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Home My WebLink AboutTOURISM UPDATEPortfolio Overview Nancy Helman, Director City Council Briefing October 27, 2026 Convention and Visitors Bureau Agenda •Extended Fiscal Year 2026 Results •Awards •Divisional Fiscal Year Highlights •New Initiatives in FY26 •Sports Tourism •Looking Forward FY27 •Upcoming CVB Events 2 Fiscal Year 2026 Performance •The year has seen growth in hotel occupancy, average daily rates and revenues •Virginia Beach saw a higher hotel occupancy than Myrtle Beach, Atlantic City, Coastal Carolina, Wilmington, and Ocean City •Occupancy ran at 62.9%, a 4.7% increase year over year •Average daily rate ran at a $163.78, a 2.2% increase year over year •$432,597,570 dollars were generated in total hotel revenues, a 7.2% increase year over year •Every month in 2026 through the end of September saw occupancy growth •Measurement includes an extended fiscal year Source: CoStar, STR report 12 month running as of September 2026 monthly STR report. July-September 2026 are FY2027.3 Fiscal Year 2026 GOAL: Extend high-demand summer season in Virginia Beach •Strategic booking of destination events •Thoughtful placed paid media on new channels •Robust earned media coverage •Strong sports tourism group business Source: CoStar, STR report 12 month running as of September 2026 month STR report. Jan.-June 2026 are FY26 and July- Sept. 2026 are FY27. 4 Demand Seasonal Performance Month Occupancy Growth from 2025 Revenues Growth from 2025 May 68.4 +1.7%$40,682,689 +3.6% June 79.5 +1.2%$59,748,317 +5.0% July 81.8 +4.6%$71,325,288 +8.7% August*78.3 +0.6%$61,032,413 0.0% September*72.3 +13.2%$42,254,412 +27.3% Source: CoStar, STR Report data from May-September 2026, All STR monthly numbers reported as of September 2026 monthly STR report. *Shift of Labor Day impacted August and September 2026, months past June are FY27. Percentage of change is to same month in previous year. 5 Fiscal Year 2026 Awards •SportsEvents Magazine: •Reader’s Choice Award •All -Star Indoor Sports Events •All-Star Multi-Sport Complex •SportsEvents Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards: •Best Long-Term Partnership between Planner and Destination •Best Community Engagement by a Sports Event •2026 IAC’s Internet Advertising Competition: •Best Travel Website •Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards: •Top 10 Most Serene Beaches in America •2026 Web Award Competition: •Outstanding Website •Smart Meetings 2026: •Smart Stars Award -Best CVB and Best Waterfront 6 Fiscal Year Highlights Public Relations •Public Relations earned media drives "top of mind" brand awareness •Travel & Leisure earned spot "Best Hidden Gem Beach Towns" drove 9.4%of the website traffic to the Sandbridge Beach landing page in August •Earned-media win The New York Times’ “52 Places to Visit in 2026” •NYT placement generated 1,135,168,908 impressions and an add value of $10,500,898 •Fiscal year 2026's placements highlighted Virginia Beach as a top-tier, family friendly destination Source: Meltwater, June 30, 2025-July 1, 2026 7 Fiscal Year Highlights –Marketing Fiscal Year Highlights Marketing •Created and launched The Surge Campaign to drive additional summer visitation-The Surge Campaign drove 38.4 million impressions and 180,000 conversions •Large-scale activation in Philadelphia to drive brand awareness, leading to 475,000 potential travelers experience Virginia Beach through live engagement •Launched A.I. Max for Google PPC placements leading to a 49% increase in ad clicks and a 191% increase in click-through-rate •Optimized Visit Virginia Beach website which saw 5,278,967 users in the fiscal year Source: Looker Studios, June 30, 2025-July 1, 2026 8 Fiscal Year Highlights Social Content Creators Total Impressions 8.2 Million Itinerary Requests 413 Engagement Rate 8.2% @dcfoodgod DC @robkellysurf Ocean City, NJ @dmvbite DC, MD, VA "The Drop" Activation Mobile Billboard Views 274,600 Social Views 152,000 Pedestrian Foot Traffic Views 50,362 Opportunities for travelers to experience Virginia Beach through live engagement 475,000 Source: Meta Business Suite, GA4 Analytics, Looker Studios July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 9 Fiscal Year Highlights –Sales and Services Fiscal Year Highlights Sales and Services 290 Meetings, conventions and group tours booked 432 Meeting & Convention qualified leads generated for future bookings 2 Welcome Wave mobile visitor vans launched 3 Client and visitor golf carts launched 36,640 Visitors welcomed at the Visitor Information Centers and Kiosks Source: Simpleview July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 10 Fiscal Year Highlights -VBCC