That might have been the fastest September on record! We've been busy, busy and so have you. Let's take a look at what's happening at the PWCVB and with you, our partners.
PWCVB UPDATES
We recently received some great news here at the PWCVB. We're honored to be recognized by Meetings Today as one of the Best East CVBs/DMOs!
In early September, the PWCVB hosted a unique culinary press trip. We brought Chef Michael Cimarusti, a Michelin-starred chef with two restaurants in LA: Providence and Connie and Ted's, to Rhode Island to explore the food and culture of the city and state that inspired his award-winning culinary career. Chef Michael, his team and six top tier journalists from Travel + Leisure, Good Morning America, tastemade, Saveur, and other publications arrived in R.I. for a jam-packed weekend full of activities and food. Not surprisingly, our partner hotels, restaurants and attractions knocked it out of the park.
We ventured to South County, Newport and Blackstone Valley, where each writer fell more in love with our beautiful state and were shocked by the closeness of it all. Chef Michael, who is as seasoned a chef as they come, gave a toast to the CVB for introducing him to a whole new side of PVD and Rhode Island — a place he says he thought he knew well, but ended up discovering so much more. He took the time to chat with the chefs at each restaurant, taking photos and posting them to his own social account. We were especially proud that four of the six journalists had never been to Providence before (and had only ever driven through Rhode Island). Special shoutouts to the hotel, attraction and restaurant partners who went out of their way to make this group feel special, as well as Johnson & Wales University, South County Tourism Council and Breeze Airways. The social content so far has been far-reaching, and media coverage is expected to roll out in the coming months.
The fall/winter edition of the GoProvidence Visitors Guide is out and fully stocked at the Visitor Center and has been distributed throughout the state. A digital version is also available. Thank you to all of our advertisers. Don't forget — additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available year-round. Contact Christine Phillips, senior director of community & public affairs, for more info.
If you have any fall specials or Halloween 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
We were thrilled to see so many of our partners at our Annual Meeting on September 17. Congratulations to all of the award winners:
- PWCVB Hall of Fame: Mark Brodeur, Vice President of Tourism for Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
- Partner of the Year: The Capital Grille
- James McCarvill Leadership Award: Mile of History Association
- Hospitality Sales and Service Partner of the Year: Victoria Patriarca, Rhode Island Convention Center
- John Gibbons Sports Champion Award: Megan Antaya, Providence Marriott Downtown
- Tourism Champion: Honorable Chief Judge Frank Caprio
- Hospitality Heroes from more than 20 partner organizations
Congratulations to Providence Ghost Tour on being nominated for USA Today's 10Best Top Ten Ghost Tours. Be sure to vote and get them to the #1 spot!
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular has returned to Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village and this year's theme is "Trivia." Test your knowledge on everything from pop culture and history to sports and more as you stroll through thousands of carved pumpkins.
SALES & SERVICES SPOTLIGHT
The PWCVB Sales and Service team hosted 24 meeting planners and meetings media for a Freestyle FAM tour over the dates of Sept. 19–22. This event brought in six meetings intermediary account representatives, as well as another 16 potential end-user customers for a full immersion weekend of the area. Following a welcome dinner at the Providence Art Club, the guests were welcomed at a panel discussion at the CIC where business leaders from multiple sectors talked about the intellectual capital and emerging industries in our area. Guests were then able to curate their own experience through a selection of daytime activities, followed by the Providence Ghost Tour in the evening. On Day 2, the guests toured the convention center and learned about the upcoming renovations before being whisked off to Newport for a tour of Marble House and lunch in the Tea House. The weekend culminated at WaterFire. Initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the resulting RFPs have begun to trickle in. This FAM could result in bookings of as many as 6,000 room nights.
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:
Where To Taste Rhode Island-Style Pizza in Providence and Beyond – Food & Wine
The Restaurant List – New York Times
Gluten-Free Gastronomy: 10 Best Restaurants in the U.S. – USA Today 10Best
The 20 Best College Town Hotels - U.S. News & World Report
