Media Placements: The total ad equivalency value for fiscal year 2008 to date is $4,383,246. The total ad equivalency value for February 1 through March 10 is $232,000 and is comprised of placements in publications and media outlets including:

Charlotte Magazine, Charlotte, NC; circulation: 30,000

The CVB's Joyce Baki attended the American Bus Association's Annual Marketplace in Virginia Beach, VA in early February. She met with representatives from more than 60 tour operator companies who are considering Annapolis and Anne Arundel County as tour destinations. The American Bus Association is planning to hold its 2010 marketplace at the Gaylord National Hotel. If you are interested in receiving leads from the Virginia Beach show or would like more information about how you can work with motorcoach operators, please email Joyce at jbaki@VisitAnnapolis.org.

More than 60 Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau members attended the CVB's annual Marketing Retreat at the Sheraton Annapolis Hotel on Friday, March 17. Guest speaker Michael Pusateri, President and CEO of Vantage Strategy Consulting, discussed buying trends of the traveling consumer on the global and local levels. During breakout sessions that followed, attendees brainstormed about how best to reach affluent travelers through the CVB's website that is slated for a re-launch on April 2.

The CVB will have a better sense of how its members capitalize on their CVB membership when a group of graduate students from George Washington University releases the results of a recent, random survey of CVB member partners. Students in the Masters of Tourism Administration program selected the CVB for a research project that focused on CVB member benefits and advertising possibilities. After compiling and analyzing the data, the students will present their recommendations to the CVB.

ANNAPOLIS ALIVE'S May 1-4 CharterFest celebration will feature activities from City Dock through West Street. Events include a North American Towne Crier Competition; ArtWalk, an art festival that features new exhibits and emerging artists; an Irish rowing race on Spa Creek; and a First Sunday street festival. In conjunction with CharterFest, The annual Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival will take place May 2-4. It will include historic vessels in the Annapolis Harbor, educational booths, environmental displays, and maritime demonstrations. For more information, visit www.annapolisalive.org.

Annapolis's City Dock is on schedule to reopen April 15. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony is slated for May 2 at 1:30 p.m. The celebration marks the completion of a $9-million reconstruction project that included construction of a new 960-foot bulkhead, new piers along Ego Alley to accommodate larger boats, and a redesigned Susan B. Campbell Park.  

The volunteers who man our Visitors Center are gearing up for the season by visiting our attractions, bed and breakfasts, hotels, and service providers for a firsthand experience of all that they have to offer. The newfound information enables them to better answer questions and make recommendations to inquiring visitors.

To date, the volunteers have taken the Discover-Annapolis Trolley Tour, visited History Quest, been pampered at the new Varuna Aveda Salon & Spa at Park Place, and toured the Westin Annapolis Hotel, the DoubleTree Hotel, and the Banneker-Douglass Museum.

Our volunteers are extremely knowledgeable. So, the next time you have a guest with a question, give us a call! The volunteers look forward to spending time with all of our partners in the near future.