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Positively Cleveland is an award-winning, DMAI-accredited destination marketing organization. Recently we've earned the 2009 Facilities & Destinations' "Top Destination" award, Corporate and Incentive Travel magazine's "Award of Excellence for Outstanding Service to the Meetings and Incentive
Travel Industry," Successful Meetings' prestigious Pinnacle Award (for the 18th year in a row) and a 2010 Meetings & Conventions Gold Service Award. We promote the region to convention and meeting planners and to leisure travelers. Positively Cleveland was one of the first convention and visitors bureaus in business in the nation.
Research shows that tourist destinations depend heavily on marketing efforts. Positively Cleveland is the only organization that promotes the entire region to this audience. Our marketing efforts for leisure tourists mainly include public relations (story placement) and online advertising: web ads, social networking and search engine optimization. We also advertise in magazines that target specific audiences.
We aggressively market and advertise to surrounding markets such as Detroit, Columbus and Pittsburgh and fly in markets such as Baltimore and Nashville, helping to drive 13 million visitors to Cuyahoga County each year.
Most of our own family members don't totally understand what we do, so it's okay if you're a little confused. We do more than just bring conventions into the convention center. We also bring in meetings, tradeshows and conferences to outside venues like hotels and the I-X Center and help facilitate them--often offering registration or housing assistance, logistical help and other services free of charge. We pitch media on story ideas related to business and leisure tourism in Cleveland Plus. We bring motorcoaches and group tours to the area to experience our attractions. We provide valuable visitor information. We sponsor major events in the area... the list goes on and on. Here are just a few of the highlights:
Positively Cleveland has been proactive in preparing for the future over the last few years. We reorganized our departments for efficiency. We brought our publications in-house to maximize their potential and cut costs. We re-branded the organization to improve visibility and name recognition. We forged relationships with organizations like Team NEO and the Greater Cleveland Partnership.
We launched a regional brand, Cleveland Plus, and became a critical founding partner of a marketing alliance that enabled Northeast Ohio to be advertised not only to travelers, but also to businesses. Click here to view Positively Cleveland's 2009 Annual Report.
Positively Cleveland is funded by a combination of membership dues and Cuyahoga County bed tax funds. The bed tax is collected from people who stay overnight in hotels so, in essence, we are funded by travelers and partner organizations.
County Bed Tax Distribution
The County Bed Tax is currently used for a number of funding needs. Positively Cleveland, the region's only marketing organization for tourism, receives just 57%. However, quite a few community organizations and needs are funded out of that 57% right off the top, leaving Positively Cleveland with just $4.2 million of the bed tax.
How much goes to community organizations first?
| In 2009, 57% of the bed tax | $6,533,071 |
| Less Gateway payment ($1,425,996) | $5,107,075 |
| Less supplemental funding provided to other local organizations ($699,030*) | $4,408,045 |
| Less support provided to CLE+ Visitors Center ($110,270) | $4,297,775 |
| Less support provided to CLE+ Marketing Alliance ($100,000) | $4,197,775 |
| Total remaining (after $2,335,296 community support) | $4,197,775 (just 36.6% of total) |
*Includes $500,000 to support the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
How Positively Cleveland earns income
Positively Cleveland is devoted to creating an economic impact for the region by promoting business and leisure travel to the area. Most residents don't fully realize how important tourism is to the region, whether it's a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum or a weekend getaway built around a Broadway blockbuster at PlayhouseSquare.
Did you know?
| The Honorable | Campbell Black | Julie Boland |
| Brian Casey | Art Falco | Karen Gahl-Mills |
| Marcus Glover | Marc Jacobs | Jerry Kelsheimer |
| Len Komoroski | Evan Koppel | Joe Kubic |
| Ari Maron | Paul Matsen | Valarie McCall |
| Gary McGauley | Bob Megazzini | Jon Pinney |
| Chris Ronayne | Mark Shapiro | Terry Stewart |
| William (Bill) Summers | Rachel Talton | Jason Therrien |
| Daniel Walsh | Brian Zimmerman |
© 2012 Positively Cleveland
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