03-15-2022 Tourism PresentationCorrie Bobe
Director of Economic Development & Tourism
City of Danville
Corrie.Bobe@discoverdanville.com
MEET THE TEAM
Kelvin Perry
PROJECT MANAGER
Kim Custer
SPECIAL PROJECTS
MANAGER
Laura Ashworth
MARKETING & RESEARCH
MANAGER
Lisa Meriwether
TOURISM MANAGER
Barbara Fiedor
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Corrie Bobe
DIRECTOR
DANVILLE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
& TOURISM
Lisa’s professional background includes key sales
positions with major hotel chains and luxury properties
such as the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star
Jefferson Hotel in Richmond.She also previously held
the position of vice president of tourism for the
Lynchburg Regional Convention &Visitors Bureau and
as the tourism sales manager for the Office of
Economic Development &Tourism for the City of
Lynchburg,Virginia.
MEET
Lisa Meriwether
TOURISM MANAGER
More than 35 years in
hospitality,sales,and tourism
Tourism Presentations
•Rotary Clubs
•Dan River Region Association of Realtors
•Danville Development Council
Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
•Partnered on media event announcing U.S. Civil Rights Trail designation
•Partnered on Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Recovery Grant to create video tours
Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex
•Met with John Harris, Executive Director to discuss partnering on event promotion and calculating economic impacts
Pittsylvania Historical Society
•Met with Bill Guerrant to discuss ways to partner on regional projects
River District Association
•Met with Diana Schwartz, Executive Director and team to partner on River District initiatives
Averett University Athletics
•Met with Meg Stevens, VP, Director of Athletics and Campus Operations, about a regional sports tourism plan
Averett University Aviation Services
•John Earl, FBO Manager
MEETING THE COMMUNITY
Danville Otterbots
•Met with Austin Scher, General Manager, about a regional sports tourism plan
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
•Leslie Dobbins and her Team –promotion for IALR
Pittsylvania County
•Matt Rowe, Caleb Ayers, Justin Price
Preservation Virginia
•Sonya Ingram (Pittsylvania County local markers & barns quilt program)
AAF Tank Museum
•Discussed marketing efforts
Other businesses in the community
•The United Way, Jennifer Smith, President and CEO
•The Bee Hotel, Susanna Popu
•YMCA –Sarah Folmar, Executive Director
•Crèma & Vine, Steve DelGiorno
•2 Witches Winery & Brewing, Co.
•King Cropp Kitchen, Jim Cropp
•Schoolfield Restaurant
MEETING THE COMMUNITY
Kattie Saunders
•Tourism Steering Committee
•Invited to Attend VA Tourism Corporations Visitor Centers Training/Area Study Tour
Simpleview
•Customer Relationship Management
•Content Management System
o Regional Calendar of Events
Destinations International
•Economic Impact Calculator
Huddle Up Group, Inc.
•Regional Sports Tourism Plan
Tourism Plan Consultant
•Creation of a Regional Tourism Plan
Photography and Video Library
Visitor Maps for Danville and Pittsylvania County
GETTING STARTED…
•Virginia Society of Association Executives
•Association Executives of North Carolina
•Meeting Professionals International
•Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, Travel Association
•Sports Events & Tourism Association
•Destinations International
•Virginia Association of Destination Management Organizations
•American Bus Association
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
4TH ANNUAL VIRGINIA TOUR GUIDE
Ad in the special Virginia
section in April’s issue of
Leisure Group Travel.This
publication is a VTC co-op
DISTRIBUTION:12,000
subscribers including tour
operators,bank travel clubs,
seniors,affinity and
religious groups.
VIRGINIA LIVING MAGAZINE
Ad in the special Virginia
section highlighting the River
District’s Semi-Finalist award
for the 2022 Great American
Main Street program.This
publication is a VTC co-op.
READERSHIP:More than
600,000.This glossy,upscale
lifestyle magazine is the top
media reference in Virginia.It
publishes six bi-monthly
issues per year,plus the
bonus Best of Virginia issue in
May.
2022 VA STATE TRAVEL GUIDE
Full page ad.This is the official Guide for Virginia Tourism
Corporation.
DISTRIBUTION:All 13 State Welcome Centers and all
Certified Visitor Centers across the Commonwealth.It is
the official guide promoting all of Virginia’s tourism assets.
It highlights each section of the Commonwealth.
VIRGINIA SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE
Published quarterly and distributed via subscription,
newsstands,in hunting and boating clubs,and at all fine
lodging.A perfect bound publication featuring broad
content such as equestrian activities,hunting and
shooting sports,historic homes and gardens,local foods,
spirits gear and destination travel.
BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS
Ad and advertorial featuring
our Trail system,Danville
Science Center,The Brick,
Heads Up Eyes Forward,
Grizzly’s Hatchet House,AAF
Tank Museum,Links Coffee
House,Crema &Vine,Cotton
at Riverside Mill,Moon River
Thai Bistro,King Cropp,
Schoolfield Restaurant,Berry
Hill Resort and Courtyard
Danville in the February 2022
issue focusing on Trails of the
southeast.Publication
devoted to the Best Outdoor
Destinations,road trips and
experiences in the southeast.
READERSHIP:350,000+loyal
followers all within a day’s
drive of the City of Danville
and Pittsylvania County.
THANK YOU!