An Interview with Nancy Gardella from North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau
August 4, 2022 10:31 amOne of the roles of the North Shore Alliance is to stay on top of what’s going on economically within our state and region. To do this, it is helpful for us to connect with state and local leaders to get a better sense of where we stand as a state and region, regarding community and economic development.
In a recent North Shore Conversation, a weekly radio show produced by the North Shore Alliance for Economic Development and hosted by Laura Swanson, we had the opportunity to speak with Nancy Gardella, the new Executive Director of the North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. (NBCVB)
A Little Background on Nancy Gardella
In February of this year, Nancy Gardella joined the North of Boston staff as the new Executive Director after serving as the Director of the Martha’s Vinyard Chamber of Commerce for 15 years. Prior to that experience, she worked heavily in the nonprofit sector at organizations such as the United Way and the YMCA.
In her first few months as Executive Director, she has been delighted to explore the Essex Heritage Byway and the over 100 miles of stunning coastal communities. She has found that so many of these small and large communities have beautiful town centers, architecture to explore, and an overwhelming amount of art and culture to experience. Every community she visits has so much to offer visitors and tourists.
What is North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau?
The North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. (NBCVB) is a private, nonprofit, membership-based organization responsible for the promotion of 34 communities across Essex Country and Merrimack Valley from Gloucester to Haverhill and from Salem to Amesbury.
It is one of the state’s 16 regional tourism councils tasked with developing and implementing effective marketing strategies to increase the number of overnight visitors to Massachusetts.
How Is North of Boston Funded?
In our conversation with Nancy, we were able to talk about how North of Boston is funded to complete its mission of encouraging tourism in our region.
As a membership organization part of the funding for the programs comes from membership dues. Additionally, there are advertising opportunities on the very active website and through the printed visitor’s guide.
In the past two years since the pandemic, there have also been supplemental grants available to support tourism recovery programs.
What Are Some Current Travel Trends?
Throughout her many years in the tourism industry, Nancy has noted some recent trends that show a change in how people are traveling, when they are traveling, and the excitement that remains in this industry.
One major trend that she noted includes the concept that people are traveling earlier in the season rather than waiting until the summer months. There is an anxiousness to get started exploring.
She has also noticed that the winter months are no longer as quiet as they once were for the travel and tourism industry. These months are now becoming a time when families and couples are getting a chance to deeply explore areas that often get overcrowded during peak travel times.
For a complete list of the hundreds of activities, events, concerts, art exhibits, and cultural attractions visit the North of Boston calendar to plan your next trip.
Categorised in: North of Boston Convention Visitor's Bureau