Bravo Broadway!
May 25
Hear stars of Broadway and New York's cabaret scene in an intimate, elegant setting! This enticing Read on
Cravings ~ The Energetics of Food
May 30
Come out and join Debbi Dunn CHHC for a fun evening and learn about Cravings. This workshop will Read on
"Keep It In York County" Initiative Begins!
May 31
On May 31, the York County Economic Development Authority will launch its new "Buy Local" Read on
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting - Dunkin Donuts at the Great Wolf Lodge
May 31
Please join us for the Grand Opening Receptions and Ribbon Cutting of the new Great Wolf Lodge Read on
Welcome to the Online Version of the Alliance's Outlook Newsletter. Below is a table of contents.
Featured Stories:
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In this Issue:
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Christmas in Williamsburg 2012 is Underway |
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Alliance heads up cooperative advertising effort to push Historic Triangle as a Holiday destination For the third consecutive year, the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance, is spearheading advertising efforts to promote the Historic Triangle as a Holiday Destination. Christmas in Williamsburg 2012 kicks off this week to promote the Historic Triangle in the Washington, Baltimore and Raleigh, N.C., markets. The centerpiece to this year's efforts is a new 30-second commercial that features the depth of the area's unique holiday experiences and events. That commercial can be viewed on YouTube. "We want Williamsburg to become the ultimate Holiday destination," said Dick Schreiber, president and CEO of the Alliance. "The area is absolutely beautiful from the door decorations at Colonial Williamsburg to the 6 million lights at Busch Gardens' Christmas Town to the activities at Jamestown, Yorktown and, of course, our area shopping options. With this collaborative marketing approach, we think we can extend the tourist season to include the area's Holiday activities." Last year, the Christmas in Williamsburg campaign targeted Washington, Richmond, Hampton Roads and, for the first time, the Baltimore area. This year, the campaign added Raleigh, N.C., instead of local areas to maximize marketing efforts. "This year, we wanted to be even more strategic about our campaign," said Bob Harris, Senior Vice President of Tourism at the Alliance. "We wanted to target those potential visitors who will drive to the area but still spend their money on an overnight stay." Investing in the promotion of the area as a Christmas destination is working. Last year, Christmas 2011's advertising effort helped net a 13 percent increase in room sales and a 60 percent increase in attendance at Busch Gardens' Christmas Town. With 2012's campaign, the Alliance is anticipating another spike this year. "The traditional tourism season is becoming shorter and shorter," Harris said. "To combat that trend, we are trying to diversify the area's offerings. We are continuing to emphasize Christmas in Williamsburg to benefit everyone --lodging, dining and retail." Key to the Christmas 2012 marketing campaign is partner funding support from the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, James City County, Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg. "This campaign would not be possible without the pooled resources of our partners," Harris said. Waiting for results won't take long, either. With the campaign kicking off this week, "we should start to see the beginning results of our campaign very soon," Harris said. A second piece to the campaign is the website, www.ChristmasInWilliamsburg.com, which will house all the events during the Holiday Season. The Alliance is hosting and maintaining the Christmas in Williamsburg calendar. "A one-stop collective calendar makes it easy for visitors to see all the events going on for the time they are visiting the area," Harris said. The Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance is an organization of more than 900 business professionals who represent small and large businesses, educational institutions and non- profit organizations in three localities - Williamsburg, James City County and York County. Located in Williamsburg, the Alliance strives to encourage the growth of existing and new businesses; coordinate the efforts of those involved in commerce, industry or professions; promote the area as a year-round travel destination; and support all activities believed to be beneficial to the area. |
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Join Us for a Gorgeous and Green Evening of Elegance on February 23, 2013 |
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Invitations to the Alliance's Annual Dinner & Dance, one of Williamsburg's most anticipated events will be mailed to Alliance members in January. The event, which typically sells out well in advance, will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2013, at the Williamsburg Hotel & Conference Center. Attendees will enjoy a gorgeous and green evening celebrating our world’s natural beauty. The elegant evening begins with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and dancing. Back by popular demand, music will be provided by premier party band, Rare Mixx. Alliance member firms are encouraged to pledge their support by signing up for a sponsorship to take full advantage of all promotional avenues related to the event. A Gold level sponsorship ($1,500) entitles your business to 10 complimentary tickets to the event, including one reserved table of ten, recognition at the event and in the Alliance's Member Resource Directory, and inclusion in all promotional materials for the dinner. Please click here for details and send in your completed form today. Credit cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa) may be used for payment of sponsorships. For additional information, please contact the Alliance at 229-6511. |
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Register Now for the 27th Annual Job Fair |
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Registration is now open for the 27th Annual Williamsburg Area Job Fair. This year's event is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Williamsburg at Ft. Magruder, 6945 Pocahontas Trail. The $425 registration fee for employers includes an exhibit space, five hours of recruiting time, exposure to hundreds of potential employees, special Job Fair advertising in diverse markets and complimentary beverages during the day. Employers will have the opportunity to accept job applications, recruit and interview job seekers. Last year, almost 900 job applicants attended and 20 local businesses participated as exhibitors. To participate as an exhibitor, download the registration form and fax it to the Alliance at 229-2047 or call 229-6511 for additional information. Sign up today and join us at one of the area's largest annual Job Fairs! |
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Shop Local This Holiday Season |
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The Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance and Chesapeake Bank have partnered to promote shopping local during the holiday season. The joint effort is designed to rally shoppers to visit local establishments and discover the benefits of shopping close to home. The campaign will continue through Monday, December 24. All local businesses are encouraged to participate in this promotion. There is no cost to businesses to participate. The only requirement is the commitment to display The Buck Stays Here window cling. The Alliance ran ads in the Virginia Gazette on November 17 and November 28 encouraging readers to shop wherever they see The Buck Stays Here window cling and/or the Alliance 2012 membership window cling. If you need either of these clings, please contact the Alliance and we will make sure one is delivered to you. In addition to the two Alliance ads, Chesapeake Bank is publishing an ad every Wednesday and Saturday through December 24 encouraging readers to shop local. Shopping local grows business, fuels the local economy and improves the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Demonstrate you support and shop local this holiday season. |
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Festive Crowd Enjoys Oktoberfest |
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It was a perfect evening for the 39th annual Oktoberfest event. A crowd of over 850 guests enjoyed all of the festivities including the rides, games, and the new show, "Night Beats", presented live on stage. Many in attendance went home with lots of great prizes won playing the games and there were lots of very lucky door prize winners. We would like to extend thanks to the members of the Oktoberfest committee, the sponsors, and the firms that generously donated a variety of fantastic prizes.
