Black Meetings and Tourism

July/August 2014

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ICCA REPORTS BOSTON & CAMBRIDGE RANK #1 IN UNITED STATES FOR INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS T R AV E L DATA B M & T ••• July/August 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 51 I nternational meetings to Boston and Cambridge contin- ue to grow. According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), in 2013, Boston and Cambridge hosted a record number of 56 international meet- ings, up from 44 in 2012, making it the number one United States destination on the list, with a ranking of 39 world-wide, up from 49 in 2012. In fact, in three of the last five years, Boston & Cambridge have topped this list for the United States. The economic impact of these international meetings to the Boston and Cambridge economies is $88.3 million. According to the US Department of Commerce, Boston and Cambridge saw 1.28 million overseas visitors in 2013, a 3% increase over 2012. "I am delighted that Boston and Cambridge have once again topped the ICCA list for North America. This didn't happen by accident. With increased com- petition from our North American coun- terparts, we've had to continually step-up our game, and the results are clear. To jump ten spots in one year (in 2012, our ranking was 49 and in 2013 we're 39th in the world) is the result of hard work and under- standing our client's needs," said Patrick B. Moscaritolo, president & CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Through the years, we have established strong relationships with our members and clients. We've worked hard to link our international meetings initiative to our local colleges, medical institutions and research facilities in Boston & Cambridge and continue to collaborate to grow our market share." The sales efforts have not only resulted in an increased num- ber of meetings over the past few years, but also an increase in international air service to Boston, including increased non- stop air service from Europe, as well as non-stop service from the Middle East, Latin America, Japan and China. "Partnering with the GBCVB on these inter- national sales and mar- keting programs has real- ly paid off for Cambridge. Our joint initiatives enable us to showcase the city to the international market, which benefits the Cambridge hotels and the hospitality industry immensely," said Robyn Culbertson, executive director, Cambridge Office for Tourism. Moscaritolo added that the international meetings hit the "sweet spot of our brand. Boston is a magnet for meetings related to education, medical and life sciences, which are the kinds of industries that contribute to our local economy. The wealth of colleges and medical schools that we have here are huge resources for these meetings." For more information, contact Stephanie Pappas by e-mail at uspappas@- bostonusa.com or by phone: (617) 867-8222.

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