Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau

Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
Name	Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
Formed	1974
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Memphis, Tennessee
Region served	Shelby County, Tennessee
Leader title	President & CEO

Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization based in Memphis, Tennessee that promotes tourism, conventions, and cultural heritage in the Memphis metropolitan area. The bureau collaborates with hotels, attractions, transportation providers, and cultural institutions to attract meetings, leisure travelers, and conventions to venues in Beale Street Historic District, Downtown Memphis, and surrounding communities such as Germantown, Tennessee and Collierville, Tennessee. It plays a central role in positioning Memphis alongside other Southern destinations like Nashville, Tennessee, Memphis International Airport, and Graceland in regional and national travel markets.

History

The organization traces roots to mid-20th-century civic promotion efforts linked to campaigns for the Memphis Fairgrounds and early initiatives around the Mississippi River waterfront. Formalized in the 1970s amid growth of the meetings industry, the bureau developed alongside major projects including the construction of the Memphis Pyramid conversion proposals and the expansion of the Convention Center (Memphis). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s it coordinated bids for trade shows that previously favored cities such as Atlanta, Georgia and St. Louis, Missouri. Post-2000 efforts focused on leveraging cultural assets like Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and National Civil Rights Museum to broaden visitor demographics. The bureau has responded to crises — including national events tied to Elvis Presley heritage preservation and regional challenges associated with Hurricane Katrina refugee movements — by adapting marketing and operational strategies.

Organization and Governance

The organization operates as a nonprofit destination marketing organization governed by a board of directors drawn from private-sector stakeholders and public officials representing entities like Shelby County, Tennessee and the City of Memphis. Executive leadership has historically included individuals with backgrounds at institutions such as Chamber of Commerce of Memphis and Shelby County, Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, and major hospitality companies in the region. Funding streams typically combine hotel occupancy tax allocations from municipal bodies, membership dues from hotel companies including chains like Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and private sponsorships from corporations such as International Paper and FedEx. The bureau maintains advisory committees reflecting sectors represented by venues like the FedExForum, AutoZone Park, and the Orpheum Theatre (Memphis).

Services and Programs

Core services include convention sales and services, leisure marketing, group tour familiarization (FAM) programs, and visitor information distribution at locations including the Memphis Convention Center welcome desk. The bureau provides bid support for events to compete with cities like Chicago, Illinois, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas and supplies meeting planners with site inspection coordination for facilities such as the Renaissance Memphis Downtown Hotel and the Hilton Memphis. It operates outreach programs to partner with cultural organizations like the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Cooper-Young Festival organizers, and heritage sites tied to figures like B.B. King and Otis Redding. Educational initiatives target workforce development through collaborations with institutions such as University of Memphis, Southwest Tennessee Community College, and hospitality programs at LeMoyne–Owen College.

Marketing and Partnerships

Marketing campaigns highlight Memphis cultural icons and attractions including Graceland, Beale Street, and culinary traditions epitomized by establishments like Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken and Central BBQ. The bureau partners with airlines serving Memphis International Airport, global tour operators that book itineraries including Mark Twain Riverboat cruises on the Mississippi River, and media outlets ranging from The Commercial Appeal to national travel publications. Strategic partnerships encompass collaboration with regional tourism entities such as the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, neighboring city bureaus in Little Rock, Arkansas and Jackson, Mississippi, and corporate partners including FedEx Corporation for logistics in major convention moves. Advertising and digital initiatives utilize platforms associated with TripAdvisor, Expedia Group, and trade shows like the IMEX America marketplace.

Events and Economic Impact

The bureau plays a lead role in attracting conventions, trade shows, and sporting events including collegiate tournaments coordinated with conferences such as the American Athletic Conference and large-scale gatherings associated with organizations like the American Bar Association and Society for Human Resource Management. Major events generate hotel room nights across properties from boutique inns near South Main Arts District to large chain hotels on Ridgeway Road, stimulate spending at attractions including Memphis Zoo and Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, and support the hospitality workforce. Economic impact studies linked to the bureau quantify visitor spending contributions to local sales tax receipts and business revenues, comparing Memphis to peer markets like Louisville, Kentucky and Birmingham, Alabama in annual reports used by municipal budget offices and tourism economists.

Facilities and Visitor Information

Primary facilities promoted include the Renasant Convention Center (formerly Memphis Convention Center), arenas such as the FedExForum, ballparks like AutoZone Park, and historic venues including the Orpheum Theatre (Memphis). The bureau publishes visitor guides and maps highlighting districts such as Harbor Town and Cooper-Young, assists with transportation options connecting to Memphis International Airport and regional interstates like Interstate 40 in Tennessee and Interstate 55. Visitor information services coordinate with hospitality partners to provide accessibility information for sites like the National Civil Rights Museum and with event planners to secure services from caterers and production companies formerly engaged with residencies at Sun Studio.

Category:Organizations based in Memphis, Tennessee Category:Tourism in Tennessee