N.H. Travel Council scales back

The New Hampshire Travel Council has made several changes in its organization, including a consolidation of its fall and spring conferences and the elimination of the organization’s one paid staff position, its executive director.

The changes are credited to the growing of tourism-related events held throughout the state and increased availability of information via the Internet.

“This is really about an evolution of our organization. We have been operating two conferences a year, and it had become our primary focus in addition to staying in touch with our members,” said Ben Wilcox, chairman of the Travel Council. “We recognize the industry today hosts a number of conferences throughout the year, and there are a lot more educational outlets available. We agreed that this is the perfect evolutionary period to consolidate.”

According Wilcox, the board agreed at a July 18 meeting to merge the organization’s fall conference, scheduled for November 7-8 at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth with the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism, scheduled for May 6-7 at the Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods.

While it’s too early to specify what parts of the fall conference will be merged with the May event, Wilcox did say that the board is considering a number of new ideas.

“We are looking forward to focusing on the Governor’s Conference and on making it the largest attendance event ever,” he said.

In addition to consolidating the two annual conferences, the Travel Council board last week eliminated the paid position of its president and CEO, held for the last eight years by Nancy Kilbride, effective, Friday, July 27. Kilbride’s was the only paid position at the organization.

The Travel Council will continue to share tourism-related news and information via its newly introduced e-newsletter and will operate as a volunteer organization from the DRED office in Concord. It currently has 250 members. – TRACIE STONE