The Three Most Important Letters...
I vividly remember my very first site visit – Tampa, Florida, January 1989. Really having no idea what I was in for, I still remember the ease at which the agenda flowed. Someone, with much more knowledge than me, had helped arrange my comings and goings. They were there at every turn, introduced me to people I needed to know. They fed me food I didn’t know I’d like – but I did. And the rest is history. And those three letters...CVB.
Whether you are a newbie or seasoned planner, your first contact in any destination should always be the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). There are so many reasons why, but my word count is limited, so I’ll share just a few:
1) They know answers to questions you don’t even know to ask! They’ve seen other planners, just like you, have successes and make mistakes. They can help guide your decisions, point you in the right way and keep you from repeating something that won’t work in their locale.
2) They know people. Any good planner needs to have good connections. The CVB can save you so much time and energy by helping connect you to the right people. Whether you’re looking to block rooms and need a hotel sales manager’s contact info, planning a golf tournament and need to know the most affordable course and greens keeper, or want to close off a street for a block party and need to know the street commissioner’s name, fees and application process – they’ll have it!
3) They know their destination. It’s their city, their community and their partners. While you may have an idea about where to hold an event or banquet, they likely know a dozen other options. It could take you hours to explore these options on your own, so trust their recommendations.
The CVB, in any community, is tasked with representing their partners, providing information, arranging logistics and providing support. All of this is typically at no cost to your organization. They can easily be an extension of your staff, save you money and much more. And if you’re not careful, they’ll become life-long friends!
Be careful out there,
DEAN JONES, CMP
RCMA Director of Conferences & Events
