Sales

Sales performance

The Sales team produced 344 definite bookings that generated 180,502 total room-nights for Wake County. The direct economic impact of this business totaled more than $126 million. These bookings surpassed the team goal for the year.

Notable bookings included: 

• Quantum Information Processing 28th Quantum Information Processing Conference, Feb. 2024, 1,000 attendees, 2,770 total rooms; $1.2 million in economic impact 
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., South Atlantic Regional, June 2024, 4,000 attendees, 3,300 total rooms; $1.5 million in economic impact 
• Society for College and University Planning 2027 Annual Conference, July 2027, 1,400 attendees, 2,600 total rooms; $1.8 million in economic impact 
• Modern Quilt Guild QuiltCon, Feb. 2026 and 2029, 8,000 attendees each year, 2,600 total rooms each year; $2.6 million in economic impact each year
   

Business development and local connection leveraging

Successfully strategized for prospects that met the targeting guidelines of the Wake County Destination Strategic Plan (DSP). The team utilized a variety of tools to leverage the power and influence of association board and committee members who live in our community in an effort to advocate for state, regional, national and international association meetings to select Raleigh, N.C.
 

Partner engagement

Strategic focus on maintaining and developing relationships with partners. Implemented targeted engagement for full-service meeting hotels, including offering tradeshow partnerships and participation in hosted events.
 

Tradeshows and events  

Promoted Wake County at over 260 industry tradeshows and events, with exposure to planners in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast regions.

Destination site visits  

Executed 47 personalized site visits with meeting professionals. The combined organizations’ potential return on investment represented an impact of 52,162 room-nights and $27.8 million in economic impact.
 

Signature client events

Hosted client events to showcased our destination to leaders and meeting professionals who have the potential to influence organizations to host their meetings in Raleigh, N.C., including:

• Visit Raleigh Meeting Professionals Summit (hosted at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary) 
• Visit Raleigh "Suite" Hockey Experience hosted by the Centennial Authority 
• Carolina Hurricanes hockey experiences in Washington, D.C. 
• Congressional Black Caucus event in Washington, D.C. 
• U.S. Open experience in Pinehurst
• Association executives client events at Board and Brush and Decree Raleigh
• Six In The City Southern BBQ Experience in Chicago, Ill., and Washington, D.C.

Industry leadership and intellectual capital

Served on panels, boards and committees and in many key industry associations to position the Greater Raleigh CVB and its Sales team as leaders with influence. Organizations include:

• Eight Meeting Professionals International (MPI) chapters  
• Seven chapters of Professional Convention Management Association 
• National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals 
• American Society of Association Executives 
• Association Forum  
• Association Executives of N.C. (AENC)
• International Association of Exhibitions and Events  
• Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
• N.C. SGMP
• Five MPI Global Advisory Boards 
• Association of Meeting Professionals  
• Raleigh Chamber’s Young Professionals Network 
• CVBReps
   

Panelist and speaking opportunities 

• AENC Winter Conference, Helping Hands: AENC FUEL Young Professionals Edition
• MPI Chicago Area Chapter Leadership Day 
• MPI Global Chapter Leader Newsletter (contributed monthly) 
• Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, International Women's Day EmPowerHer Summit
   

Industry recognition  

Loretta Yingling, CMP Fellow
Certified Meeting Professional Fellow (CMP Fellow)
The CMP Fellows distinguishes and celebrates Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs) who have made a long-standing commitment to excellence, experience and education. Attaining the Fellows designation is a testament to one’s commitment to the profession, the CMP community and loyalty to one’s peers, in service to the global business events industry. CMP Fellows have chosen to dedicate their personal and professional time, energy and passion to support the community and the industry. The CMP Fellow designation celebrates that depth of commitment and creates an opportunity for enriching and engaging experiences, including peer networking and mentoring.