Press Releases

Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau uses "green" to help bring two environmentally-based conferences to Buffalo

BUFFALO, NY, October 31, 2007 – The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has succeeded in booking two important "green" conferences for Buffalo. The American Solar Energy Society and North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) announced that they have selected Buffalo to host conferences in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau was able to solicit these conferences due to innovative energy-related efforts already being made in Buffalo, as well as the commitment to making the local hospitality industry greener. For the NAAEE conference, the CVB had to submit a proposal that highlighted how the local hospitality industry would address becoming more "green." The CVB will begin to work with hospitality partners to review current environmental practices and establish a more comprehensive green plan for the industry. The hospitality industry will look to improve in the areas of waste management, energy savings, food production and disposal, water savings, environmentally safe cleaning products, paints, and office practices.

Buffalo was selected by the American Solar Energy Society to host the National Solar Energy Conference in May 2009. The meeting will attract over 1,500 energy experts, entrepreneurs, and interested parties from across the world generating over 2,000 hotel room nights, creating a $1.2 million impact in Buffalo's economy. The National Solar Energy Conference is the premier conference on renewable energy and energy efficiency in the nation.

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) will bring their national conference to Buffalo in 2010. The conference will attract more than 1,200 attendees utilizing 3,600 hotel room nights, bringing in over $1 million in out-of-town dollars. NAAEE is the professional association for environmental education. The organization's members promote professional excellence in nonformal organizations, K-12 classrooms, universities, government agencies, and corporate settings throughout North America and in over 55 countries.

"Being green is becoming part of the criteria organizations consider when selecting a host city for their conference," said Richard Geiger, President & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The signing of these two conferences signifies that our community is sensitive to environmental and energy issues."

The two bookings came shortly after the CVB's recent announcement that the National Trust Conference will be held in Buffalo in 2011.The event will bring more than 2,000 members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation to Buffalo and will create an economic impact of approximately $2.5 million on the local economy.

Media Contacts:

Ed Healy
Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau
716-852-0511, x236
healy@buffalocvb.org

Doug Sitler
Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau
716-852-0511, x252
sitler@buffalocvb.org