GREATER RALEIGH CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
WINS SEVEN TOP TOURISM MARKETING AWARDS

Raleigh, NC (June 15, 2009) - The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau
(GRCVB), the official destination marketing organization for Raleigh and Wake County, was
awarded seven top tourism awards at the Destination Marketing Association of North
Carolina's (DMANC) Annual Meeting and Destination Marketing Achievement Awards. The
event was held in Concord, NC on June 8.

The GRCVB received two Innovation Awards for Destinations Operations and Sustainability
for the redesigned Meeting Planners Guide to Raleigh and Wake County and a cost-effective
solution to acquiring new professional photography through the use of the social networking
website, Flickr.

The GRCVB was also recognized with four Gold Awards: Best Newsletter for the monthly
Pulse E-Newsletter sent to the Wake County hospitality community; Best Destination
Marketing Initiative for the Red Carpet Welcome Program, that was used as an incentive to
meeting and convention groups; Best Print Advertising Group for Raleigh Convention Center
"Convention Campus" connector piece and Best Local Constituents Communications for the
design and functionality of Water Summit Meetings spearheaded by the GRCVB during the
drought of 2008.

Since 2000, the GRCVB has received 30 awards, 14 of which are Platinum Awards. The
GRCVB received this honor in 2009 for the organization's creation of a Sports Facility Guide
collateral piece for the Bureau's Sports Marketing Department.

"This is a tremendous honor for our organization and the staff that worked tirelessly on these
projects," said Denny Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and
Visitors Bureau.

As North Carolina's only resource for in-state destination marketing organizations, the
Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina is dedicated to improving the
effectiveness of tourism professionals in over 40 North Carolina communities by providing
leading-edge educational resources, networking opportunities, marketing benefits and
legislative advocacy for the benefit of North Carolina's tourism economy.