Area sites awarded funding from Virginia Tourism Corporation

Several area businesses are some of the recipients of more than $6.5 million in marketing funds issued today by the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

“On the heels of our Statewide Tourism Strategic Plan launch, we are proud to partner with regional, local, and private partners to invest in innovative and community-based solutions that drive tourism and sustained economic growth across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery in an information release.

Awards come out of either the VTC’s Marketing Leverage Program or one of the Virginia Direct Marketing Organization marketing programs.

The VTC officially sanctioned a request to create a new Virginia Piedmont Virginia tourism district that includes the Charlottesville area. The boundaries are the same as GO Region 9, an economic development organization.

GO Region 9’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy refers to tourism as “visitation-related businesses” and calls for strong connections between outdoor activities and local businesses.

“Invest in the region’s tourism economy, including arts, culture, retail, outdoor recreation, food service, and meeting space across urban and rural area,” reads Strategy 1.C.4.

The third goal in Albemarle County’s Economic Development Strategic Plan is to “Grow a Modern Agribusiness Economy” and calls for ways to increase agritourism.

Charlottesville’s Economic Development Strategic Plan is more direct in stating the role that visitors play in the city.

“With more than 4,300 workers, Tourism has the largest employment base among all of Charlottesville’s clusters,” reads page 11 of the plan.

With that in mind, here is a list of the area recipients of the Spring 2026 awards.

• The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau received $30,000 for a program called Leveraging Hoo Enthusiasm: Connecting UVA Alumni To VisitCharlottesville.org
• The Charlottesville Ale Trail received $17,540 for a program called Hop Outside.
• Eastwood Farm and Winery has been awarded $20,000 for a program Expanding Eastwood’s Reach.
• Foxfield Racing LLC obtained $14,000 for Foxfield Fall Races for Families.
• Monticello Wine Trail / Jeffersonian Wine Grape Growers Society got $10,000 for Monticello Wine Week which is June 22 through June 26.
• IX Arts Foundation received $2,500 for Charlottesville Arts Month which is happening now.
• Meander Estate LLC of Madison County got $30,000 for Experience Meander. Meander is a historic house established in 1726.
• Love Ridge Mountain Lodging received $20,000 for a program called “Revolutionary Rest”– Glamping like its 1776
• Nelson County got $15,000 for a program called Check into Nelson – A Collaborative Overnight Itinerary Campaign.
• Veritas Vineyards and Winery received $20,0000 for a program called “Escape to Virginia Wine Country: A Romantic Getaway in the Heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains”
• The Town of Gordonsville received $3,240 for a program called Celebrating Gordonsville’s History.

How do these sound to you? Are you interested in hearing more? Any concerns? Charlottesville Community Engagement is not a tourism newsletter but there is much of interest in the field of visitation-related businesses.

Before you go: The goal of Town Crier Productions is to increase awareness about what is happening at the local, regional, state, and federal government levels. Please share the work with others if you want people to know things. Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the May 7, 2026 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.  You can either subscribe through Substack or make a charitable contribution.