Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus Calendar of Events

Fourteen CVB sales professionals assembled for two days of training at the April 4-5 Meetings/ Conventions Sales Institute Training Program in San Jose. This is the seventh year that WACVB has been presenting the sales training program taught by Steve Steinhart, president of Steinhart & Associates.

Designed specifically for CVB salespeople, “real situation” role-playing, self-evaluation quizzes, and authentic case studies are the thrust of this training seminar. During one exercise, participants are organized by market segments and directed to design strategic presentations that are then analyzed and compared with the actual winning bids.

Attendees at the training program shared their thoughts about this fast-paced, high-energy sales training program that concentrates on techniques to increase group leads and sales production.

As any general training goes, it is hard to custom fit the material. It was done well here, and I really enjoyed my time.

It gave me some great tools to increase my effectiveness as a sales manager. I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend this to fellow sales professionals.

I think this program was helpful however, you have to have your managements support to make these effective additions to your routine. Perhaps there should also be a SIT for management.

Being new to the industry, I really appreciated knowing what I should be doing, step-by-step, to be most effective in sales. Going through the case studies was great practice and a definite confidence builder.

The sales training program was presented in conjunction with the Tourism Tech Summit.

More than 125 CVB professionals, speakers, and exhibitors participated in a whirlwind of seminars, luncheon presentations, and conversations with vendors at the April 6-7, 2006, Tourism Tech Summit in San Jose. Creative and energizing, WACVB’s newest education program—the Tech Summit and Vendor Showcase—included dozens of technology strategies and solutions to benefit CVB staff and destination marketing organizations.

A mix of technology experts and CVB professionals joined forces for many of the panel presentations. Attendees learned about measuring ROI on a bureau’s interactive marketing and discovered how travel consumers and meeting professionals search and filter information. CEOs and staff members gathered strategies for enhancing e-mail marketing campaigns and learned ways to generate revenue via a bureau’s Web site.

The summit included recognized technology experts such as Jennifer Barbee, president of USDM.net, and Hillary Bressler, president & CEO of .Com Marketing. Ron Andruff, president & CEO of Tralliance Corporation, presented an update on “Dot Travel (.travel) = The Whole World of Travel.”

Other topics addressed included data management and integration. A panel of DMO technology experts discussed strategies to consolidate business intelligence, simplify reporting, integrate in real-time with your Web site, and manage online promotions.

A case study by Sally McAleer from the CVA of Lane County Oregon and CVBTV.com representatives focused on consolidating to a Web-based system to empower members and increase benefits while improving staff efficiency.

The Summit included a number of diverse sessions—from “Blogs, Online Communities, Word-of-Mouth Marketing Campaigns, and Digital Marketing Techniques” to “Booking Group Business Online & Working With Meeting Planners.”

Thanks to our Summit Co-chairs—WACVB Secretary/Treasurer Bruce Bustamante, president & CEO of the Anchorage CVB, and Bob Marx, director of marketing of the San Jose CVB—for their involvement.

Attendees did manage to relax and win some raffle prizes at a group reception on Thursday evening. Our raffle prize winners—Kari Westlund (CVA of Lane County Oregon): Registration to the Emarketing Insight Conference Travel & Tourism Trends, August 24 & 25, 2006, in Chicago, courtesy of Dave Serino/Gammet Interactive; Christina Glynn (Santa Cruz County CVC): Gift Pack, courtesy of San Jose CVB; Diane Brandon (Arlington CVB): Pottery, courtesy of Albuquerque CVB; and Greta Gonzales (Arlington CVB): Complimentary registration to the 2007 WACVB Tourism Tech Summit, courtesy of WACVB.

Thanks to our vendors and sponsors for joining us at the Tech Summit

With input from Summit attendees, presenters and vendors, we’re developing a slightly revised schedule for next year’s program. Mark your calendar for the 2007 Tourism Tech Summit in Albuquerque, April 12 and 13.

