Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/29859
employees and recommended that federal agencies substitute teleconferencing and webcasts for face-to-face meetings whenever possible. Suppliers will likely follow suit, and that can’t be good for our industry. Economic times change, but one thing remains a constant: Destinations with appeal will maximize a meeting’s atten- dance.And Greater Phoenix is a destination with appeal. So the message we want to communicate to potential customers is this: Buy us now when rates are low. It’s also important for us spread the word about the value of the new downtown Phoenix meeting experience and our $1 billion worth of new meeting product. Phoenix’s urban core underwent a metamorphosis before the recession, and that’s good news for meeting planners who, while looking for competitive rates, still want to provide a memorable and sophisti- cated experience for attendees. The Phoenix Convention Center is fresh from an expansion, light rail trains have changed the way pedestrians get around downtown, and a $900 million restaurant and shopping complex called CityScape has just opened a block from the convention center to give meeting attendees more to do in terms of entertainment. All this is in addition to two new downtown hotels — the 1,000-room Sheraton Downtown Phoenix debuted two years ago, and the Westin Downtown Phoenix is opening in March. It’s easy and inexpensive to get here. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average round-trip air- fare to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has been below the national average for the past 14 years. The fact that Sky Harbor is a hub for two low-fare carriers, US Airways and Southwest, has historically been a major advantage for our destination, and it will remain so in today’s market. Phoenix still has nearly 500 daily departures and frequent flights to top destinations — in fact, US Airways just added 3,300 new flights for 2011 — and the continued competition between the two low-cost carriers should help keep fare increases down. Then, of course, with 60,000 hotel rooms, there are our low hotel rates. We’ve made it easy for meeting planners to find those rates online at www.visitphoenix.com/meeting-planners/hot-rates/index.aspx DAVIDWHITAKER, PRESIDENT & CEO, TOURISM TORONTO Clearly the economic downturn had a significant impact on ourmeetings industry. Ironically,what DAVID WHITAKER many planners told us howeverwas that to a large degree, the climatemade theirmeetings evenmore critical in terms of both the importance to have the event (much needed revenue) and perhapsmore than ever to have a host city that helped mitigate financial risk. Perhaps there has not been a more important time in the past decade to validate the importance of the role host cities and organizations such as convention & visitors bureaus/destination management organizations can play in addressing and assisting in this regard. What is also a well-establishedmotto in these times – those who are with you in difficult times will be with you when times get better. Many organizations faced that lesson head on as well. Toronto has enjoyed great partnerships and I amquite pleased to see that this list has been steadily growing as we have expanded our service and support to planners, associations and organizations. Toronto’s appeal, proximity and ease of access to and from so many key feeder cities in NorthAmerica (over 60%of the US population is less than 90 minutes or less by air or car) have all played a key role in helping groups who meet here have record or near-record attendance. Especially during challenging times this is important. What is perhapsmore important is a growing reputation formaking the extra effort to listen to our clients and help tai- JAMES B. RICKETTS,DIRECTOR, VIRGINIA BEACH CVB Indications are that we are on an upswing; regional data shows that hotel revenue for the last six months of 2010 have been positive. In addition, groups are starting to see increases in the number of attendees rather than the decreases they had been seeing. Individuals and groups are still booking more short term.Also, meeting planners who generally book 2nd tier cities are now looking at 1st tier destinations – 2nd tier cities are now competing with the largest destinations. We are targeting those efforts that have produced the greatest results. In addition, we are doing JAMES B. RICKETTS more “face to face”marketing and sales and looking for those “niche”markets we can grow. Product development is one of the key elements to future business.Virginia Beach has developed a Town Center area complete with lodging, dining, retail and entertainment.We are currently in the planning stage of exciting development, such as an Entertainment Center and a new Convention Center Headquarters Hotel.Until that happens,we are “packaging”what we have to provide great experiential adventures to our visitors. We are a drive market, as well as a SouthwestAirlines hub; with value rates from September thruMay and temperate weather.Centrally located on the east coast we are within a day’s drive of two-thirds ofAmerica’s population.With excel- lent weather in the spring and summermonths our value seasonmonths are greatmonths for themeeting and convention industry as well as the leisure traveler. Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2011: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 23