Spring is in the air, and we can finally start shedding those winter boots and parkas. Can flip-flops and bathing suits be far behind? We're ready for some outdoor fun in the city, so let's take a look at what's happening at the PWCVB and with you, our partners.
PWCVB UPDATES
Our Rhode Island Personalities March Matchup bracket had social media buzzing. It was a close race to the end, but RI voters crowned Gene Valicenti the "Most Rhode Island." There were more than 150,000 votes tallied and about 4,000 new signups to our email list. Be sure to follow @GoProvidence on Instagram for more social media fun!
The PWCVB's FY2022 Annual Report is available in the Partner Portal here. Log in and look under "Reports" to see a recap of the last fiscal year.
The spring/summer 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 — online and train station advertising opportunities are available year-round. Contact Christine Phillips, senior director of community & public affairs, for more info.
It's graduation season again, so we've collected all the local college and university graduation dates in one place for your easy reference.
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.
If you have any Mother's Day or Father's Day specials, summer vacation fun or other warm weather 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
WaterFire has announced its 2023 schedule, including seven full and three partial lightings from June to November, including PVDFest and the annual Salute to Veterans.
More than 30 restaurants participated in this year's Pizza Week. Francesco's Pizzeria swept all three of the voting categories: Most Delicious, Most Creative and Most Instagrammable. Congrats to Francesco's and thank you to all who participated. Don't forget to save the dates for this summer's Providence Restaurant Weeks, July 9–22.
Check out some of our members participating in Taste of RI on May 3 at the Crowne Plaza. This is one of Rhode Island's premier culinary events, showcasing signature bites from dozens of local restaurants, plus sips from wine, beer and spirits companies across the state. Hundreds attend this biannual event to taste their way through Rhode Island. Get your tickets today!
Food Truck Fridays from PVD Food Truck Events are back for their 9th season at Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village. With an ever-changing rotation of food trucks each week, live music from local musicians, and beer and wine from Trinity Brewhouse, it's the perfect way to end your week. Be sure to check our events calendar for other food truck nights around the state.
With the warmer weather, many of our outdoor partners are opening up for the season. Providence Ghost Tour, Providence Tour Company, Rhode Island Red Food Tours and La Gondola are already open and taking reservations. Experience Rhode Island, Providence River Boat Company and Providence Kayak Company will also be open soon. Now's the time to get out and enjoy the spring!
SALES & SERVICES SPOTLIGHT
The sales team had a record-breaking booking pace in calendar year 2022, booking more than 124,000 room nights for 2022 and beyond. That's a 67% increase in production from calendar year 2019. According to Tourism Economics, smaller cities are rebounding at a faster pace than larger tier-one destinations. In fact, we are currently 20% ahead of our forecasted recovery in Providence and Warwick.
In 2023, the sales team will return to 24 regional and national trade shows across the country. These shows allow face-to-face sales opportunities with customers from the corporate, association, religious, sports and specialty markets. We are so happy to be back on the road again! There is no better way to sell the destination than through face-to-face interaction.
PWCVB and RICC services scores are at an all-time high! Our customers are back and they are indicating that they are more than pleased with our destination service levels. Kudos to Erin Degulis, Carley Foto and Kelly King from our convention services team, as well as Visitor Center Manager Ednita Colon. These teams have joined forces to not only help planners drive attendance through pre-promotion support, but to also elevate our level of services while customers are here in the region. Service is our differentiation, and our team has doubled down!
Keep an eye out for these high-impact groups coming this spring and summer:
- May 4–7, North American Hockey League 2023 Combine: 350 attendees and 600 room nights (housed in Warwick).
- May 19–25, American Association of Motor Vehicles Administrators Region 1 Conference: 250 attendees and 825 room nights.
- May 26–29, Firecracker Sports 2023 Memorial Day Bash (Baseball): 1,100 attendees and 1,100 room nights (housed in Warwick).
- June 10–18, International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning: 800 attendees and 2,189 room nights.
- June 16–23, North American Catalysis Society: 525 attendees and 2,690 room nights.
- June 23–July 1, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science: 900 attendees and 2,582 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:
"The 15 Best River Walks in the USA" — Fodor's Travel
"The Best Weekend Getaways in the U.S." — Lonely Planet
"6 Quirky Places to Propose in Rhode Island" — Getaway Mavens
"The Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Weekend in Providence" — Office to Outdoors