Read the buzz from delegates, speakers, and vendors who attended the April 6-7, 2006, WACVB Tourism Tech Summit in San Jose…

--Richard Reasons, Managing Partner/San Diego, and Ryan George,
Managing Partner/Tucson, CVBTV.com

--Nader Shatara, Interactive Marketing Manager,
San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau

New and Veteran Leaders at CEO Forum

What happens when you put 44 Bureau CEOs in a meeting room? You get exceptional interaction, solutions to your challenges, and a few industry stories! That was the scene at this year’s CEO Forum at the Sun Valley Resort.

A terrific group of bureau leaders assembled at the 17th annual CEO Forum, hosted by Carol Waller and the Sun Valley Chamber & Visitors Bureau.

A new component at this year’s CEO Forum was a special three-hour leadership workshop—“Achieving Extra-ordinary Collaboration,” presented by John Furey of HumanAge. Furey noted that it takes three ingredients to bring people together to perform exceptionally—a common purpose, a common understanding, and a common method for problem solving. CEOs also explored three perspectives of thought—the Future Thinker, the Present Thinker, and the Past Thinker—and how to align these thinking styles with roles in pursuit of a common purpose.

Guided by peer facilitators, the group discussed a range of issues during the Forum, such as board development strategies and board retreat formats; the annual CEO review process; nontraditional employee benefits and staff incentives; long-term planning and the involvement of stakeholders in the process; city/county contracts with CVBs; business improvement districts; changing destination cultures and delivery of one’s brand promise; quantifying ROI and performance measurements; educating government officials and the community about the benefits of tourism; forging productive political relationships and business coalitions; the use of marketing tools such as the Internet, trade shows, and niche markets; booking agreements with convention centers; and visitor center usage by visitors.
The Marketing Idea Exchange is a fixture at the CEO Forum. The exchange offers a quick way for CEOs to take home 40+ terrific ideas. Participants shared one marketing idea that has worked for them.

The welcome reception, hosted by the Sun Valley/Ketchum CVB, was a salute to Hollywood stars from the 40s and the glamorous history of Sun Valley as a hangout for the rich and famous. A special guest—Ernest Hemingway—joined the group festivities and shared stories from his time in Sun Valley.

Another new component at this year’s Forum was an evening of “dinner by numbers.” Each participant was given the opportunity to select a number from 1 to 6. Then, each “numbered” group went to dinner together, with everyone paying for their own meal. It was fun way to get to know industry colleagues.

CEOs had more opportunities for small group interaction at activities one afternoon during the Forum. Fourteen CEOs and guests played in the WACVB Education & Research Foundation golf tournament (see article on Foundation page.) Other activities included a bicycle ride and hot springs soak, a high-altitude hike, a tour of Hemingway haunts and local art galleries, and a mountain valley horseback ride.

Attendees described the CEO Forum as a great conference with terrific networking opportunities.

Travel Industry Sales Training Program

This year marked the fourth presentation of the Travel Industry Sales Training Program, sponsored by WACVB.

More than 25 CVB staff members attended the sales training program, October 3 and 4, at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower. The program is custom designed by Tere Stamoulis, principal of The Stamoulis Group—Strategic Hospitality Marketing. The curriculum focuses on defining and achieving objectives and goals in the development of travel sales programs. The goal is to elevate the manner in which the participants define their goals, evaluate, create, and launch product.

Comments from program attendees:

~ Great opportunity to share and discuss ideas.
~ Please continue to offer courses as this is the best venue for learning from other regions.

Portland Annual Meeting
Plenty of Momentum in Portland
Nearly 200 delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors attended the 2006 Annual Meeting in Portland in early October. Sustainable leadership, sustainable organizations, a sustainable environment, and a sustainable future were issues explored at the conference.

Meeting delegates from nearly 70 bureaus engaged in a rewarding mix of educational programming, networking and roundtable exchanges, vendor showcase visiting, and even had some time to see Portland (beautiful fall weather).

