Welcome...to the January issue of Pulse, the official newsletter of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. If you have questions, or would like to be included in the February edition of Pulse, please contact Ryan Smith at rsmith@visitRaleigh.com

In this issue...
The Event of the Season | Stellar Service | Graduation Dates | Follow the Yellow Brick Road | New Faces | Are You Following? | A Bite to Eat | Soccer Round-Up| Valentine’s Day

The Event of the Season
Jana Rae Oliver, Bureau director of sales, participated in the Association Forum Holiday Showcase Chicago where she pitched the Raleigh area’s appeal as a meeting destination to regional meeting planners. During the week of showcase, the Bureau partnered with Visit Charlotte, and six local hotel partners, to host a holiday reception in Trump International Hotel & Tower, where 95 Chicago-based meeting planners mingled overlooking the historic downtown Chicago skyline. Local hotel partners participating in “The Event of the Season” included: Embassy Suites Brier Creek, Hilton North Raleigh, Raleigh Marriott City Center, Raleigh Renaissance Hotel and The Umstead Hotel & Spa.

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Stellar Service
The Bureau's successful Community Hospitality Partnership (CHP) training class is back for the first class of 2010! The class, facilitated in partnership with Wake Tech Community College, focuses on customer service training for front-line employees of hotels, restaurants, attractions and other hospitality-related businesses. The hands-on training course will take place January 22 at 9am at Paragon Bank. For more information or to register online, click here.

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Graduation Dates
The Bureau has compiled a list of spring graduation dates for our area’s local colleges and universities knowing that many hotels and restaurants anticipate increased bookings. For a complete list click here, and to submit packages or special offers for graduates’ families and other guests, contact Charissa Todd at ctodd@visitRaleigh.com

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Members of the Bureau sales team took N.C. associations planners down the “Yellow Brick Road” at the Association Executives of North Carolina Tradeshow held at the Raleigh Convention Center. The booth was designed with a Wizard of Oz theme – complete with Malinda Pettaway, CASE, dressed as the Glinda The Good Witch and Loretta Yingling, CMP, as Dorothy.

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New Faces
The Bureau’s Sales Coordinator position has been filled by Nicole Robinson, a December ECU graduate. Nicole, a 2009 summer intern with the GRCVB Sales Team, previously completed 400 work hours here in order to fulfill her hospitality degree. We are all very excited to have her back in a professional capacity! Aaron Rayborn, a senior at N.C. State University, is working with IT and Services Departments to assess and update sections of visitRaleigh.com.

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Are You Following?
If you didn’t know, the Bureau has two Twitter accounts (leisure and sports), three Facebook fan pages (for leisure interest, meeting planners and sports clients) and a blog that is updated weekly. Make sure to follow us or become a fan and be the first to hear about special offers, ticket giveaways or events that you, in turn, can share with your guests and patrons!

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A Bite to Eat
Looking for a new place in 2010 to grab a burger, sushi or Jamaican fare? Check out one of these new restaurants that opened in December: Apex – 3 Kids Diner and Tommy’s Deli; Cary – Giorgio and Bocci Italian; Knightdale – Mama Mia’s Pizza; Morrisville – JJ China and Thai’s Noodles; Raleigh – Buck’s Sports & Spirits, Crabtree Tavern, The Diner, Don Don’s Jamaican, Japan Inn and Nantucket Grill. Welcome to the neighborhood!

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Soccer Round-Up
Area soccer fields were filled to capacity this past month for the conclusion of the 2009 CASL visitRaleigh.com National Soccer Series, a Boys Showcase tournament of 388 teams from throughout the U.S. This national series brought 15,000 visitors to the area and generated 8,000 hotel room-nights. The Showcase was held in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s College Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park, which showcased the Cary facility with six hours of live national television coverage on the ESPN networks. Combined, the two marquee soccer events were responsible for more than $3 million in direct visitor spending.

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Valentine’s Day
It is that time of year again where the colors change from holiday green to Valentine’s Day red. The Bureau is collecting information on any Valentine’s or romance-specific packages, offers or specials for inclusion on visitRaleigh.com and in promotions to visitors. Send your information to Charissa Todd at ctodd@visitraleigh.com.

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