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Arts Month Wrap Up |
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While Arts Month 2012 may be over, the experience and the brand for the Historic Triangle as an arts destination is already growing! The 2012 Arts Month promoted well over 160 arts-related events throughout the three municipalities in the region and was supported by a television advertising campaign that reached approximately 90% of the households with women ages 35 - 64 in Washington, DC, Baltimore, Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. This media outreach was complimented by feature articles in local publications including Next Door Neighbor Magazine and House and Home magazine as well as a direct mail campaign to 13,000 thanks to William E. Wood and Associates. These are just a few of the examples of everyone in this destination working together to help create the brand for our destination as an arts destination. Early statics are coming in and reflect an increase of 7,812 room nights (6.4% increase) and an additional $1.9 million in meal revenues for September over 2011.
We are pleased to announce the arrival of our 2013 Arts Map for the destination, the first step of many to continue to grow the arts brand as a tourism driver for the destination. Click here to preview the new brochure or stop by the Alliance to pick up copies. There is much work to be done to prepare for Arts Month 2013 but we want to pause to thank each of you in the destination who helped to make Arts Month 2012 a success. |
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Members in the News -- Celebrating Our Achievements |
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Guernsey Tingle Architects was honored by the Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate at the 16th Annual Excellence in Development Design Awards Program for the design of the Au Bon Pain restaurant in James City County, VA. James City County is the recipient of the 2012 Gold Medal Award which recognizes the County as the best managed park and recreation system in its population category. The award was presented by the National Recreation and park association and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration during their annual conference last month. James River Transportation will continue being an industry leader by installing seat belts on all of its motorcoaches by Spring 2013. The Federal Government has made it mandatory that all new buses be equipped with seat belts. The government does not require seat belts for existing buses already in service. Ben Puckett, executive vice president/chief operating officer for Williamsburg Landing, was one of 32 fellows to graduate from the 2012 LeadingAge Leadership Academy. Puckett is the first in the state of Virginia to graduate from the Leadership Academy. The campus of Williamsburg Place has welcomed Laura Bryant as chief nursing officer. She will provide executive nursing leadership for both the Pavilion and Farley Center. Dr. Jonathan Lee, associate medical director at the Farley Center at Williamsburg Place, has been certified by the Medical Review Officer Certification Council as a medical review officer. |
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New and Renewing Members |
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Ask SCORE: "Motivation Matters in Getting the Best from Employees" |
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December 2012, Ask SCORE:THE POTENTIAL POWER- AND PITFALLS- OF PARTNERSHIPSThe idea of a partnership may be appealing if you're considering launching a small business. Unlike solo ventures where the burdens fall on a single person, partners can share responsibilities and often bring different skills and knowledge to the business. One partner mat be great with numbers and planning, while the other is a whiz at marketing and sales. Combining these elements can open more doors and help the business realize more opportunities more quickly than it could with only one person involved. But partnerships have many potential downsides as well. Conflicts waste time and money, erode focus and strategic direction, cause emotional and financial pain and destroy businesses and reputations, says George Gage, a business mediator and partnership expert with BMC Associates in Washington, DC. "Business schools rarely teach successful partnering techniques and without proper preparation, partnerships are often doomed," says Gage, who has worked with many warring partners. gage, who is the author of The Partnership Charter: How to Start Out Right with Your New Business Partnerships (or Fix the One You're In), lists seven cautions that would-be and existing partners should consider:
1. If you think you're not "partner
material," don't take the partner path. There are web sites one can access to help with further guidance and information about partnerships. SCORE answers your business questions for free. For confidential advice, make an appointment with a SCORE counselor by calling 757.229.6511 or emailing info@SCOREwilliamsburg.org. The Williamsburg SCORE office is located in the Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance Building at 421 N. Boundary Street. |
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2012 December Alliance Meetings & Events |
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December 1
December 3
December 5
December 6
December 12
December 24 - 25
December 31 - January 1 |
