EDITOR'S LETTER
CVBs as Collaborators LINDA HOATH BELIEVES THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS to
Ron Garbinski, editor
RO N .G A RB INSK I@T IGE ROAK .COM
CLARIFICATIONS
In the Le Détroit Signature Drink story on page 12 of the Fall 2018 issue, the site of the auto show afterglow party was The Madison Loft in Detroit. In the Dynamic Effects story on page 28 in the Summer 2018 issue, the Band-Ayd Event Group provided the intelligent lighting and special effects shown in the photo of the Detroit Lions jersey reveal event.
which her Sault Ste. Marie CVB belongs is the Michigan Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (MACVB). This statewide association was where she learned—some 16 years ago as a former Kewadin Casino travel pro—what a CVB executive director really should be doing in the leadership role. Today, as director of the Soo CVB, Hoath returns this year to serve her second stint as MACVB president. “I’ve seen a lot of change over the years in how the member CVBs work together and collaborate more than ever on idea-sharing while focusing more as a group on advocacy,” she says. “That’s important for our industry and for the work of our individual CVBs. It’s also important for our members to do what we can to make this organization better to raise the bar for our future CVB leaders.” In September, I chatted with Hoath and MACVB Executive Director Larisa Draves prior to the group’s annual education conference in Kalamazoo. They echoed each other’s words as they shared stories about how the MACVB is more involved in the decisions that are made on all levels for the tourism and hospitality industry. Both also feel more informed and connected with national issues than they’ve been in the past. At the educational conference, I heard many “I’m more positive” comments about the group’s relationships and their ability to influence policies and CVB effectiveness. As one who has followed the state’s CVBs for decades, it felt good to hear these conversations about teamwork and how to effectively implement the ideas they discuss at their meetings. One example of the group’s recent advocacy emphasis was its support of Michigan Senate Bill 1065, which would create a Large Events Fund administered by the Michigan Strategic Fund. It basically would establish a marketing fund coordinated by state agencies to promote Michigan as a destination for business and large-scale events. Larry Alexander, president and CEO of the Detroit Metro CVB, led the charge by gathering statewide CVB support and collecting documents that were shared with state legislators. “We’re now collaborating well and moving fairly quickly on a lot of fronts,” adds Draves. “We’re doing more than just offering planners free services that help them throughout their entire planning process. We’re working together on a lot of issues like never before to improve Michigan’s hospitality and tourism industry. Keep watching us!” To read more about Hoath and the MACVB, see our Getting to Know story on page 18.
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