TRAVEL. Powering the Economy. Connecting America.
Established in 1983, NTTW has become a cherished tradition, celebrating the U.S. travel community and highlighting how travel stimulates economic growth, creates quality jobs, inspires new businesses, and builds vibrant communities.
From May 19 to 25, VTC will celebrate our industry’s undeniable impact on the quality of life in Virginia by showcasing VTC programs that enable partners to drive economic growth and create new businesses and jobs.
Join VTC as we celebrate the Virginia travel industry’s role in powering economies, communities, and connections.
Share Your Stories!
If you have participated in VTC’s programs, please join the conversation on Virginia Tourism Corporation’s LinkedIn throughout National Travel & Tourism Week and help us celebrate travel’s vital role in powering a brighter future. Use the content schedule and toolkit below and help us amplify our advocacy messages using the hashtags #NTTW24 and #VisitVA.
Messaging Themes
Investing in Tourism: Smart Business
VTC will kick off National Travel & Tourism Week with an announcement from Governor Glenn Youngkin about VTC grants awarded as part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage, Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Marketing, Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship, and VA250 Marketing Leverage programs. DMOs involved with this program are encouraged to engage with us on LinkedIn on May 20 (see full schedule below).
- Sample Message: Investing in tourism is a priority for Virginia Tourism Corporation. VTC’s marketing and sponsorship programs are powerful incentives for creating tourism partnerships across the Commonwealth that are a robust part of Virginia’s economic ecosystem. VTC recognizes the importance of having inventive strategies to showcase all that Virginia has to offer. Grants support our industry and help draw thousands of additional visitors to the Commonwealth.
- Sample Message: VTC’s tourism marketing and sponsorship programs are designed to increase visitor spending by leveraging limited marketing dollars, stimulating new tourism marketing through partnerships, and extending the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand to drive visitation.
Tourism Development is Economic Development
Messaging will highlight Drive Tourism, VTC’s tourism development initiative that helped communities leverage their outdoor recreation assets to maximize Virginia’s tourism potential and competitive edge. DMOs involved with this program are encouraged to engage with us on LinkedIn on May 23 (see full schedule below).
- Sample Message: Governor Glenn Youngkin recently announced that 10 Virginia communities will launch new tourism programs to boost their outdoor recreation economies. Each was awarded up to $20,000 through VTC’s DRIVE Outdoor grant program, a tourism development grant targeting outdoor product development. In 2022, outdoor recreation contributed $11.3 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy and supported about 125,000 jobs and $5.6 billion in wages and salaries in Virginia. #NTTW24 and #VisitVA.
Tourism: An Economic Powerhouse
Messaging will highlight the $32.2 billion economic impact of Virginia’s tourism industry and how it helps improve the lives of Virginians every day.
- Sample Message: Travel is a $30.3 billion industry that supports 303,369 Virginia jobs while fueling other important sectors. The travel industry is essential to Virginia’s success—it is an economic powerhouse that unites people, benefits society, and is paramount to Virginia’s competitiveness. #NTTW24 and #VisitVA.
Tourism Helps Build Vibrant Communities
Messaging will highlight VTC funding opportunities via the VTC Grant Programs, showcase grant success stories, and how investment in tourism helps our communities become vibrant and competitive.
- Sample Message: National Travel and Tourism Week celebrates the tourism industry’s critical role in powering our nation’s economy, communities, and connections. Check out some of Virginia’s vibrant communities, where festivals, local food & drink, outdoor recreation, local businesses, and thriving downtowns bring quality of life to cities and towns all across VA. Together, let’s demonstrate our industry’s critical importance—in every corner of our state. #NTTW24 and #VisitVA.
VTC’s NTTW Content Themes and Timeline
NTTW messaging will be posted daily on LinkedIn and Twitter and tourism partners are encouraged to share, engage, and amplify our advocacy messages. Our voices are stronger collectively and NTTW is the perfect time to tout our industry’s impact!
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- Sunday, May 19
- Happy National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) from Governor Glen Youngkin.
- Monday, May 20
- Investing in Tourism: Smart Business
- Video: VTC Grant announcements
- Tuesday, May 21
- Grants Success Spotlight
- Wednesday, May 22
- Grants Success Spotlight
- Thursday, May 23
- Tourism Development is Economic Development
- Video: DRIVE Tourism
- Tourism Development is Economic Development
- Friday, May 24
- Stimulating Economic Growth
- Video: The Virginia Tourism Economy
- Stimulating Economic Growth
- Saturday, May 25
- Tourism Builds Vibrant Communities
- Blog post: Vibrant Virginia Communities You Don’t Want to Miss
- Sunday, May 19
Need more resources? Explore U.S. Travel’s toolkit below for many more helpful resources, including key messages, social media posts, graphics, and brand guidelines to engage with U.S. Travel on May 19-25.
- Toolkit: National Travel and Tourism Week | U.S. Travel Association (ustravel.org)
- US Travel Resources
- NTTW24 Messaging Guide
- NTTW24 Sample Proclamation
- Hashtag: #NTTW24