RICHMOND – Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) announced today that Lisa Frazier Tharpe has been named Senior Destination Development Manager on VTC’s Partnership Marketing Destination Development Team for the Southern & Central/Coastal Region of Virginia.
In her role, Tharpe will work with tourism industry partners in these regions to facilitate the development of community-based tourism programs, new products, and tourism-related businesses. These responsibilities include providing tourism strategic planning, technical assistance, product development guidance, and cooperative marketing assistance to communities and small tourism-oriented businesses.
“I am very excited to be a part of the VTC team covering this region,” Tharpe said. “With all the opportunities that Southern Virginia has to offer, it is the perfect place to visit, work, and play. I am eager to help these area businesses take advantage of all of our tourism opportunities to enhance the visitor experience.”
Tharpe comes to VTC from Longwood University’s Center for the Visual Arts where she served as the Director of Community Engagement for the last seven years. Prior to Longwood, Lisa was the Executive Director of the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce and worked with Green Front Furniture for many years as the General Manager of their wholesale furniture & accessory company Accessories Abroad, where she managed more than 30 sales reps across the country, multiple overseas vendors, and thousands of high-end furnishings imported from all over the world.
Originally from Clarksville, Virginia, Tharpe has resided in Farmville for the past 25 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Averett University with a double major in Management & Marketing. She also serves on the University’s Alumni Board of Directors and has served on dozens of boards in the Southern Virginia region over the years.
In her free time, Tharpe is a passionate outdoor sports fan and enjoys her lake house getaway in Clarksville where she can be found waterskiing, wake surfing, paddleboarding, or playing pickleball. She also loves spending time at their family farm “Rock View” in Farmville, where they tend to their 60+ black angus cows, along with 1,400 new red grape vines as they tap into the growing agri-business of Virginia wine.
“We are thrilled to have Lisa Frazier Tharpe in this important role at VTC,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “Her professional expertise, strong connections, and knowledge of the area businesses in this region make her the perfect fit for this Senior position representing Virginia.”
The VTC Partnership Marketing Destination Development Team of the VTC Partnership Alliance Marketing Division provides guidance to needed resources, educational opportunities, planning, and technical assistance to municipalities, tourism organizations, and current and potential tourism businesses.
The team’s core services include business development, tourism product development, industry liaisons, and funding assistance with a focus on developing and promoting new tourism businesses and the development of community-based tourism products throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
For more information on VTC’s Partnership Marketing Destination Development Team, visit vatc.org/partnershipmarketing/tdmanagers.
About Virginia Tourism Corporation
Virginia is for Lovers is one of the most iconic and recognizable travel brands in the world. Using that powerful brand equity, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is charged with promoting the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination by showcasing all there is to love in a Virginia vacation. The dollars spent by travelers fuel the economy, provide jobs for Virginians, and improve communities across the state. Simply put, tourism helps make Virginia a great place to live, work, and visit. Learn more at virginia.org.