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

Raleigh, NC (June 8, 2009) - The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB), the official destination marketing organization for Raleigh and Wake County, was awarded two top tourism awards at the Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina's (DMANC) Tourism Leadership Conference. The event was held in Sunset Beach, NC on June 7. Since 2000, the GRCVB has received 33 awards from DMANC.

The GRCVB was recognized with two Gold Awards: Best Destination Print Advertising for a co-op leisure print ad in the January edition of Our State magazine to promote museum visitation. The second Gold Award was in the Destination Constituents Communications - e- Newsletter category for the weekly Tourism Talk which informs local hospitality partners about very current events, Bureau initiatives and week-to-week progress in destination marketing.

The GRCVB also received one Innovation Awards for Destinations Operations and Sustainability for "free MP3 download" cards used as tradeshow giveaways to meeting and convention planners. The idea, which was produced with a limited budget offered planners a branded, "local" experience while promoting the area's emerging recording artists.

"These awards are a tremendous honor for our organization, as well as 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.