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Media News & Information
Article by Travel Writer Tamar Alexia Fleishman of the Herald-Dispatch/Huntington, West Virginia
Article by Travel Writer Robert Sandlass of the Baltimore Sun
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB announce our 2010 Hospitality Heroes & our Hero of the Year
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB announce our 2010 Community Ambassadors
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB announce the winner of our 2010 Pork-a-razzi Photo Contest
Local icon, Smithfield Station Waterfront Inn, Restaurant & Marina was awarded NINE of Chesapeake Bay Magazine's "2010 Best of the Bay" Awards including: "Best Restaurant for Views," "Best Restaurant for Breakfast," "Best Restaurant for Burgers," "Best Restaurant for Crab Cakes," "Best Restaurant for Cream of Crab Soup," "Best Resort Marina," "Best Marina for Small Boats," "Best Marina for Natural Environment," & Smithfield as "Best Town for Foodies!"
Historic Fort Huger named to Virginia Civil War Trails!
The Civil War Trails program has installed more than 1,000 interpretive markers at Civil War sites in Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, West Virginia and North Carolina. Driving tours following major campaigns have been created, and a series of regional brochures is available. Downloadable versions of the maps are available at CivilWarTraveler.com/maps.
Pictured are Executive Director of the Civil War Trails, Mitch Bowman and Isle of Wight County Historic Resources Manager, Jennifer Williams with the historic marker now located at Historic Fort Huger.
Take a video tour of Historic Fort Huger.
Smithfield & Isle of Wight featured on "Krusing America" series
Everyone needs a place to call home. Krusing America, a groundbreaking series places center-stage the stirring emotions triggered by a sense of "home."
In Season One an American soldier and his young family explore the land he spend his life defending...but rarely lived, searching for a place they can call home.
With a documentary feel and thoughtful narration, each half-hour episode of Krusing America explores a picture perfect American hometown. The goal of this family is to find a great place to live in American. And while we can't all pick up and move, we can at least visit these remarkable communities and experience all they have to offer through the eyes of a charming and not-so-typical family.
Read more about this soon to be broadcast series created and produced by Linda Kruse.
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Press Release:
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism Director elected VACVB President
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism Director,
Judy Hare Winslow elected State CVB Association President
Thursday, June 2, 2010
Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield and Isle of Wight Director of Tourism, Judy Hare Winslow, has been elected President of the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus (VACVB). Ms. Winslow will take office in July, 2010. Previously Ms. Winslow served as the Chairman of the VACVB Professional Development Committee and on its Executive Board since 2007. Ms. Winslow took over the leadership of the Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB in January of 2006 following over 25 years in the hospitality and marketing industries.
The Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus is a membership-based association of independent destination management organizations and supporting businesses who share political and community support with the primary mission of promoting their areas as meeting and tourism destinations. The VACVB offers its members advocacy, networking, and professional development opportunities for the purpose of member destination success.
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Press Release:
Economic Impact of Tourism – Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB Celebrates National Tourism Week
Smithfield & Isle of Wight County Touts Economic Impact
of Visitors during National Tourism Week
Tourism Means Business for Virginia - $19.2 billion in revenue and 210,000 jobs
Friday, April 30, 2010, Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield and Isle of Wight County, Virginia, is touting the economic impact of visitors to the area as part of National Tourism Week, May 8-16. Tourism is one of Virginia’s most powerful industries, generating $19.2 billion in revenue, supporting 210,000 jobs and providing $1.28 billion in state and local taxes.
Locally, tourism has a significant impact on the area’s economy. Data compiled by the U.S. Travel Association shows that tourism in Smithfield and Isle of Wight combined brings in over $31 million in revenue, supports 352 jobs and generates more than $868 thousand in local taxes (and more than 1.4 million including food taxes).
This year, Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism will celebrate National Tourism week by presenting local front-line hospitality industry employees who were nominated, a “Hospitality Hero” award. Awards will be distributed at the monthly SmARTs event on May 14th at the Visitor Center on Main Street in Smithfield. The grand prize Hospitality Hero winner will be awarded an overnight get-away for two. The May 14th SmARTs event will also feature the announcement of the Pork-a-razzi photo contest award winner and Community Ambassador participants to date.
