Check with tourism bureaus and authorities to pinpoint locations and events

Unlike convention bureaus, tourism bureaus help the average tourist as well as meeting planners and business travelers. This can make them very useful when you plan an event, as the tourism body at your destination can likely help you find exciting events, activities and sites for your meeting or convention. Tourism bureaus are a great source of information and you should always check with the tourism bureau as well as the convention visitors bureau to get a broad picture of a destination.

I recommend: The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) can help you whether you are planning a relaxed event or a more professional convention. Their handy online "plan a meeting" feature lets you plan and even promote your Chicago-area event. The Saratoga Springs Convention and Tourism Bureau has a dedicated Saratoga Springs Convention Services Department designed especially to help meeting and convention planners.

Contact your destination's convention bureau for travel plan assistance

While tourism bureaus offer a lot of information, a convention and visitors authority often offers useful services as well as information. A visitors convention bureau can help you with a variety of meeting services: familiarization trips and site inspections; assistance finding and hiring professional congress organizers (PCOs) and destination management companies (DMCs); venue finding services; social event and business event planning; consultations; accommodation and transportation booking assistance for services and venues. These services are free and can help you plan and organize your event with ease.

I recommend: Conventionbureaus.com allows you to easily find your meeting or event locations' convention center bureau. If you plan to hold an event in the Yukon region, the Yukon Convention Bureau offers adventure activity planning, site inspections, air access assistance, pre-/post- convention tours and other special services.

Promote your convention or event with help from the local convention center agency

While most meeting planners see convention bureau agencies largely as a source of information and a provider of planning services, a convention visitors bureau agency can have an even more important role. Once you have planned your meeting, convention, or event, you will need to promote your event in order to ensure good attendance. A convention visitors association can help you with promotional activities and can offer you planners guides, posters, promotional videos, films, CD-ROMs, flyers, maps, pictures and text that you can use free of charge to promote your event.

I recommend: If your convention will be in Texas, the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) can help you promote your event with PR assistance and an e-marketing campaign. The Denver Metro Convention and Visitor's Bureau has a number of brochures and promotional materials for your event.