CVB, convention center leaders on the road

Officials recruiting associations to hold events in Owensboro.

Leaders of the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Owensboro Convention Center are headed to Frankfort and Lexington on Thursday to recruit conventions, conferences and tournaments.

“We aren’t waiting on events to come to us,” Mark Calitri, CVB president & CEO, said of the trip. “We are going to the organizers and bringing them back with us.”

CVB and convention center leaders will host a lunch in Frankfort for state association leaders on Thursday, he said.

Then, they’ll head for Lexington to pitch Owensboro to convention, conference and tournament organizers, Calitri said.

“We think this is a great opportunity for planners in Frankfort and Lexington to meet with the organizations in Owensboro that can help pull off a top-notch event,” said Laura Alexander, assistant general manager/director of sales & marketing for the convention center and the Sportscenter.

The convention center is trying to book events and the CVB is trying to fill hotels.

“We believe with our team approach, our fantastic facilities, unique attractions and our first-class service that we can take our tourism opportunities to a whole new level,” Alexander said.

In May, the Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet said tourist spending in Daviess County jumped $21.7 million in 2016 to $313.8 million.

That was an increase of 7.43 percent — a greater jump than 2014 and 2015 combined.

Click here for the full Messenger-Inquirer article written by Keith Lawrence.