header image

Listing and Event Policy + Guidelines

Learn more about the requirements to obtain and maintain a business listing on our website or to post an event on our shared community calendar.

Visit Winston-Salem- operating under the Forsyth County Tourism Development Authority (TDA)- is a quasi-governmental entity, established by the North Carolina General Assembly that represents Forsyth County. Acting as the official sales and marketing agency for tourism for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, our team is charged with developing and implementing sales and marketing initiatives that position Forsyth County as an attractive destination for leisure, meetings, conventions, groups, and sporting events. We bring together public and private interests, city and county government, accommodations, restaurants, attractions, venues, transportation, and all over entities that serve the tourism industry. 

In order to feature your business or event on our website, please keep the following guidelines in mind.

 

What is a Partner Listing?

A listing is a dedicated individual profile page on VisitWinstonSalem.com for partner businesses and organizations that offer a visitor experience and meets listing policy criteria. Partners will receive a login to manage their listing and will be responsible for updating the content in adherence to Visit Winston-Salem policies. Any Partner listing may be revised or updated at the discretion of Visit Winston-Salem.

Editorial Content: Visit Winston-Salem will develop content for VisitWinstonSalem.com and Visit Winston-Salem marketing assets that help tell the destination story to visitors, support a media pitch, or enhance a social promotion. Editorial and internal link choices will be made at the discretion of Visit Winston-Salem. Visit Winston-Salem retains the right to link offsite and develop strategic content partnerships outside of VisitWinstonSalem.com.

All Businesses and Organizations

  • Businesses and organizations that qualify for a listing, that also have locations outside of Forsyth County, are required to have a landing page on the business website with information promoting the Forsyth County location only. Information or links to other non-Forsyth County properties cannot be part of the landing page.
  • Businesses that qualify for a listing must provide a reciprocal link to VisitWinstonSalem.com (unless specifically exempted by Visit Winston-Salem)
  • In all cases, Visit Winston-Salem reserves the right to determine eligibility for inclusion on VisitWinstonSalem.com, the Visit Winston-Salem Visitors Guide, or in any other collateral or online promotion undertaken by Visit Winston-Salem.

Businesses without Storefronts

Businesses that serve the traveler either on the leisure side or through group business may be considered for a listing at the discretion of Visit Winston-Salem if they meet the following criteria:

  • Hold a business license
  • Located in Forsyth County
  • Approved businesses must agree to a reciprocal link to VisitWinstonSalem.com.
  • Apps that are specific to Forsyth County, that meet the initial criteria and are intended to offer a specific service (such as a parking payment system) or attraction-oriented apps that provide interpretive information or extends the visitor experience and does not overlap with functionality provided by Visit Winston-Salem may be considered for a listing on a case-by-case basis.

Accommodations
(Includes bed & breakfasts, inns, hotels, motels)

Paid accommodations in Forsyth County may qualify for a listing when the following requirements are met:

  • Has regular and consistent availability.
  • Has a dedicated website that is not a booking engine for competing destinations.
    • Companies representing accommodation booking services or lodging associations in multiple counties (e.g. vacation rentals) are required to create/submit a landing page that only promotes the Forsyth County accommodations they represent for linking purposes. No links to other non-Forsyth County properties can be seen in navigation.
  • Provide a reciprocal link to VisitWinstonSalem.com
  • Accommodations will be listed by the official name based on the following criteria on the website:
    • Exterior signage.
    • Collateral pieces, stationery, and business cards.
    • Website references used on individual websites and any flagship site and/or listings.
  • Prepositions such as The, At, On, And, A, etc., will not be considered in the alphabetical listing.
  • Numerals will not be considered in the alphabetical listing unless it is part of the official name as designated in the above criteria.

The following properties and business enterprises are not eligible for listing in the accommodations section of VisitWinstonSalem.com:

  • Accommodation located outside Forsyth County.
  • For-profit and not-for-profit properties or meeting facilities with onsite accommodations that are exempt by law from collecting accommodations taxes.
  • Internet-based enterprises whose primary business is to book real-time online accommodation reservations.