An inspirational and interactive general session—“Perspectives in Leadership for the 21st Century”—opened the conference. Trever Cartwright and Thom Walters from the Coraggio Group focused on the many surprises and epiphanies that leaders often have on their leadership journeys and why it’s important for us to identify our own leadership talents and hone them for greater influence.

The shoes came off when Dr. Randy Harrington, founder and CEO of Extreme Arts & Sciences, presented the general session “Advanced Communication Tools: Ready-to-Use Strategies to Drive Accomplishment and Accountability.” He took the group on a warp speed tour of the issues that drag down an organization—and how one can begin making things better right away—without another meeting or an e-mail!

Brian Baker’s presentation “Maestro or Mammoth? Re-invent Your Organization or Face Extinction” was well received by the delegates. He talked about DMOs as sources for the sustainable momentum experienced in the travel industry during the last century. Baker addressed issues such as the increasing amount of the travel business being conducted electronically, as well as local municipalities making difficult funding choices that pit DMOs against basic services. He said that there is no question that a destination needs a brand champion to promote and sell it; the question for the future is: Are DMOs the best suited entities for the task? In a high-energy presentation, Baker told delegates that the DMOs of today can reinvent themselves to be their destinations’ brand stewards and champions of the future.

Mickey Schaefer, CAE, Chair of the APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange) Commission of the Convention Industry Council (CIC), spoke about the development of voluntary standards to streamline business processes and create efficiencies in the meetings industry.
Attendees had the opportunity to increase their industry knowledge and skills at sessions about leadership styles, productive trade show tactics, effective media relations, personnel management issues, promoting a destination to environmentally minded conventions, niche markets (golf, birding, cycling), tips on ‘greening’ your bureau, and working with nontraditional partners.

Away from the general sessions and workshops, attendees renewed friendships and met new peers at the opening welcome reception hosted by WACVB. The World Forestry Center was a stunning facility for the Thursday evening Brazilian-themed event sponsored by the Portland Oregon Visitors Association. Delegates incorporated sustainable transportation at the conference by riding MAX (light rail) between downtown and the Forestry Center. Delegates gathered Friday evening at the Hilton for a casual reception before dining at one of Portland’s delightful restaurants.

Saturday morning events included the presentation of the Best Idea Program awards at the closing breakfast, hosted by the Anchorage CVB, the 2007 conference host. (See Best Idea article article below.)

Thanks to Carol Lentz and Kari Westlund for serving as this year’s Annual Meeting Co-chairs. We also express our sincere appreciation to the staff at our host bureau—the Portland Oregon Visitors Association—for their warm hospitality and generous sponsorships. Also, thanks to our members, speakers, sponsors, and vendors for joining us at the 2006 Annual Meeting.

If you missed this year’s conference, make plans now to join us next year—October 10-13, 2007, at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. Keep reading NewsNotes and watch the WACVB Web site (www.wacvb.com) for conference details.

Best Idea Program Awards
Three convention and visitors bureaus received achievement awards in the WACVB-sponsored annual Best Idea Program that showcases innovative projects and creative marketing strategies as submitted by WACVB members.

Congratulations to the staff members of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Virginia City Convention & Tourism Authority on their achievements.

This year’s Best Idea Program awards were presented during the 2006 WACVB Annual Meeting, October 4-7 in Portland.

Following receipt of the entry forms, a Board-appointed Task Force reviewed the submissions and selected several for presentation at the conference.

Representatives from the three above-named bureaus presented their best ideas during the conference. The presentations focused on a media FAM tour to establish a destination for GLBT travelers (Tempe), a value-savings ticket program to propel visitors into a destination’s historical district (Virginia City), and the use of a mascot/tourism ambassador (Anchorage) modeled after the Flat Stanley Project, an international literacy and communications activity for primary and junior students that teaches students about other parts of the world.

Congratulations to Anchorage, Tempe, and Virginia City—recipients of the outstanding achievement awards—in the 2006 Best Idea Program.

If you would like information about the winning entries, please contact the respective member bureau or WACVB staff at info@wacvb.com.