History
Founded in 1972, the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) has served as the area’s official destination management organization for over 30 years. Charged with the promotion of this region and all its splendid attributes, the GMCVB is an economic development organization, that evolved from the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce’s Convention and Promotion Division.
The Madison area’s tourism and GMCVB history is rich. Always a favorite destination for academicians and intellectuals,
visitors are attracted to the area’s natural beauty and spirited population. The University of Wisconsin-Madison culture create a backdrop for exceptional restaurants, culture, sports and special events. Early favorites of visitors were the Festival of the Lakes, Taste of Madison (started by the GMCVB in the 1980s) and UW athletics.
The area’s tourism image was catapulted to a new level in the 1990s with a building boom that resulted in construction of the Exhibition Hall of the Alliant Energy Center, Monona Terrace, UW’s Kohl, Pyle and Fluno Centers as well as addition of over 2000 hotel rooms. The GMCVB responded by shifting its focus from a leisure and events business to include marketing the destination as a national convention and tradeshow site. The decision to change directions has paid off. Recent sales successes of the GMCVB include U.S. Conference of Mayors, Ironman North America, Drum Corps International (5th time returning to Madison) and the Great Lakes Logging Congress.
Funded by the City of Madison, Dane County, Dane County Regional Airport and City of Middleton, the GMCVB is highly regarded as an efficient and effective agency and a responsible steward of the area’s image and assets.
Private sector support and partnerships are key to the GMCVB’s success. Partnership has grown from 100 businesses in the 1970’s to over 500 today! These businesses invest annual fees and also contribute to select marketing programs that suit their individual needs. Partners from throughout Madison, Dane County and the surrounding environs look to the GMCVB for leadership and direction in tourism marketing. Industry partners, including our funding partners, the Alliant Energy Center, Monona Terrace, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison Innkeepers, Madison Restaurant Association, Dane County Tavern League, area Chambers and others understand the need to work together for overall success.
As with most CVBs, the GMCVB works diligently to attract new destination business and visitors to this great area. In addition, the organization has always strived to educate the public and area elected leaders of the value of tourism and visitors to our area.
2001 created a new era for our world. Tourism is an industry which has felt the effects of the economic downturn and tragic events of September, 2001. The GMCVB, along with our partners, however, see a bright future ahead and great things on the horizon for continued growth in visitor numbers.
