Destination International definition: A convention and visitors bureau is a not-for-profit organization supported by transient room tax, government budget allocations, private membership or a combination of any or all three. Some destinations have additional sources of revenue from meals tax, transportation, or attraction taxes.
The bureau in each city, county or region has three prime responsibilities:
- To encourage groups to hold meetings, conventions and tradeshows in the city or area it represents;
- To assist those groups with meeting preparations and while their meeting is in progress; and
- To encourage tourists to visit and enjoy the historic, cultural, and recreational opportunities the destination offers.
A CVB does not actually organize meetings and conventions. It does, however, help meeting planners and visitors learn about the destination and area attractions and make the best possible use of all the services and facilities the destination has to offer.
Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO)
For those bureaus that have more expanded roles in the community in which they represent, a DMO may be heavily involved in leisure travel, business travel, packaging and building tourism infrastructure. In fact, DMOs may be also defined as Destination Management Organizations and have a BIG picture strategy on how tourism is a driver for economic development.
The Johnston County Visitors Bureau has been more of a destination management organization, as there is not a convention center to market and our primary source of visitors are from our two interstates, I-95 and I-40. We have been instrumental in creating tourism product and have awarded more than $1 million dollars to tourism brick and mortar projects.
