BestCities.net - a Firsthand Account
 BestCities.net is the world's only global convention and visitor bureau and alliance... but what is it like to be one of the elite? We asked Paul Vallee, Executive Vice President of Tourism Vancouver, the Greater Vancouver Convention & Visitors Bureau, to give us a firsthand account.
 In 2000, Tourism Vancouver joined their counterparts in Boston, Copenhagen, Edinburgh and Melbourne to form BestCities.net, the first and only global convention and visitor bureau (CVB) alliance. The alliance set out to address the growing expectations of clients and convention and visitors bureau stakeholders through shared information on best practices and defining a collective set of service standards. The alliance has since expanded with Dubai, Cape Town, San Juan and Singapore.
 BestCities.net operates with a strongly co-operative spirit designed to leverage each partner's participation. The alliance was launched with the notion that CVB's could learn from strategies successfully practiced in other industries. Air carriers, financial institutions and automobile manufacturers are examples of industries where alliances have become an essential business strategy for the long-term.
BestCities.net mission is to be 'an international alliance of convention bureaus leading the way in developing global best practices through innovation, knowledge exchange, professional development and client servicing in the meetings industry'. The alliance has its primary objectives:
- To access and leverage resources through an exclusive, partner-based network of convention bureaus with a common purpose. These resources include financial, new markets and organization expertise.
- To facilitate the exchange of best practices, ideas and knowledge, market intelligence and the development of new convention bureau programs amongst the partners.
- To share costs for joint activities of collective benefit, particularly in the area of sales, research and marketing.
- To gain a competitive advantage by developing an alliance brand that raises the profile and increases the exposure for all partners as key players in the international congress market.
Partnership of BestCities.net is reserved for convention bureaus that have demonstrated their ability to provide superior and consistent services to the meetings industry, as well a dedication to exchange knowledge and identify best practices. On top of that, each city is a highly appealing destination as proven by such factors as strong delegate draw.
 BestCities.net is a strategic response to international meeting planners who are demanding higher levels of service and quality standards. The lack of standards that exist within the convention bureau environment can cause frustration for both buyers and suppliers. The essence of BestCities.net is a Service Charter and 35 Client Service Standards that outline the commitment made by the partners to deliver exceptional service. The service standards are organized into six main categories: destination expertise; bid assistance; convention planning; attendance building; on-site event servicing; and post-event support. A Client Advisory Board reviews the standards on an annual basis. Each year the partners conduct a self-assessment on where they stand with their service practices. The evaluation is shared with the group and areas of improvement are identified and discussed.
The goal of BestCities.net is to become a preferred source for clients sourcing potential meeting destinations, meaning that the BestCities.net brand will be broadly recognized as a standard for trustworthy convention bureaus and desirable destinations. The alliance is planning to establish joint service development programs and joint certification of their members. Each partner would align their own corporate objectives with those of the alliance and establish the necessary processes so that all partners may serve clients in the same way.
My time involved with BestCities.net has been a valuable experience for me personally. From being chair of the alliance for three years, to being involved in the operations group and helping out with the brand has been educational, interesting and fun. Certainly I have made some good friends in far-off places along the way.
A key learning for me has been to understand what it takes to make a strategic alliance successful. In this industry, we are constantly working together but the complexities of working with varying cultures, attitudes, conditions and needs is beyond other partnerships that I have been involved with. I find it fascinating that such a diverse group can come together with a common purpose and do so without politics. The DMO world is rife with politics, turf wars and the like, and yet BestCities.net does not operate in that fashion. Perhaps it is the distance from one another that keeps us close?
Paul Vallee is Executive Vice President of Tourism Vancouver, the Greater Vancouver Convention & Visitors Bureau - www.tourismvancouver.com
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