FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Mary Zanor | Regan Communications Group
mzanor@regancomm.com
617.356.4012
David O’Donnell | Meet Boston
dodonnell@meetboston.com
617.710.0603
MEET BOSTON ENHANCES PARTNERSHIP MODEL
WITH UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
75 new partners have joined since launch; Meet Boston model highlighted at Destinations International
BOSTON (August 8, 2023) – Meet Boston, formerly known as The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB), recently shifted from a membership model to a partnership model. The purpose of this shift, according to Meet Boston Executive Vice President Hilina D. Ajakaiye, is “to continually expand our partnership network to businesses and attractions of all sizes, in a variety of sectors, and all neighborhoods of Boston and beyond.” Through partnership, Meet Boston aims to bring the promise of the visitor economy to a broader constituency, creating more equity in how visitor dollars get spent throughout the entire destination. “For decades we have used the term ‘member’ to capture how affiliated organizations can gain access to our resources, but the term no longer aligns with our value proposition,” said Martha J. Sheridan, President & CEO of Meet Boston. “Meet Boston’s new partnership model is allowing us to cultivate a larger unified voice.”
Through its new partnership paradigm, Meet Boston seeks to provide important industry networking forums, act as a conduit to local leadership, and share specialized, educational workshops. The approach is working. Since the spring launch, 75 new partners have joined Meet Boston.
Meet Boston established six pillars to underpin the value proposition of the new model. More details on partnership levels can be found here. Longstanding programs will be supplemented by several new initiatives, including quarterly educational programming and educational workshops centered around key industry needs and wants. Upcoming workshops that have been scheduled at the Meet Boston offices and just announced include:
- September 13: Don’t Miss Out – Tips from your Destination Marketing Organization (Meet Boston) on How to Win Business
- October 12: How to Leverage Your Social Media and PR to Optimize Your Partnership
- November 2: New Partner Onboarding and Orientation
Registration information will be included in upcoming partner newsletters.
The Meet Boston model was recently spotlighted at the Destinations International Annual Convention. On a panel entitled “Re-Imagining your Partner Engagement Strategy,” Ajakaiye spoke of how the new model, “was informed by a task force and a community-based focus group to bring together different viewpoints, and market analysis beyond the City of Boston to examine best practices across all of North America.” She further added that the central tenet of Meet Boston’s partnership model is to “serve as an advocate and ambassador in the travel sector, leading conversations around workforce development, diversity, equity and inclusion, accessibility, and sustainability.”
Meet Boston has also unveiled a streamlined pricing structure, which includes a simplified, accessible, and inclusive pricing strategy for non-lodging partners. The pricing structure was developed based on feedback from stakeholder interviews, community partners, and a months-long nationwide analysis of best practices.
ABOUT MEET BOSTON:
Meet Boston is the primary private sector marketing and visitor services organization charged with the development of meetings, conventions and tourism-related business in the region. As a partnership organization, Meet Boston promotes and collaborates with over 900 companies in the greater Boston region and across New England to drive a robust visitor economy and to build equity within the sector. The Meet Boston mission is to elevate Boston’s vibrant neighborhoods and diverse people, amplifying their stories and sharing them locally and across the globe. Meet Boston delivers exciting and inclusive programs and services that enhance the local economy by unifying an eclectic range of community stakeholders around the opportunities, experiences and energy that define the destination and the visitor journey. For more, please visit: https://www.MeetBoston.com/.
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