Press Coverage Highlights of Virginia secured and assisted by VTC’s Communications Team
June 2025
General Travel Coverage
- Smithsonian Magazine: The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2025
- Garden & Gun: Seven Southern Islands Reachable by Ferry
May 2025
General Travel Coverage
- Travel + Leisure: Northern Neck, Virginia, Is One of the State’s Best-kept Secrets
- Travel + Leisure: This Lesser-known Virginia Destination Has Secluded Waterfalls, Wine Tasting, and a Charming Historic Town—and It’s 3 Hours From Washington, D.C.
- Travel + Leisure: How to Visit Outlook Beach in Virginia
- Mommy Poppins: History Comes to Life: Visiting Colonial Williamsburg with Kids
- Family Vacationist: This summer’s best destinations, discounts and deals for family vacations
April 2025
General Travel Coverage
- Travel + Leisure: This Small Virginia Town Is Off the Appalachian Trail—but It’s Worth Exploring Even If You’re Not a Hiker
- Probe the Globe: Why These Pawfect Pet-Friendly Destinations Are Getting All the Tail Wags
March 2025
General Travel Coverage
- Travel + Leisure: 20 Best Places to Travel in May
- Southern Living: 10 Best Things To Do In Petersburg, Virginia
- Southern Living: The 9 Best Towns In Virginia For Antiquing
- Southern Living: 8 Homes Of Legendary Southern Women You Can Visit Throughout The South
- Trazee Travel: New Things to See and Do in Virginia This Year
- Travel Dreams Magazine: From Coastal Bliss to Historic Charm: 3 Stunning Hotels for Spring Travel
February 2025
General Travel Coverage
- Cool Material: The 6 Best Dark-Sky Parks for Unforgettable Stargazing
January 2025
General Travel Coverage
- Shermans Travel: 9 North American Destinations That Are Perfect Alternatives to Popular European Spots
- Thrillist: Best Food Festivals in 2025: Food Events Worth a Trip This Year
Winter WanderLove
- TripSided: Seven hot Virginia hotels for “Winter WanderLove”
- MSN: Seven hot Virginia hotels for “Winter WanderLove”
December 2024
General Travel Coverage
- AFAR: The 15 Best U.S. Destinations for a European Vibe
- Wine Enthusiast: Have Yourself a Hallmark-Style Holiday Season at These Wine Country Towns
- Forbes: See These Unique Christmas Or Holiday Tree Displays, By State
- Southern Living: 18 Best Camping Spots In Virginia
VTC Featured
- Richmond BizSense: Ad Rewind: 2024’s memorable marketing moments
November 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Southern Living: This Virginia Town Is One Of The South’s Most Underrated Vacation Spots
- Lonely Planet: 7 of the best places to go in the US this winter
- Southern Living: 10 Best Small Towns In Virginia For A Winter Getaway
- Southern Living: The 9 Best Short Scenic Hikes In Virginia For The Most Stunning Views
- Food & Wine: How to Cook and Carve a Spiral-Cut Ham
- WFLA Bloom Tampa Bay: The powerful mental health benefits of taking vacations
- Inspirations and Celebrations: Charming Events Designed To Inspire You To Celebrate The Joy of Autumn This November
- Family Vacationist: 9 places to travel with your parents while in your 30s for fun adult vacations
October 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Forbes: Here’s Where to See Fall Foliage Across the United States
- Southern Living: 9 Best Virginia Mountain Towns to Visit Now
- Southern Living: The 10 Best Weekend Getaways in Virginia
- Travel Curator: Worth Driving For: Middleburg Virginia
- Parade: 18 Best Food & Wine Festivals 2024
- Trazee Travel: 4 Can’t-Miss October Fests in Virginia
September 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Southern Living: The 10 Best Things To Do In Orange, Virginia
- AAA: Virginia Vineyards That Offer Creative Activities
- Smithsonian Magazine: Virginia State Parks Install Viewfinders for People With Colorblindness, Just in Time for Leaf-Peeping Season
August 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Forbes: The Top 8 U.S. Spots For Leaf Peeping In 2024—According To Priceline
- Travel + Leisure: This Is the No. 1 Fall Foliage Destination in the U.S. for 2024
- TimeOut: These are the Top Destinations for Fall Foliage Travel in 2024 (timeout.com)
- HGTV: 50 States of Public Parks, Gardens, Arboretums and Nature Centers
- TravelPulse: Where to Travel in September 2024
- Trazee Travel: 3 of the Best Food Tours in Virginia
- The Everygirl: The Best Fall Destinations to Visit Around the U.S.
