Introduction
Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is the official state tourism organization dedicated to promoting Virginia as a premier travel destination. By supporting local tourism partners—including hotels, attractions, festivals, and more—VTC helps drive economic growth and visitor engagement across the state.
To maximize impact, VTC partnered with Sojern in June 2023 to launch a co-op marketing program, allowing their local partners to access targeted digital advertising solutions with matched funding. The unique matching 1:1:1 structure—where every dollar invested by participants is matched by both VTC and Sojern—provides great value, enabling partners of all sizes to reach high-intent travelers while making the most of their budgets.
Objectives
The VTC team needed a way to support their partners in driving visitation on a program that allowed participation from partners of all budgets and sizes. Some of the partners had limited advertising resources, making it crucial to find an efficient and accessible digital marketing solution. They needed a solution to make their stakeholders not only feel happy and supported, but also drive real results.
"Sojern’s co-op program is an easy sell for us because it provides exceptional value for our partners, no matter their budget size. The 1:1:1 match is a game-changer, and Sojern’s ability to target travelers actively planning their trips has helped us maximize every marketing dollar. We’ve seen incredible results at the state level, and our partners continue to find strong value in the co-op program. The ease of execution and the support from Sojern’s team make this partnership invaluable."
Solution
VTC partnered with Sojern to launch a co-op marketing program, providing tourism businesses across Virginia with access to multichannel digital advertising across display, native, and video. The program offered:
- A 1:1:1 match structure: Sojern and VTC matched every dollar invested by partners, maximizing their budgets
- A lower minimum investment which made participation accessible for partners with smaller marketing budgets
- Advanced audience targeting to reach travelers actively planning trips to Virginia
- Sojern managed the heavy lift by helping to recruit partners, managing the campaign, and providing ad design support, removing the workload from VTC’s team and partners
Results:
- $2.96M in estimated economic impact
- 17:1 ROAS
- 96,417 confirmed travelers
- 14,296 hotel night stays
The program’s success led to a larger co-op match in FY25 and grew participating partners from 7 in 2024 to 13 in 2025.
About the Partnership
Host:
"Sojern’s co-op program is an easy sell for us because it provides exceptional value for our partners, no matter their budget size. The 1:1:1 match is a game-changer, and Sojern’s ability to target travelers actively planning their trips has helped us maximize every marketing dollar. We’ve seen incredible results at the state level, and our partners continue to find strong value in the co-op program. The ease of execution and the support from Sojern’s team make this partnership invaluable."
— Lindsey Norment, Brand Director, Virginia Tourism Corporation
Agency:
Hotel Partner:
Attraction Partner:
"Partnering with Sojern has been a game-changer for our brand. As Director of Marketing and Communications for the Virginia Arts Festival, I have worked with many agencies and digital partners, but few bring the level of strategic insight, innovation, and executional excellence that Sojern consistently delivers. Their team doesn’t just understand digital trends — they anticipate them, helping us stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive performing arts marketplace. From day one, Sojern took the time to truly understand the Festivals brand, our goals, and our challenges. They brought creative solutions grounded in data and driven by performance. Thanks to their partnerships with Virginia Tourism Corporation, we have seen measurable growth in our customer engagement, lead generation, and brand awareness. Their commitment to results, collaboration, and pushing boundaries has made them an indispensable part of our marketing success story. I will continue to recommend Sojern to any organization looking not just for a vendor, but for a true strategic partner who is as invested in your success as you are."
— Dianna Starkey, Director of Marketing and Communications, Virginia Arts Festival
"Sojern’s co-op program is an easy sell for us because it provides exceptional value for our partners, no matter their budget size. The 1:1:1 match is a game-changer, and Sojern’s ability to target travelers actively planning their trips has helped us maximize every marketing dollar. We’ve seen incredible results at the state level, and our partners continue to find strong value in the co-op program. The ease of execution and the support from Sojern’s team make this partnership invaluable."
