Richmond Region Tourism

What Richmond Region Tourism does

Richmond Region Tourism (RRT), founded in 1983 and operating as Visit Richmond VA, is the official destination marketing organization for the Richmond, Virginia region. It serves seven jurisdictions — Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, and New Kent counties along with the city of Richmond, city of Colonial Heights, and town of Ashland — and is funded primarily through the transient lodging tax collected from hotel guests, with supplemental funding from the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority and local partners/sponsors. RRT markets the region to two principal customer sets: leisure visitors (positioned as a drive-market destination accessible within a tank of gas from most of the East Coast) and B2B clients comprising meeting and convention planners, sports event organizers, and tour operators.

RRT's core products are the VisitRichmondVA.com website and its sub-brand ecosystem, which includes BLK RVA (African American heritage tourism), OutRVA (LGBTQ+ tourism), and the RVA Champions ambassador referral program. Its underlying technology stack is built on SimpleView's CRM platform, which powers the public website, the partner extranet at richmond.extranet.simpleviewcrm.com, and visitor management. Distribution is multi-channel: a digital direct-to-consumer layer (website, blog, email newsletter, social media), an inside-sales layer (visitor hotline, RFP portal, meeting planner support), and a field-sales layer (RVA Champions, sports sales team) that targets national governing bodies and event operators such as USA Fencing, USA Field Hockey, Triple Crown Sports, Club Champions League, and Corrigan Sports Enterprises.

The business model is that of a public-purpose DMO rather than a commercial SaaS or marketplace; there is no product pricing for RRT's own services, no venture funding, no parent company, and no traditional equity ownership. The organization's economic value is measured in regional tourism impact — visitation to the region's 900+ restaurants, 35+ breweries, 7,919-acre Pocahontas State Park, and the 4.8M-passenger Richmond International Airport — rather than in direct revenue capture. Leadership includes Carla Murray (Director of Marketing Communications) and Jerrine Lee (Chief Growth Officer).

Name

Richmond Region Tourism

Legal name

Richmond Region Tourism

Website

https://visitrichmondva.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Richmond Region Tourism is the official destination marketing organization for the Richmond, Virginia region, promoting leisure travel, meetings, conventions, and sports events across seven jurisdictions via lodging-tax funding and the Visit Richmond VA brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

University Of Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Transient Lodging Tax: Primary funding source from transient lodging tax paid by hotel guests. Richmond Region Tourism receives a portion of this tax collected across the region's hotels and lodging facilities.
2. Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority: Partial funding from GRCCA for convention and meeting promotion activities.
3. Local Partners and Sponsors: Partial funding from local partners and sponsors who benefit from tourism promotion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Richmond Region Tourism promotes travel to the Richmond, Virginia region through destination marketing, visitor information, event promotion, and meeting, convention, and sports event sales. The organization operates the VisitRichmondVA.com website, provides meeting and convention sales support including venue selection and RFP processing, recruits sports tournaments and events, distributes visitor guides, and coordinates the RVA Champions referral program for local ambassadors.

Product overview

Richmond Region Tourism operates a destination marketing ecosystem centered on the VisitRichmondVA.com website, which serves as the primary platform for promoting the Richmond Region to visitors. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the RRT Foundation (with BLK RVA and OutRVA cultural experience initiatives), the RVA Champions referral program for meetings and sports events, a Partner Portal powered by Simpleview CRM, visitor guide publications, and comprehensive meeting/convention and sports event services. These offerings work together to attract visitors, support local tourism businesses, and generate economic prosperity for the Richmond Region through conventions, meetings, and sports tournaments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OutRVA: LGBTQ+ tourism initiative showcasing the Richmond Region's queer-friendly attractions, nightlife, and events
• BLK RVA
• RVA Champions
• Richmond Region Tourism Foundation

