Virginia Tourism Corporation and seven Virginia destinations take over the City of Brotherly Love with a multi-channel campaign during the Phillies’ Labor Day weekend series
RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is bringing its iconic Virginia is for Lovers brand back to Philadelphia for a 2026 “Philly Takeover,” inviting residents of the City of Brotherly Love to discover all there is to love about a Virginia vacation this fall.
Launching Labor Day weekend alongside the Philadelphia Phillies’ series against the Atlanta Braves, the 2026 campaign expands on last year’s successful initiative with an even bigger presence throughout Philadelphia and a new lineup of seven Virginia destination partners: Visit Charlottesville & Albemarle County, Visit Fairfax, Visit Norfolk, Visit Prince William, Visit Richmond VA, Visit Williamsburg, and Visit Virginia Beach.
The multi-channel campaign, which runs through the fall, is designed to inspire travel to Virginia through high-impact advertising, digital and social media, public relations, and an onsite activation at Citizens Bank Park. The initiative is part of VTC’s “Vacation Starts with VA” flagship campaign and uses a sports-inspired creative approach to convert Philadelphia residents into Virginia visitors just in time for peak fall getaway season.
“Philadelphia continues to be an important drive market for Virginia, and the Philly Takeover gives us an opportunity to meet travelers where they are and show them just how much there is to love about a Virginia getaway,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “This year, we’re building on the momentum of our inaugural takeover with even more opportunities to engage Phillies fans and inspire them to take their next vacation in Virginia.”
This co-op campaign represents a strategic investment between VTC and the seven destination marketing organization (DMO) partners to maximize Virginia’s presence across the Philadelphia region through a variety of high-visibility activations, including:
- SEPTA NRG Station Takeover: Advertising placements throughout the NRG Station for the month of September, reaching travelers entering the South Philadelphia Sports & Entertainment Complex, home to the Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, Flyers, and XFINITY Live!
- Phillies Partnership:
- Labor Day Weekend Takeover: Virginia is for Lovers and DMO partners will be featured throughout the Phillies’ Labor Day weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, September 4-7, with LED ribbon signage, scoreboard rotations, in-game radio spots read by Phillies broadcasters, and logo placement on the pitcher’s mound and behind home plate
- Onsite Activation: On Sunday, September 6, fans entering Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies game will encounter a Virginia-themed activation featuring a branded LOVEwork, fife and drum performers, and giveaways from participating partners.
- Phillies Kiss Cam: Sponsorship of a 60-second Kiss Cam feature during all 12 Phillies home games in September, incorporating Virginia is for Lovers branding throughout the in-game feature and encouraging fan engagement and sweepstakes participation.
- Philly to VA Sweepstakes: A targeted giveaway designed to inspire trip planning to Virginia and drive traffic to PhillyToVA.com, a dedicated landing page featuring information about the participating destinations and opportunities to plan a Virginia getaway.
- Digital and Social Media Advertising: Meta retargeting campaign, Phillies media channels including 2 dedicated emails to Phillies subscribers, seventy :30 Phillies Radio spots, and one tagged Instagram post on the Phillies account (1.5M followers) designed to reach and engage Philadelphia-area travelers, including Phillies and Atlanta Braves fans.
The 2026 campaign will run through the end of October, with retargeting efforts extending into November.
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.