The Orlando CVB recently announced a multi-faceted vision for a new meetings and conventions sales approach designed to expand its sales reach and deliver enhanced value and partnership to customers and the industry at large. “Roadmap 2010” involves a series of changes beginning in 2009 to impact 2010 and future sales efforts that include:
- Promoting Tammi Runzler from vice president, convention sales and services to senior vice president, convention sales and services to oversee the company's worldwide meeting, convention and tradeshow sales efforts.
- Bringing on a senior vice president of convention industry relations and strategic sales focused on industry partnerships and significant new citywide business development.
- Partnering with the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) on an integrated direct sales force pilot program to streamline client interfacing with the destination and to support increased convention business.
- Creating a vertical markets sales force structure with an emphasis on corporate and SMERF meetings, including adding a director of corporate accounts position.
- Developing an industry white paper on the future direction of the meetings industry as a result of recent economic and political pressures with insights into the changing attitudes of meeting professionals.
Runzler will co-lead the integration of the sales teams with Yulita Osuba, senior director, sales and marketing for the OCCC, to ensure unparalleled ability to advise new and existing convention clients on all aspects of Orlando’s convention offerings. The combined sales force will include 10 account managers from the Orlando CVB and seven from the OCCC, making it one of the largest destination sales forces in the country focused on citywide conventions. The integrated sales force will reside in the Orange County Convention Center offices beginning December of this year.
