Friends of Southwest Virginia

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

06/30/2026

Friends of Southwest Virginia has launched Destination Southwest Virginia, a regional initiative focused on strengthening the economy by building on the 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.

Visit DestinationSWVA.org to learn more about the initiative and to take the survey.

06/10/2026

Appalachia Rising brings together two powerhouse voices in modern mountain music for an evening that celebrates the heart, history, and living spirit of our region.

This special event pairs the Grammy‑winning Tim O’Brien Band with the high‑energy, old‑time‑rooted sound of Leftover Biscuits, creating a night that bridges generations and showcases the depth of Appalachian musical heritage.

Learn more and secure your tickets at https://carterfamilyfold.org/