Sales (2016-2017 Annual Report)


Sales performance

Exceeded annual performance goals, producing 248 definite booking leads that generated 126,371 room-nights for Wake County. The direct economic impact (DEI) of this business reached more than $96.5 million. These numbers exceeded the 2016-2017 fiscal year Sales Department goals of 122,885 total room-nights, 200 bookings and $61.8 million in DEI, with the DEI reaching 56 percent over goal. Notable bookings include:

  • American Association of Woodturners, July 2019, 1,500 attendees, 2,511 total room-nights,
    $1.4 million in economic impact
  • National Association of Tower Erectors, Feb. 2020, 900 attendees, 1,410 total room-nights,
    $1.8 million in economic impact
  • Association of Children's Museums, May 2018, 600 attendees, 1,000 total room-nights,
    $1.8 million in economic impact
  • Raleigh Supercon, July 2017 and Aug. 2018, 1,200 attendees, 1,375 total room-nights,
    $1.8 million in economic impact
  • Campus Outreach, Dec. 2016-Jan. 2017, 2018 and 2019, 1,600 attendees, 1,880 total room-nights,
    $1.5 million in economic impact.
     

Meeting and conventions impact for fiscal year 2016-2017

Wake County meeting facilities hosted 349 conventions assisted by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) in fiscal year 2016-2017, representing 224,432 room-nights and 387,965 total attendees.
 

Business development and leveraging local connections

Worked with local hotel and venue partners, business development managers and local industry associations to build relationships with local leaders and advocates of Wake County. By finding synergies between conferences that would benefit from meeting in the destination and the interests and expertise of industry leaders (both from the private sector and the universities and colleges in the area), we were able to make a stronger case to qualified prospects for hosting their organizations' meetings in their own backyard.
 

Value-dates campaign

Created a value-dates campaign with hotel partners serving the downtown Raleigh convention campus to promote Raleigh, N.C., to groups that meet during periods with more availability. The campaign was designed to be replicated in other areas of the destination.
 

Tradeshows

Represented Raleigh, N.C., at more than 22 tradeshows with exposure to more than 23,000 meeting planners in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast regions. Each show provided the opportunity for face-to-face and post-show digital client engagement.
 

Signature client events

Hosted client events locally and out of market to showcase the destination to leaders and meeting professionals who have the potential to influence organizations to host their meetings in Raleigh, N.C.
 

Third-party, online destination sales and marketing channels

Utilized third-party online destination sales and marketing platforms such as empowerMINT and Cvent to reach meeting planners. The team launched a feature listing on Cvent, garnering greater exposure with planners. Attended two, major, third-party annual meetings and tradeshows to continue to build alliances with the organizations, plus hosted a local familiarization tour exclusively for HelmsBriscoe.
 

Association management companies

Hosted hospitality partners for a “Breakfast with the Bureau” educational event, where partners were updated on the Raleigh, N.C., destination brand tune-up, received additional training on PIXL (Partner Information eXchange Login) and got an in-depth look into partnering with the Bureau's Sales and Services Departments.
 

Industry leadership

Served on boards and committees in many key industry associations to position the CVB and its sales team as leaders with influence. Organizations include eight Meeting Professionals International chapters, American Society of Association Executives, Association Executives of N.C., seven chapters of Professional Convention Management Association, N.C. Technology Association, Femfessionals, International Association of Exhibitions and Events, Religious Conference Management Association, National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP), N.C. SGMP, Convention Sales Professional International and Nursing Organizations Alliance.