GRCVB wins gold in Stella Awards, one of the highest honors in the meetings industry

Raleigh, N.C. (Nov. 4, 2020) – Today Northstar Meetings Group and its principal brands (Meetings & Conventions and Successful Meetings) announced the recipients of the Fourth Annual Stella Awards. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) won gold in the Best CVB/DMO Southeast category, naming it the Best CVB/DMO in the Southeast, besting the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and Discover The Palm Beaches.

The Stella Awards recognize the best hotels, convention centers, conference centers, convention and visitor bureaus (CVB), destination marketing organizations (DMO), destination management companies, airlines and cruise lines in the United States and around the world. These awards are one of the highest honors to receive in the meetings industry.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized as the best CVB/DMO in the Southeast by meeting and event professionals from around the globe, especially during a time when the industry has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dennis Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh). “The Stella Awards set the standard for quality service and innovation required of CVBs/DMOs in our industry. Being acknowledged as the top-ranked bureau in the southeast for meetings, conventions and sporting events makes Raleigh, N.C., a compelling destination for future events as they safely return to the area.”

Winners of the Stella Awards are nominated through an open voting period for industry professionals and then selected by an expert judge’s panel overseen by Northstar’s editors (Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Meeting News and Incentive magazines). This year, nearly 7,000 votes were casted worldwide for 553 destinations, hotels and service providers nominated in 17 categories in six regions. In the Best CVB/DMO Southeast category Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau received silver and Discover The Palm Beaches received the bronze award. Visit Raleigh won bronze in the Best CVB/DMO Southeast category in 2019.

"Congratulations to the distinguished Stella Award winners for 2020,” said Loren Edelstein, vice president and content director for Northstar Meetings Group. “All of the Stella finalists and winners represent excellence in the meetings and events industry as suppliers, and we’re thrilled to honor the best of the best – especially in a year when the industry has been impacted so significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to the winners for supporting meetings and events planners around the world, and thank you for your commitment to quality, service and innovation.”

A complete list of winners and finalists can be found at NorthstarMeetingsGroup.com/Stellas.


About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh):
As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), is responsible for promoting Wake County as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, the organization strengthens the economic position of and provide opportunity for people throughout Wake County. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes nearly 18 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.9 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 28,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $284 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $727 in taxes annually. VisitRaleigh.com

About Northstar Meetings Group:
Northstar Meetings Group is the leading B-to-B information and marketing solutions company serving all segments of the business meetings, events, sports and incentives market – including full- and part-time meeting planners, as well as corporate, association, sports and not-for-profit decision-makers, and incentive professionals, facilitating their professional development and achievement of business goals. The company's influential brands – Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Association Meetings International, Meetings & Incentive Travel, M&C Asia, M&C China, Meeting News, Incentive and SportsTravel – currently serve over 350,000 active meeting and event planners and incentive professionals, across an integrated suite of data, digital, events and print products. For more information, please visit NorthstarMeetingsGroup.com.

Media Contact:
Jessica Holt, Visit Raleigh
Public Relations Manager
919.645.2654
jholt@visitRaleigh.com

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