Ribbon cutting at the groundbreaking for the Saturday Grand River Farmers Market, Jackson, Michigan || Courtesy of Mevo Creative Solutions/Maury Page

Convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and destination marketing organizations (DMOs)—designations that largely mean the same thing, and which term is used depends on the organization’s preference—market host cities, regions, and states, with, among other things, the aim to attract meetings and events. For meeting and event planners, CVBs/DMOs provide numerous services, including requests for proposals, venue sourcing, and supplying regional travel information. Meeting and event planners also know how instrumental CVBs/DMOs are when it comes to finding hotels; organizing off-site excursions; booking team-building activities; and contracting vendors for meeting essentials, including catering, decor, audiovisual services, and attendee transportation.

What many don’t realize is just how significant a role CVBs/DMOs often play behind the scenes when it comes to destination development: supporting initiatives and projects designed to enhance opportunities for visiting groups while strengthening infrastructure and facilities that also improve quality of life for residents. Bill Geist, owner and founder of DMOproz based in Madison, Wisconsin, and a longtime consultant to CVBs/DMOs, highlights the Destination International’s 2025 DestinationNEXT Futures Study. The study identifies strategies and forces shaping the future of tourism organizations, and indicated that 84% of the world’s CVBs and DMOs actively engage in destination development. “Those [who don’t] risk falling behind,” Geist says.

Here in Michigan, CVBs/DMOs are far from falling behind. They continuously lead efforts that range from creating new events and building additional recreational facilities to spearheading construction and expansion of sports venues to attract groups—and revenue. (To simplify, this article uses only the CVB acronym.)

Money Matters

Paul Beachnau, executive director of the Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau, says that for the longest time, his organization’s budget was 100% devoted to marketing and advertising to attract leisure and group visitors. After hiring Geist to help develop a strategic plan about eight years ago, that changed. “One of the things Geist presented to the board was that we had an opportunity with part of our budget to invest more in the community,” Beachnau says. “He shared that if [Gaylord is] a vibrant, healthy community people want to live in, it is going to be a community people also want to visit. That kind of turned things around for us.”

Now, the organization budgets for community development projects, contributing $250,000 in the past eight years for initiatives that include a new viewing platform for the city-maintained elk herd that is a popular attraction for many, the installation of themed directional signs around the city for wayfinding, the addition of tennis courts, a downtown streetscape project, a park at the trailhead of the North Central State Trail downtown, and the construction of the Pigeon River Country Discovery Center in the nearby 115,000-acre Pigeon River Country State Forest.

Little River Railroad steam train, Coldwater, Michigan || Courtesy of Coldwater Country Conference & Visitors Bureau

Meet Mt. Pleasant also devotes one budget line item to community improvements, investing $515,000 in projects in the city and surrounding Isabella County since 2019, says the CVB’s President and CEO Chris Rowley. There are two focus areas: sports-related and general—both dedicated to enhancing quality of life for residents while benefiting visiting groups. Some recent projects Meet Mt. Pleasant supported include trail improvements and maps at a county-managed park; public restrooms downtown; the Pere Marquette Rail Trail Beautification Project; contributing to the building of the new Morey Event Center at Mid Michigan College’s Mt. Pleasant campus, slated for completion this fall and to offer additional meeting space; and multiple others over the years.

The recently retired longtime executive director of the Coldwater Country Conference & Visitors Bureau, Debra Prater, says budgeting for community projects is a priority in her town, too. “Now that we have increased our budget, we do more hands-on things,” Prater says. The organization worked closely with area economic development officials on a program that evaluates impressions first-time visitors get when they come to town and how those can be enhanced. The CVB also partnered with the Little River Railroad steam train to improve accessibility. In addition, it has helped the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater with marketing and equipment procurement through a combination of volunteering and cash support, she says.

Proactive Advocates

Experience Jackson’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications Rachel Buchanan confirms, “A lot of people think our only goals are to get people into town and have them stay at a hotel, visit area attractions, and eat at restaurants. But those things are definitely not everything that goes on behind the scenes.”

For the past few years, Experience Jackson has been laser-focused on proactively advocating for Jackson County. The CVB was heavily involved in drafting the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce-initiated 20-year vision plan called “Drive Jackson.” That spurred several projects, including development of a farm stop as part of the River & Rail Food Hub, a multiphase regional grocery and farmers market development inside the renovated armory building at the 1839 Michigan State Prison. “[The food hub] is right where multiple paths cross for encouraging recreation and biking, and it is becoming that meeting space and event center,” Buchanan says. “It is bringing new life into something that has otherwise been part of Jackson’s history.”

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