Friends of Southwest Virginia

11/04/2026

Sharing Southwest Virginia with the world! 🌎

Last month, our Administration Manager, Tracey Childress, represented the region at the Come Find Your Virginia Global Travel Forum in the Washington, D.C. area, connecting with international travel professionals to help bring more visitors to Southwest Virginia.

Thank you, Tracey, for sharing what makes our region so special and building connections that support our communities!

11/02/2026

Connect, learn, and strengthen your nonprofit! Join regional nonprofit leaders in Stuart on Saturday, November 7, for the Patrick County Nonprofit Summit, featuring practical tools for fundraising, volunteer management, and more.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/PCnonprofitsummit

10/09/2026

Register your team TODAY!

Tourism Ready™ Southwest Virginia offers complimentary training to help tourism businesses and organizations build stronger teams and deliver exceptional visitor experiences.

Invest in your team and help visitors feel welcome, explore more, and plan their next trip back. Register today at TourismReadySWVA.com

10/08/2026

Last Call for Survey Responses! 📢

Help shape Southwest Virginia’s future! Led by Friends of Southwest Virginia, Destination SWVA is a regional initiative focused on strengthening our economy and quality of life through the creative, cultural, heritage, and outdoor recreation assets that make our region special.

The survey closes tomorrow, Friday, October 9. Share your input at DestinationSWVA.org

09/28/2026

Great visitor experiences start with great people!

Friends of Southwest Virginia is inviting tourism businesses and professionals across the region to participate in Tourism Ready™ Southwest Virginia, a new complimentary workforce training initiative designed to strengthen hospitality, build employee confidence, and help visitors discover more of Southwest Virginia.

Learn more and register today at TourismReadySWVA.com

09/14/2026

Help shape the future of Southwest Virginia.

Friends of Southwest Virginia has launched Destination Southwest Virginia, a regional initiative focused on strengthening the economy by building on our region’s tourism, outdoor recreation, arts, culture, and heritage assets.

Community input will help shape a 10-year strategic plan for future investment, collaboration, and destination development.

Your input will help guide what comes next.

Take the survey at

Creating a strategic roadmap to strengthen Southwest Virginia’s economy through destination development, asset-based investment, and regional collaboration.

08/12/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 Southwest Virginia Tourism Award winners!

Last week at the Celebrate Tourism Summit in Wytheville, we recognized the individuals, businesses, and organizations making a meaningful impact on tourism across Southwest Virginia.

Take a look through the photos from this year’s awards and join us in celebrating the people who help make our region a destination worth discovering.

08/10/2026

Friends of Southwest Virginia is proud to celebrate the completion of a new community mural in downtown Pulaski.

Created through the Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Network Community Mural Initiative, the mural reflects Pulaski’s history, culture, and community while contributing to downtown revitalization through public art.

Learn more about the project: https://friendsofswva.org/press-release-new-community-mural-completed-in-downtown-pulaski/

08/06/2026

🎉 Nearly 200 tourism professionals gathered this week for the seventh annual Celebrate Tourism Summit at the Wytheville Meeting Center, presented by Visit Wytheville, Virginia is for Lovers, and Friends of Southwest Virginia.

Congratulations to this year's Southwest Virginia Tourism Award winners and to all of the tourism professionals whose dedication continues to showcase the people, places, and experiences that make Southwest Virginia a remarkable destination.

See the full list of winners at https://celebrateswvatourism.com/

07/20/2026

Have you registered for the 7th Annual Celebrate Tourism Summit?

Join tourism professionals, community leaders, and industry partners from across Southwest Virginia on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Wytheville Meeting Center for a day of networking, inspiration, and ideas shaping the future of tourism in our region.

Register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/7th-annual-celebrate-tourism-summit-tickets-1988412445150