Arts & Entertainment

Alexandria on Precipice of Change, Says Tourism Official

Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association President and CEO Patricia Washington sees a city poised to progress.

People visit Alexandria for its history, art, charm and ambiance, among other things.

So when it comes to tourism, the city pretty much sells itself, right?

Not exactly, says Patricia Washington, president and CEO of the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association.

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Tourism marketing works,” said Washington, who stepped into her job in late 2012.

  • See ACVA Names New President and CEO

That’s something she learned from her tenure at the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, she said, speaking with Patch at ACVA’s offices on N. Washington Street.

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Tourism marketing is a big driver of economic impact for a city. It makes a difference in a city’s economy,” she said. “It generates revenues benefitting everyone in the city.”

In fiscal year 2012, visitors to Alexandria spent more than $711 million and generated more than $23 million in city tax revenue, which Washington, noted, lowered the property tax rate by 7 cents.

  • See Tourism Group Offers Tutorial on the ABCs of Alexandria Business

“In Philadelphia, tourism was a big part of the economic turnaround…. The same thing is at play here in Alexandria where the city leadership and the business and civic leaders also believe in the power of tourism.”

A budget is not just a document about numbers, it’s a vision statement and the city is investing in ACVA.

Investing in tourism shows a “certain and immediate [return on investment]," she said, adding that for every one dollar invested in tourism advertising, four dollars are returned to city coffers.

“It’s not like other types of development where it may take years for a return on investment,” she said.

While Washington’s group is seeing an increase in funding in the proposed FY14 budget, some projects have yet to see the light of day.

The city manager proposes in the budget currently under negotiation not to expand free trolley service to  Del Ray — a project strongly supported by Washington’s predecessor.

  • See Do Del Ray and Arlandria Need a Trolley?

“It’s a tough call for the city. They have a lot of tough decisions to make in terms of a budget where there are a lot of demands,” she said. “I understand why the city isn’t doing that right now. We may be able to do it in the future. … I support a greater connection between King Street and Del Ray.”

Washington says while history may be one of the “brand pillars” of Alexandria, she’d like to educate people more about the range of arts available in the city.

“People know about the Torpedo Factory, but do they know about the Athenaeum? Do they know about the symphony?," she asked. “We haven’t promoted it as much as we could. We’re going to put arts and culture out front as part of the Alexandria brand. The arts drive business.”

In her previous job, Washington led branding initiatives such as With Art Philadelphia, a $2.5 million collaborative campaign promoting Philadelphia as a premier arts destination.

Washington says that she wants to ensure that ACVA is promoting all of Alexandria and not just tourist hotspot Old Town. She said she has her eye on Del Ray, which has its own thriving main street, and the West End, which houses such historical landmarks as Fort Ward as well as the Virginia Theological Seminary – one of only 11 accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church in the United States.

ACVA has made sure to include those neighborhoods into its marketing advisory group and other stakeholder groups, she said.

“I walked into a city that is on the precipice of change and expansion,” she said, adding that it’s great to see new leadership on City Council and in the arts community as well as an opportunity for the waterfront to realize its true potential.

“We have tremendous forward momentum,” Washington said.


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