It’s 2024 and the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a separate non-profit entity! Three decades –WOW! We’re excited and we’re proud. To help celebrate our anniversary we’ll be posting monthly blogs throughout 2024 themed around the number 30.
What better way to kick-off 2024, our 30th anniversary, and our series of 30th-themed blogs, than to tell you 30 things you may or may not know about the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau. Read on to learn more!
1.The Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau is the destination marketing organization for Dayton and Montgomery County. We promote and market Dayton/Montgomery County and our wonderful assets to bring in outside conventions and attendees, as well as leisure visitors. These non-residents bring and leave their dollars in the community, thereby helping ensure the economic vitality of our area.
2. Our Organization’s Mission: The Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureau collaboratively leads and advocates for the development of the region’s visitor economy, which contributes to a thriving community, a diverse tax base and lifestyle amenities for everyone to enjoy.
3.Our Organization’s Vision: Dayton will be recognized internationally as a premier destination with a rich history of innovation, an exciting and promising future and a culturally enriching Quality of Life.
4. Before becoming an independent not-for-profit organization 30 years ago, we were a part of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
5. Our offices have been located on the 1st floor of the Dayton Convention Center for over 30 years, BUT we ARE NOT a part of the Dayton Convention Center, or the Chamber of Commerce – we are a separate non-profit entity.
6. The Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau is an economic development organization - we bring people AND their dollars from outside of the community into the Greater Dayton area.
7. Each Montgomery County household saves approximately $718 in taxes each year because of the taxes generated by travel & tourism - it's BIG business for Dayton/Montgomery County!
8. We create/maintain/host the DaytonCVB.com website which provides a wealth of information on the community from attractions, arts & culture, calendar of events, hotel accommodations, restaurants, shopping, things to see & do and much more!
9. We annually produce a free Destination Dayton Visitors Guide magazine that you can order in print or reference as a digital flip-book.
10. We have produced a FREE Visit Dayton app on Google Play and the Apple Store. Download it today and find incredible information on what to see and do in Greater Dayton right at your fingertips!
11. Our offices are open to the public Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and are located at 22 East Fifth Street, Suite A, Dayton, OH 45402.
12. Our funding comes from visitors via a Montgomery County-wide hotel lodging tax of which the CVB receives a portion/percentage
13. Our tallest employee is 6’ 7” and our shortest employee is 5’ 1.” We can help you with things big and small!
14. Collectively our employees have over 150 years of experience to offer our clients: meeting planners, tour operators, convention and sports tournament planners, leisure visitors as well as local residents.
15. CVB stands for Convention & Visitors Bureau. Cities all across America have CVB’s or organizations synonymously known as DMO’s or Destination Marketing Organizations that promote their communities to convention and event planners, tour groups and leisure visitors to drive economic development.
16. We staff the Visitor Information & Military Welcome Center at the Dayton International Airport.
17. We stock the brochure/information racks in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force lobby, and at the Dayton International Airport in partnership with our neighboring CVBs in Greene and Miami County.
18. We are governed by a board of trustees consisting of hotel, restaurant, meeting venue and business leader representatives.
19. We are initiating an organization and destination rebranding in 2024 to better position our organization to garner more business for Dayton/Montgomery County in the future.
20. Here is a list, although not complete, of the ways the CVB promotes and markets Dayton/Montgomery County: DaytonCVB.com website; Annual Destination Dayton Visitors Guides (44-page magazine); exhibiting at approximately 20-25 meeting industry themed tradeshows throughout the year; exhibiting at consumer/leisure shows throughout the year; free Visit Dayton App; print and targeted digital advertising in meeting planner industry tradeshows throughout the year; targeted print and digital advertising in consumer/leisure magazines and media outlets throughout the year; sales calls and presentations; hosting site visits; monthly e-newsletters; social media channels/posting; weekly blogs; placement of Destination Dayton Visitor Guides at 12-14 Ohio Department of Transportation Visitor Information Centers across the state; cooperative advertising efforts with the state of Ohio and in the state’s annual travel planner guide; eblasts; direct mail; and digital campaigns to name a few,
21. How can YOU help the Dayton CVB improve the economic vitality of our area? Think of the social, civic, professional, hobby or sports groups that you belong to – do these groups host meetings, tournaments or conventions? If so, simply contact the CVB and give us the name of the organization and event and our professional team will “take it from there” and work to generate a “Dayton/Montgomery County Bid Proposal” to host the event in Greater Dayton and to bring the business home!
22. Each year we recognize "Community Ambassadors" at our annual breakfast event - these individuals are meeting planners who worked with the CVB and were responsible for selecting Greater Dayton for their convention or event and bringing significant economic impact to our community.
23. The Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau advocated for an improved Dayton Convention Center, funding and management model for years including a feasibility study conducted in 2015. Our organization is very pleased with the new Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority ownership and ASM Global management model, as well as the current $40 million renovation that is underway and will provide us with the opportunity to be competitive in the marketplace when we have convention-centric hotel support.
24. We represent and promote ALL of the attractions, hotels, meeting venues, arts & culture, restaurants, shopping, outdoor recreation, etc. in Dayton/Montgomery County to "sell" Destination Dayton to locals, potential leisure visitors, and meeting & event planners.
25. We provide event and meeting planners with FREE services, such as Dayton welcome packets, name badges, liaison services with area vendors, assistance with event promotion and implementation, and free CVB-paid knowledgeable Dayton Ambassadors to provide registration assistance and to man welcome tables at their events. The CVB is a one-stop resource center for meeting and event planners. We make their jobs easier and save them valuable time & money.
26. Each year our sales team books or secures over 125 events to be hosted in Dayton/Montgomery County that utilize a minimum of 15 peak night hotel rooms in that year or a future year.
27. Each year we provide complimentary services to host approximately 150 events in Dayton/Montgomery County that were originally booked by the Dayton CVB.
28. Our largest annual convention is WGI Sport of the Arts which brings nearly 50-60,000 people to the community over two long weekends in April.
29. In 2024 we'll be promoting the Total Solar Eclipse and inviting visitors to come to Dayton to experience the event at the primary viewing location on the grounds of the NMUSAF. We are offering a Solar Eclipse Giveaway Package, at www.DaytonCVB.com/Eclipse, with entries for the contest open through March 9.
30. Working with the CVB - it's as easy as ABC! Call us today! 800.221.8235!
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