MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), the largest public sector Destination Marketing Organization within the State of Mississippi, has announced the selection and start date of its new Executive Director, Renee Areng.
Areng joined Visit Baton Rouge in November 2002 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. She was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2006. Prior to joining Visit Baton Rouge, she served as Convention Marketing Manager at the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission and worked in statewide and national political arenas.
Areng was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Seein’ Red hospitality excellence training program which launched in 2006. The program brought statewide recognition to Baton Rouge when it was awarded the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association’s 2007 Tourism Promotion of the Year Award.
Most recently, Areng led Visit Baton Rouge to record breaking years for Bayou Country SuperFest and the Miss USA pageant. Both events happened in the spring of 2014 leading to increased revenue for Visit Baton Rouge and the hotel industry.
Areng vacationed on the Coast as a child and brings both a fresh perspective and the knowledge of the local market that competes for tourists with Baton Rouge. By Aug. 1, she is expected to be on the Coast at the helm of the year-old regional tourism bureau.
