by Caitlin Howle
Between Boston and New York is a hidden gem that may be the perfect place to host your next event. If you haven’t considered Providence, Rhode Island, as a destination, you’re missing out on a vibrant, passionate city that cares about its tourism as much as its food, art and the citizens who bring in diverse and up-and-coming markets to share in this little city’s vibrance.
PWCVB
The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) helps promote Providence as not just a stop along the way for business, but a destination. Thomas Riel, senior vice president in sales at the PWCVB, stresses that the new market for events must be inclusive of millennials and Gen Z, who want something to do outside of a conference in their free time. Many are using a new name that encourages this type of tourism calling it “bleisure,” the combination of business and leisure. Providence has it—big time. Just within walking distance of the Amica Mutual Pavillion and Rhode Island Convention Center are hundreds of local restaurants and shops, and a thriving arts scene. According to Riel, the city has just returned to its 2019 tourism levels and continues to trend ahead. One of Providence’s biggest meeting spaces, the Amica Mutual Pavillion, has undergone updates and refurbishments since the COVID-19 pandemic, and sustainability is one of its goals. Events in Providence are 14 percent over what they were projected to be at this point after the pandemic.
A History from the 1600s
Providence sits on the Providence River, which you can see as you walk through its downtown. And while Providence may have “big city” written all over it, most are surprised to find out the city is the size of a single neighborhood in New York City, with a history that dates back to the 1600s.
Providence takes its designation as a food destination seriously. The city’s only chain restaurants are in the mall (also a five-minute walk from the convention center); everything else is locally owned, often locally sourced and always fantastic dining. When exhibitors book events and shows, there’s one main goal that many have on their mind: networking. In Providence, there are plenty of places for exhibitors to bring their customers, all within walking distance of the convention center. It’s the perfect place to find a new adventure or to meet with a new client, all with a breathtaking city as your backdrop.
Recommend Rhode Island
Another unique thing about Providence is its residents are a focal point for bringing in business. The Visitor’s Bureau partners with Rhode Islanders in an initiative called Recommend Rhode Island. RI Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos is the face of the initiative and is actively involved. The PWCVB encourages Rhode Islanders to go to their website and recommend why their industry should host an event there, and then the bureau goes to their national association. These Rhode Islanders are then recognized in a ceremony once a year. In the past year and a half, there have been 37 Rhode Island residents who have made suggestions, bringing $9.7 million into the market and booking 17,000 hotel rooms.
Something Great
Rhode Island, small as it is, is mighty. And it listens to its residents. Rhode Islanders may have the stereotype of the cutting New England edge, but they are passionate and caring people who want to see their city thrive.
It appears the time to book an event in Providence is now, or, as Thomas Riel said:
“We feel like we’re standing on the precipice of something great. There’s nothing but positive ahead of us. The city is coming into its own, and we’re setting ourselves up for success. We’re on the edge of great things.”
