​The Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA) and over 800 statewide businesses and associations support allocating $291 million of Virginia’s American Rescue Plan funding to tourism and hospitality recovery.
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How hard has Virginia’s tourism and hospitality industry been hit?
 
The pandemic devastated Virginia’s tourism and hospitality industry, shuttering many businesses and leaving others to attempt to recover with little to no help. Here’s a snapshot of how the tourism and hospitality industry in Virginia has been impacted as a result of the pandemic:

• Record losses in revenue – over $14 billion –during 2020 alone
• 1 in every 5 Virginia restaurants closed their doors permanently
• Unprecedented staffing shortages – over 200,000 jobs were lost at the height of the pandemic and nearly 90,000 of those remain unfilled – forcing businesses to remain closed instead of opening at full capacity 
• Higher costs of operations for businesses already in a pandemic-induced deficit
• Travel expenditures still down 30% compared with healthy years

 
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What can the state do to help?
 
It can offer relief to the industry. Governor Northam has suggested, and the Virginia legislature will consider, allocating a portion of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) federal relief funding to the industry.  
 
Specifically, VRLTA and over 800 statewide businesses and associations support allocating $291 million of Virginia’s ARP funding to help the tourism and hospitality recovery by providing:

• $184.7 million for hotels, bed & breakfasts, and other lodging establishments
• $36.7 million for restaurants
• $10 million for attractions
• $50 million for DMO and tourism authority grants, convention centers, and increased Virginia Tourism Corporation marketing efforts
• $2 million for campgrounds
• $4.7 million for wedding venues
• $1.5 million for hospitality training and upskilling and job board expansion programs

 
To see our complete proposal and the full list of supporters, please click here. 

View Our Request (PDF)

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​How can I help?

​To support this request, please take action now and send a letter to key legislators Richmond asking that they provide the industry with full funding for recovery.

Take Action Now

​​If you own a business or lead an organization and would like to sign on to our request, please click here or on the button below:

Sign On To The Request