Register for Austin Sports Commission Golf Classic
Join the Austin CVB for the 4th Annual Austin Sports Commission (ASC) Golf Classic on Nov. 22 at Grey Rock Golf Club. This annual event serves to raise awareness of and funds for ASC's efforts to bring athletic and sports events to Austin. Teams enjoy scenic golf, live music and authentic cuisine while helping to promote the region as a prime tournament and competition destination.
Austin Sports Commission works with events that generate more than $50 million in visitor spending every year. In the coming months, Austin Sports Commission is working with the upcoming Texas Turkey Day Classic and USA Gymnastics Men's Regional Championship, among others.
The tournament kicks off with an early lunch and a shotgun start at noon. A reception follows with catering and live music. Register by October 30 at www.austinsports.org or 512-583-7258; registration is $200 per person. Foursomes are welcome to sign up together.
Austin CVB launches 2011 Partner Program
Austin CVB's 2011 partner program opportunities are now available. Through the program, hotels, venue operators, restaurants, attractions, tour operators and transportation providers can access regional and national meeting and event planners, leading national media representatives, and members of the national and international film, music and tourism communities.
Opportunities include participation in national sales and group tour missions, press trips, music and film industry events, national consumer tradeshows and more. For more information or to sign up, contact Christine Cramer, cycramer@austintexas.org.
Austin CVB's ICCA membership raises awareness of Austin as Formula 1 approaches
The Austin CVB has attained membership with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), a global community for the meetings industry. Austin's participation in ICCA signals to international association and corporate groups that the city is positioned to accommodate their top-level needs. As one of the few destination marketing organization members based in the U.S., it also certifies Austin's commitment to growth and expansion in the global meetings market.
From 2012 to 2021, Austin will host the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™. Not only will this global phenomenon bring some 140,000 people from across the world to the Austin track each day; it will also raise awareness of Austin as an international convention destination.
The International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate and the McKenzie Institute will also meet in Austin in the coming years. Previous international meetings for Austin have included the World Congress on Information Technology, International Conference on Software Reuse, the International Workshop for Internalizing Products & Systems and the International Double Reed Society Conference. These bookings were instrumental to Austin in securing ICCA membership.
New venues to open downtown
As the cranes start to disappear from downtown, Austin's new skyline is revealing itself. October 24 marked the first major opening of a busy upcoming season, as a newly renovated Arthouse (Congress at 7th) opened its doors to the public. The facility has expanded from 7,000 square feet to 21,000; it now houses three galleries, two artists studios, a screening/community room and a rooftop space with a massive cinema screen. The modern-meets historic design brings together old Austin and new. For more information, visit www.thenewarthouse.org.
Mid-November, Austin’s first Iron Chef contender, David Bull, returns to the city with two new restaurants located on the ground floor of The Austonian. Aptly named "Congress," the first concept offers an elegant, intimate ambiance with prix-fixe, chef-driven cuisine. Around the corner, 2nd at Congress features a bistro menu with more casual lunch and late-night dining. For more information, visit www.congressaustin.com.
On December 9, Austin's highly-anticipated W Hotel opens at 2nd and Lavaca. The property incorporates four lounges/bars – including one outfitted in Austin style with vintage Mac equipment and turntables – with a holistic spa and W’s signature guestrooms. Click here for details.
Soon after the W welcomes its guests, the new Austin City Limits studio will open as the city's newest year-round live music venue. KLRU will start filming its marquee show here about 40 times a year; the remaining programming will be open to the public, and the space is available for rentals. The venue seats up to 3,000 guests. More information will be available at, www.acl-live.com starting Dec. 1.
Austin CVB sales team markets at ASAE's 2010 Annual Meeting and around the country
The Austin CVB Sales department maximized its selling opportunities through creative marketing at the 2010 ASAE Annual Conference & Trade Show in Los Angeles. Efforts included a hard-hitting social media campaign and sponsorship of ASAE's first ever Flash Mob Dance on the tradeshow floor led by the Young Association Professionals (YAP).
The Austin CVB also hosted an "Austin Unplugged" event at the O Hotel with more than 150 customers in attendance. Up and coming Austin musicians, Tje Austin, Betty Soo and Gina Chavez, showcased their talent. Transportation was provided on the Gibson Guitar® tour bus, providing clients with the Austin "rock star" treatment.
In addition, the sales department has been out on the road meeting with customers and promoting the Live Music Capital of the World® with the following initiatives:
July 2010:
Atlanta Client Event
Kansas City Sales Calls
New York City Sales Calls
August 2010:
ASAE Annual Conference & Trade Show, LA
ASAE Austin Client Event, LA
Texas on Tour, San Francisco
Kellen Management Conference & Trade Show, Atlanta
New York City Sales Calls
Local Client Event, Austin
September 2010:
Denver Sales Calls & Client Event
Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky Sales Calls
Columbus Ohio Sales Calls
Local Client Event, Austin
TSAE, Dallas
Sports Links, Colorado Springs
Austin CVB Tourism department ramps up international marketing efforts
The Austin CVB Tourism department is ramping up Austin's international marketing efforts in conjunction with the Bureau's joining of International Congress & Convention Association and the upcoming Formula 1 auto races. Tourism department staff recently traveled to London, Frankfurt and Munich to generate buzz about Austin and meet with international tour operators. In addition, the department has hosted visiting international travel and tourism representatives from Germany and Sweden. Bureau representatives also traveled to the Texas Travel Industry Assocation Summit in Galveston in order to stay atop of industry trends.
Austin CVB Music, Film and Communications Updates
In addition to ongoing projects, the Austin CVB music department recently attended the Americana Music Festival in Nashville, where the CVB joined the Texas Music Office, Gibson Guitar®, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians and other partners to co-host an event to support Austin musicians playing the festival. Austin artists in attendance included Hayes Carll, Stonehoney, Ray Wylie Hubbard, the Stone River Boys, Sarah Jarosz and Mickey & the Motorcars.
The Bureau also hosted the private media area at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL). This year, representatives from MTV Canada, American Way magazine, and the European travel trade publication America Journal were the Austin CVB's guests. With this sponsorship, the CVB is also able to reach the 300 national and international media who are credentialed to cover ACL. On site, the Salt Lick Bar-B-Que served classic southern fare, and Austin CVB hosted a special happy hour featuring the city's signature cocktail, The Driskill's Brazos Brasiliensis Batini.
Also in October, the Austin Film Commission heads to New York to sponsor the Texas Association of Film Commissions' Film Texas event, in an effort to draw producers and film professionals to create features, television shows, video games and commercials in the capital city.