Fiscal Year Highlights Virginia Beach Convention Center 222 Events hosted 446,565 Attendees 22 Capital Improvement Projects •Highlighted Event: National High School Coaches Association utilized the Virginia Beach Sports Center and the Convention Center •Highlighted Event: Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall display •Completed $6+million in maintenance projects Source: Momentus July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 11 Fiscal Year Highlights Resort Management 128 Historical Programming Shows executed 14 Beach Cinema Events generated 546 Live on Atlantic Performances launched 15 Oceanfront Concerts produced 468 Permits Issued •Installed Boardwalk and Park Banners •17th Street Park Bandshell Replacement Source: RMO & Beach Events July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 12 Fiscal Year Highlights -RMO Beach Ambassadors Fiscal Year Highlights Resort Management Beach Ambassadors The Virginia Beach Ambassadors' Program operates year -round in Virginia Beach. Ambassadors provide cleaning, safety and hospitality services within the oceanfront and Town Center. Services include, but are not limited to,litter collection and cleaning, guest hospitality and resource efforts, patrol shifts, and community outreach. The Beach Ambassadors cover 1st to 40th Street on Atlantic Avenue, including side streets, as well as the 17th, 24th and 31st Street parks and monuments. 7 Days a Week of Operations 25 Beach Ambassadors with Virginia Beach During Summer Season 5 Years Virginia Beach has worked with Block by Block and the Beach Ambassadors Program Source: RMO & Block by Block July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 13 Resort Management Events 14 Resort Management Events, part 2 Resort Management Events 15 Fiscal Year Highlights -Sports Tourism Fiscal Year Highlights Sports Tourism FY 2026 137 Events 727,662 Estimated Athletes and Spectators 155,624 Estimated Room Nights 13 Event Venues Utilized 49 Weekends Impacted by Sports Events Source: Simpleview July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 16 Sports Tourism Economic Impact Example February Hotel Revenues 19.2 Million +20.1% YoY February Hotel Occupancy 52.1%+12.6% YoY February 2026 Tournaments 17 2026 Excalibur Cup February 13-15, 2026 51.1% Occupancy 9.0% Occupancy Lift 13.4% Lift in Room Revenue Source: CoStar STR report, February 2026 17 Sports Tourism Marketing •Primary Goal:Keep Virginia Beach top of mind •Strong video component through YouTube used to provide inspiration and showcase the very best of Virginia Beach Sports •Digital display and native media used to reach qualified planners •Publications like VA Sports Guide and Sports Destination Magazine to reach high-value planners Impressions from paid media placement 11.1 million Conversions produced from paid media 31,145 Impressions from Meta ads 3.5 million Visits to the Sports landing page of VisitVirginiaBeach.com via Meta ads 52,000 Source: Looker Studios and Google Analytics from July 1, 2025-June 31, 2026 18 Fiscal Year Highlights –VB Sports Center Performance Fiscal Year Highlights Virginia Beach Sport Center Performance 53 Events 203,107 Estimated Athletes and Spectators 56,383 Estimated Room Nights 7 Variety of Sports 33 Weekends Impacted by Sports Center Source: Simpleview July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 19 Sports Tourism Notable Events •NCAA Track & Field Championships (DI, DII & DIII) •VHSL Wrestling, Field Hockey, & Track State Championships •NHSCA Wrestling National Duals & High School Nationals •USA Field Hockey Nexus Championships, Club Championship and National Indoor Tournament •North American Sand Soccer Championships •Shamrock Marathon •Jackalope Festival •VA Showcase •East Coast Surfing Championships •Super Girl Surf Festival 20 Looking Forward: Fiscal Year 2027 New Festival and Event Programming •Holiday Event Programming •Bulls, Bands and Bikes Festival with Dialed Action Sports FMX & BMX •Patriotic Festival featuring Ella Langley and Riley Green •Additional Oceanfront Concert Series Programming Tourism Development Plan Strategic Placement in New/Growth Feeder Markets Strategic Partnerships Across Virginia, United States and International 21 Upcoming CVB Partner Events State of Tourism November 5, 2026 Virginia Beach Convention Center •8:00 am breakfast begins •8:30 am Economic Impact of Tourism on Virginia Beach begins •10:30 am two concurrent educational sessions begin o AI in Hospitality o Best Practices Using Free Social Media for Business Scan the QR code to register 22 Follow us for More Facebook:@VisitVABeach Instagram:@VisitVABeach YouTube:@VisitVABeach LinkedIn:@VisitVirginiaBeach 23 Thank you!