TO SAY THAT Kristen Adamo’s first full year as the CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau has been a whirlwind is the understatement of the century.
Adamo, who has worked with PWCVB since 2005 and succeeded Martha Sheridan as its leader on April 25, 2019, took over an organization that had high hopes for 2020. The events that were booked by PWCVB in 2019 generated $74.9 million in direct spending for the state, which was down by 7.5% from 2018.
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However, PWCVB expected that the 246 events initially slated for 2020 would generate $78.8 million in direct spending in Rhode Island. Unfortunately, COVID-19 changed that outlook and Rhode Island’s large-events industry collapsed as a result of the pandemic.
But patience and optimism are among Adamo’s best characteristics and she sees reason to believe the Ocean State will rebound from the pandemic. She says much of the postponed business is for future years and PWCVB is booking new business through 2025.
Additionally, PWCVB, along with Johnson & Wales University and Partnership for Rhode Island, launched a new campaign called “Meet in RI” to help restart events and the economy in the state. PWCVB said local corporate community members can pledge to hold at least one meeting, convention or trade show in the Ocean State between now and 2023 as part of this campaign.
“There is pent-up demand for leisure travel and people will want to visit when it is safe,” Adamo said. “We will all get back to work and to living. The future is bright. We just have to get there.”
