the system under your User ID.
"Update User Account" lets you change any of your contact information or password, including your email address.
"Instruction Manual" takes you back to this manual.
"Log out" will close the browser window for security purposes.
Once you have listings in the system, the manage listings page will look similar to below:
You will be able to do everything in the system from the Manage Listings screen. Click on the appropriate highlighted link.
The status of your listing is shown in the Status column.
Active: your listings is live on the Virginia.org website.
New/Pending: Your listing is waiting in the queue to be reviewed by VTC Staff. You will receive an email confirmation when it is accepted to the site or rejected.
Rejected: Your listing has been rejected by VTC staff. An email will have been sent to you telling you what you need to change on the listing to make it acceptable to Virginia.org. Clicking on the word Rejected will show you the email that was sent.
Click on Create a New Listing from the Manage Listings Page.
Type in the name of the listing as it will appear on the website.
Next, choose a category for the listing from the drop down menu. Below the drop down, the subcategories included with each category is listed.
** If your listing needs to be in multiple categories, you will need to create separate listings, naming them slightly different. For example, The Marriott Hotel needs to be in the Accommodations category, but the hotel also has meeting facilities. You would create a new listing, naming it Marriott Hotel Meeting Facilities and then select the Services/Meeting Facility category.
Click Next to go to the next screen.
Characterize your Listing
Depending on which category you choose you will see the appropriate subcategories to be listed under. Check the box next to the name. Handicap Accessible and Pet Friendly do not count toward the number of subcategories allowed.
For Accommodations, check off the amenities that your property has.
Under Other information, select pricing options if you wish to have that appear with your listing.
If you have online reservations, be sure to put in the website address that goes directly to the booking engine. DO NOT put in your main website address. Visitors do not want to have to hunt your site to find the online buying option.
Accessibility Information: Select the options that your listing provides. If you don't know what the icon means, click on the icon or on the link to see an explanation of it.
Input your Description in the field provided. The maximum amount of characters in 850. The counter will count as you type in the description box. Do not put address, phone numbers or website information in the description. This information will be provided on the next screen.
Important: The system will time out if the Next button has not been clicked after 30 minutes. That means your information may disappear once you click Next.You can type your description in Word or Notepad and copy and paste it into the description field to avoid spending too much time adding it while in the Administration Tool.
Please remember that the description field is your chance to sell your listing to the 1.2 million visitors that Virginia.org receives each year. Make sure your spelling and grammar are correct and that the description reads well.
For events, be sure to check the guidelines at the end of this document. Be sure to put in the correct dates and times for Events. Events must have specific beginning and ending dates. Your event will not appear on the site without having dates attached. If it is a yearly event, make the description generic enough that it will describe it for the following year as well. You can add multiple year's dates to the listing.
To add more dates, click on the Dates/Hours button. Another row of boxes will appear.
Before characterizing your record in the Packages category be sure you meet all package requirements listed at the end of this document. To be listed in the Packages category, it must be an actual package, not your attraction saying you have packages available.
When you are finished with the description, click Next.
Address Information
If you have used the system before, you will see an option to select address information that will automatically populate the fields below.
Select the address from the drop down list and click Get Address Info. If you wish to create a new address, select none.
If this is your first time adding a listing to the site, you will be prompted to type in the address information.
You can change any of the information as necessary.
If you wish to include an image with your listing, select the Browse button to find the image on your computer or disk. Be sure the image fits withint the guidelines of the Image Specifications. The image must not be larger than 100k in file size. An image saved at 72dpi and 300 pixels or 4 inches wide will fit within the guidelines.
Add a caption for your image.
If you wish to save the address information to a file to use for other listings, select Yes and insert a name for the address file in the field provided.
Please note: If you select an address file from the drop down menu and make any changes to it in the fields, saving the address file with the same name will make changes to any other listings on the site that use this same address file. This can be beneficial if you have many listings using the same address file and you want to change a phone number or any other address information on all of the listings. If you do not want to change the information on each listing using this address file, select NO or change the name of the address file and select Yes.
Click Submit to send your listing into the queue to be reviewed by VTC Staff. Once it has been reviewed you will receive an email confirmation. If it is Rejected the email will tell you what you will need to change to make it acceptable to the website.
