Pittsburgh Turns to Tech for Future Meetings Appeal

With high costs and attendees tired of visiting the same destinations, more meeting planners are holding their events in secondary cities that offer not just reduced costs but genuine authentic attractions and event spaces. So how does a city retool to brand itself as a place that is not just friendly to growing industries like digital technology, but take advantage of its existing character and infrastructure at the same time? This is the challenge for Craig Davis, CEO of Visit Pittsburgh, who sat down during the PCMA Convening Leaders convention this week in Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center. "We really do punch above our weight," said Davis. "It's the kind of a city that people probably don't think about, but yet we keep getting these accolades that are well deserved. There are 90 distinct neighborhoods here and there's still a lot of originality with a lot of ethnic diversity to them.