Tourism and Visitor Bureaus

Tourism offices make a positive impact on the quality of travel
By Shalleen Mayes Bureau of tourism offices are great places to get information about a new area. A tourism office can help guide you toward available hotel rooms during a busy travel season. Visitor bureaus can direct you toward activities in the area, and help you locate the nearest grocery store, drugstore or hospital for emergencies.

You can also count on Tourism and Visitor Bureaus to help plan your next convention in the area. Tourism offices count on meetings to bring in plenty of dollars to add to the local economy, so they're sure to be happy to help you plan your event.

1. Many tourism bureaus are divided by county, so make sure you know in what county your desired city is located.

2. Contact the tourism bureaus in enough lead time to get any brochures or maps that you need to plan your trip.

3. Find out whether the tourism office has any coupons you can use while you're in the area, such as restaurant savings of up to 20%.

Use the bureau of tourism as a source for local activities

Convention and visitors bureaus can help you interpret the local flavor of the area. If you're entertaining clients in a city unfamiliar to you, impress them with your knowledge of local activities and hot spots. A state such as Louisiana has tourism bureaus divided by parish, and can help you pinpoint what you want to see and do on your trip.
Try:  Louisiana Travel can clue you into details on annual events in the community, such as the Jambalaya Festival. Go Hawaii offers travelers helpful hints to make their stay more enjoyable, such as easy ways to get around the cities.

Use tourism bureaus to plan a company meeting your staff won't forget

Some cities have corporate meetings down to a science, and visitor bureaus have made it easy to plan a memorable week. If you want record-breaking attendance at your next meeting, plan it at a site that's exciting and fun.
Try:  Visit the website of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which has organized meeting facilities for easy reference. San Francisco remains a top destination for corporate events. Use the San Francisco Meeting Marketer tool to design postcards and brochures for your event.

Use tourism agencies to help with business travel overseas

Traveling overseas? You will definitely want to visit travel agencies and tourist bureaus to help you navigate your way there. Visitor bureaus can make a huge difference when you're planning an itinerary for your trip, and can answer questions about currency issues as well as local customs you need to know.
Try:  Visit London, London's official tourist bureau, offers information tailored to your needs, such as budget concerns, business offerings or all-out luxury in their "People Like You" section. The Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau will help you navigate your way around the city, providing information on each section of the city.

• Let the tourism and visitor bureaus know whether their information was helpful or not, so they can improve their service to all travelers.