July 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Trazee Travel: “Dirty Dancing” Festival Comes to Hotel Where Movie Filmed
- Extended Weekend Getaways: The Crooked Road: A Heritage Music Trail
- The Points Guy: Famous hotels featured in movies
- Washingtonian: 9 Waterfall Hikes an Easy Drive From DC
- TripSided: The Crooked Road in Southwest Virginia runs 333 miles through American music heritage
- My Itchy Travel Feet: SW VA Road Trip: Abingdon, Bristol & the Crooked Road
- USA TODAY 10Best: Hot springs havens: 10 best spots for a soothing soak in the US
- Northern Virginia Magazine: Devil’s Bathtub Hike: What to Expect and Where to Stay
- Travel + Leisure: This Scenic 105-mile Drive in Virginia Has 70 Scenic Overlooks in an Iconic National Park
- Travel Curator: Virginia’s Most Romantic Hotels
- Northern Virginia Magazine: Wineries with Overnight Stays Offer Relaxing Virginia Getaways
- Southern Living: 10 Best Waterfalls In Virginia To Explore
My Home Virginia Season 3 Announcement
- Travel and Tour World: Virginia Tourism Corporation Unveils Season 3 of My Home Virginia Spotlight on Local Sports Icons
- Our Community Now: VTC debuts third season of ‘My Home Virginia’ series, feature notable state athletes
- Henrico Citizen: VTC debuts third season of ‘My Home Virginia’ series, feature notable state athletes
- Augusta Free Press: ‘My Home Virginia’ series features runner, watersports, cyclist
- Richmond BizSense: The Pitch: Advertising and marketing news for 7.30.24
- RVA Hub: My Home Virginia by Virginia is for Lovers Features Jon Lugbill Executive Director of Sports Backers
- SWVA Today: Virginia Tourism Corporation announces new season of ‘My Home Virginia’
June 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Apartment Therapy: 10 Best Cities for Antique Shopping in the U.S.
- Smithsonian Magazine: The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024
- ARLNow: Sign honoring Black troops who fought in Civil War comes to Fort Ethan Allen Park
- Wealth of Geeks: Price and Prejudice: 2024 Travelers Seek Hotel Stays Worthy of Their Wallets
- Southern Living: The 9 Best Towns In Virginia For Antiquing
- Garden & Gun: Libby Hill Park: The View That Named Richmond
- Fox News: At this ‘Dirty Dancing’ nostalgic festival, fans can have ‘the time of your life’
- The Manual: Is it finally mead’s time to shine? Don’t sleep on this drink trend
- AAA: Visit Filming Locations of Your Favorite TV Shows and Movies
Marketing Grant Programs
- WSET: VIRginia International Raceway receives more than $50,000 in grant funding
- The Gazette Virginian: Virginia International Raceway receives $50,500 in grants
- The Declaration: Grayson will use grants to attract visitors
- CBS19News: Fluvanna County earns tourism and economic development designation
- Richmond Times-Dispatch: Grant will help County tout ‘Cozy Couple’ initiative
- WFXR: City of Salem awarded over $56k from VTC to help drive tourism
- The Sussex Surry Dispatch: Surry County Tourism Receives Grant Award
- Bluefield Daily Telegraph: Pearisburg winery awarded state grant for Paw Paw Festival
- Sports Events Media Group: City of Salem receives three Va. tourism grants
- Galax Gazette: Galax receives grants for tourism marketing
- News on the Neck: Another $30,000 in tourism spending, another kayak launch for Northumberland
- Culpeper Star Exponent: Culpeper, Orange, Rappahannock get tourism marketing grants
- Augusta Free Press: Staunton among 25 Virginia localities awarded tourism funds from VA250
- Our Community Now: Staunton among 25 Virginia localities awarded tourism funds from VA250
- CBS19News: Louisa County trail getting funding to help commemorate VA250
May 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Daily News Record: Virginia Reveals New Civil War Trails Map
- Camille Styles: 20 Underrated Destinations to Visit This Summer—From Mendocino to Mackinac Island
- Travel + Leisure: 10 Best Mountain Towns in Virginia, According to Locals
- WRIC: 5 beautiful rock formations to visit in Virginia
- Music Cities Events: Virginia Is For Music Lovers – capitalising the demand for music related travel around the Birthplace of Country Music
- Garden & Gun: All the Presidents’ Beds: Five of Virginia’s Most Historic Inns
- The Knot: 12 Wedding Venues in Virginia to Suit Every Style
- Southern Living: The 10 Most Underrated Summer Vacation Destinations In The South
- The Everygirl: 8 East Coast Destinations for an Affordable Weekend Trip
- Southern Living: The 10 Best Lakes In Virginia For A Relaxing Getaway
- Travel Pulse: Where To Travel in June 2024
- Family Vacationist: Wine country getaways: These wine regions are the best in the U.S.
