Staunton tourism director outlines new "Made in Staunton" campaign and targeting to boost overnight stays

Staunton’s tourism director told City Council on May 22 that a new marketing push — rolled out as the “Made in Staunton” creative theme — aims to turn short visits into longer overnight stays by targeting select out‑of‑market audiences and focusing on family and cultural travel.

The campaign matters because longer visitor stays generate more lodging and restaurant revenue; staff told council that, for 2023, travel spending within the city totaled about $79 million and the department’s advertising delivered an estimated $109 return for each dollar spent in that year’s budget figures.

Samantha Johnson, tourism director, said the new creative emphasizes both marquee cultural offerings and everyday downtown moments. The campaign’s 30‑second and 15‑second video spots are running on premium streaming (OTT) and local broadcast in Charlotte (WCNC) as well as in Northern Virginia and Washington‑area markets. Johnson said the city plans roughly 2,000,000 impressions through the fiscal year and cited about 25,000 views on the campaign’s YouTube video to date.

Johnson summarized recent visitation data from a private provider (Zartico): 2024 visitor device counts rose about 6 percent, and 24 percent of spending at local businesses was attributable to visitors. She noted a statewide trend of shorter stays and said the city’s advertising strategy prioritizes markets more likely to yield overnight stays — Charlotte and Philadelphia were singled out as emerging feeder markets for longer stays.

Johnson described additional tactics: targeted OTT buys (Hulu, Disney), a small broadcast buy in Charlotte, influencer/content‑creator visits, and a locally produced podcast series (“You Is Silent, We Aren’t”) that has produced thousands of listens. She said the department is testing separate creative tracks in Charlotte that highlight food, arts and history to see which messages drive longer bookings.

Council members asked about international visitor data; Johnson said the city’s Zartico feed is domestic only, and staff rely on ticketed attractions (e.g., Woodrow Wilson birthplace, Blackfriars Playhouse) and the Virginia Tourism Corporation for international insights. She said Virginia tourism plans renewed paid advertising in Canada and is opening international co‑operative opportunities that could expand reach.

No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational. Johnson said staff will report back after the early campaign tests to guide future buys and messaging.

Details: campaign creative emphasizes Staunton “magic”; key tactics include OTT, targeted broadcast, influencer visits and a family‑oriented creative test in Charlotte.