A convention and visitor bureau (CVB) is the dominant form of a destination marketing organisation in the United States, but is found in other countries as well. Destination marketing organizations have many names – convention and visitors bureaus, visitors' bureaus, welcome centers, tourism bureaus, travel and tourism bureaus, information centers and more. Regardless of the name, these organizations offer many services to the traveling public. While each U.S. state has a department of travel and tourism, most counties and/or cities also have their own CVB, to promote a more geographically narrow area.
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Although there are many government and chamber of commerce bodies that have responsibility for marketing a destination to visitors and selling to conventions and meeting planners, most convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) are non-profit organizations, working independently under the direction of a board of elected directors. The fundamental mission of a convention and visitor bureau is the promotion of the economic development of a destination through increasing visits from tourists and business travelers, which generates overnight lodging for a destination, visits to restaurants, and shopping revenues. Convention and visitor bureaus are the most important tourism marketing organizations in their respective tourist destinations, as they are directly responsible for marketing the destination brand through travel and tourism "product awareness" to visitors. While they primarily are funded through the collection of "bed taxes" on visitors, convention and visitors bureuas produce billions of direct and indirect revenue and taxes for their state and local economies with their marketing and sales expertise.[1]
Typically, a convention and visitors bureau provides information about a destination's lodging, dining, attractions, events, museums, arts and culture, history and recreation. Some even provide bus services, insider tips, top ten attraction and activity lists, blogs, photos, forums, free things to do, season-specific activity suggestions and more. The organization works with tourists and meeting planners to provide valuable information on their local area. Their goal is to help make a visitor's trip or a conference attendees' meeting a much more enjoyable and rewarding experience. In many locations, they work closely with a convention center that will offer large spaces for larger meetings, trade shows, and conventions than can be accommodated in a single hotel. Usually, these organizations also have a local building, where one can find maps, brochures, travel professionals, local insight, visitors guides, souvenirs and more.
A convention and visitor bureau's marketing initiatives are typically achieved through the following: trade association marketplaces, web pages, advertising, distribution of promotional and collateral material, direct sales, hosting familiarization tours for journalists and travel industry personnel, and sponsoring other hospitality functions. The target decision maker of these marketing initiatives is not typically a resident in the community. Most often, if visitors are going to spend the night in a hotel, they reside at least 100 miles away. Thus, the marketing activity usually takes place or is directed outside the convention and visitors bureau's community. Convention and visitors bureaus in larger destinations often will market nationally and globally, while smaller cities may focus just on their state or region.[2]
  | Information sources - Ohio's Lake Erie Shores & Islands : Information Sources |
| | Destination Marketing Association International official website - Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) |
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