Philly gets a Virginia LOVE sign, a first for Virginia tourism – WTOP News

The City of Brotherly Love now has a permanent reminder that Virginia is for Lovers, and it is courtesy of Fairfax County.

The county’s tourism marketing organization, Visit Fairfax has gifted a LOVE sculpture that is now installed at Fashion District Philadelphia, the large shopping center in downtown Philadelphia at 9th and Market Street.

While there are more than 300 LOVEwork sculptures throughout Virginia, this is the first one that has ever been permanently gifted outside of Virginia.

It marks the start of a $250,000 summer marketing campaign for Fairfax County, promoting the county as an easy and accessible travel destination for Philadelphia-area residents.

Visit Fairfax said research has shown Philadelphia is consistently a major contributor to the county’s tourism, accounting for a large percentage of visitors, visitor spending and traffic to the county’s tourism website.

Fairfax County is funding the marketing campaign with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, and through a partnership with Virginia Tourism Corporation.

The marketing campaign includes digital signage at Fashion District, as well as traditional advertising outlets in the Philadelphia market and social media.

It plays on what Visit Fairfax calls a synergy with Philadelphia symbols, like George Washington’s Mount Vernon paired with Independence Hall, Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge as the first refuge established to protect bald eagles paired with Philadelphia’s NFL team and Tysons Corner Center paired with Fashion District Philadelphia, both owned by real estate investor Macerich.

The “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan is 54 years old and the longest-running tourism slogan in the country, even older than “I ‘Heart’ NY.” It was created in 1969 by the advertising firm which is now The Martin Agency in Richmond. It was for a tourism ad in Brides Magazine, and the slogan stuck.