Membership Has Its Benefits

The Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau is ready to help you promote your business to the 459,900 overnight visitors who will come to the Ames in the next year.
*Red Carpet Member Benefits denoted in red.

Ames Visitors Guide

• 56,000 copies distributed annually to visitors through direct mail requests, local information displays in hotels and community venues, meeting planners, conference registrations and Iowa Welcome Centers.
• Promote your business with your individual business listing, including your address, phone, website and business description (up to 25 words).
• Your special offer or discount provided in a special section of the visitors guide.
• Printed quarterly, providing an opportunity to update your listing during the year.
• Downloadable version of visitors guide included on visitames.com.
• Receive a discount on display advertising in the visitors guide.

Visitames.com

• Provides visitors access to information about Ames and member businesses 24-hours a day. Currently, more than 65,000 unique visits and 96,000 overall visits to visitames.com each year.
• Promote your business with an individual business listing, including your logo, direct link to your website, address, phone and business description (up to 35 words). Listings also include Map It, driving directions and Trip Planner feature.
• Opportunity to list your business in a second category on visitames.com.
• Red Carpet offer included on traditional website underneath your listing.
• Your listing will be included on the mobile version of visitames.com, designed for use on all smartphones and mobile tablets, including iPads. Your Red Carpet offer will also be included under the Special Offers tab on the mobile version of the website.

Red Carpet Offer

• Opportunity to include your coupon or special discount in the Ames Red Carpet Coupon brochure. More than 7,500 distributed each year. Downloadable version also available online.

Brochure and Promotional Item Distribution

• Distribute your brochures and promotional items at the Ames/ISU Information Booth on University Boulevard.
• Include your brochures or promotional items in Ames welcome bags handed out to event attendees.
• Distribute your brochures and promotional materials to event attendees at welcome tables or during special events.

Event Promotion

• Promote your events on the visitames.com web calendar available on both the traditional and mobile websites. Calendar features search by date and name option.
• Have your events highlighted in the "Check it Out" section of the event calendar.
• Member news and events are posted on the Ames, Iowa Facebook page with access to an audience of more than 5,000.
• Member events also included in seasonal visitor email newsletters.

Referral of Business or Services to Convention and Visitor Requests

• When contacted by a meeting planner, visitor, event manager or during an onsite visit from an event coordinator, your services will either be used or recommended, as appropriate.

Media Publicity

• Member businesses and services are included in editorial submissions to local, regional and national media sources.
• Press releases are sent out to the media to help promote Ames and member events and conferences.

Industry Trade Shows

• Throughout the year, Bureau staff exhibit at a variety of tradeshows. Target audiences include planners for athletic events, conferences and group tours.
• Members are promoted and included in materials distributed at various industry tradeshows.

Dine Around Dollars

• Restaurants have the opportunity to accept pre-printed dollars given to group attendees to encourage dining around the Ames area during their event.

You're already juggling a variety of responsibilities within your business or organization, so we'd like to make it a little easier with access to travel industry information and resources to help your business succeed.

Wall Calendar

• Twice each year, you'll receive an oversize 12-month wall calendar, with upcoming conferences and events, plus a variety of university and community activities.
• As a member, you'll also have the opportunity to submit events to be listed on the printed website calendar.

Weekly Email Update

• Receive "members only" information on upcoming conferences and events, plus a variety of university and community activities.
• Printable weekly welcome posters and updated monthly event calendars are included in each email.

Opportunity to be Involved in Local Travel Industry

• Participate on various Bureau and industry committees, from destination marketing to event planning.
• Receive travel and hospitality industry trend updates.
• As a member, you have access to a variety of professional development opportunities.

Ames Community Grant Program

• Members have an opportunity to apply for an Ames Community Grant to help them promote and fund a variety of projects and events in the Ames area.
• All grant Recipients must be a member of the Bureau.

Invitation to Bureau Annual Meeting

• Bureau annual event provides networking opportunities for members and an opportunity to learn more about the travel industry in a professional setting.
• Invitations to this event are limited to members. Each member will receive two complimentary tickets, which includes dinner, networking and the program.

Many of the services offered by the Bureau are designed for groups and visitors to Ames but are also available to members of the Bureau for visitors or special events they may host or be involved with.

Ames Welcome Bags

• Bureau welcome bags work great for distributing registration or promotional materials to each registered delegate or guest coming to Ames.

Bureau Ambassadors

• Loyal Ames residents provide friendly and professional assistance for event registration, at information areas and as hotel or airport greeters.
• Bureau ambassadors also can be step-on guides for tours of the Ames area.

VIP Welcome Baskets

• Welcome baskets for your key VIPs, special guests or speakers are available through the Bureau for nominal cost.
• An "official welcome" by a city or university representative can be arranged for your event.

Hotel and Meeting Space Availability

• During times of heavy demand for overnight rooms in Ames, including during a major conference or event, Iowa State graduation or even an Iowa State football weekend, the Bureau maintains an updated list of available hotel rooms.
• Even if you need one hotel room for a family member, the Bureau can help arrange the closest room available, in or near Ames.