March Viz Biz 2009
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VizBiz Membership Newsletter March 2009 |
| Membership Brian Mount from RARES, the spotlight speaker, gives out one of the door prizes to Barbara Morganstern (Golf Week) at the February VIC Meeting. Big Thank you to Quality Inn Rochester Airport for hosting the meeting . VIC Meeting At the last VIC meeting, a panel of VisitRochester staff answered questions on various topics about how to help business grow in the current economy. These topics included packaging, customer service, member to member business and much more. Please see meeting notes for the full account of this panel discussion. A pledge was passed around at the meeting for members to sign, pledging to use other members for business as much as possible. If you did not get a chance to sign the pledge but would like your name added, please contact Amanda Norsen. As part of this member cooperation, VisitRochester has added a member to member page to the website, where members can post special offers for other VisitRochester members only. The next VIC Meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Marketplace, located at 800 Jefferson Road. The meeting, "The VisitRochester Convention Calendar and How to Make it Work for You," will include a presentation from Tracy Armstrong, Director of Community Wide Convention Sales and Marketing. The meeting will focus on getting the most out of the Convention Calendar. Please see the Convention Calendar here. Visitor Services SMELL THOSE LILACS! It is that time of the year, when all of Rochester starts thinking about the Lilac Festival! VisitRochester is very excited to have a number of volunteer opportunities for members - in the Lilac Festival Parade, at our Bank of America Mobile Information Center, the Visitor Information Booth, manning the wheelchair tents and more! VisitRochester will also be in the Lilac Festival Parade - and is looking for creative ideas for our float! If you'd like to pursue any of the following aspects of the Festival, please contact Kelli O'Connor at kellio@visitrochester.com or 585-279-8303:
Convention Sales Tradeshow News Michael Hardy & Mary Beth Lazarski in the VisitRochester booth at Destinations Showcase. Michael Hardy, Convention Sales Manager, and Wendy Ford, Convention Sales Manager, from VisitRochester along with Mary Beth Lazarski from the Clarion Riverside Hotel and Chip LaCure from CMI Communications, attended Destinations Showcase, Thursday, February 26that the Washington D.C. Convention Center. Destinations Showcase is a one-day tradeshow bringing mainly Washington, D.C. based conference, convention, and trade show professionals together with exhibiting meeting destinations. Convention News The National Association of Extension 4-H Agents will be holding their March Board of Director's Meeting here in Rochester. They will be preparing for their Annual November National Convention later this year. The International Society of Glass Bead makers will also be coming to Rochester in preparation for their August 2010 Annual Conference. Michael Hardy, along with several delegates from the local Rochester theatre community, presented a bid to the American Association of Community Theatres board of directors last month to host the annual AACTFest here in Rochester in 2011. Click HERE to read more. FAM News The Convention Sales team will be hosting a Familiarization Tour for national and state level meeting planners and association executives June 17-19, 2009. If you would like more information on donating gift items, please contact Eleanor Olander at (585) 262-4238 or via e-mail to eleanoro@visitrochester.com. Tourism Sales coldrush packages are still available until April 15th. There is still time to submit your packages. Please contact Sonia, (585) 279-8309, to add coldrush packages to the website. coldrush Testimonials "People love it because they don't have to do a anything, its all organized for them...Packages account for 80 to 90% of our business...Mostly ages 25-40...They are most interested in wine and food and some adventure packages." --Eileen Cash, 1820 Springdale Farm Bed & Breakfast-- "The coldrush coupons have been a big incentive for business, and have added a lot of revenue during the off season. Some families have returned 3 times in a row, and are looking forward summer packages." --Tristan Komorowski, Operations Manager at Staybridge Suites-- School Days-School Days Children enjoy hands on learning at the George Eastman House
VisitRochester members who participated in the new Student Catalog by providing special hands-on offerings for students ages ranging from 12 to 18yrs. are getting high marks for their creative efforts from tour operators specializing in this fast growing market segment. Tour organizers have commented that the content is fresh and inviting. There is plenty of variety and many of the offerings are entertaining. There are more than 35 offers listed in the catalog. Several groups are already on the books for 2009. If you would like to offer a unique experience for youth tour groups or you have a musical performance opportunity available please contact Paula Savage 585-279-8305. Although the catalog will soon be going into second print, there is still the opportunity for you to include your offering on the VisitRochester web version of the catalog . Rochester/Finger Lakes Film and Video Office The Film Office is reporting over $1 million in producer spending for 2009 to date, which is uncharacteristically robust for the first quarter of any year, and is especially good now given the current countrywide economic downturn. On March 20, Hollywood writer/director Bob Manganelli will present his Rochester Film Studio Project to the Production Roundtable. The Roundtable is a group of local filmmakers, companies, government and business leaders whose mission is to promote film production in the region. Bob Manganelli is the writer/director of AFTERIMAGE, a film starring John Mellencamp shot in Rochester in 2001. Manganelli has been leading the charge with local government representatives and businesses to create a mega studio at the old RG&E power plant at High Falls. Manganelli's plan is modeled after the Tate Modern Museum in London. A copy of the concept proposal is available upon request. Executive Director June Foster is attending Locations EXPO in Los Angeles in April. The EXPO, convenes each year at the Santa Monica Convention Center and is the year's best marketing opportunity to attract Hollywood and independent filmmakers to our region. Foster is serving on both the Little Theatre 80th Celebration and 2009 RAVA Scholar special committees as well as her work with the Executive and Program committees of the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival, May 13-18, 2009. Deputy Director Nora Brown is also serving on the 2009 RAVA Scholar committee and is the Operations Manager for the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival. Brown continues her good work as the President of Women In Film & Television Rochester (WIFTR). The Film Office has assisted 30 projects in 2009.
