Cumberland County, NC –  In the first quarter of the 2016/17 Fiscal Year (FY17), Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (FACVB) booked business and laid the groundwork for a successful year. “The shows we attend in the summer and fall generate leads that our sales team secures during the remainder of the year,” says FACVB President & CEO John Meroski.  “In addition to a busy travel season, the team closed some significant business this quarter.”

In the first quarter of FY17 FACVB staff:

  • Booked 18 future meetings, tournaments or group tour visits for Cumberland County. These bookings will use 4,284 room nights at area hotels. The impact on Cumberland County’s economy will be $1.43 million.
  • Attended 5 trade shows where staff made 112 contacts with planners and event organizers. Generated 41 leads for future meetings, tournaments and group business. These leads represent 4,063 room nights at area hotels and an economic impact of $1.5 million.
  • Secured coverage for Cumberland County as travel destination on or in 36 media outlets. A highlight was a story in AAA World, a AAA publication delivered to 2 million members in the Washington DC and Baltimore, MD Area. If purchased as advertising, the piece would have cost $54,000.
  • Worked with community partners to develop Heroes Homecoming IV, which honors World War II Veterans. www.HeroesHomecoming.com
  • Distributed 9 press releases and hosted 1 travel writer for a community visit.
  • Coordinated community representation for partner days at the VisitNC Welcome Centers on I-95.
  • Handled 3,808 visitor inquiries at three visitor centers around Cumberland County.
  • Re-launched GoFayetteville.com as a blog site that focuses on areas of interest to visitors and locals.

ABOUT THE FACVB 

The FACVB  is a private, not-for-profit organization responsible for positioning Cumberland County as a destination for conventions, sporting events and individual travel. For additional information, visit www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com  or call 1-888-98-HEROES. Cumberland County is the America's first military sanctuary.