Areng to Begin Leading Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional CVB
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors
Bureau (CVB), the largest public sector Destination Marketing Organization within the
State of Mississippi, is pleased to announce the selection and start date of its new
Executive Director, Renee Areng.
Areng joined Visit Baton Rouge in November 2002 as
Vice President of Sales and Marketing. She was promoted to Executive Vice President in
2006. Prior to joining Visit Baton Rouge, she served as Convention Marketing Manager
at the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission and worked in statewide and
national political arenas.
Areng was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Seein’ Red
hospitality excellence training program which launched in 2006. The program brought
statewide recognition to Baton Rouge when it was awarded the Louisiana Travel
Promotion Association’s 2007 Tourism Promotion of the Year Award.
Most recently, Areng led Visit Baton Rouge to record breaking years for Bayou Country
SuperFest and the Miss USA pageant. Both events happened in the spring of 2014
leading to increased revenue for Visit Baton Rouge and the hotel industry.
Areng vacationed on the Coast as a child and brings both a fresh perspective and the
knowledge of the local market that competes for tourists with Baton Rouge.
By Aug. 1, she is expected to be on the Coast at the helm of the year-old regional
tourism bureau.
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The Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau is an organization
charged with promoting South Mississippi as a tourism and convention destination
worldwide. Its mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure,
convention, sports and business visitors to the area. It is dedicated to maximizing the
travel and tourism industry for South Mississippi.