BILLINGS, MONTANA---May 24, 2001---The Billings Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Council recently completed a web site update. The new site, billingscvb.visitmt.com, contains an abundance of information to aid meeting and convention planners, group tour operators and leisure travelers in planning their visit to Billings. “We know the Internet has become a valuable planning tool for travelers, group tour organizers and meeting and convention planners, so we want to provide them with the information they’ll need to arrange their trips to Billings,” stated Rhonda Harms, Director of the Billings Convention and Visitors Council. “The new web site will be used not only as an informational medium, but also as a recruitment tool for these groups.”

The Billings CVC web site now provides meeting planners and group tour organizers with information on services offered by the Billings CVC to help increase attendance, promote gatherings and arrange local contacts. Charts with information on driving and flight times assists organizers with travel arrangements, an interactive map indicates where local attractions are found within the city and detailed grids provide dimensions of convention and banquet rooms to aid planners in selecting a property. There are also itinerary ideas for day tours, links to other meeting and group travel organizations and downloadable photos, available to planners for inclusion in promotional or pre-convention materials.

Leisure travelers will also find the site useful in planning their Billings adventure. They are now able to request information online, download a PDF version of the current Billings Vacation Guide, learn about the local and area attractions and activities and find out what events are taking place during their planned visit.

The new “Press Room” section of the site was designed to assist journalists and editors in writing about Billings. The media may now request press kits, download and use high resolution images of the Billings area, review current and previously distributed press releases and discover other public relations services offered by the Billings CVC.

Billings is Montana’s largest city and provides meeting attendees with modern accommodations while maintaining the Old West flavor. There are 3,500 hotel rooms and over 750,000 square feet of meeting space. With four major airlines servicing the city’s international airport, Billings is easily accessible from all areas of the country and world.

For more information on Billings, Montana, contact Rhonda Harms at the Billings Convention and Visitors Council at 406-245-4111 or visit the new web site at http://billingscvb.visitmt.com. Slide are available upon request.