New Orleans 1st Logo
Sign-Up for our Newsletter & Text Updates

New Orleans CVB In Action

Section: Community

New Orleans CVB In Action

Issue Number 2 * March 20, 2009

Dear CVB Members and Stakeholders of New Orleans’ Tourism Industry,

The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) understands how difficult it is to survive and attract visitors in these unprecedented times for the national economy and global travel industry. This is the second issue of the New Orleans CVB in Action, a new publication which will provide:

details of the CVB’s aggressive 2009 sales, marketing and public relations action plan to attract visitors and meetings, and how you can leverage that action plan to be more successful

immediate, specific tips to help you market your business

updates on national grassroots campaigns such as Meetings Mean Business to defend our industry when travel -- especially corporate and incentive meetings -- are being portrayed negatively by the national media and the federal government

breaking news and research from national industry organizations on which I serve as a Board Member, such as the U.S. Travel Association and Destination Marketing Association International

success stories about new business wins, positive press, customer testimonials and other accomplishments from New Orleans’ tourism industry

I welcome your feedback about this new publication and your suggestions to advance the city’s critical tourism industry. Thanks for your partnership and all that you do for the great City of New Orleans.

Sincerely,

J. Stephen Perry

President and CEO

New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau

National Initiatives

URGENT – MEETINGS MEAN BUSINESS GRASSROOTS LETTERS

NOW AVAILABLE!

The New Orleans CVB has launched a local grassroots campaign to preserve tourism service jobs and support U.S. Travel’s national Meetings Mean Business campaign.

Click here to download one of five different template letters with an urgent message for our legislators: In our weak economy, the last thing Congress should do is implement policies or spout overheated rhetoric that jeopardizes jobs and the local tax revenue my community depends upon. Please oppose any measure that would unfairly restrict companies’ ability to use meetings, events and incentive travel as a legitimate business tool.

Please urge everyone in your organization to personalize and complete a letter by Friday, March 27th and send it to:

New Orleans CVB

Attention: Kelly Schulz

2020 St. Charles Ave.

New Orleans, LA 70130

Fax: 504-566-5021

Email: kschulz@neworleanscvb.com

The New Orleans CVB will cover postage to send your letter to our Congressional Delegation. Our goal is to send at least 2,500 letters simultaneously and make a huge statement about the importance of meetings to our economy and lives. This effort is absolutely critical, please make your voice heard by sending us a letter today.

CVB Marketing and Advertising

The CVB is presenting two valuable education opportunities to increase your business:

Contact the CVB Membership Department to learn about a special education seminar on Tuesday, March 24, Communicating with Meeting Planners, presented by the CVB’s Vice President of Client Relations (and former meeting planner) Donna Karl, CMP, and Director of Corporate and Tradeshow Sales Sallee Pavlovich.

Join us Thursday, March 26 at the CVB for the second Tourism University Seminar, Understanding the Student & Youth Travel Market, featuring Guest Speaker John Krish, President of the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) and General Manager of Travel Adventures. Tourism University is a new program hosted by our Vice President of Tourism Kim Priez and her team of veteran sales managers. The first Tourism University session was so popular that it sold out within 48 hours. To register for this free seminar, please contact Katherine LeBlanc at kleblanc@neworleanscvb.com or 504-566-5032.

Showcasing New Orleans on the Road

Our convention sales professionals in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago and Dallas are busy this month showcasing New Orleans at the following events:

Washington D.C.-area meeting of the International Association of Exhibition and Events (IAEE)
Potomac Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Washington D.C.-area meeting of the Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP)
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Capital Chapter Networking event
MPI New Jersey Chapter, sponsor and facilitator of a panel discussion on integrating corporate social responsibility into meetings
Greater Midwest Chapter PCMA quarterly meeting
Chicago Area Convention Bureau Satellite Offices – Experient tradeshow and lunch
PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter Special Session in Milwaukee
Chicago Area Convention Bureau Satellite Offices - American Bar Association
MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter meeting

Public Relations Results

The CVB’s PR team hosted the cast and crew of TLC’s popular series Little People Big World last summer and the show aired this week to a national audience. Check out the Associated Press article about the show, which was another way to earn positive national media coverage about New Orleans as a family-friendly, value destination, particularly in tough economic times.

Tip of the Week: Free Help to Increase Meeting Attendance

If you are in the process of closing meeting or convention business, don’t forget to offer the CVB’s complimentary attendance-building tools.

New Orleans is the first CVB to appoint a full-time senior staff member completely devoted to attendance-building for groups, Director of Group PR Tara Letort. Tara serves as an extension of clients’ Marketing Departments and develops customized marketing plans to help clients reach attendance goals, which is particularly important in this economy.

Contact Tara Letort today to learn how you can increase your business using our comprehensive Marketing Menu, featuring customized videos, microsites, e-blast templates, public relations counsel and much more.

Success Story

Congratulations again to everyone that helped make the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting, January 11 – 14, 2009, in New Orleans an extraordinary success. Visit www.pcmaneworleans.com for customer testimonials.

More Articles