Birmingham, Ala., is a city where history is impossible to ignore, but local leaders are focused on ensuring it is also impossible to overlook the progress that continues today. In this Q&A, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Dan Williams discusses how the destination helps meeting planners create authentic, inclusive experiences that connect attendees with the city’s civil rights legacy, vibrant culture, award-winning culinary scene and growing convention infrastructure.
Birmingham’s civil rights history is deeply woven into the city’s identity and attendee experience. How do you approach inclusive convening in a way that feels authentic to the community rather than performative for visitors?
Birmingham’s civil rights legacy is embedded in our identity and never just used as a marketing tool. To ensure our approach remains authentic, we prioritize ongoing collaboration with local leaders and cultural institutions. We’re intentional about bringing community voices to the planning table and ensuring inclusion is woven directly into the fabric of the event, giving attendees an experience that feels genuinely rooted in place.
Many destinations talk about diversity and inclusion, but Birmingham’s story is lived and ongoing. How has that shaped the way the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau works with meeting planners and organizations focused on equity, representation and cultural connection?
Because our journey with diversity and inclusion is lived and ongoing, we serve as strategic partners to planners rather than just a host city. We lead with transparency to build immediate trust. By actively connecting organizations with local minority-owned businesses, diverse speakers, community leaders and leveraging our intellectual capital, we ensure their events align meaningfully with the real, forward momentum of our city.
Birmingham has hosted events such as the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals Conference and the National Association of Black Journalists Convention. What do you think those organizations saw in Birmingham that made the city a trusted fit for their gatherings?
Organizations like NCBMP and NABJ are exceptional at identifying true authenticity. They selected Birmingham because we boldly honor our history while utilizing it as a catalyst for future progress. We earned their trust by delivering the logistical excellence of world-class infrastructure and a dedicated CVB team, seamlessly paired with the cultural experiences their attendees deserve.
You’ve spoken about the importance of telling a fuller story about Birmingham — honoring its civil rights legacy while also showcasing its innovation, culture and culinary scene. How do you strike that balance when positioning the city to convention and meeting planners?
We view this as an opportunity to share Birmingham’s full story. Our innovative business sectors, arts scene, and award-winning culinary landscape are the beautiful results of the resilience woven into our history. We emphasize this holistic narrative so planners understand that attendees can be moved by our historical landmarks in the morning and equally inspired by our modern vitality in the evening.
For convention attendees, travel often creates opportunities for perspective and connection beyond the meeting room. From a CVB standpoint, why is it important for destinations to create experiences that encourage attendees to engage more deeply with the local community and its history?
Meaningful travel occurs when attendees step outside the meeting room and engage with the destination. For a CVB, facilitating these connections is essential. It provides attendees with an elevated experience, while ensuring the economic impact of tourism reaches deep into our local neighborhoods. Ultimately, this builds a bridge of mutual respect between visitors and residents, which is at the heart of true hospitality.
Birmingham today is known for globally recognized restaurants, arts and culture, and growing meeting infrastructure, alongside historic civil and human rights landmarks. How are planners responding to that intersection of modern amenities and meaningful cultural context?
The reception from planners has been exceptional. Attendees desire purpose-driven travel in destinations that matter, and Birmingham offers the ideal intersection of both. We provide premier infrastructure and logistical ease, infused with a profound sense of place. Planners recognize that our unique cultural backdrop naturally elevates their programming, creating an environment that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
As more organizations prioritize inclusive and culturally aware site selection, what lessons can other destinations learn from Birmingham about building trust with planners and creating gatherings that are truly grounded in the realities and identity of place?
Trust is fundamentally built on truth and sustained by collaboration and intentionality. Destinations must be willing to embrace their complete history with honesty, as authenticity cannot be manufactured in a boardroom. It requires genuine, daily partnerships with the local community. By listening to residents and ensuring they share in the benefits of the meetings industry, destinations can assure planners that their events are grounded in the true identity of our community.
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