Welcome to VHTA Online

 The Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association is the unified voice for the 
restaurant, lodging, travel and hospitality suppliers associations. The association creates
value for members by promoting the legislative interests of the industry, providing
cooperative marketing and educational opportunities while protecting free enterprise.  
 

VA-1 Conference - The Power of Love
* VHTA Annual Meeting
October 3-5, 2010
Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump

The Power of Love: Virginia Is For Lovers™ brand and the new LOVE campaign are strong strategies to increase commerce and jobs in The Commonwealth. 

The VA-1 Conference is the Virginia Tourism Industry event of the year. Join the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and tourism professionals from across the state to learn about cutting edge educational topics at VA-1, Virginia's premier tourism educational and networking conference.
 
Learn about exciting new ways VTC will be marketing Virginia as a premier travel destination to prospective visitors and take advantage of educational opportunities tailored to your specific needs and budget. In addition attend VHTA's Annual Meeting where VHTA will host the Outstanding Industry Awards Banquet honoring industry leaders, including exceptional employees, managers, suppliers, and environmental leaders.

Network with colleagues at the VHTA Annual Meeting and gain valuable industry updates, the latest legislative news and participate in discussions with other industry leaders.

We look forward to seeing you there!

For program details and registration Click Here.

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   2010 Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging EXPO

The Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage, and Lodging EXPO is sponsored by the Restaurant Association of Maryland in partnership with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and Virginia Hospitality & Travel Association. Our annual tradeshow is the largest in the Mid-Atlantic region, attracting thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors from New York to Florida.

See the latest trends and products that matter most to your market - right in your backyard! EXPO is your best opportunity to meet the right people face-to-face over two days of EXCITING educational sessions bringing together buyers, suppliers, and customers - it's a must-attend event!

For more information and to register visit http://www.midatlanticexpo.com/home.html

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2010 Summer Membership Meeting

The 2010 Summer Membership Meeting was a great success! Members from all across the state attended. The meeting consisted of committee and component meetings, government relations briefings, and the quarterly board meeting. The focus of this meeting was to network and interact with fellow members as well as gain valuable information and updates within the Association, legislative updates and discussions, and information on the tourism industry as a whole.

Graves Mountain Lodge hosted the three day meeting where many fun things were planned including a tour of Graves Mountain Lodge, apple pickin' in the orchard, and a blue grass band during the reception. Thank you Jimmy Graves for your hospitality!

Tom Griffin, Director and Founder of Greener Results was VHTA’s luncheon speaker. He presented on topics including the Virginia Green program and The Virginia Green Challenge to honor the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the NEW Virginia Green Suppliers Network program.

VHTA would like to give a special thank you to Farmer’s Insurance, Heartland Payment Systems, and VistaGraphics for sponsoring this meeting. VHTA would also like to thank Hampton Inn Oceanfront of Virginia Beach, Kings Dominion, and Graves Mountain Lodge for donating prizes for our raffle drawing.

The next VHTA Membership Meeting will be held October 3-5, 2010 at the Richmond Hilton Hotel and Spa/Short Pump in Richmond, Virginia. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Announcing the Virginia Green Suppliers Network Program

Virginia Green Suppliers Network was created to serve as a recourse for Virginia Green participants that need green products and services. It will essentially be a Directory for Virginia Green participants and others looking for green products and services. 

A Virginia Green Supplier is a business that provides “green” products and services to businesses in the hospitality sector – recycling vendors, grease filtering companies, vendors of bio-based food service products, companies that install photovoltaic solar panels, etc. These products or services should assist the Virginia Green members (the hotels, restaurants, etc.) with their own Virginia Green requirements.

Click Here to download an application.

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2011 Virginia Hospitality and Travel Guide:
Advertising Opportunities Available!

The offical guide of the VHTA features a high quality, full-size magazine format with concise, comprehensive listings of hotels, motels, attractions and restaurants. All are conveniently broken down by area of state, city and category.

All NEW Special Hotel/Motel Coupon Insert
The commonwealth's most established statewide guide now provides the most effective interstate coupon program. The new coupon insert that is printed full-color on an uncoated sheet, will be inserted into the center of every copy of the VHTA Guide. This special insert will be printed seasonally, 3 times each year with spring, summer, and fall issues. The primary focus of the insert is to allow hotels/motels in popular destinations througout the state and along the interstate, to offer travelers a discount incentive.

Click Here for more information.

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75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway Symposium

October 14-16, 2010
The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment in cooperation with Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. is hosting Imagining the Blue Ridge Parkway for the 21st Century: Sustaining Communities, Environments, and Economies. The program is designed to assist community leaders, businesses, economic development authorities, tourism offices, Parkway officials, and supporters of the Parkway in working together for a sustainable future for the Parkway.
Visit http://www.blueridgeparkwaysymposium.cnre.vt.edu/ for more details.

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The Travel Agents' Toolbox is Available Exclusively Online!

The Travel Agents' Toolbox developed by VHTA and is sent to over 8,000 travel and tour information providers. This wonderful tool offers one-stop shopping for VHTA member brochures. It is a handy tool that can be used for ordering throughout the year. The Travel Agents' Toolbox also includes a selected list of upcoming events around Virginia. 
Click here to view and order brochures online!