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Fish Virginia Fishing First Tourism Initiative Unveiled LIVE on ESPN Outdoors!

ESPN Outdoors Hosts the Unveiling of New Regional Marketing Partnership

From televised professional bass fishing tournaments, guided fishing trips on some of the region's top trophy waters, and families enjoying casting a line while on vacation, fishing is a Virginia tradition enjoyed by millions. In 2007, over $800 million was spent in Virginia on items and activities directly related to freshwater sport fishing. The average professional bass tournament on a major river or reservoir can generate up to $1 million in economic impact while Virginia's catchable trout program generates significant influxes of anglers to remote and pastoral streams in the winter months.

Virginia Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and Congressman Tom Perriello announced on April 26th that a consortium of Virginia communities and travel bureaus have been awarded funding through VTC's Live Passionately Marketing Leverage Program for the Fish Virginia First!! initiative. VTC's marketing leverage program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing partnerships while extending VTC's Live Passionately marketing campaign.

"We've long known that Virginia has some of the nation's top fishing destination. Fish Virginia First!! will raise our visibility and I'm excited to support this community driven economic development initiative." Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling

Fish Virginia First!! marks the first inter-jurisdictional marketing effort seeking to link the top Virginia fisheries with anglers, travelers, outdoor television networks, and tournament organizers from across the nation. The initiative's goal is to better inform anglers, vacationers, and fishing tournament organizers of the outstanding fisheries available in the Commonwealth's rivers, lakes, streams, and reservoirs. Partners in the Fish Virginia First!! Initiative thus far include: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Roanoke Convention & Visitors Bureau, Roanoke Regional Partnership, City of Danville, City & County of Bedford Tourism, Lexington/Rockbridge County Area Tourism, Amherst County, Pulaski County, Franklin County, Lynchburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, Botetourt County, Grayson County, Wise County Office of Tourism and City of Norton, Nelson County, Campbell County, Town and County of Appomattox, Tazewell County, and Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Tourism.

The initiative will develop a collaborative promotional effort (online, collateral materials, targeted tournament hosting) making it easier for visitors and event planners to find, and then enjoy, Virginia's rivers, lakes, trout streams, and major reservoirs. This will be accomplished by marketing the Commonwealth's outstanding fishing destinations and then linking visitors with local hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, and fishing related businesses that can make fishing trips easy and fun. Tourism in Virginia is an $18.7 billion per year industry and supports 210,000 Virginia jobs contributing $4.3 billion in payroll and salaries.

"Coastal communities prudently spend millions each year marketing their beaches. Southern and Southwest Virginia's fishing assets are of a national quality in terms of trophy fisheries, guide services, and event hosting potential. This initiative will elevate Virginia's fisheries in the national marketplace. We're fired up to spread the word that anglers should Fish Virginia First!!" David Smith, Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce & Trade

For more information on Fish Virginia First, visit the website www.fishvirginiafirst.com.