Virginia Wins Great Travel Site Showdown for Best State Travel Web Site in the Country
NEWS RELEASE
August 11, 2008
Virginia Wins Great Travel Site Showdown for Best State Travel Web Site in the Country
RICHMOND, Va. – With college football season looming the arguments have already begun as to which team is Number One and who will win the national championship. But when it comes to which state has the best tourism Web site all arguments ceased last week when Virginia knocked off Michigan in The Great Travel Web Site Showdown sponsored by Travel 2.0, an internet tourism technology resource. The Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Web site, www.Virginia.org, bested Michigan’s tourism Web site by a 54% - 45% margin in popular voting.
The two tourism heavyweights squared off in the American Idol of state travel Web sites last week after each advanced to the top of its respective bracket in a series of matches in which visitors to Travel 2.0 were urged to select the state travel Web site they liked best. The Virginia Tourism Corporation pursued a grassroots campaign, spreading word of the contest to state employees, local tourism organizations, friends, family and other interested parties. That strategy was successful as Virginia topped Michigan 33,129 votes to 27,698.
“This was a fun contest with our colleagues that helped raise awareness about the importance of tourism in Virginia,” said Virginia Tourism Corporation President and CEO Alisa Bailey. “Our Virginia travel industry partners and friends really stepped up to the plate and helped secure this victory.”
Virginia’s tourism Web site draws more than 5 million unique visitors per year and is a comprehensive travel planning resource that has gained rave reviews from its users. Web site visitors can meet some of Virginia’s most passionate tourism ambassadors in the Web site’s Portraits of Passion section and also identify their prime travel interests by taking the interactive Passionality Quiz. These features help guide adventurous travelers to experiences in which they will encounter the living spirit of Virginia.
Tourism continues to play a critical role in Virginia’s economy, sustaining 208,000 jobs and generating $1.2 billion in state and local taxes through visitor spending of more than $17.7 billion annually.
For more information on planning a trip to Virginia and to view the top state tourism Web site in America, visit www.Virginia.org.
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