HARTFORD, Conn., Dec. 13, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Recognizing an opportunity to tap the largest association market in the nation - Washington, D.C. - and in response to the great success experienced by the new 540,000-square-foot Connecticut Convention Center, the Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau (GHCVB) has officially opened a Washington, D.C. office. The new office, located at 1211 13th Street, is managed by GHCVB National Sales Manager Karen Staples.
"Our experience in this market, which represents more than 59 percent of our convention business, has shown that we need to have a day-to-day presence," said Michael Van Parys, Vice President of Sales for the Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Karen will be able to reach more meeting planners and attend the necessary conferences and events that will make the difference in our success going forward."
Numerous Washington-based organizations and associations have held, or are planning to hold, conferences in Hartford, Van Parys added. They include the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), The National Association for Music Education (MENC), the Airline Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON); the Eastern Outdoor Reps Association (EORA), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA), among others.
"We consider Hartford to be an ideal location in Southern New England and we provide meeting planners with access to over 23 million people within a two-hour driving radius," Van Parys said. "Hartford is undergoing a complete transformation as a convention city and the Connecticut Convention Center, located on the riverfront, has drawn trade shows, conventions and business meetings nationwide."
"The GHCVB has seen a substantial increase in bookings throughout the region since the opening of the convention center," explained H. Scott Phelps, President of the Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau. "From June 2005 until May 2006, the sales force booked an increase of 33,471 room nights and 19,392 attendees over the previous year. The average convention delegate spends $278 per day and stays 3.6 days, according to industry estimates."
"In its first year alone, the Connecticut Convention Center hosted 380 events and more than 260,000 visitors, generating approximately $60 million in economic impact for the region," says Jeanne O'Grady, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Connecticut Convention Center. "This far surpassed original projections of 167 events and 192,000 attendees for the first year."
The Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau works in partnership with Hartford's businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and surrounding communities to market the entire region as a premier destination for national, regional and statewide conventions. Its membership includes close to 300 businesses and organizations. The Greater Hartford Sports Commission, a division of the GHCVB, focuses its efforts on attracting and serving international, national and regional sporting events. For information about the Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau and its "Bring It Home to Hartford" campaign, call (860) 728-6789 or visit www.enjoyhartford.com.