ast year 54% of Americans left a total of 662 million vacation days unused.  American workers- especially Millennials- are bad at taking a break, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation.  So Virginia.org has come up with a promotional campaign called “Crush Fridays” #CrushFridayVA.

“I’m as bad as anybody,” says Bunnie Riedel, owner of Virginia Vacation Rentals (www.VAvacationrentals.com).  “I am an insufferable ‘workaholic’.  Crush Friday is a great promotion by Virginia Tourism to encourage people to take the vacation time they have earned.  Those vacation days can reduce stress, make you more productive and add to the quality of your life.”

Even if people feel they can’t take an entire week, Virginia Tourism is promoting the idea of taking an extended weekend.  Because there are so many tourism centers in Virginia, most of those weekends can be an easy drive from where you live to a completely different environment.

“In Virginia, you can go from the mountains to the ocean to a lake or a river in just a few hours,” says Riedel.  “Virginia is unique in that way and Virginia Vacation Rentals (www.VAvacationrentals.com) makes it simple because you can book direct with homeowners and save money.”

Unlike the large listing sites, Virginia Vacation Rentals never charges a Booking Fee and homeowners and renters have complete communication.

“We’re simply a listing site.  Our model is marketing these wonderful homes,” said Riedel.  “These homeowners know how to run their business, we don’t interfere with them or the renters, we just bring them together.”

Virginia Vacation Rentals (www.VAvacationrentals.com) is part of a 29 state network of independently owned and operated state vacation rental listing websites.  Find the network at Vacation Home Rental Network (http://www.vhrnetwork.com). 

Riedel Communications, Inc. was started in 2005 as a marketing and strategic planning consulting business.  Its clients include nonprofits, local, state and federal government clients and retail businesses.

Virginia Vacation Rentals (www.VAvacationrentals.com) is a project of Riedel Communications, Inc.

Bunnie Riedel can be reached at bunnie@vavacationrentals.com or 443-864-4517.