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October 17, 2007

CONTACT:           
Teresa Stephenson
(916) 443-9012
info@wacvb.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WACVB Officers and Directors Elected
for 2008 Program Year

Jonathan Walker, president & CEO of the Metropolitan Tucson (AZ) Convention & Visitors Bureau officially took office as President of the Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (WACVB) at the Association’s Annual Conference and Vendor Showcase, October 10-13, 2007, in Anchorage, Alaska.

Other officers elected at the conference include President-elect Carol Waller, executive director of the Sun Valley/Ketchum (ID) Chamber & Visitors Bureau, and Secretary-Treasurer Stephanie Nowack, president & CEO of the Tempe (AZ) Convention & Visitors Bureau. Kathy Janega-Dykes, president & CEO of the Santa Barbara (CA) Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Com­mission will serve as Past President.

Scott Beck, president & CEO of the Salt Lake (UT) Convention & Visitors Bureau, Manette Belliveau, executive director of the Oakland (CA) Convention & Visitors Bureau, Dale Lockett, president & CEO of the Albuquerque (NM) Convention & Visitors Bureau, Maureen “Mo” McElroy, executive director of the Santa Rosa (CA) Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Don Welsh, president & CEO of Seattle’s (WA) Convention & Visitors Bureau, were elected to two-year terms on the Board of Directors.

Kathryn Smits, director of the Beverly Hills (CA) Conference & Visitors Bureau, was appointed to a one-year Director’s term. Joel Racker, president & CEO of Utah Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, is continuing his service as a Board Director.

The Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus is a regional professional association serving more than 140 member bureaus in the Western United States and the Western provinces of Canada.

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Contact staff for a digital image of Jonathan Walker.
Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (WACVB)
950 Glenn Drive, Suite 150, Folsom, CA 95630
info@wacvb.com

October 17, 2007

CONTACT:           
Teresa Stephenson
(916) 443-9012
info@wacvb.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           

Western CVBs Take Top Honors Among Peers

Six convention and visitors bureaus received achievement awards in a recent competition with their colleagues throughout the Western United States and Western Canada. Sponsored by the Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (WACVB), the annual Best Idea Program showcases innovative projects and creative marketing strategies as submitted by WACVB members.

This year’s Best Idea Program awards were presented during the 2007 WACVB Annual Conference, October 10-13, in Anchorage, Alaska.

Following receipt of the entry forms, a Board-appointed Task Force reviewed the submissions and selected
several ideas for presentation at the conference. Representatives from six bureaus presented their best ideas during the conference.

WACVB congratulates the following member bureaus for receiving outstanding achievement awards for their organizations in the 2007 Best Idea Program.

• Mat-Su (AK) Convention & Visitors Bureau
Project: The Mat-Su Online Availability Report is a Web site (www.lodging-matsu.com) where Mat-Su CVB members post their lodging and activity vacancies for up to five days. These vacancies are updated by members and are live on the system year-round. The vacancy list is automatically faxed daily to local visitor centers, as well as high-traffic visitor industry businesses, so any traveler who needs to make a last-minute reservation knows immediately what is available. Online, there are links to the member businesses that have vacancies.

• Ontario (CA) Convention & Visitors Bureau
Project: An ROI (return on investment) worksheet was developed to assist the Bureau’s sales team in determining which pieces of business would be the most profitable for both the Ontario Convention Center and the local hotels.

• Plumas County (CA) Visitors Bureau
Project: The “Awesome Autumn” promotion as part of the Bureau’s yearly fall foliage promotion, including print advertising, radio interviews, a fall color map/guide fulfillment piece, daily “leaf-peeper” reports posted to the Bureau’s Web site, tour itineraries and free leaf-peeper kits.

• Santa Monica (CA) Convention & Visitors Bureau
Project: Annual Beach Summit—an open community discussion on the beach in Santa Monica to brainstorm ideas on how to improve the overall beach experience for residents and visitors. The
50-person committee worked in three areas: Safety Perceptions, Environmental Stewardship, and Amenities/Services. Goals and objectives for each of the three areas were then developed as an action plan.

• Metropolitan Tucson (AZ) Convention & Visitors Bureau
Project: “Desert of Your Dreams” was an integrated marketing campaign to reach the winter visitor from Chicago and Seattle. The media plan included electronic, billboards (bus, transit, and an RV vehicle driven cross country), print, radio and cable television, guerilla techniques such as tailgate events at football games in Chicago and Seattle, as well as street teams in heavy-traffic business districts.

• Yakima Valley (WA) Visitors & Convention Bureau 
Project: “Event Web Promotions” – The Bureau developed five Web promotions that use the main wine country events and broaden the message to include other happenings in the Yakima Valley. Activity to the Web promotion pages grows each time a new promotion is released. Membership participation grows each time a new promotion is released.

                                            
The Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus is a regional professional association serving more than 140 member bureaus in the Western United States and the Western provinces of Canada.

# # #
Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (WACVB)
950 Glenn Drive, Suite 150
Folsom, CA 95630
info@wacvb.com