Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Receives Award for Discover Black Cville

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The George Washington University’s Master of Science in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management (MSTHEM) program (formerly known as the Master of Tourism Administration, or MTA) presented Courtney Cacatian, the Executive Director of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB), with the Outstanding Alumni Award in recognition of her contributions to society. This award specifically recognized the Discover Black Cville tourism community effort, which has received significant national media attention. The official announcement came during an alumni event at George Washington University on April 26.

Upon joining the CACVB, Ms. Cacatian recognized the need to represent a holistic history of the community and emphasize historically underrepresented stories and businesses in the tourism economy. The tragic events that took place in August 2017 sparked necessary dialogues about systemic racism and propelled the CACVB to take action to support the community and all visitors. In 2020 the CACVB initiated a series of engaging listening sessions in Charlottesville and Albemarle County with Black community members who worked in the tourism economy. Over time, this group grew in size and enthusiasm, which led to the creation of Discover Black Cville, an initiative designed to attract Black visitors and support Black-owned and Black-led businesses. Robust community engagement efforts led to substantial amounts of diverse feedback, and ultimately, wide acceptance from the larger community.

Discover Black Cville launched social media accounts and a landing page in the spring of 2021. After a year of robust posting and community buy-in, it launched nationally on March 26. The national launch included a Black-run music festival (Vibe Fest), a mural unveiling at the Ix Art Park, a Black Artisan Fair and an announcement of the Discover Black Cville Digital Passport, which connects Black-owned businesses and attractions to one another, incentivizing travel among them.

Discover Black Cville has led to larger conversations that now include a “Tourism for All” initiative to attain community alignment and a destination-wide inviting experience for all visitors. By centering the focus on being inclusive and welcoming, the CACVB staff have become some of the community experts in this work. These conversations have led to new partnerships and business opportunities, often for people from underrepresented backgrounds.

“Discover Black Cville has been the most fulfilling professional project of which I’ve been a part,” said Cacatian. “I’m thankful for the community we have built around this work and for all the people and partnerships that made it happen. Without them, this work would still be just a dream. Travel, comfort and happiness are human rights. If Destination Marketing and Management organizations are not proactively working with our community to be welcoming to all visitors, we are not doing our jobs. Tourism should be how people are able to safely encounter and explore other cultures and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Without making our communities welcoming, that’s impossible to achieve.”

Please click here for images of Ms. Cacatian’s award acceptance and the Discover Black Cville mural at Ix Art Park.

About the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB) welcomes thousands of visitors to the region each year from all over the world who are seeking a variety of unique experiences in history, food, wine, spirits and adventure. The CACVB serves as the global resource for marketing the tourism assets of the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle, and assists tour operators, meeting planners, and other groups in planning visits to the destination. The CACVB’s mission is to enhance the economic prosperity of the people of the City and County by promoting, selling and marketing the area as a destination, in pursuit of the meetings and tourism markets.

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