Danville honored with a tourism award by the governor

Danville, Virginia – Danville is receiving recognition from the state for its effective efforts to draw tourists and promote tourism.

“We’re getting a lot of attention here in Danville and Pittsylvania County from the state level,” said Lisa Meriwether, Tourism Manager for Danville and Pittsylvania County. “There’s no question about that. People are understanding that there’s a lot of product here.”

Danville has been named the beneficiary of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s DRIVE Outdoor grant, according to a recent announcement by Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Only ten towns in the state, including Danville, were given the honor; Meriwether was pleasantly surprised.

“I was just as surprised as a lot of people to see Danville listed on that short list of those that did receive this grant funding. So, what that says to me is we have a lot going on. We’ve got great product. We just need a little bit of assistance to help develop it,” added Meriwether.

Angler’s Park will get more public seating thanks to the $10,000 award. The park’s organizers anticipate that new athletic activities, such fishing competitions or cycling races, will result from this.

“It’s a beautiful park setting. There are a lot of facilities there. There are opportunities for families to come out and picnic and fellowship. There are opportunities to be able to put your kayak or boat in the water,” said Meriwether.

Launched last year, Visit Sosi is Southside’s big tourism revamp. Since then, according to Meriwether, the area’s tourism has greatly benefited from the new marketing, which also contributes to the attention Southside is receiving.

“What we are hearing from our businesses is that they’re seeing more foot traffic. They’re seeing more leisure travelers coming through their doors. Sometimes, it’s a little difficult to get a seat at your favorite restaurant on the weekend, just simply because we’re driving that visitation,” said Meriwether.

A guide to outdoor adventures in Danville and Pittsylvania County has recently been released. This summer, they intend to start the process of adding chairs to Anglers Park.