The Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau adopted the DMAI Event Impact Calculator in 2013 to standardize their measurement of the economic impact of events in their region. They chose to use the DMAI calculator because it is the industry standard, even though they previously used a local formula. Using the DMAI calculator allows them to report credible impact numbers to partners like the convention center and clients.

1. DMAI’s Event Impact Calculator
Providence Warwick Convention
& Visitors Bureau
s one of the oldest cities
in the United States,
Providence, Rhode Island,
enjoys a long history of productive
industry that eventually made
way for a renaissance of higher
education, arts and culture,
helping the area bill itself as
America’s “Creative Capital” and
“Intellectual Capital.” With tourism
and conventions as an emerging
industry, thanks in part to its many
culinary accolades and award-
winning airport in Warwick, the
Providence Warwick Convention
and Visitors Bureau recognized
the importance of employing
sound business practices to
fulfill its mission of “promoting,
developing and expanding a united
convention, meetings and leisure
industry.”
Several years ago, PWCVB was
one of many destinations that took
the initiative and went to great
lengths to develop a method to
understand the economic impact
of the business. Working with a
local market researcher and data
analyst, the organization created
an economic impact formula for
the Providence-Warwick area.
However, upon the release of
DMAI’s new industry standard
in late 2011, PWCVB made the
decision to switch to the Event
Impact Calculator all the same.
Kristin McGrath, Vice President of
Sales and Services explains.
“Even though we had a formula
we were using, we selected to use
the DMAI calculator, because
we believe it is important to join
the official industry standard,”
McGrath said. “The fact that it is
customized with local Providence
and Rhode Island data, but uses ten
different industry recognized data
sources to provide an industry-
wide standard, was really appealing
to our organization.”
A
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2. DMAI’s Event Impact Calculator
We selected to use the DMAI calculator, because we
believe it is important to join the official industry
standard.
“ Kristin McGrath, Vice President of Sales & Services
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
At the time that PWCVB adopted
the calculator in January 2013,
the organization was joining a
group that was already more
than 100 destinations strong,
providing the organization with
the support and legitimacy they
needed to justify the change
from their existing model to the
Event Impact Calculator. Now
with more than 150 destinations
using the calculator for meetings
and conventions, as well as
sporting events from youth
amateur to professional level play,
McGrath and her team find the
calculator increasingly valuable
as a recognized standard to help
address questions regarding the
credibility of the numbers they now
report.
The PWCVB credibility is a
strong asset for the organization,
particularly in regards to
maintaining a strong business
relationship with the local
convention center and their
customers. “The results become
very important to our decision-
making process when we are
considering offering space at the
Rhode Island Convention Center
during peak periods. We want to
be sure that we are maximizing
economic impact for the greater
Providence area,” McGrath
explained. “We share the results
with our partners at the convention
center and our clients. It is
important that our clients know the
impact their convention is having
on our local economy. The figure
illustrates in dollars and cents
just how grateful we are for their
partnership and business.”
While PWCVB will occasionally
report direct business sales
numbers for a specific high-profile
group, it currently does not use the
calculator to track metrics reported
to its Board of Directors. However,
educating its Board and developing
buy in from key stakeholders have
still been an important part of
PWCVB’s adoption process for
the calculator. “We have worked to
ensure our Board of Directors has
an understanding of the calculator,”
said McGrath. “We presented
the calculator to all of our key
stakeholders, even including
members of the Rhode Island
Convention Center Authority
Board of Directors.”
As a DMO tool, the sales team has
applied the calculator as a means
to standardize how they qualify
business to the area. When an
individual sales manager obtains
a RFP, they collect the appropriate
data and are responsible for
inputting the information and
running the initial calculation. The
calculator’s results are particularly
helpful when determining whether
or not offering special incentives
or concessions to secure business
is appropriate for the DMO.
Ultimately, the results are reviewed
and double-checked by the Vice
President of Sales and Services,
and any data released to the press
must be reviewed by the President
& CEO.
As McGrath and her team continue
to incorporate the calculator into
their business process, she is most
interested in understanding how
DMO sales professionals have used
the Event Impact Calculator to
establish goals and incentives. •
Providence, Rhode Island | User Case Study
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3. DMAI’s Event Impact Calculator Providence, Rhode Island | User Case Study
Kristin McGrath joined the
Providence Warwick Convention
& Visitors Bureau in September of
2005 as a national sales manager
working with clients based in the
Washington, DC area.
Since then she has been promoted
to Director of Sales and in 2011 she
became Vice President of Sales &
Services.
She currently leads a team of nine
convention sales and services
professionals in support of the
agency’s mission: helping to
create vibrant growth for the
local economy by identifying,
securing and servicing meetings
and conventions for the Rhode
Island Convention Center and
surrounding communities.
About Kristin McGrath
Vice President of Sales & Services
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
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