The Slice gives you all the news you can use. Each issue will include the latest news, COVID-19 updates, legislative news, and other relevant items for our readers. Please let us know if you'd like to see anything in particular or have other feedback - just email marketing@vrlta.org.

Each year, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association recognizes the best of the best with the Ordinary Awards. Anything but ordinary, we know that there are amazing businesses and people that make up the hospitality and tourism industry. We need your help to identify and recognize them for the great work they do.

The 2021 Ordinary Awards feature 21 individual and organizational awards. Each award will be given to an honoree who demonstrates exemplary passion for hospitality and travel. The Hospitality Heroes awards will continue this year, and we've added a new category for Supplier Employee of the Year. All awards (except the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Legislator of the Year Award) are determined through a nomination process and judged by VRLTA members/industry professionals.

VRLTA and our partners at the National Restaurant Association have been working tirelessly to ensure that additional funds are appropriated to assist the hospitality and tourism industry through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Recently, courts ruled against the SBA requirement that the RRF grants initially be prioritized for certain groups. Individuals who have already received their RRF grants are unaffected; however, those who had received notification that they would be receiving RRF awards but haven’t received the funds are having the grants rescinded. This issue underscores the importance of congress allocating additional funds to RRF, which VRLTA supports and encourages you to weigh in on it.

You can view an article on the court decision here, the letter from the NRA to the SBA on the subject here, and take action here.

In early June, President Biden announced a National Month of Action to mobilize an "All-of-America" sprint to increase vaccination rates to 70% of adults by July 4. National Month of Action will mobilize national organizations, local government leaders, community-based and faith-based partners, businesses, employers, social media influencers, celebrities, athletes, colleges, young people, and thousands of volunteers. The President will highlight additional efforts by businesses and organizations across the country to advance equity and make it even easier to get vaccinated. The Vice President will lead a National Vaccination Tour to encourage vaccinations in key communities across the country.

Virginia continues to do well with vaccinations; according to the Washington Post, Virginia ranks 15th of all states in the share of the population vaccinated. According to the Virginia Department of Health, as of today, 48.6% of all Virginians are fully vaccinated. That figure jumps to 59.6% of Virginia adults (aged 18 and up), and 69.5% of Virginia adults have at least one dose of the vaccine. See more data on the VDH website.

VRLTA is continuing our webinar series on June 23 at 10 a.m. Jasmine Gore, Central Virginia Regional Program Manager for the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program, will share information about a FREE state certification program for employers. The V3 Program not only aims to educate and train companies on why it is a good business decision to recruit, hire, train, and retain Veterans, but also to help those committed companies meet their hiring goals. Don't miss this informative and timely webinar! Registration ends on June 22 at 5 p.m.

Mark Your Calendar!

VRLTA is pleased to partner with Mike King for an upcoming radio event on June 21, from 5 - 7 a.m. on ESPN Richmond 106.1 and from 2 - 3 p.m. on The Choice 106.1. We'll take a look at what's happening in the industry and what the future holds. Expert guests include Carl Knoblock, District Director for Virginia for the Small Business Administration; Katherine O'Donnell, Executive Vice President of Richmond Region Tourism; Chef Robin Carter; Brunswick AgNCulture; and more to be announced. Listen in!

VRLTA recently received grant funding from GO Virginia Region 4 and local partners to create a free job training and upskilling program. In addition, some funds will be used to promote VRLTA's hospitality industry job board. See the press release here. Key details of the program include:

VRLTA members get unlimited listings for free (choose 30, 60 or 90 days - up to $100 value for each listing!). A 30-day listing for nonmembers is just $50. Job seekers can search jobs statewide and post their resume in the resume bank. Take advantage of your membership and get free listings. There's no cost or risk to members -give it a try!

VRLTA has been working to advance relief for the hospitality and tourism community at the local level and state level. Recently, Fairfax County adopted a proposal called the PIVOT Grant. This grant fund provides relief specifically for the hospitality and tourism industry. VRLTA applauds Fairfax County for voting to dedicate $25 Million, or nearly 11% of relief funding, to helping Fairfax’s tourism industry recover from a $10 billion statewide pandemic-caused deficit. See the full release here.

View the Fairfax PIVOT portal here and the Fairfax PIVOT plan here.

View the Loudoun ARP Relief plan here.

View VRLTA’s local relief proposal here.

View the webinar VRLTA did with the Virginia Municipal League here.

Action Alert! Save Hotel Jobs Act Update

AHLA and Unite Here have joined forces to save hotels and hotel jobs. The organizations have been working for months on the Save Hotel Jobs Act. The bill provides a lifeline to hotel workers and hoteliers, providing critical assistance to bring back workers and to help bridge the gap until travel returns. While leisure travel is resuming, business travel -- the largest source of hotel revenue -- is down 85% and is not expected to return soon. Full recovery is not expected until 2024. To gain support for this bill so it has a chance of becoming law, your help is needed. Contact your legislators using this quick form today!

Action Alert! Sign on to support VRLTA's funding request to help hospitality and tourism

VRLTA recently submitted a request to the general assembly asking for comprehensive support for tourism and hospitality. The request totals over $273 million. See the proposal here. To show the General Assembly that our request has widespread support, we are asking members and others in the industry to sign on to the request. You can do that in less than 2 minutes by filling out this quick form. Thank you to all who have already signed on (over 230 organizations!); if you haven't yet had a chance, please take a minute to advocate for tourism and hospitality.

We want to share your story! Each week, we highlight a member on our social media accounts, and it could be you! Tell us what's special or new about your organization, why you joined VRLTA, and what benefits you like. Want to have a chance to be featured? Fill out this quick form for us. Thanks!