“This is our opportunity to highlight the contribution to economic impact that our own local hospitality employees make; to congratulate our 2010 Visitor Guide cover shot winner; and to thank the dozens of citizens involved in bringing groups and meetings to our area,” said Judy Winslow, Director of Tourism for Smithfield & Isle of Wight County.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation, the state agency responsible for marketing Virginia to travelers from across the globe, is partnering with local tourism offices statewide to shine a spotlight on the power of tourism.
“Tourism is an instant source of revenue for Virginia,” said Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. “Our marketing efforts bring visitors to communities across the commonwealth, in turn supporting local businesses and jobs. The state tax revenue alone generated by tourism is enough to educate 78,000 Virginia students or employ 11,500 state police officers.”
Other facts about tourism in Virginia:
- Virginia ranks eighth in the nation for domestic visitor spending.
- Every $1 Virginia invests in tourism marketing generates $5 in tax revenue alone.
- Virginia is for Lovers is one of the most recognized and celebrated tourism brands in the country.
- Virginia is within a day’s drive or less of 60 percent of the U.S. population, adding to the state’s appeal and value as a destination.
- The Virginia Travel Guide is free to anyone by visiting Virginia.org or calling 1-800-VISITVA
For more information about travel and tourism in Virginia and to plan a vacation, go to Virginia.org.
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Press Release:
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB announces increase in tourism visitation
(left to right) Collin Norman, Docent, Cheryl Whitener, Visitor Center Manager and Karen Vogel, Docent at the Visitor Center’s welcome desk on tourism’s half of 319 Main St.
(left to right) Patti Garver, Arts Center@ 319 Assistant Director, Val Johnson, Resident Artist and Kathy Beem, Volunteer Docent at the Arts Center’s gallery/gift shop on their half of 319 Main St.
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism
announces 2009 Increase in Visitation
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Smithfield, Virginia
The end of the year numbers are in and Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism is pleased to announce a 91% increase in annual visitation to the Visitor Center for 2009. The Smithfield & Isle of Wight Visitor Center has posted double digit increases every month this past year with better than a 100% increase in visitation during the months of April, May and December and a better than 200% increase in visitation during the month of June.
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Director of Tourism, Judy Winslow, attributes the increases to the passionate partnership between Tourism and the Arts and the opening of the new Visitor and Arts Centers at 319 Main Street in Smithfield. According to Winslow, additional contributing factors include a strong special events program; successful target marketing including Williamsburg blitzes, a new state-of-the-art website and weekly email blasts; superb customer service from Visitor Center staff and management; and the unwavering support from Smithfield & Isle of Wight tourism stakeholders including the attractions, hotels, restaurants and shops.
The most significant percentage of visitors come from Virginia with Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, and Florida as the other state’s topping the Smithfield and Isle of Wight visitation list. Smithfield and Isle of Wight were also able to retain a high rate of return visitors with 51% having previously visited the destination and 49% being first time guests.
Contact us for further information or high resolution images of the Visitors Center or Arts Center.
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Press Release:
Smithfield & Isle of Wight at the state's East Coast Gateway Welcome Center
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism featured
at the State's East Coast Gateway Welcome Center
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism is the featured Virginia destination at the state’s East Coast Gateway Welcome Center on I-64 in New Kent County for the month of January 2010. As the featured destination, Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism has created a display featuring banners exclaiming the destination’s tag line Hams, History, Hospitality and HeART as well as objects that exemplify each word. Also included in the display are large banners featuring Smithfield and Isle of Wight images, affixed to the front of the Center’s information desk; an entry box for registering to win a genuine Smithfield Ham; brochures featuring the destination as a get-away or day trip and one for upcoming special events; a digital screen featuring scenes from Smithfield and Isle of Wight; and suspended flying pigs created by the artists of the Isle of Wight Arts League and the Arts Center @319.
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism’s display will be seen by the many visitors who stop by the Center - on average 150,000 per month. In addition to the display, Tourism staff, as well as the towns’ and counties’ tourism stakeholders, have an opportunity to “man” the East Cost Gateway Welcome Center at a table promoting the destination.
Contact us for further information or high resolution images.