You will then be shown a preview of your listing. It is a representation of how it will appear on the website.
If you need to make any changes to it, click on Make Changes, or Return to Listings to go back to the main page.
How to: Make Changes to a Listing
From the Manage Listings Page, click on Make Changes next to the listing you wish to update. Follow through the screens as shown above.
- A package is typically one price with a number of components.
- A package must include at least one overnight, but may include any combination of components, including lodging, sightseeing, attractions, entertainment, meals, car rental, and transportation by air, motorcoach, rail, cruise vessel, rental or private car.
- Generally, taxes, surcharges and incidentals are not included in the tour price. In addition to a predetermined price and number of features, a package tour covers a specific period of time.
- The price must be equal to or lower than the total cost of the same goods and services if purchased separately. It is advisable to list an 800 number for the USA and Canada. Also include a toll number and a fax number for overseas customers.
- A package may feature optional elements, sometimes called "add-ons" that permit the purchaser to extend the length of the package or purchase extra features, such as a kayaking trip or horseback ride. In all cases, the terms and conditions of the tour contract specify exactly what is covered by the quoted price.
- Packages may also feature "value added" incentives, which are free or discounted options to make the package more attractive.
- See Travel Packages on Virginia.org for examples.
Requirements:
- To be included in the Package category on the Virginia.org web site, your package must include at least one overnight stay. If the package is commissionable to registered travel agents, please indicate the percentage commissionable and check the box for "Commissionable". Travel agents must be able to furnish you with their official IATA number at the time of booking to claim a commission. Motorcoach tours may only be those tours that are bookable by consumers.
- Packages will be broken down into sub-categories which are listed on the screen in the package category
- You may include your package in a maximum of 5 different sub-categories. The checkbox for "commissionable" will be a freebie – it will not be considered one of the 5 sub-categories.
- Do not list your package in any other categories, like attractions/activities, lodging or events. We want our consumers to find the packages in one location on the site.
- You must add dates that the package is available. If it is available year-round then put in the dates from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year.
- All events must be submitted through
the Administration Tool on the virginia.org website. Events are pulled
from the database listings on Virginia.org for possible inclusion in
the Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide. Events are also sent monthly
to more than 2,000 media nationwide.
Events must be open to the public. Only events with confirmed dates will be accepted. An exact date must be given (not the "third Saturday in August" or "Labor Day Weekend.") Events must have the place where it will be held in the Venue field and its physical address (no P.O. Boxes) in the Address field to avoid rejection. Example: If the event is held at the Richmond Coliseum, enter "Richmond Coliseum" in the Venue field and enter the coliseum's street address in the Address field. Our MapQuest mapping feature must have the physical address in order to find the exact location of the event.
- Location of events should reflect
cities or towns shown on the official state transportation map published
by VDOT.
- Due to space limitations, VTC
reserves the right to edit and/or eliminate events from inclusion in
the Travel Guide.
- Phone numbers must be for public
contact. This phone number will appear in newspapers and magazines
throughout the U.S. Try to list a phone number that is convenient
for the traveling public. For example, if a home number of an event
volunteer is listed and no one is home in the daytime, this is inconvenient
to visitors and could affect attendance at your event. Contact the local
tourism office or chamber of commerce and determine if their number
can be listed rather than a private number. Make sure the office staff
is knowledgeable about your event and can answer inquiries from the
public.
- Web addresses and links on VTC’s website should go directly to the page on the website where event information is located.
Guidelines For Itineraries:
See a Sample Itinerary
Each itinerary should include the following:
Day Trips
Length – half day or full day
Attractions to be visited
Lunch location if available
Multi-Day Trips
Include the length of the trip. For example – 2 days 1 night; 3 days 2 nights; 4 days 3 nights; or one overnight
Description of tour should be in the following order:
Day One
Attractions to be visited - for the description use two lines max, complete sentence please.
Lunch
Attractions to be visited - use two lines, same as above
Dinner
Evening entertainment
Lodging
Day Two
Same as day one
Day Three
Same as day one
Day Four
Same as day one
Itineraries should be linked to your website for the expanded version.