- AAA: Our 13 Favorite Scenic Byways
Marketing Grant Programs
- WSET: Danville’s Visit SoSI receives two grants that will help boost tourism
- Times News: Scott County Bounty Trail attracts state tourism marketing grant
- Gloucester-Mathews Gazette Journal: Gloucester tourism programs receive grant funding
- CBS19News: Tom Tom, Foxfield, Montpelier and more getting tourism, visitation funding
- Bluefield Daily Telegraph: Southwest Virginia tourism gets boosts from state grants
- Bluefield Daily Telegraph: Youngkin announces funding for tourism in Virginia
- The Gazette-Virginian: Halifax County tourism programs earn grants
- Virginia Star: Scott County Tourism Receives Grant for Tourism Marketing
- CBS19News: Fluvanna County gets $22K in tourism funding
- NBC29: Hundreds of tourism programs receive state funds
- Williamsburg Yorktown Daily: Local Virginia Tourism Programs to Receive Public-Private Marketing Funds to Drive Visitation
- Shore Daily News: Local organizations receive State Grants from Virginia Tourism Commission
- Augusta Free Press: Festivals, events awarded marketing funds to boost overnight visitors to Virginia
- The Winchester Star: Middletown’s July 4 celebration receives state grant for the first time
- The Enterprise: Organizations in Henry, Patrick to receive marketing funds
- Henry County Enterprise: VMNH receives $4,500 grant to support Dino Festival
- Daily News Record: Harrisonburg Tourism Awarded Grants
- The Fincastle Herald: Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival receives tourism grant
- SOVA Now: Clarksville receives grants for historic downtown redevelopment, rebranding
- WHSV: Waynesboro receives grant from the VTC
- The News Virginian: Waynesboro receives $16,000 state grant for tourism marketing
DRIVE Outdoor Program
- Shore Daily News: Cape Charles to receive $20,000 to boost outdoor recreation economies
- WAVY: Norfolk receives grant to assist in tourism and outdoor recreation
- Augusta Free Press: Grant program provides 10 Virginia communities with boost for summer travel season
- Southwest Virginia Sun: Virginia communities to launch new tourism programs
- WRAR FM: Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces 10 Virginia Communities to Launch New Tourism Programs and Boost Outdoor Recreation
- WDBJ: Danville recognized by Governor for receiving tourism award
- Middle Neck News: Northern Neck Tourism Commission Gets $20K
- News on the Neck: Two DRIVE Outdoor Grants Awarded in the Northern Neck
- Danville Register & Bee: Danville receives $10,000 grant for plan to enhance seating at Angler’s Park
- The Recorder: Alleghany Highlands chamber receives funding for DRIVE Outdoor Tourism Development Program
Sports Tourism Economic Impact
- Henrico Citizen: Virginia ranks 10th nationally in economic impact of sports tourism
- The News Messenger: Virginia named top U.S. state for most economic impact by sports tourism by Sports ETA
- Gazette Leader: Data: Virginia seeing big bucks from ‘sports tourism’
New Virginia is for Lovers Merchandise Vendor
- Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star: Fredericksburg printer gets state tourism job
Crooked Road Anniversary
- Bristol Herald-Courier
April 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Culpeper Star-Exponent: Celebrating 20 years on the Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail
- Travel + Leisure: How to Plan a Trip to Richmond, Virginia
- Global Traveler: 6 Over-the-Top Suites for Special Stays
- Cosmopolitan: The 15 Most Underrated Summer Travel Destinations in the U.S.
