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CVB  Accreditation

Article from the Weirton Daily Times

The Top of West Virginia Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB)

recently received state accreditation.

“It was a very extensive report, and we worked on it for five months before turning

it in to the state in July,” Top of WV CVB Executive Director Danny Greathouse said.

“It gives a sense of professionalism. When we go down state to ask for funding,

it tells the state we’re not wasting their money.”

Top of WV CVB’s budget is supported through membership fees, the local

hotel/motel tax and the state grant reimbursement. Greathouse announced

the CVB’s budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal year is $252,000 at a July meeting.

Greathouse stated 80 percent of the state grant has to leave the area to market

Brooke and Hancock. The CVB usually conducts outside advertising in the Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Cleveland areas and outside the counties’ 50-mile radius.

The CVB can only use 20 percent of the grant to advertise in the local area.

The CVBs are supposed to promote tourism, and tourism is one

of the state’s fastest growing industries.

The Top of WV CVB will have the accreditation for three years, and they are one

of 14 CVB offices in West Virginia who received accreditation this year.

Greathouse said there are a total of 37 CVB offices in the state of West Virginia,

and there’s also a push to make accreditation a requirement for CVBs.

Right now, accreditation is a voluntary process, and legislation to make

accreditation a requirement could be introduced in the near future.

The accreditation process required the Top of WV CVB look back at its previous

records since its creation. Greathouse had to submit paperwork to show how

the CVB office was created, how its board of directors is set up, its budgets,

how the money was spent, its marketing plan, how well its marketing plans worked. Also: salaries and number of employees, a survey of the hotels/motels and how

the CVB has assisted them and how they communicate with local funding partners

and government entities. The submitted reports were reviewed by a panel,

and it took three months to receive a response.

“It took a lot of work to get this done,” Greathouse said. “Our accreditation

originally was given to us under our old name, and I was just informed

our accreditation has been approved under our new name.”

Top of WV CVB was once known as the Hancock County CVB, but the office

changed its name reflect its initiative to promote both Hancock and Brooke counties.

Greathouse said the CVB office also has to track how well their marketing plans work. They track where people hear about Hancock and Brooke counties

and their respective events.

Greathouse plans to unveil a series of new commercials promoting Hancock

and Brooke counties at the CVB’s Christmas meeting,

slated for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Dee-Jays Restaurant.

“Our theme is ‘Follow Me to the Top of West Virginia,’” Greathouse said.

“The commercials will feature myself and other individuals promoting

Hancock and Brooke counties.”

He said the commercials already are in the filming process, and he hopes they

will be completed in time for the CVB’s Christmas party at Dee-Jays. The

commercials will focus on Hancock and Brooke’s restaurants, hotels and places

to visit. The commercials are slated to air on local television stations and Comcast.

Greathouse said the CVB also is working with the Weirton Area Chamber of

Commerce and the Millsop Community Center to host a January event. He said

Taste of the Valley is slated for Jan. 18, and more information on the event will be released at a later time. The event will promote the area’s available cuisine.


Angel Rae Hill