Midwest Meetings | CVB/Chamber News & Views

Latest CVB/Chamber News & Views...

Greater Mankato CVB Seeks New Board Members

The Greater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau is seeking new board members to fill four open seats on the newly structured 16-member board. A nomination committee has been formed to select new board members who will be responsible to help guide the CVB in its efforts to attract visitors to the community and help build the CVB as a destination management organization. Full story...

Sioux Falls, SD to Host 2013 Small Market Meetings Conference

Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota, has signed on to host the 2013 Small Market Meetings Conference. It will be the fourth annual Small Market Meetings Conference. Sioux Falls has been ranked one of the 100 best places to live in America, as well as second-best small place to do business. The city has also been recognized for having one of the 10 strongest local economies in the country. Full story...

Hutchinson Businesses Cautioned About "Guide" Ad Solicitations

The Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB is cautioning local businesses not to confuse longtime community guides published in this area with an Illinois-based firm selling advertisements for a so-called “Hutchinson Guide.” The chamber said Friday it has received several inquiries about the company, Elite Publishing & Design, which is in no way affiliated or supported by the chamber. Full story...

Evansville, IN CVB Looks Forward to 2012 and New Hotel

The Evansville CVB is trying to move forward after last December's holiday dinner debacle. Many former CVB board members resigned last year following an expensive holiday dinner. But current board members say that's in the rear-view mirror as the board looks forward to 2012. It's been a year of change for the CVB, with new board members, new policies and new accountability. Full story...

Empty Dickinson CVB Board Seats Filled

The Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors has been busy refilling vacated member seats, officials said Wednesday. “It’s an organization that needs to make sure it stays around and continues with what they do,” said Robbie Kudrna, CVB president and KQCD-TV marketing consultant. “It is going to be very beneficial to be on the board and be helpful for the community.” Full story...

Crawford County Commission Meets CVB Director

B.J. Harris, the new Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has technically been on the job for about three weeks. But during that time, he’s been so busy promoting the county that he hasn’t had a chance to introduce himself to the Crawford County Commission. Full story...

Galena/Jo Daviess County CVB Seeks Events for Coming Year

The Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is seeking events information for 2012. The Galena.org website includes 12 months of events scheduled to occur from Jan. 1, 2012, through Dec. 31, 2012. Event organizers throughout Jo Daviess County are invited to submit information for events and activities scheduled for that period. Full story...

Steubenville, OH CVB Preparing for Likely Cut

The city's Convention and Visitors Bureau has crafted an exit plan for Executive Director Beth Wood in the event council cuts its funding. City Council is slated to vote Tuesday on the third and final reading of a proposal to reclaim as much as $50,000 in CVB funding and shift responsibility for tourism functions to the Steubenville Port Authority. Full story...

Flint-Genesee County CVB Could be Headed Toward Merger With Chamber

The agency charged with attracting overnight visitors to the county is on a course to be swallowed up by the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce, a move backers say will create a natural one-stop shop for promoting the area. But key officials with the Flint-Genesee County CVB said they were never consulted about the merger and still have questions about the move, which is being pushed by key members of the county Board of Commissioners. Full story...

Sioux Falls CVB Launches New Website

The Sioux Falls website has a new look and many added features. The city's Convention and Visitors Bureau launched VisitSiouxFalls.com, which showcases pictures and descriptions of city destinations, as well as places to eat, shop, and stay in Sioux Falls. Full story...

Columbia Names Finalists for Cultural Affairs, CVB Positions

The city has selected finalists for the open positions of CVB director and Office of Cultural Affairs manager. The finalists for CVB director are William Lennon, vice president of marketing and relations for the Branson Lakes Area CVB, and Amy Schneider, who is serving as the CVB’s interim director. Full story...

Proposal to Cut Peoria Tourism Funding Put On Hold

A 62% cut in the city's annual appropriation to the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau was halted Thursday. By a 9-1 vote, the council postponed a discussion on the PACVB's budget to February, requesting more time for officials with the city and the bureau to come back with more information about the organization's revenues and its plans for the future. Full story...