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Press Release: Smithfield Ham featured in Saveur Cover Story
Smithfield, Virginia’s HAM featured as cover story in December issue of Saveur Magazine
Friday, December 11, 2009
Smithfield, Virginia
One doesn’t often think of a Smithfield Ham as “cover girl” material but this December, Saveur Magazine has featured the succulent holiday treat in all its glory on the cover and in a 20-page full-color spread. The December issue of the magazine is dedicated to the pursuit of ham and Smithfield, Virginia is front and center. Saveur's cover story by Executive Editor Dana Bowen compares the ham making traditions of Smithfield, Virginia and Parma, Italy. It's a beautiful story that will leave you craving a ham biscuit and wanting to visit Smithfield in person.
The crew from Saveur Magazine made its pilgrimage to the home of hams, history, hospitality and heART, September 25th, 26th and 27th - just in time to attend the Isle of Wight Museum’s commemoration of building the world’s largest Ham Biscuit (as documented by the Guinness Book of World Records. The biscuit was built in 2002 during Smithfield’s 250th anniversary celebration.). The magazine calls Smithfield, Virginia one of the most important capitals of cured pork in the world and chronicles’ the history of ham in the Smithfield and Surry areas. The article also recounts the magazine crews visit to Smithfield Station Hotel, Restaurant and Marina and Smithfield Foods; as well as encounters with Henrietta Gwaltney, the great granddaughter of the legendary Smithfield ham producer, P.D. Gwaltney; Larry Santure, Smithfield Foods Senior Business Manager for dry-cured meats; and local resident, Janice Scott-the former manager of the Smithfield Inn and caterer extraordinaire. Plus, the article highlights 14 recipes for dishes incorporating honey glazed to country style ham.
If you've never been to Smithfield, make a point of going, not just for the ham, but for the charming Main Street, which is traditional small town Virginia at its best. Besides a plethora of superb historical attractions, you’ll find the Genuine Smithfield Ham Shop and many restaurants that serve the town’s celebrated claim to fame.
There is more than one way to get to Smithfield, but the car ferry is a favorite. Drive to Jamestown and take the Jamestown-Surry Ferry, a free car ferry that transports you across the James River and into Surry, from there drive into downtown Smithfield where Victorian homes and Ham, History, Hospitality and HeART await.
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Press Release: Tourism & Arts Center Award
Marjette Upshur, Director of Economic Development for the City of Lynchburg and VDDA 2009 Awards of Excellence Chairperson and Judy Hare Winslow, Director of Tourism for Smithfield & Isle of Wight County
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Smithfield, Virginia
A 2009 Virginia Downtown Development Association Annual Award of Excellence for Organizational Development was presented to the Smithfield & Isle of Wight Tourism Bureau and The Arts Center@319 (referred to by the VDDA as The Centers @ 319) on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at the VDDA’s Annual Awards of Excellence Dinner in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The VDDA was impressed with the transformation of 319 Main Street into a shared arts and visitor center, but noted that the non-profit and public partnership in the launch of a cultural tourism initiative was particularly deserving of recognition.
The Virginia Downtown Development Association’s mission is to bring attention to the significance of historic downtowns to Virginia's economic vitality and to enhance the effectiveness of organizations, individuals and communities to foster vibrant economic development. It recognizes excellence in the organizational aspects of a local revitalization program such as consensus building, development of partnerships and outreach activities with an annual award. Awards of Excellence are presented to projects that are outstanding in concept and implementation.
The Art Center@319 and the Smithfield & Isle of Wight Visitor Center and Tourism offices jointly opened their doors in March of 2009 after forming a public-private partnership and following the extensive renovations of the aging hardware store, they now call home. The co-located centers exhibit the works of local and regional artists throughout the year and the Art Center@319 hosts working studios for eight resident artists and a gift shop. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the resident artists “in their natural habitat” as new works of art are being created.
In addition to the shared space, the partners had a greater vision- to raise awareness of the cultural tourism initiative, highlighting the partnership between a community arts organization and its tourism bureau, and enticing visits to the Smithfield Historic District for its visual arts galleries and many cultural arts program offerings. Thus far, the gambit has worked spectacularly with both organizations reporting sizeable gains in visitation, sales and exposure.
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB on Facebook
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB on Twitter
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB Staff:
Judy Hare Winslow, Director of Tourism
Lois Chapman, Marketing & Public Relations Manager
Cheryl Whitener, Visitor Center Manager
Terry Thompson, Event Coordinator
Kristin Wilda, Farmer's Market Manager
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Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB and the Isle of Wight Arts League are partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
