While most services offered by CVBs and DMOs are free, some planners still go directly to hotels and other suppliers when they set up their events. These Florida CVB and DMO professionals explain why meeting planners should rethink that approach.

Meet AC President and CEO Jim Wood is stepping down as leader of the DMO at the end of 2019 to take care of his wife, who suffered a severe fall earlier this year. Meet AC’s Board of Directors will institute a nationwide search for a replacement.

In my 40 years as a meeting professional, I’ve extensively used the services of CVBs/DMOs in organizing and executing events—and those events were better because of it.

At Destinations International's Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, the world’s CVBs came together to swap travel trends, industry insights and tourism case studies. Three meeting planners discussed how to best partner with CVBs for successful meetings.

Phillip Jones is stepping down after 15 years as president and CEO of VisitDallas. Jones came under fire January 4, 2019, after a negative audit of the DMO was released by Dallas’ city government.

Rhode Island’s Providence Warwick CVB (PWCVB) named Kristen Adamo its president and CEO. Adamo will take the new role April 25, 2019. Highlights of her former tenure as vice president include marketing initiatives such as Providence Restaurant Weeks and having Providence named “America’s Favorite City” in Travel + Leisure magazine.

Meetings Today's Christoph Trappe was in Greensboro for an NCAA Women's Basketball Elite 8 March Madness tournament game (Iowa vs. Baylor). While there, he checked in with Henri Fourrier, president of the Greensboro CVB, on what's new and worth knowing for event planners.

The U.S. Travel Association announced that Destination DC President & CEO Elliott L. Ferguson II will be its new national chair, succeeding Wyndham Hotels and Resorts’ President & CEO Geoff Ballotti.

Matthias Schultze, managing director of the German Convention Bureau, was named the recipient of the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s 2018 JMIC Profile and Power Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the meetings industry forward.