McPherson CVB Contest: Win a Free Trolley Ride

Just in time for the holidays, the McPherson CVB is sponsoring a coloring contest for a chance to win a free trolley rental to children 12 and under. The trolley seats up to 26 people so winners will be able to take along family and friends and make a special holiday memory. Full story...

CVB Survey Shows Visitors Find There’s More to Mankato

Visitors to Mankato mostly like country music and auto racing, most often come to shop or visit family and friends, and many often find they underrated the city prior to coming. More than a third of first-time visitors said their impression of the Mankato-North Mankato area was more favorable after they visited. Full story...

Dickinson’s Cut in Marketing Budget Insane

I am writing on behalf of the Comfort Inn, Dickinson in response to the city’s decision to change the ordinance that would radically change the original intent and structure of the hospitality/occupancy tax. By removing the CVB board as the advisory committee, it places the City Commission in total control of the funding sources, thus eliminating the checks and balances of the local hotels and restaurants. Full story...

Great River Road Touted as Favorite Fall Drive

The colors of fall are shining vibrantly on the bluffs along the Great River Road outside Alton, which recently was recognized by Weather.com as one of its Favorite Fall Drives of 2011. Weather.com released its list of Favorite Fall Drives, once again giving the Alton area national attention. Brett Stawar, president of the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, said fall colors should be peaking within the next few days. Full story...

Urbana Council Gives Initial OK to New CVB Funding

Urbana city leaders have come up with new money targeted for the Champaign County CVB, after the city’s mayor vetoed those funds in July. Laurel Prussing opted not to cast a vote Monday night, when the Urbana City Council initially backed funding the CVB at a much lower level. The other members unanimously backed the nearly $19 thousand in funding. The city formerly contributed $72 thousand annually. Prussing says the $18,800 in township funds could have gone for better uses, including social service agencies and what it owes for raises through the city’s AFSCME union. Full story...

Sioux Falls to Host the 2012 Travel Media Showcase

Sioux Falls will be the 2012 hosting city for a prestigious travel trade show that brings journalists together with travel business representatives. The South Dakota city will be the host city for the Travel Media Showcase in August. The announcement was made on Thursday evening, September, 22, at the closing TMS dinner held in Oklahoma City. Full story...

Champaign Council Backs Convention Bureau

City council members on Tuesday night made it clear that they do not agree with the findings of a majority of Urbana aldermen who said they wanted to lower the amount of city funding that goes toward tourism promotion. Not only did Champaign officials affirm their funding for the Champaign County Convention and Visitors Bureau, they did so with a warning that it might cost more in the future with Urbana's choice to drop out for now. Full story...

Supervisors Approve Dodge County CVB's Split from Fremont Chamber

The Dodge County Convention and Visitors Bureau received permission from county supervisors Wednesday to end its contract with the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce. "We feel that this would cut down on our overhead costs and we would be able to use that money more for marketing." CVB Chairwoman Melissa Powell told supervisors. Full story...

Greater St. Charles, IL CVB Names New Board President

A bank vice president is the new board president for the Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau. Steve Martin of First State Bank in St. Charles was named the board of directors' president last month. The change in leadership was necessitated by the resignation of board president Joe Pinto, the former vice president of hotel operations and general manager of Pheasant Run Resort. He accepted the position of general manager with the Omni Chicago Hotel. Full story...

Sauk Centre, MN Area Chamber and CVB Share Common Purpose

Out of their most recent board meeting held last week, the Sauk Centre Area Chamber of Commerce developed an important analogy, according to Chamber president Jamie Shoutz. “If the Chamber of Commerce is the left hand, then the Convention and Visitors Bureau is the right hand. The groups serve a common purpose.” Full story...

