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Dinwiddie launches DiscoverDinwiddie.com with grant‑funded videos, business directory and kiosks plan
Summary
The county’s director of economic development and tourism introduced DiscoverDinwiddie.com, a combined tourism and business‑recruitment website supported by a Virginia tourism grant; staff reported digital ad metrics and outlined plans for kiosks, a business directory and signage at gateways and county assets.
Dinwiddie County — The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors received a presentation on May 6 introducing DiscoverDinwiddie.com, a new county website that combines tourism promotion and economic development resources.
Stacy English, director of economic development and tourism, said the site is designed both to help visitors plan trips and to support businesses that want to locate or grow in Dinwiddie. "When you type that in, you come here," English said, referring to the URL DiscoverDinwiddie.com, and she showed an interactive map, itineraries, lodging listings and a tourism directory built by county GIS staff.
English told the board the county used a Virginia tourism grant to fund production of 10 videos and photography; the digital marketing campaign launched March 17 and has generated "almost 500,000 impressions" and more than 2,400 clicks to the website, she said. The site includes a tourism brochure, an events calendar, videos produced by Virginia’s Gateway Region, links to partners and a workforce and business resources section that lists available industrial and certified sites for economic development.
County staff said they plan a four‑kiosk rollout: three fixed kiosks in county destinations and one roving unit for large events. The kiosks will mirror the website and let visitors access information on site. Staff also discussed a planned business directory in which local businesses can register; county staff would verify standing before adding entries. English credited Stephanie Christmas, the county’s GIS analyst, with building the interactive map that allows users to zoom to satellite imagery and to click individual assets for detail.
Supervisors asked about signage to drive visitors to the site from major roads. Board members discussed two options: gateway entrance signage at jurisdictional borders and wayfinding signs within the county. County administrator Nelsen Gill said staff will assess costs and potential grant funding and check VDOT rules for any restrictions on co‑branding with state‑maintained signs. Board members also suggested QR codes at high‑use sites such as boat ramps and the sports complex.
Why this matters: tourism is a local economic development tool that can increase lodging and admissions tax revenue and support small, hospitality‑sector businesses. The combined website is intended to improve visibility for Dinwiddie’s assets, help convert day visitors into overnight stays and centralize resources for prospective businesses.
No formal action was taken; the presentation served as an informational briefing and a request for staff to continue implementation.
