Louisville CVB Rebrands as Louisville Tourism
July 3, 2018
With its bounty of ongoing hotel development and renovations, a growing bourbon district, new attractions and a soon-to-be-unveiled, expanded downtown convention center, the city of Louisville has been working overtime to meet the demands of its more than 16.4 million annual visitors.
To coincide with this plethora of development while celebrating its 50-year milestone of marketing the city’s tourism and travel business, the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau has changed its name to Louisville Tourism.
According to Louisville Tourism President and CEO Karen Williams, the new streamlined name is meant to reflect the organization’s broader work of developing tourism in the city while reflecting the economic growth the hospitality industry generates for Louisville.
“Though the operating name of our organization has changed several times since 1968, our mission has not,” Williams explained. “We exist to grow Louisville’s economy through tourism in its many forms from conventions and meetings to group and leisure travel.”
She added, “On the occasion of our 50th celebration, we want to recognize the work of our entire industry and our local community by simplifying what we call ourselves.”
Since July 8, 1968, Louisville Tourism’s primary goal has been to promote and sell Louisville as a world-class destination in an effort to enhance the area’s economy through tourism development.
On that date, the current iteration of Louisville’s tourism marketing agency was formed as “commission” with a dedicated funding source by the Kentucky General Assembly. Though previous organizations and booster groups from as early as 1910 can be traced to promoting visitation to the city in various forms, the “Louisville and Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau” legally began operation on that date under a seven-member board funded by a “hotel and motel room tax to promote convention and tourism business,” according to Louisville Tourism officials.
As the third largest industry in Louisville, tourism generates an estimated economic impact of $3.5 billion and supports more than 27,000 local tourism-related jobs.
In addition to a full-time Louisville Visitor Center, Louisville Tourism is launching new website features to enhance local tourism efforts, including a new jobs portal that will curate hospitality industry openings and career path information for the tourism professional and a speakers bureau page.
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Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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