Discover Prince William & Manassas launches new website

Monday, March 11, 2013

 Discover Prince William and Manassas debuted a new website Friday that boasts dynamic, innovative features to help visitors plan their next trip and discover everything the area has to offer.

Designed to align with the tourism agency’s strategic plan, DiscoverPWM.com is a one-stop shop for visitors, meeting planners, group tour operators, local residents and anyone looking to explore Prince William & Manassas. The website features everything from attraction listings and accommodations to a comprehensive directory of local shops and restaurants.

“This website was more than a year in the making and we are thrilled to finally showcase it to the public,” Discover Prince William & Manassas Executive Director Ann Marie Maher said. “We wanted to create an image-rich, user-friendly site that engages visitors as they plan their trip to our community.”

 The website boasts several brand new features including an online booking engine that allows visitors to make lodging arrangements directly through the website and avoid any additional fees. Other new features include an events calendar where people can sign up for event alerts and specific pages dedicated to group tours, reunions, weddings, sporting events and the press.

Through the website, visitors can download a copy of the newly released 2013-2014 Visitor Guide and also sign up for monthly e-newsletters that highlight events, unique travel itineraries and information about the area.

For the first time, all tourism partners in Prince William and Manassas will also be able to continuously contribute to the website content, ensuring visitors get the most up-to-date information on events, hotel accommodations and attractions.

Tourism is a booming industry.  In 2011, visitors to Prince William generated $487 million in revenue, up almost 10 percent from 2010. In Manassas and Manassas Park, visitors generated about $61 million, up 11 percent from 2010.

Tourists are also turning to the Internet more and more to book vacations, which is why it was essential to have a fresh, new and informative website, Maher said. According to a report published by Destination Marketing Association International, 83 percent of leisure travelers use the internet to plan their travel. 

Discover Prince William & Manassas will maintain its second website, ManassasBullRun.com, which is solely dedicated to the area’s rich Civil War history. The tourism agency will also continue to enhance and add new features to DiscoverPWM.com including videos and rotating stories.