ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 16, 1996 TAG: 9604160064
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
A spring membership drive has had disappointing results for the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, which will continue the recruitment push into summer.
Just five new members had paid their dues as of Monday, said Linda Bailey, development director for the tourism marketing organization. The bureau sought to sign up 60 new businesses and organizations. It started the drive in mid-February with 115.
The drive was extended through June and is intended to boost the funding of what is now a largely government-supported effort, with the city providing the lion's share of its $738,000 budget.
The bureau's board members took lead responsibility for contacting prospective members. Jim Sears, who heads the board of directors, said bad weather slowed their efforts. In addition, he said, the bureau may have mistakenly counted on board members who also are government officials being able to take part in the drive. In practice, he said, doing so might raise conflicts with their official duties.
"I don't think it was because of the product we were selling. Once someone can come face to face with the prospect, then the sale can be made," Sears said.
In an unrelated development, the Roanoke Airport Marriott confirmed that has reduced its contribution to the bureau from $10,500 per year to about $2,500, but retained its membership. "We feel at this stage of the game those additional funds would best be spent on our own marketing efforts," General Manager Herman Turk said. "We still are a member of the bureau, and we pay the same membership fees which all the other hotels in town pay."
LENGTH: Short : 39 linesby CNB