Jo Daviess County Farmers, Tourism Officials Team Up on Agritourism

Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau in Illinois is working with the local Convention and Visitors Bureau on ways to promote farm tours and farm stays in the county. A few farms and vineyards in the area already offer tours and even lodging. The Farm Bureau and CVB are conducting a survey to gauge local farmers’ interest in offering more agritourism services. Full story...

Crawford County CVB Executive Director Moves On

After spending the last five years as executive director of the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Craig Hull is moving on. Hull, who has been at that post since November 2005, announced Wednesday he would take on a new role as the assistant director of the Joplin Sports Authority. "I've always said that I wanted to run a sports commission, and the Joplin Sports Authority has given me the opportunity to come in and work with them,” Hull said. Full story...

Sioux Falls CVB Acquires New Tool to Measure Value, Impact of Visitor Industry

The Sioux Falls CVB has acquired the DMAI Event Impact Calculator, a new tool to assist the organization in quantifying the economic benefits generated by conventions, meetings, and group tourism brought to Sioux Falls by its sales and marketing efforts. This is the first organization in the state of South Dakota to acquire this tool. Developed by Tourism Economics (an Oxford Economics company) specifically for DMAI, the Calculator provides DMOs with a dynamic and credible industry standard for event impact analysis of business meetings, conferences, and trade shows. Full story...

RRV: ‘Dedicated mobile website’ assists Fargo-Moorhead visitors

We had to stay sophisticated because browsers are more sophisticated,” states Cole Carley, president and CEO of the Fargo-Moorhead CVB.The new ‘dedicated mobile website,’ Fargomoorhead.org, was launched in December providing access to community information with any smart phone, plus the location aware guide allows visitors to use the ‘nearest me’ feature to list and sort options, making exploring the community quicker. Full Story...

More Tourism Money Spent in Quincy in 2011

Despite a down economy, the Quincy, IL CVB saw an increase in the money spent in the Quincy area last year. Executive Director Holly Cain says many people are interested in the architecture in and around Quincy. Plus, she says the yearly Tin Dusters event has attracted many tourists. The CVB saw about a $5 million increase in tourism spending from 2009 to 2010. Full story...

Head of Fargo-Moorhead CVB Retiring

With temperatures this week making many residents question why they live here, it’s an even tougher sell to get tourists to visit. It’s a marketing dilemma Cole Carley has faced since he started 21 years ago at the helm of the Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau. Despite Fargo’s frosty reputation, Carley – along with other area organizations and businesses – has worked at making the metro area a regional tourism hotspot. Full story...

Joplin CVB Director Says "Tornado Tourism" Report Is Inaccurate

The director of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau says they are not actively conducting a “tornado tourism” campaign. Director Patrick Tuttle said the CVB made copies of a Joplin map outlining the tornado zone and showing recommended routes of travel to view the zone for motels and restaurants to give when charter bus tour groups or motorists ask for directions to the zone and have questions about the damage. Full story...

Yankton, SD CVB Incentive Program Aims to Attract Events

Looking to lure new events, the Yankton Convention and Visitors Bureau will start an incentive program that it hopes will make the community more attractive to organizers. CVB director Lisa Scheve secured $5,000 from the City Commission last month to create the Convention and Event Funding Incentive. Full story...

South Bend/Mishawaka CVB to Administer Grants for Tourism-Related Events

Now St. Joseph County organizations and events have an opportunity to gain some marketing dollars with the help of a tourism grant. Up to $75,000 will be awarded to qualifying events and organizations. The grant funds will help qualified organizations promote tourism activities, increase hotel/motel occupancy and create visibility for St. Joseph County. Full story...

Steubenville, OH CVB Makes Plea for Funding

Steubenville Convention and Visitors Bureau members and supporters made a last-ditch plea for continued funding Tuesday, telling city leaders any performance issues they may have are due to lack of funds, not lack of direction. Full story...

Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB Honors People, Businesses Boosting Tourism

The Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB recently recognized three honorees that have helped improve tourism in central Wisconsin. Granite Peak Ski Area, Mary Clare Freeman and D.J. Freeman, and Richard Barrett all received the inaugural IMPACT Award, the CVB announced. Full story...

McHenry County CVB Keeps Fall Momentum Going

Another busy fall season for the McHenry County CVB. Through the bureau's seasonal radio, print, direct mail, email, Facebook and media marketing, more than 1,200 visitor inquiry packets were mailed to potential visitors during the months of September and October. The CVB's website saw a nearly 60% increase in traffic for those same months compared with last year, and the bureau's Facebook page increased its number of “friends” by 30% during that same period. Full story...

Increased Tourism in Downtown Council Bluffs

The Western Iowa Tourism Region works with the Iowa Economic Development Authority to offer competitive grants to assist local events, attractions and businesses with promotion, advertising and educational programming. Local organizations in the 36-county region of western Iowa received $26,500 overall for tourism projects this cycle. The Council Bluffs CVB received the maximum allowable $1,000 grant. Full story...

CVB Advocates Armory Square Efforts in Marietta

A group of Armory Square supporters broke into applause after Marietta City Council authorized advertisement for construction bids on the renovation project Thursday night. "This is a big day that we can finally move ahead on the armory project," Councilman Harley Noland, D-at large, said following passage of the authorizing legislation by a 6-1 vote. Full story...

Tourism Officials Offer Advice: Don't Cut From Peoria

Don't rush the cuts. That's the advice given by tourism officials in Rockford and the Quad Cities for Peoria city leaders eyeing a $445,000 funding cut for the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. "I think it would not be wise to make a hurried decision to reduce funding at this point in time," said Joe Taylor, president/CEO of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. Full story...

Overland Park CVB Launches Mobile App Contest Series

The Overland Park CVB released a free, state-of-the-art mobile application for all smartphone devices this past summer. To encourage continued engagement with the app by both visitors and residents alike, the CVB has now launched a series of contests. “One of the goals of our app is to provide a one-stop-shop mobile resource for visitors and Kansas City metro residents,” said Amy Garton, director of interactive solutions. Full story...

Champaign County CVB Looking to Prove Its Worth

The president and CEO of the Champaign County CVB says the bureau is keeping track of events in the area and their economic impact on the county. Jayne DeLuce was a guest on Wednesday on the WDWS NewsTalk 1400-AM morning Show with Dave Gentry and Elizabeth Hess. Full story...

Fargo-Moorhead CVB Holds Annual Meeting

The Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau held its annual meeting Tuesday with the keynote speaker discussing the woodchipper from the movie Fargo as a an attraction that can draw visitors to the area. Bill Geist of Zeitgeist Consulting in Madison discussed the advantages of a quirky attraction that can lead visitors to areas and drive them to set up residence or business in the area. Full story...

Capture the Moment a Winner for Marion

Preparations continue for the seventh Capture the Moment History Dinner, and the Marion Area CVB is enjoying an award received in conjunction with last year's event. The postcard marketing piece the bureau sent out as the invitation to the 2010 dinner received first place recently at the MIDDY Awards, presented for destination marketing and tourism development. Full story...

Wausau Sports Authority Funding in Jeopardy

Wausau's decision Tuesday to delay funding a local sports authority could put the tournaments and other major events that group organizes in jeopardy for next year. The City Council voted 8-4 to refer a request for room tax dollars from the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau back to the city's finance committee for further discussion. Full story...

McPherson CVB Director Addresses Lions Club

Ann Hassler, director of the McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau, spoke to the McPherson Lions Club about the activities and projects advocated by her organization. The CVB is a city department which is 90 percent funded by the motel taxes in McPherson. Her goal is to provide or help in activities which promote tourism in McPherson. The office is located at the Chamber of Commerce building at 306 N. Main.
The CVB owns the McPherson Trolley, which has tours for seeing the lights around Christmas time and for seeing historic buildings and locations. The trolley is also rented to groups for special occasions. Full story...

