About Us

As the primary marketer of the Richmond Region, the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes the Region to meeting planners, tour operators and leisure travelers to encourage travel to the Region. A nonprofit organization, RMCVB is organized into three departments.

Administration - In addition to overall management of RMCVB, the Administration Department includes financial and human resources, development, operations, support of the RMCVB Board of Directors and the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority and representation of RMCVB with partner community organizations and stakeholders.

Marketing - The Marketing Department is composed of advertising, public relations/communications, electronic and print publications, customer service, tour operator marketing, two Visitor Centers, and inquiry fulfillment.

Sales & Services - The Sales and Services Department is responsible for bringing meetings, conventions and events to the Region and servicing groups that have booked events with RMCVB. The sales team covers a wide variety of markets and confirms meetings and conventions with which overnight hotel stays are associated.

View our 2007-2008 Sales and Marketing Plan

Overview (pdf, 879K)
Administration (pdf, 80K)
Marketing (pdf, 582K)
Sales (pdf, 320K)
Index (pdf, 332K)

Community Benefits

Every year more than 5.5 million visitors spend more than $1.65 billion in the Region on lodging, food, attractions, shopping, dining and gas. This spending adds to each locality's general funds, significantly reducing taxes that residents would otherwise pay. For example, convention attendees spend an average of $210 per person per day in the Region while on an overnight visit, a motorcoach's passengers (usually 45 people) together spend an average of $6,000¹.

Travel and tourism have a significant impact on Virginia's economy. In 2005, nearly 54.8 million people visited Virginia, spending 9.6 percent more than the previous year. This increased spending had a $16.5 billion impact on Virginia's economy and created jobs for more than 206,500 people². Across the United States, travel by automobile, truck or RV remains the primary mode of transportation. This bodes well for the Richmond Region, which is primarily a drive destination.

How We're Funded

The Richmond Region comprises the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent and the city of Richmond. RMCVB's primary funding is derived from a tax (transient lodging tax) that hotel guests pay on lodging in those five localities. RMCVB receives 1.75 percent of the transient lodging sales in the Richmond Region. We are also partially funded by the Retail Merchants Association and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce and receive funding from local partners and sponsors and through our non-profit foundation.

What We've Achieved

Through the work of RMCVB and our partner organizations, the Richmond Region continued to grow as a destination in 2006 despite a still-recovering travel industry. Hotel occupancy and room revenues are back to pre-September 11, 2001 levels, and the Greater Richmond Convention Center is outperforming its feasibility study. In 2006, RMCVB celebrated its 23rd anniversary and completed the fifth year of a five-year strategic plan. For more information about RMCVB's contributions to the Region, review our impact report (pdf, 688KB).

Where We're Going

RMCVB focuses our marketing efforts mainly as a day-drive, affordable, family-oriented travel location. In 2006 we continued to refine our advertising efforts by conducting a conversion study regarding our out-of-market media placement. We also updated and redesigned our Website.

Want to Know More?

Fast Facts