Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau wins annual award

ALBANY — Offering further proof that the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is having a significant impact on the world of travel and tourism, the organization was recently honored with a ConventionSouth magazine Reader’s Choice Award for 2015.

This year marks the third time since the creation of the award in 2001, and the second year in a row, that the Albany CVB has earned the prestigious honor which is given to CVBs, meeting facilities and hotels located throughout the south that have distinguished themselves in the eyes of industry professionals, who make up the bulk of ConventionSouth’s readership.

ConventionSouth is considered one of the leading publications in the world of tourism, travel, and event planning, catering to industry professionals looking to keep their fingers on the pulse of what’s going on in the industry, so earning the award carries special meaning for the team at the Albany CVB.

“Anytime you can have a publication like ConventionSouth tout what you’re doing and recognizing you as one of the best, that’s huge validation for all the things we do at the CVB,” said Albany CVB Executive Director Rashelle Beasley. “It’s phenomenal too in that it gives us more clout and helps us spread the word about what Albany has to offer.”

Beasley was keen to point out that being recognized by ConventionSouth will reach readers across the country who are looking for places to host events. Beasley said many companies, agencies and organizations either use in house or for hire meeting planners who use ConventionSouth as a resource.

In fact, Beasley said the community’s reputation for being a good event destination has already paid off as several different groups have hosted events in Albany over the past several months, including the Exchange Club’s statewide convention, the Georgia Firefighters and Fire Chiefs annual convention, the Black Mayors Convention, and many others.

“The CVB has been good at being creative and working with what we have to get events here,” said Beasley. “We may not have a huge event space that can host something massive, but we have several different options all within walking distance of each other and close to lodging that make us attractive.”

Beasley also believes that when combine that creativity in planning events with the tight-knit network of hotels, event locations, restaurants and attractions that the CVB has built relationships with, it sends a strong message to the industry and ultimately leads to recognition like that given by ConventionSouth readers.

The Albany CVB is among 180 organizations across the south to receive a Reader’s Choice Award. Award winners were nominated throughout the year by meeting professionals based on their belief that each nominee provided exemplary service for group events. The nominated sites are then compiled onto an online ballot where meeting professionals and fans are able to vote for who their feel are the best of the best.

“ConventionSouth readers and fans have voted to decide the best meeting sites in the South and it is no surprise to us that the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau has been selected to receive our annual Readers’ Choice Award,” said ConventionSouth publisher J. Talty O’Connor. “The value in receiving this prestigious recognition is that it comes from the United States’ top meeting professionals who hold events in the South. These planners demand the highest level of customer service and quality facilities, and they contributed in determining that the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau indeed displays the commitment to professionalism, creativity and serve that they require.”

Despite the continually rising profile of the CVB, Beasley said the organization is not content to rest on its laurels. She and the rest of the staff are always striving for improvement.

“It’s great for the CVB and Albany to get this kind of recognition,” Beasley said. “But we have to keep working and look for different ways we can get better. This is a great community and there’s no reason we can’t do even more.”