VisitRochester Pride In January, VisitRochester mailed out decals welcoming visitors, and asked that members display them where visitors and residents can see them. The VisitRochester staff has been delighted to see so many members proudly displaying these window decals. For a little fun, VisitRochester is introducing a new VizBiz feature. Can you name the VisitRochester member window front, displaying the VisitRochester decal above? You can e-mail you answer to Amanda Norsen. A prize will be awarded to one winner. If you haven't received a VisitRochester decal for your location, please contact Amanda Norsen and one will be sent to you. Keep your eyes peeled for these decals as you visit member locations. | Next VIC Meeting March 17, 2009 3:30-5:00 p.m. Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Marketplace Click here for February meeting minutes All VIC Meetings in 2009 will be from 3:30pm to 5:00 p.m. A VIC Meeting Orientation will be held prior to the meeting at 3:00 anyone looking to get more out of VIC meetings.
Congratulations Cheryl Mantia! At the February VIC Meeting Cheryl Mantia was voted in as the 2009 VIC Vice Chairperson. She will become the VIC Chariperson in 2010. The Convention Calendar The Convention Sales Team issued 16 new sales leads and confirmed 8 new bookings for future business in February. To receive a copy of the confidential convention calendar call Amanda Norsen at 585-279-8302 VIC Orientation Never been to a VIC Meeting? Do you feel you are not getting the most out of VIC Meetings? Beginning in March Bill Gormont, the VIC Chair will be hosting a VIC Meeting Orientation every month. The Orientation will be 3:00 p.m. at the same location as the meeting. This is an opportunity to learn about the structure of the meetings and tips about how to use VIC meetings to help create more business and opportunities. Relocation Leads
If you are interested in receiving the relocation leads for 2009, please contact Calin Lawrence and provide an e-mail address for the monthly leads.
279-8326 Post Your Events You can now enter your events yourself via the VisitRochester Website. VisitRochester is actively sending visitors to the website for more information. To enter an event click here. Please contact Calin Lawrence with any questions about how to post an event or to make changes to already posted event. Welcome! to Our Newest Members Monroe Ave Merchants Association First Choice Educational Tours Convention Services Please welcome the following groups to the Greater Rochester area in March Church of God In Christ NYS DECA Rochester Oratorio Society Phi Theta Kappa National Association of College Admission Counselors Finger Lakes Building Officials ProStart - NYS Restaurant Association Western New York Gay Expo
That's more than 11,000 convention and event attendees!
Upcoming Directors of Sales Meetings Full Service Properties Friday, March 27th 3:00 p.m. at the Woodcliff Hotel & Spa
Limited Service Properties Tuesday, March 17th 2:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites Marketplace
Thruway Information Center The Society for the Genesee and the Lakes, Inc. will be operating the Thruway Information Center for 2009. The Center is on the eastbound lane of the NYS Thruway, 3 miles before the Rochester exit. The Center will be open from May 1 through October 31, 2009. If you would like more information on distribution of your brochures or rack cards, please call Executive Director Pat Rebholz, at 585-865-1482. Member in the News Congratulations to the Edward Harris House Bed and Breakfast for being named one of the 2009 top 10 Romantic Inns by the American Historic Inns, Inc and iloveinns.com. This is the 16th year this award has been given out. The Edward Harris House B&B was chosen from Inns all across America.
Celebrate Your News! Is your business making news? Keep us updated on exciting awards and recognitions as well as upcoming renovations and expansions to your organization. Send updates to Patti Donoghue, VP of Communications.PattiD@visitrochester.com The Hampton Inn in Webster is now officially open! All VisitRochester members are invited to the Hampton Inn Webster for an evening reception of cookies and punch, and a tour of the hotel. Thursday March 12, 2009 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
VisitRochester staff directory
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