27TH MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR’S CONFERENCE

Over 300 tourism officials, hospitality leaders and small business owners gathered this week for the 27th Annual Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism, which took place at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston.

The annual gathering, hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT), offers industry leaders an opportunity to learn about the latest tourism trends around the nation and the world; to gauge Massachusetts’ progress and current initiatives; and to hear from experts on specific tourism topics such as sports, film and the international market.

MOTT Executive Director Betsy Wall welcomed the attendees and gave an overview of the agency’s collaboration with partners like BrandUSA and Discover New England. Scott Madden of Connelly Partners spoke about MOTT’s web site, MassVacation.com and the successful social media campaign promoting the state.

Guest speakers included Dan O’Connell, President of Boston 2024, who spoke about Boston’s bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games; and Mary Ann Hughes, Vice President of Film and Television Production Planning at the Walt Disney Company, who spoke with Massachusetts Film Office Director Lisa Strout about how the Commonwealth can continue to use film production to leverage tourism branding.

The conference featured a lively panel discussion with MOTT’s seven international representatives who promote Massachusetts in Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. They offered insight into what each of their respective populations look for when traveling to Massachusetts, ranging from history, weather and beaches to shopping, outdoor activities and seafood.

One of the popular suggestions came from Italian representative Olga Mazzoni, who suggested that live lobsters be available for sale at Terminal E, Logan Airport, for international visitors to take home with them.

In the afternoon, the conference welcomed Governor Deval Patrick, who praised the state’s tourism industry for its hard work and innovation, and spoke about the tourism impact that new international air routes bring to the Commonwealth. The governor then presented the Larry D. Meehan Award to five tourism advocates across the state: Joseph Milano of Union Oyster House in Boston; Bruce Margeson of MBT Worldwide, Mary Vilbon of Shelburne Falls Area Business Association, Bill DeSousa-Mauk of DeMa Public Relations and Paula Fisher of Plymouth County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Named for the late Larry D. Meehan of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB), the award was created in 2012 to honor individuals who have made life-long contributions to the growth and vitality of the Massachusetts tourism industry.

In addition to the official proceedings, attendees were invited by Lee Statham, Director of Sales and Marketing at JFK Library, to take a free tour of the museum while there. The Omni Parker House supplied the conference with its special Boston Cream Pies, And during the day, a duo of musicians from the Berklee College of Music played jazz guitar and stand-up bass during the breakfast and lunch intervals.

Tourism is one of Massachusetts’ key industries, accounting for nearly $18 billion in direct spending in 2012, $1.1 billion in state and local taxes, as well as supporting 126,500 jobs generating $3.6 billion in wages. In 2013, nearly 23 million domestic and international visitors came to Massachusetts.