For Immediate Release – April 2, 2024

HARRISONBURG, VA – Harrisonburg Tourism is proud to announce the area trail guide has received another award, the Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (VADMO), Virgo Award. Harrisonburg has also been selected to host the VADMO Spring Symposium in 2025. The symposium will be held in Hotel Madison Shenandoah Valley Conference Center.

The Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (VADMO), an association supporting destination marketing organizations and the development of tourism and travel professionals in Virginia, announced awards to the winners of the 2024 VIRGO Awards at their Annual Meeting and Spring Symposium last week in Richmond, Virginia. Harrisonburg Tourism & Visitor Services was announced as the winner this year for the– Harrisonburg Rockingham Trail Guide – in the Advertising & Promotion with Budget of Less Than $1M award category.  

The VIRGO Awards, now in their fourteenth year, celebrates the success of destination marketing organizations along with their respective staff members and volunteers.  Theresa Earles, Tourism Development Manager with Suffolk Tourism, manages the VIRGO Awards on behalf of VADMO, and said “Each year, VADMO honors the best and brightest in Virginia’s tourism industry.  Whether it is an innovative marketing campaign, a wildly successful destination event, or a top-notch tourism professional; the VIRGO Awards showcase the immense talent and dedication of VADMO’s members.”

Judges for the awards were industry peers outside of the state of Virginia.  Submissions were evaluated on the quality of the submission, economic efficiency, and the economic or community impact.  The awards were for projects, campaigns, and efforts completed between January through December 2023.

The Harrisonburg Rockingham County Trail Guide was developed through a Virginia Tourism Grant. The project, developed by Harrisonburg Tourism, involved many people. Local trail guide creator David Landis created the content, Jon Styer designed the style of the guide and Rockingham County printed the guide. Initially the guide was available digitally and then in print form. Paper copies are available at the Hardesty-Higgins House Visitor Center. The guide highlights 15 area trails including 5 cycling trails. The guide is now available in Spanish thanks to the work of the Harrisonburg Community Gear Library. Harrisonburg Tourism also recently received the Trailblazer award from Virginia Tourism Corporation for their work developing and promoting the Trail Guide. “I am thrilled the guide is receiving so much recognition, we are seeing many more people inquiring about the guide as a result,” states Jennifer Bell Harrisonburg Tourism Manager, “which helps highlight Harrisonburg as the Outdoor Recreation Capital of the Shenandoah Valley.”

About VADMO

The Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organizations is a not-for profit 501(c)(6) membership organization made up of destination marketing organizations, visitor bureaus, and the companies that support them.  Since it started in 1978, the organization has been promoting professionalism within the Virginia tourism industry and has worked on behalf of its members to make sure that tourism and travel continue to be strong economic drivers in the Commonwealth’s economy.

For more information about VADMO please visit the VADMO website or contact the organization at vadmo@associationbuilders.com. The City of Harrisonburg is centrally located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It is home to approximately 55,990 people. More information about the City of Harrisonburg is online.

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Contact: Jennifer Bell, Harrisonburg Tourism Manager
Jennifer.Bell@harrisonburgva.gov