Rapid City CVB Pitches Family Vacations

A new mobile website, a partnership with the Colorado Rockies and promotions in a new market, Omaha, were among the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau's efforts in 2011 to convince more business and leisure travelers to make Rapid City their destination. Full story...

Two Seats Available on Galena/Jo Daviess County CVB Board

Two at-large seats are now available on the Galena/Jo Daviess County CVB Board. Both seats will be filled for a term expiring November 30, 2013. Election of the candidates will occur at the CVB Board meeting on Tuesday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m. in the third floor boardroom at the Jo Daviess County Courthouse. Full story...

Springfield, MO CVB Staffer Earns CDME Certification From DMAI

Laura Whisler, marketing director at the Springfield CVB, earned the honor of Certified Destination Management Executive from Destination Marketing Association International. The certification was presented at the 2011 DMAI Annual Convention July 20-22 in New Orleans, where Whisler also was honored as a DMAI “30 Under 30,” which included free conference registration and hotel accommodations. Full story...

Sioux Falls, SD Selected to Host 2015 NACAA AM/PIC

The Sioux Falls CVB returned from a recent bid trip with a new piece of business for Sioux Falls. CVB Executive Teri Ellis Schmidt and Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing Mattie Burnham attended the 96th Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) in Overland Park, KS, where they showcased the city of Sioux Falls and presented to host the 2015 national convention. Full story...

Greater Saint Charles CVB Looking for a Few Good Volunteers

The St. Charles CVB is searching for enthusiastic individuals interested in helping the general public in an effort to promote the St. Charles area, including historic Main Street. Volunteers will assist at the front desk of the tourism center greeting visitors, answering questions and related phone calls. Full story...

Diane Homolka, CDME Appointed Lisle, IL CVB Executive Director

The Board of Directors of the Lisle Convention & Visitors Bureau (LCVB) has recently announced the appointment of Diane Homolka as the organization's executive director. LCVB Chairman and Hilton Lisle General Manager Richard Brink praised Homolka for her stewardship during the six months she served as interim CVB executive director. Prior to gaining the top post, Homolka was the CVB’s marketing and communications manager. In her 11 years with the CVB, Homolka also held the business manager and bureau services manager positions. Full story...

Chicago Rolls Out a Tagline That's Second to None

The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) broke news this past week with its new marketing campaign and tagline - Chicago: Second to None. Playing off one of Chicago's many nicknames ("the Second City"), the rollout comes as part of a $6 million outreach initiative that will include new, diversified strategies in how Chicago markets itself: an appeal to international visitors, to auto-based visitors, and to sports enthusiasts. Full story...

Waukesha & Pewaukee CVB State Tourism Grant

The Waukesha & Pewaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau (WPCVB) was awarded a Brand Development Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism to further increase economic growth through active promotion and development of the area as a major tourism destination. Full story...

Champaign County CVB Chief Disputes Claims

Finding no discernible benefit from $72,000 in annual funding for tourism promotion, Mayor Laurel Prussing used her veto power to remove the expense from the city's budget. The president and CEO of the Champaign County CVB, the agency to which the funding goes, says the move would eliminate the $3.1 million economic impact her group generates. Full story...

Clinton, IA CVB Director: More Than 3,000 Visitors Generate $1M Since January 1

Think you know what tourism does for the City of Clinton? Here are a few statistics that will put it in perspective. From April through July, overnight guests in our city spent an average of $388.12 a day on hotel rooms, meals, transportation, entertainment and retail sales. These figures are based on a marketing survey done by the Iowa Department of Economic Development which has now been renamed the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Full story...

New Marietta-Washington County CVB Lineup Brings Fresh Ideas to Tourism Industry

Jeri Knowlton

Change is a good thing for the Marietta-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, according to new director Jeri Knowlton. The bureau has a new staff, a new website coming online soon, and a new look for its offices. Full story...