CUSTOMER ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
Visit Baltimore hosted our Customer Advisory Board which was renamed to Innovation Think Tank ( ITT ). The ITT group is comprised of senior level association , corporate and independent meeting professionals who have volunteered to advise the city regarding best practices and key issues impacting the meetings and convention industry . We hosted 12 customers in May 2024 who helped us work through a SWOT analysis of Baltimore as a meeting destination . The group also participated in glass blowing at Corradetti Glassblowing Studio and took the Baltimore Water Taxi to a crab feast at Nick ’ s Fish House .
ASAE Leadership Retreat
In November 2023 , Visit Baltimore hosted the American Society of Association Executives ( ASAE ) Leadership Retreat . This was a big win for the sales team and a tremendous opportunity for the customer experience team to showcase Baltimore as a destination for future conventions , tradeshows and events to more than 100 potential customers . This event brought more than 150 people to Baltimore , the majority of whom were association executives who typically make the decisions for their organizations when it comes to locations for future events and tradeshows . We hosted events for the group at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor , the Sagamore Pendry Baltimore and Waterfront Hotel . The group was also offered an amenity boutique featuring local makers such as Hon ’ s Honey and Mount Royal Soaps . The attendees had nothing but positive feedback to share about their time in Baltimore .
“ This event held in your city was flawless , not one comment on anything that slipped through the cracks , not one . I ’ ve been at ASAE twentythree years and that has never happened . It ’ s a great city with great hotels , restaurants and people that work really hard because they love it !”
PAMELA TROOP , CMP , ASAE SENIOR DIRECTOR , MEETINGS , EXPOSITIONS & SPECIAL EVENTS
CONTINUING SAFETY INITIATIVES
Last year , representatives from Visit Baltimore , Downtown Partnership of Baltimore , Waterfront Partnership and Midtown Communities formed a Collaborative Safety Alliance . The group holds monthly meetings with various public safety agencies to share information and collaborate on how best to bolster public safety efforts and be a force multiplier for the Baltimore Police Department . Quarterly , the group gathers leadership from the participating partners , the hotel community , the Baltimore Convention Center and the Baltimore Police Department to discuss safety initiatives .
The Baltimore Tourism Improvement District funds safety patrols for groups and large public events . Visit Baltimore works with Tactical Protective Services and hotel security directors to coordinate these efforts .
CONVENTION SALES & CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE 17