Attractions

An attraction is a place of interest to tourists or visitors that has historical, recreational, or entertainment value. Attractions offer “things to see and do” that help to motivate people from outside our community to visit.

VisitWinstonSalem.com organizes attractions into the following categories.

  • Historic Attractions
  • Events & Festivals
  • Arts
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Concerts & Live Music
    • Film & Movies
  • Museums
  • Outdoor Attractions
  • Indoor Games & Recreation
  • Tours & Sightseeing
  • Wineries/Vineyards

Attractions must meet these criteria:

  1. Located within Forsyth County, or as determined by Visit Winston-Salem, may serve to attract visitors to stay overnight in Forsyth County.
  2. Must have a physical address, a website, reliable hours of operation, and contact information.
  3. Attractions maintained by the federal government, State of North Carolina, a county, or city government, located outside of Forsyth County, but within a one-hour drive of Winston-Salem may receive a listing.
  4. Privately-run attractions located outside of Forsyth County, but within a one-hour drive of Winston-Salem that are deemed major tourism daytrip draws from Forsyth County may receive a listing at the discretion of Visit Winston-Salem.
  5. Must provide a reciprocal link to www.VisitWinstonSalem.com.
  6. Must be welcoming and appealing to visitors.

Tourism-Related Products
Apps and other products that require paid participation by VWS tourism partners will not be listed on VisitWinston-Salem.com.

Wedding Service Providers

Forsyth County businesses that provide services for weddings are eligible for inclusion in the wedding section.

  • Businesses catering to multiple types of groups (meetings, conventions, etc.) must provide a link to a specific page or section promoting the wedding portion of their business.
  • Businesses offering onsite, non-occupancy tax collecting accommodations cannot promote those accommodations on the wedding page link provided unless they are eligible through the accommodations eligibility policy.
  • Special event venue listing will be limited to Forsyth County sites independent of overnight accommodations or who can boast of an especially significant setting.
  • Service providers may be listed in two major event site categories (excluding accommodations). Visit Winston-Salem reserves the right to determine eligibility for the second major category.
  • Service providers must agree to the placement of a reciprocal link to VisitWinstonSalem.com.

Restaurants

Locally owned restaurants located in Forsyth County may receive a complimentary listing on visitwinstonsalem.com.

  • Restaurants in Forsyth County that are part of a non-occupancy tax collecting lodging facility and offer sleeping rooms can only include information about the restaurant portion of their business.
  • Restaurants located outside Forsyth County are not eligible for inclusion.
  • Restaurants must agree to the placement of a reciprocal link to VisitWinston-Salem.com.

Please note that final interpretation is at the discretion of Visit Winston-Salem.

 

Event Listings via our Shared Event Calendar

What is an Event Listing?

An event, activity, and/or attraction listing that promotes tourism in Forsyth County, displayed on our events & festivals landing page.

Event Listing Guidelines

The main purpose of the Visit Winston-Salem Events Calendar is to promote events, activities, and attractions that promote tourism in Forsyth County.  Submitted events must:

  1. Encourages visitors’ spending and tax generation within Forsyth County.
  2. Be accessible to the public.
  3. Have the necessary permits and licenses.
  4. Have a website with details and contact information.
  5. Are accompanied by photo(s), logo or image(s).
  6. Have a tourism appeal.

Events submitted are considered on a case-by-case basis for posting.  Events that generally do not qualify for an event listing include:

  • Recreational sporting events
  • School events
  • Family/class reunions
  • Fundraisers
  • Retail sales, yard sales
  • Multi-week classes, workshops
  • Professional networking events
  • Events submitted without a website providing more information

All event submissions are reviewed before they are published on the Visit Winston-Salem events calendar.  Event approval/rejection is at the sole discretion of Visit Winston-Salem.

Please note that the final interpretation is at the discretion of Visit Winston-Salem.

 

If you have any questions or concerns about your business or event listing, please contact Amy da Luz at 336-728-4208 or [email protected]