Blog
Dispatch from CVB Conference
When someone from the San Francisco Travel Association mused, “I am so in love with my city,” I couldn’t help but relate. I too am borderline-obsessed with the City by the Bay and all the offbeat, artsy, sophisticated, low-key and everything-in-between features it has to offer.
This genuine and unabashed passion for place is what makes the annual Western Association of CVBs, currently taking place in Ontario, Calif., such a treat. Whether they represent a big city or small town, a ski resort destination or a sunny beach locale, everyone at the conference clearly feels a deep affinity for the place they live in and bring business to.
That’s why they’ve gathered to learn from industry experts during general sessions and breakouts, analyzing everything from social media and emerging technology to the demands of the convention market and changing economy. It’s why they are engaging openly with their peers about their struggles, successes and efforts. And it’s why, even in when it’s tough to get out of the office, they have made the concerted effort to do so.
It’s no secret that the job of a CVB honcho is a particularly difficult one in today’s budget-cutting era. But for these city ambassadors, that’s a roadblock, not a stop sign.
I have no doubt each one of them would say they, too, are so in love with their city. For a CVB employee, that’s the best thing to be.
-Nikki Gloudeman
CVB Resources
