On the heels of Destination International’s Convention Sales and Services Summit in Dallas in late April, 18 senior convention-services directors from DMOs nationwide spent a day discussing how they can be better partners to planners of citywide conventions as well as single-hotel meetings. All are members of Event Services Professionals Association.
“The biggest issue we addressed is how to change the perception among planners that we simply provide staffing assistance, brochures and other marketing materials and partner referrals,” noted Amanda Fox, vice president, operations & events for Visit Rochester.
“Over the past several years, we’ve become community connectors who are central to getting meeting groups intertwined with local organizations and assets, allowing an event host to leave a lasting impact and legacy in the community along with that memorable experience for their attendees.”
David Taylor, director of destination services and facilities experience for the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, agreed. “Our focus is on being truly strategic partners for an event group’s overall experience in our destination,” he said. “That means using our deep knowledge of local resources to make the right connections that help groups meet their event goals.”
Specifically, a DMO’s convention-services team can leverage the assets of the destination’s corporate base and nonprofit organizations whose mission and expertise match up with an incoming group.
“Whether it be securing session speakers, building CSR and other volunteer initiatives or increasing the number of sponsors and vendors, we have the local connections to do that,” Fox said.
Tips for Planners
To take full advantage of what a DMO’s convention-services team can do to enhance an event, Taylor stressed that planners should connect with the host city’s DMO as soon as possible. “If you bring us in early—even on the site visit—the better our understanding will be of your goals, and the more strategic we can be and start connecting with our local resources to make things work for you.”
“There is so much we can do to be strategic for meeting groups,” Fox added. “The more we know about your group demographic and your goals, the more we can assist.”
In fact, this applies even for planners who coordinate meetings that require only a single hotel. “I recently visited all 20 hotels in Grapevine over the course of a week to explain to their event teams the services we can also provide to their clients,” Taylor said.
“The staffs at many hotels tend to be a little bit younger; the hospitality industry came out of the pandemic with a lot of veteran people leaving the business, so many of the hotel staffs now might not be as knowledgeable or know the community as deeply," he added. "We are actively communicating with them to say that we can support your clients, no matter if it’s a 50-person meeting or a 500-person meeting.”
