Convention and Visitors Bureau (United States)

Convention and Visitors Bureau (United States)
Name	Convention and Visitors Bureau (United States)
Type	Nonprofit / Destination marketing organization
Founded	Late 19th–20th century (development)
Headquarters	Various (local and regional)
Region served	United States

Convention and Visitors Bureau (United States) is the common American term for local destination marketing organizations that promote cities, counties, and regions as locations for conventions, leisure tourism, and business events. These entities operate across metropolitan areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Miami, and coordinate with institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Walt Disney World Resort, and Las Vegas Convention Center to attract meetings, trade shows, and visitors. Often structured as nonprofit corporations, they interface with stakeholders like the U.S. Travel Association, National Governors Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, American Hotel & Lodging Association, and local chambers of commerce such as the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.

History

The earliest American visitor promotion initiatives trace to World's Columbian Exposition-era boosters and municipal travel bureaus in cities including Philadelphia, Boston, and San Francisco. The modern Convention and Visitors Bureau model expanded during the interwar and post-World War II periods alongside institutions like the American Society of Association Executives and venues such as the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and McCormick Place. Legislation and federal programs including the Interstate Highway Act and investments in airports like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport further shaped event tourism. The establishment of organizations such as the National Tour Association and the growth of trade shows like CES and IMEX America fostered the CVB role in destination management through the late 20th century.

Organization and Governance

Convention and visitors bureaus typically incorporate as 501(c)(6) or 501(c)(3) entities and are governed by boards drawn from local stakeholders including major employers such as Delta Air Lines, Ford Motor Company, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and cultural institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and Kennedy Center. Leadership often includes a chief executive who liaises with elected officials from bodies such as the New York City Council or county commissions in Los Angeles County and representatives from convention centers like Mandalay Bay Convention Center and Georgia World Congress Center. Regional networks connect with state tourism offices such as Visit Florida, Explore Minnesota, and California Travel and Tourism Commission, while membership categories encompass hotels, restaurants, attractions, and meeting planners affiliated with associations like the Professional Convention Management Association.

Functions and Services

CVBs provide services to meeting planners and leisure travelers, including site selection for events at venues like Madison Square Garden, Bellagio, or Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; assistance with room blocks at properties operated by Hyatt Hotels Corporation or InterContinental Hotels Group; and coordination of ground transportation involving carriers such as Amtrak, Southwest Airlines, and local transit agencies like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York). They maintain visitor centers that partner with attractions like The Alamo, Grand Canyon National Park, and Yosemite National Park, and deliver services including convention bidding, destination reports, and access to services from event suppliers listed by trade organizations such as Meeting Professionals International.

Funding and Economic Impact

Funding models vary: many CVBs rely on transient occupancy taxes established by municipal ordinances in cities like Orlando, New Orleans, and Nashville, Tennessee, private memberships supported by chains such as Choice Hotels International and Best Western, and assessments tied to convention center revenues at sites like Las Vegas Strip properties. Economic impact studies often reference multipliers used in analyses conducted by entities such as the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, showing visitor spending affecting sectors represented by AARP, National Restaurant Association, and the American Bus Association. High-profile events—Super Bowl, SXSW, Comic-Con International—illustrate measurable fiscal contributions to tax receipts and employment in hospitality clusters that include companies like OpenTable and Uber Technologies.

Marketing and Promotion

CVBs execute campaigns leveraging partnerships with media outlets such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and broadcasters like NBCUniversal and CBS Corporation, and engage digital platforms run by Google, Facebook, Instagram, and online travel agencies like Expedia Group, Booking Holdings, and Tripadvisor. They craft destination brands—examples include campaigns linked to Nashville Predators, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and the Mardi Gras season—and bid for conferences using lead generation from conventions such as TIA CONTour and International Pow Wow. Public-facing marketing often employs collaborations with celebrities represented by agencies like CAA or WME, sports franchises like New York Yankees, and festivals such as Coachella to amplify reach.

Relationship with Local Government and Tourism Partners

CVBs operate in partnership with municipal offices such as mayoral administrations in Seattle, tourism departments like Discover Puerto Rico, and regional economic development entities including Economic Development Administration. They coordinate planning with convention center authorities, hotel associations, attractions such as SeaWorld Orlando, and transportation agencies—frequently negotiating incentives, tax allotments, and public safety support from law enforcement agencies and emergency services. Collaboration extends to cultural institutions like The Kennedy Center, historic sites like Independence Hall, and higher-education conference hosts such as Harvard University.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques have arisen over CVB transparency, public subsidy of private events, and the use of transient occupancy tax revenues for promotional expenditures, drawing scrutiny in municipalities including San Francisco, Seattle, and Miami Beach. Debates mirror controversies in the funding of venues such as Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium and projects like Hudson Yards around opportunity cost, equity, and displacement concerns documented in analyses by organizations such as the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute. Additional disputes involve labor relations at hotels affiliated with unions like the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union and conflicts over bidding practices for events like political conventions and major sports championships.

Category:Tourism in the United States Category:Convention and exhibition management