Great article in this month's issue of Convene (which, sadly isn't online yet...so dig through that stack of magazines in your office that you swear you'll get to someday) that explores the movement of Destination Marketing Organizations away from the traditional "Convention & Visitors Bureau" moniker to "Visit," "Explore," Experience," "Choose," "Meet," etc. Hunter Slaton nails the commentary as well as I've ever seen it done. Complete, in-depth, good quotes...and even puts a fork in dot travel (thank you).
A couple quotes stood out for me...and should for you, if you're in the DMO world. VisitPittsburgh's Craig Davis nailed the reason we all started moving down this path. But ATME's Kristen Zern hits it on the head when she calls the move "counter-intuitive." Indeed, the new names better communicate what we do to the masses...but, have we inadvertently made it harder for our traditionally best customers (event planners) to find us by sticking a word in front of the destination name? After all "Experience Arlington" isn't easy to find in an alpha list if one is looking for Arlington.
Craig thinks not...and believes event planners are sophisticated enough to understand the "Visit" thing. Colorado Springs' Amy Long isn't so sure...and they've gone back to being known as the CVB.
Like I said...great article (and definitely worth your read). And, methinks there might be a middle ground out there. As Choose Chicago's Warren Wilkinson suggests, a lot of us are now working as DBAs because it's easier than all the legal hoops of a true name change.
Maybe it's business cards (and listings) that say "CVB" for those clients for whom those letters connote an experienced DMO, "Sports Commission" for those DMO staff that work the competition market...and the myriad of other verbs for local constituents and the masses.
What think you?
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