- Forbes: 13 Eco-Friendly Luxury Hotels
- Virginia Business: Cashing in: Virginia casinos attract promised out-of-state visitors
March 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Southern Living: The Best Waterfront Town In Every Southern State 2024
- Southern Living: The Best Small Town In Every Southern State 2024
- The Roanoker: HMBLE HSTLE Rolls Out Red Carpet for Trilogy Weekend
- WDBJ: The Humble Hustle partners with “Virginia is for Lovers” to promote local art and culture
- Arlington Magazine: 12 Less-Crowded Places to See and Celebrate Cherry Blossoms
- Thrillist: Where to See Cherry Blossoms in DC, From Landmarks to Secret Spots
- Culpeper Times: Culpeper kicks off Women’s History Month with Cornelia Hancock
- TODAY: Last-minute spring break getaway ideas from Maine to California
- Southern Living: 15 Best Places To Travel In The South This April
- Thrillist: This Is What Happens When You Steal a Hotel Robe
Year of Country Music
- Southwest Virginia Sun: Crooked Road marks 20th anniversary
- WCYB: Celebrating major milestones on The Crooked Road with music and community events
February 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Business Insider: 5 Romantic Destinations That Are Surprisingly Great for Family Travel
- Travel Noire: Goodbye California, Hello Virginia Wineries
- Daily News Record: LOVE IS IN THE AIR: LOVEworks Of Harrisonburg And Rockingham County
- The Newcastle Record: Virginia’s Western Highlands region showcased in 2024 Virginia Travel Guide
- The Virginian Review: Virginia’s Western Highlands Region Showcased in 2024 Virginia Travel Guide
- WDBJ: The Humble Hustle partners with “Virginia is for Lovers” to promote local art and culture
- Virginia Business: Tourism: Game on – Leisure tourism rebounds as new casinos boom
Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail
- Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star: Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail added to national system
- NBC4 Washington: Fredericksburg added to US Civil Rights Trail
- Fredericksburg Today: WATCH: City’s Civil Rights Trail added to national trail
- Fredericksburg Today: PHOTOS: City’s Civil Rights Trail added to national trail
- FXBG Advance: Fredericksburg’s Civil Rights Trail Has Been Added to the National Civil Rights Trail
- Augusta Free Press: Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail joins national collection of landmarks
- Patch: Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail Hailed As New Addition To U.S. Trail
Year of Country Music in Virginia
- The Roanoke Star: Virginia Celebrates “Year of Country Music” With Multiple Milestone Anniversaries
- Augusta Free Press: Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail celebrates 20th anniversary with milestone events
- WXFR: ‘Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail’ highlights Southwest Virginia’s legacy
- Bristol Herald and Courier: A year of musical milestones: Crooked Road, Carter Fold, BCMM celebrate anniversaries in 2024
- Budget Travel: Explore Country Music Heritage and Scenic Terrain in Southwest Virginia
- Elizabethton Star: Carter Fold
- Herald & Tribune: Carter Fold set for 2024 season with ‘special shows’ to come
- The Business Journal: Crooked Road marks 20 years
- The Altavista Journal: 20th anniversary of Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail events announced
- Old Dominion News: Governor Glenn Youngkin and Virginia Celebrates “Year of Country Music” with Multiple Milestone Anniversaries
Kingsport Times News: Carter Fold set for 2024 season with ‘special shows’ to come
January 2024
General Travel Coverage
- Travel Noire: 7 Luxury Hotel Openings To Keep An Eye On This Year
- Global Traveler: 5 Hotel Openings for 2024
- Christiansburg News Messenger: Sports tourism contributed $2.7 billion in direct spending in 2022
- AFAR: The Most Charming Small Towns in Each U.S. State
- Trazee Travel: 5 Valentine’s Day Offers in New York and Virginia
What’s New 2024
- The Gazette Leader: Va. tourism attractions gearing up for busy 2024
- CBS19 News: Find out ‘What’s New in 2024’
- The Virginia Star: Carter Fold to Celebrate 50th Anniversary in 2024
- SWVA Today: Virginia Tourism looks at what’s new in 2024
- Brunswick Times-Gazette: What’s New in Virginia 2024
- NBC12: What’s new in Virginia 2024
- NBC12: Here’s what’s new in Virginia in 2024
