(Danville) — The woman who heads up Danville’s revamped tourism efforts is being recognized by her peers.
Lisa Meriwether has received the Jim Rickets Award for Destination Marketing Employee of the Year from the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association. It recognizes individuals and groups that have an outsized effort and impact on Virginia’s statewide tourism industry.
Meriwether has spent more than 40 years in hospitality, sales, and tourism. She came to Danville in 2020 to resurrect the city’s tourism program.
She’s headed up the effort to establish the “Visit Sosi” brand, which has generated over $900 million in tourism investment. Last week, the City announced a 50% annual increase in the economic impact of tourism spending in the region.
This summer, Meriwether began a six-year term as a member of the Virginia Tourism Authority’s Board of Directors appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin.