Tourism staff members from Martinsville-Henry County, Patrick County, Pulaski County, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation

 

On March 20th, VisitMartinsville hosted its first Tourism Collaborative at New College Institute—and what a success it was! From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., over 50 tourism partners from across the region came together for a full day of networking, learning, and resource sharing.

The event welcomed a diverse group of attendees, including representatives from restaurants, retail shops, event organizations, lodging providers, nonprofits, and outdoor attractions. Regional tourism staff from Patrick County and Pulaksi County were also in attendance, further expanding the reach and impact of the event. 

The goal of the collaborative was simple: to connect tourism industry partners and businesses. Throughout the day, attendees heard from key organizations such as:

  • MHC Economic Development Corporation’s Tourism Division
  • Virginia Tourism Corporation
  • The City of Martinsville
  • Henry County Parks and Recreation
  • Local small business resource providers

A highlight of the day was the Small Business Panel, where local entrepreneurs shared candid insights into their challenges and triumphs, and how they’ve successfully partnered with VisitMartinsville and Virginia Tourism Corporation to grow their businesses and events.

In addition to an agenda full of engaging content, attendees enjoyed a complimentary breakfast and lunch, followed by a networking hour to continue the conversation, share ideas, and build lasting partnerships.

In the event’s follow-up survey, 96% of attendees reported being more than satisfied with the overall experience.

“We loved seeing the response to our collaborative event,” said Assistant Director of Tourism, Kelly Rowland. “Many of our attendees shared their desire to see this type of event continue to create a space for tourism businesses and partner organizations to meet, talk a little shop, and see where we can maximize our efforts to bring more visitors to MHC.” 

Tourism industry partners are encouraged to stay up-to-date with the VisitMartinsville team by subscribing to the partner newsletter and joining the partner Facebook Group.