Products and services

• VisitRichmondVA.com Website The primary destination marketing website for the Richmond Region, providing visitor information including things to do, events, restaurants, hotels, breweries, outdoor recreation, and planning tools for leisure travelers and group visitors.
• Meeting & Convention Sales Services Dedicated B2B sales services for meeting planners, convention organizers, and corporate event planners seeking to host business events in the Richmond Region, including venue selection, RFP processing, familiarization tours, and on-site coordination.
• Sports Event Sales Services B2B sales and support services for sports tournament organizers, youth sports leagues, and national governing bodies seeking to host athletic competitions in the Richmond Region, including venue sourcing, lodging coordination, and local partner facilitation.
• RVA Champions Program Referral program that recruits local ambassadors who encourage their professional networks to host conventions, meetings, and sports events in the Richmond Region; champions receive support services and are honored at annual recognition events.
• Visitor Guide Publications Print and digital visitor guides providing curated travel planning information, attraction directories, and itinerary inspiration for prospective Richmond Region visitors.
• RRT Foundation Programs (BLK RVA and OutRVA) Foundation-administered cultural tourism initiatives including BLK RVA (African American history, arts, and culture experiences) and OutRVA (LGBTQ+ travel experiences), supported by dedicated microsites (visitblkrva.com and richmondisout.com) and community grants programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Richmond International Airport serves more than 4.8 million passengers annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Virginia.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVirginia tourism state marketing organization. RRT coordinates with Virginia.org for statewide tourism promotion and marketing initiatives.
• TripadvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party travel review platform that features Richmond Region tourism listings and reviews, driving awareness among potential visitors.
• Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority (GRCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner and co-developer of convention business in the Richmond Region. GRCCA provides partial funding to RRT and works collaboratively on convention center operations and marketing.
• SimpleView Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationCRM and website platform provider powering visitrichmondva.com, the partner portal, and tourism database systems. Provides technology infrastructure for RRT operations.
• Sports VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState sports marketing organization partnering with RRT to attract sports events and tournaments to the Richmond Region.
• Sports BackerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal sports organization collaborating with RRT to promote sports events, active living initiatives, and sports tourism in the Richmond Region.
• Virginia Commonwealth UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal university partner for collegiate sports events and venue utilization. Part of RRT's collegiate partners network.
• University of RichmondminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal university partner contributing to the regional sports and events ecosystem through venue hosting and collaborative programming.
• Virginia State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically Black university partner contributing to diversity-focused tourism initiatives and collegiate sports events.
• Virginia Union UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically Black university partner supporting sports tourism and educational tourism initiatives in the Richmond Region.
• AmtrakcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRail transportation provider serving the Richmond Region with three stations (Staples Mill, Main Street Station, Ashland). Enables visitor access and is promoted as a sustainable travel option.
• GreyhoundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus transportation provider with a major station in Richmond, offering budget-friendly travel options for visitors.
• Retail Merchants AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business organization providing retail information and resources for visitors and businesses in the Richmond Region.
• ChamberRVAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chamber of commerce serving as a business resource referral for RRT visitors and partners.
• Greater Richmond PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development organization assisting businesses interested in relocating to the Richmond Region.
• BLK RVAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBlack culture and tourism initiative celebrating African American history, arts, and culture in the Richmond Region. Part of RRT Foundation with dedicated website (visitblkrva.com) and community awards program.
• OutRVAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLGBTQ tourism initiative promoting inclusive travel experiences in the Richmond Region. Part of RRT Foundation with dedicated website (richmondisout.com).
• Virginia Green Travel AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide green travel certification program. RRT promotes Virginia Green certified hotels, attractions, restaurants, and events as eco-friendly options for visitors.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NYC & Company: New York City's official DMO, a much larger destination marketing organization with overlapping leisure, meetings, and cultural tourism mandates but operating at massive scale and budget compared to RRT.
• Choose Chicago: Chicago's official DMO, a much larger CVB with a broader portfolio including major meetings, conventions, and events at McCormick Place. Comparable mission and structure but at significantly greater scale and budget than Richmond Region Tourism.

Direct peers

• Visit Philadelphia: Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, a neighboring mid-Atlantic DMO with a similar historic-heritage marketing angle, drive-market positioning, and group meetings/sports strategy that overlaps Richmond's target visitor segments.
• Visit Baltimore: Baltimore Convention & Visitors Bureau, a mid-Atlantic regional DMO with a similar transient lodging tax funding model, meetings/conventions focus, and sports tourism capabilities. Comparable scale and customer base within driving distance of Richmond.
• Visit Raleigh: Greater Raleigh CVB, a mid-sized Southeast regional DMO with comparable meeting, sports, and leisure marketing motions, similar transient lodging tax funding, and a similar mix of historical and culinary storytelling.
• Destination DC: Official destination marketing organization for Washington, D.C., operating a similar CVB model funded by transient lodging tax with comparable leisure, meetings, and sports sales motions. Highly comparable in structure, customer mix, and mid-Atlantic geographic overlap.
• Visit Charlotte: Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, a Southeast regional DMO with comparable scale, transient lodging tax funding, and concentration on sports tournaments and meetings/conventions in a competing mid-sized market.
• Visit Williamsburg: Colonial Williamsburg / Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Council, a Virginia-based heritage tourism DMO that competes directly with Richmond for history-motivated visitors and group tours within the same state.
• Visit Pittsburgh: VisitPITTSBURGH, a mid-sized Rust Belt market DMO with comparable sports and meetings focus, similar transient lodging tax base, and overlapping competition for drive-market visitors and youth/amateur sports events.

Regional players

• Virginia Tourism Corporation: State-level DMO for Virginia and a coordinating marketing partner with RRT; comparable mission and tactics but operates at statewide rather than regional scope, with state appropriations as primary funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/visitrichmondva
• Facebookfacebook.com/VisitRichmondVA
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitrichmondva
• YouTubeyoutube.com/visitrichmondva
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richmond-region-tourism

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Richmond Region Tourism