In honor of her tenure and recent retirement, The Chamber ALX recognizes Patricia Washington as the 2024 Business Leader of the Year. She will be honored at the 2024 Best in Business Awards, presented by Burke & Herbert Bank, on Oct. 17.
For twelve years, Patricia Washington led Visit Alexandria, which markets the City of Alexandria to tourists regionally, nationally, and internationally, to critical acclaim. Under her helm, the organization has grown Alexandria’s reputation as a ‘must-visit destination,’ bringing hundreds of millions of direct spending dollars into Alexandria’s hotels, restaurants and businesses. City of Alexandria sales, meals and lodging tax receipts have grown from $55 million to more than $80 million annually, now saving the average Alexandria household more than $750 a year in taxes.
Since beginning her role as president and CEO in 2012, Patricia led Visit Alexandria to achieve extraordinary milestones including record visitor spending, hotel occupancy, consumption tax revenues, press hits, website visitation, digital marketing impressions, group business, event attendance and membership. Her energetic spirit and forward-thinking leadership were the backbone of these achievements, while her collaborative mindset strengthened and advanced city-wide partnerships that will shine a light on Alexandria’s diverse and inclusive community for years to come.
Throughout her tenure, Patricia was responsible for Visit Alexandria’s vision, culture, and data-driven content-first marketing strategy. In collaboration with the City of Alexandria and the Office of Historic Alexandria, Visit Alexandria expanded the lens through which it frames African American history through new experiences like the waterfront African American Heritage Trail and expanded marketing to diverse audiences with a “Drop In” campaign launched in 2021, targeting Black travelers and featuring both iconic and new travel experiences. In 2022, Patricia led Visit Alexandria’s “Expand Your Alexandria” campaign highlighting the diverse cultures and global cuisine throughout Alexandria’s neighborhoods beyond Old Town. She led two rebranding efforts and four brand campaigns. Under her leadership, a newly developed national media relations strategy advanced Visit Alexandria’s rich and impactful storytelling, garnering accolades in publications including Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Southern Living and beyond. Patricia worked with the City, community and business partners to sustain and strengthen the Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and the Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights, and she created the Portside in Old Town Summer Festival.
As a dedicated advocate of the arts and philanthropy, Washington served on the Alexandria Arts Alliance board and Heard, a nonprofit which provides arts services to underserved children and adults. She played leadership roles on the U.S. Travel Association’s Destination Advisory Council and the Northern Virginia Tourism Partnership; recent past boards include Alexandria Historic Resources Commission and the Torpedo Factory Art Center Board.
Some of Alexandria’s Accolades During Patricia’s Tenure
Best Cities in the United States – Travel + Leisure (2024, 2023, 2022)
The South’s Best Cities – Southern Living Magazine (2024, 2022, 2020)
Best Small Cities in the U.S. – Conde Nast Traveler (2023, 2022, 2018)
Christmas Town or Holiday Village Accolade – Oprah Magazine, Fodor’s, Good Housekeeping, Pioneer Woman, Woman’s Day, USA Today (2023-2019)
Best River Walks in the US – Fodor’s (2023, 2021)
#1 Best Value U.S. Travel Destination – MONEY (2018)
#1 Most Romantic Place in Virginia – Best of Virginia (2017)
#1 Best City for Entrepreneurs – Entrepreneur (2017)
#1 Most Romantic U.S. City – Amazon (2016)