Winter is almost over and the sun is rising earlier and setting later every day. With all that extra daylight, you'll have lots more time to get out and enjoy Providence, so let's take a look at what's happening at the PWCVB and with you, our partners.
PWCVB UPDATES
Our annual holiday campaigns, Buy Local RI and the Holiday Gift-a-Day Giveaway, were a success. Thank you to everyone who donated giveaway prizes. And with the support of Dunkin', Providence's Three Nights of Lights was a hit again this year!
The spring/summer edition of the GoProvidence Visitors Guide is due to arrive April 1. Thank you to all our advertisers! Don't forget — additional advertising opportunities are available year-round. Contact Christine Phillips, senior director of community and public affairs, for more info.
The PWCVB's FY2023 Annual Report is available in the Partner Portal. Log in and look under "Reports" to see a recap of the last fiscal year.
Do you have great photos of new dishes, recent renovations, fun events or anything else that displays your business? We'd love to showcase them on GoProvidence.com and our GoProvidence social media accounts. Head over to our photo uploader page and show us your stuff.
Please make sure our Visitor Center is fully stocked with your rack cards and menus. It's the first stop for convention and meeting attendees looking for information on what to do and where to eat. Email Ayanna Mitchell, visitor center coordinator, to ensure your organization is represented.
If you have any St. Patrick's Day or Easter fun, spring specials or other events planned, please let us know so we can share them. And, as always, please be sure to add any events or promotions to our online calendar. If you have any questions or difficulties, please reach out to Community Affairs Coordinator Sandra Olson.
PARTNER NEWS
Want to hang with the cool kids? Join the GoProvidence Partner Group on Facebook. It's the perfect place to network and stay up to date on what's new and exciting with GoProvidence and your fellow partners.
More than 70 restaurants participated in this year's Restaurant Weeks in January! Don't miss out on your opportunity to be a part of Providence Pizza Week (April 14–20). Check your email — you should have received information on how to participate. Will Francesco's Pizzeria win all three categories for the third year in a row? Time will tell.
Congratulations to the Courtland Club (Outstanding Bar) and Andy Teixeira of Newport Vineyards (Best Chef: Northeast) on your James Beard semifinalist nominations!
Courtney Church and Jill Tate, Co-CEOs of Corinthian Events, have announced a succession plan that involves selling the company to three longtime employees: Jennifer Logan, Tamara O'Malley and Jamie Hellesen. The three are expected to take full ownership by January 2027.
SALES & SERVICES SPOTLIGHT
2024 is off to a strong start with regard to group activity in both Providence and Warwick. Currently we have 25 citywide conventions and sporting events on tap for arrival this year. For reference, our strongest year was 2017 with 27 qualified citywide events. This business will utilize 51,000 room nights and attract 82,000 visitors. These visitors will spend approximately $37 million in the region. For the full meetings, convention and sporting events list, please refer to the Partner Portal.
The PWCVB sales team is hitting the road this year like never before. Thanks to funding provided by the Providence Tourism Improvement District (PTID), the team will exhibit at a record-breaking 33 trade shows throughout 2024. These shows provide valuable face-to-face interaction and allow us to introduce ourselves and Providence to so many new prospects. These efforts set us up for success in future years.
Have you met Kate? Kate Heemsoth joined our team just before the holidays and is our new specialist selling single-hotel property business across both Providence and Warwick. Kate's been meeting with sales leaders and managers across the market, but if you have not yet met with her, please reach out at KHeemsoth@GoProvidence.com. Kate can literally be an extension of your team and she knows her stuff!
Speaking of single hotel business, the PTID funded Pick Your Perk campaign is off to a strong start. We launched this promotion in October, and to date have booked more than $300,000 in business. Our investment to book that business: $9,000. Pretty good ROI! If your Providence team is not familiar with PYP, reach out to Kate.
IN THE NEWS
There's a lot of great news in the press about Providence and our destination in general. Check out some recent headlines below:
"The Creative Capital: A Planner's Canvas" — Smart Meetings
"16 Affordable Travel Destinations That People Can't Recommend Enough" — BuzzFeed
"Living History" — Meetings Today
"10 Great Places To Go with Kids in 2024" — Family Vacationist
