Bangor, Maine
“So often with meetings, you’re in, you’re out, you’re gone,” said Hannah Young, event and communications coordinator for the Greater Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau. “If you’re going to go to a place, see some of it.”
That’s why the CVB helps meeting planners organize pre- and post meeting activities for attendees, Young said. Bangor is within an hour’s drive of both the coast and the mountains, including the famous Appalachian Trail. The CVB will also plan transportation and arrange for step-on guides to provide historic tours of the city or do a Stephen King tour. The prolific horror author lives in Bangor. And because Bangor is a four-season destination, the agency will also help plan seasonal outings for attendees to enjoy fall foliage or winter activities.
“I think for us, it’s the really pre- and postmeeting services, but the other piece of that is we’re trying to encourage guests to come back,” Young said. “If someone is coming for a meeting, we want them to say, ‘Wow, that was
a really great place. I should bring my family back sometime.’”
One of the services that planners use most is the CVB’s streamlined RFP system, Young said. The CVB also works with the University of Maine, about a 20-minute drive from Bangor, to provide team building at the campus’ state-of-the-art recreation center.
Young said the best way a planner can get the most out of CVB meeting services is to speak with the CVB contact, not just communicate via email, and talk about what is needed and explore the available possibilities.
“Not using your CVB contact is a big oversight,” she said. “We know our areas, and we know how to get the most out of them.”
