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| Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Headquarters | Rome, Georgia |
| Region served | Floyd County, Georgia |
| Leader title | President & CEO |
Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau The Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization serving Rome, Georgia, and Floyd County. It promotes attractions, supports festivals and conventions, and coordinates with municipal authorities, civic organizations, and hospitality providers to increase visitation and economic activity.
The bureau was founded in the late 20th century amid regional efforts to attract visitors to Rome, Georgia, leverage sites such as Berry College, Little River, and the Etowah River, and match initiatives seen in cities like Savannah, Georgia, Macon, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Early collaborations involved entities such as the Floyd County, Georgia commission, local chambers like the Rome-Floyd County Chamber of Commerce, and cultural institutions including the Rome Area History Museum and performing arts groups reminiscent of the Fox Theatre. Over time the bureau expanded programming around annual events comparable to the Children's Book Festival, regional sporting tournaments inspired by NCAA Division III hosts, and heritage initiatives tied to nearby sites like Fort Oglethorpe and Etowah Mounds. Grants and policy engagement connected the bureau to state agencies such as the Georgia Department of Economic Development and nonprofit funders akin to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The bureau operates as a nonprofit organization with a board of directors drawn from hospitality stakeholders, municipal appointees, and representatives of institutions like Berry College, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, and local hotel operators affiliated with chains similar to Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, and Choice Hotels International. Executive leadership interfaces with elected officials from Rome, Georgia and Floyd County, Georgia commissioners and coordinates with regional bodies such as the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission. Financial oversight follows practices common to organizations registered with the Internal Revenue Service and incorporates performance metrics used by destination marketing organizations statewide, aligning with benchmarking from entities like the U.S. Travel Association and research from the Economic Development Administration.
Services include visitor information, meeting planning assistance, group tour coordination, and support for attraction management linked to sites such as Oak Hill Cemetery, Rome Braves events, and recreational providers on the Coosa River. The bureau provides venue directories referencing properties comparable to downtown historic hotels, convention centers resembling regional civic centers, and amphitheaters used by touring acts managed through networks like Live Nation Entertainment and AEG Presents. Programming for historic preservation and cultural tourism draws on partnerships with organizations akin to the National Park Service, Georgia Historical Society, and regional arts councils, while itineraries target audiences attracted to birdwatching locations, collegiate athletics schedules, and music festivals modeled after the Savannah Music Festival.
Marketing campaigns utilize digital platforms, print collateral, and trade show presence at events such as the International Pow Wow and meetings of the Meeting Professionals International association. Promotional efforts highlight local assets including Broad Street (Rome, Georgia), the Chattahoochee River, and culinary attractions like farm-to-table venues inspired by movements in Atlanta, Georgia and Asheville, North Carolina. The bureau collaborates with media partners including regional broadcasters in Atlanta and travel writers appearing in publications akin to Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, and National Geographic Traveler while leveraging analytics frameworks used by firms such as Google and Comscore to measure reach.
The bureau recruits regional conferences, sporting events, and cultural festivals by pitching facilities similar to civic centers and collegiate arenas, coordinating logistics for tournaments modeled on USA Volleyball and AAU events, and supporting arts showcases comparable to the Georgia Songwriters Festival. Signature events are staged in partnership with local producers of fairs, parades reminiscent of municipal celebrations in Savannah, Georgia and performance residencies paralleling programming in venues like the Sidney Marcus Auditorium. Convention services include site selection assistance, bid preparation using standards from the Professional Convention Management Association, and bloc-booking coordination with hotel brands.
Economic assessments estimate visitor spending, tax revenue generation, and employment supported in sectors represented by lodging, food service, and attractions; these analyses draw on methodologies from the U.S. Travel Association, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and state tourism reports produced by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Metrics reported include room-night demand tracked through systems like STR, Inc., event attendance comparable to regional fair attendance figures, and fiscal impact studies akin to those commissioned by metropolitan CVBs in Savannah and Macon. The bureau's data inform municipal budget planning involving the Rome, Georgia finance office and economic development strategies advanced by the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority.
Partnership networks encompass hospitality businesses, cultural institutions, educational entities such as Berry College, conservation groups resembling the Coosa River Basin Initiative, and arts organizations aligned with the Georgia Council for the Arts. Community outreach includes volunteer coordination with service clubs like Rotary International and local chapters of Kiwanis International, stakeholder forums with the Rome-Floyd Chamber of Commerce, and collaborative programming with regional tourism alliances such as the Visit Southeast USA cooperative model. Through these partnerships the bureau advances heritage tourism, outdoor recreation initiatives, and workforce development efforts linked to hospitality training programs at institutions like Georgia Northwestern Technical College.
Category:Tourism in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Rome, Georgia