Scott County Tourism chosen to take part in DRIVE 2.0 program

Scott County Tourism on Thursday announced that it has been selected to take part in the execution of the Get 2.0 Statewide Tourism Approach, which targets tourism promotion and merchandise development.

The Get 2.0 plan, facilitated by the Virginia Tourism Company (VTC), equips communities across the state with the tools they want to flourish in an overly competitive travel and tourism marketplace. Scott County is among 30 communities which will complete the DRIVE 2.0 program.

The DRIVE 2.0 plan launches at a crucial time, as communities are looking ahead to recovery efforts to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. After a record-breaking season in 2019, projected info for 2020 indicate sharp reduces in visitor spending. As communities begin recovery initiatives, competition will come to be fierce as localities attack for every traveler dollar.

During his display, Planning for Restoration, Tourism Economics President Adam Sachs explained the coronavirus pandemic struck the travelling sector harder than any different, urging that “travel must be our focus for an economic recovery.”

DRIVE 2.0 can help communities place themselves at the guts of that financial recovery.

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on the tourism industry,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of VTC. “Nowadays as part of your, it is crucial that we provide strategic direction and way as we look forward to brighter days. DRIVE 2.0 does that, outlining key strategies for destinations to achieve success, from understanding your competition to developing connected goods to recognizing and harnessing the energy of continued tourism advocacy.” VTC remains committed to supporting and creating even more vibrant communities, and the Travel 2.0 program will be a key resource to help develop brief and long-term promotion, advancement and advocacy strategies.”

DRIVE 2.0 builds on the existing findings and conclusions from the 2013 Statewide Tourism Plan, also referred to as DRIVE Tourism. DRIVE 2.0 launched in December 2020 and may be the consequence of conversations with Virginia’s tourism market and partners because they look to the near future and arrange for success. It targets answering two key problems:

1. What should we be promoting?

2. What should we be building?

The VTC, together with Richmond-based tourism research firm SIR, conducted surveys and interviews with industry partners in every region through the entire state. This led to the creation of a thorough strategy that's tailored to the individual needs of communities over the commonwealth, with the goal of increasing visitation and revenue.

DRIVE 2.0 is built on the main tenets of advertising and product development. The localities participating the DRIVE 2.0 course will be challenged to produce or improve methods to maximize visitation and build extra vibrant communities.

Throughout the implementation process, communities will be gathering input and skills from their own local and regional tourism partners through a community survey and community consensus assembly.

“Tourism is a earnings driver,” said Pam Cox, director of tourism for Scott County. “With the pandemic even now impacting our native tourism assets, now as part of your, it is important for us to work with every asset available to direct tourism us dollars to our network. As the pandemic subsides, guests will be seeking for secure and convenient travel locations. We have a great possibility to take that post-pandemic traveler to our welcoming communities.”

Upon completion of the program, each community will have the foundation for a competitive promotion and product development method, including specific action methods, success factors, timelines, priorities, and parties accountable for implementation. Towards the end of execution, communities meet the criteria for a $10,000 grant to aid with their advertising and product development work.