Durham Named One Of “South’s Smartest Medical Cities For Groups”

Today Durham was announced as tops in yet another category - it was selected as one of nine cities on ConventionSouth magazine’s 2013 Editors’ Hot Picks For “South’s Smartest Medical Cities For Groups." While not exactly a mainstream interest area, the ranking is important because it shows the breadth and scope of the ways that Durham excels against national and regional competitor destinations.

"We're both pleased and excited by this recognition," said Shelly Green, the President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB), the organization responsible for marketing Durham as a place to live, work, and do business. "Accolades like this help us complete the picture for people outside our market.  Lots of people know about our food scene, great universities and sports, and so much more.  Now we have another way to show that Durham is more multi-faceted than people may have previously thought," Green added.

Corey Bizzell, DCVB's Vice President of Group Sales and Business Development, also expressed his excitement about this announcement, "Medical meetings are important to Durham.  I like that lists like this continue to help people be more familiar with Durham, and all the ways it excels as a place to meet." Bizzell has been selling Durham for more than 10 years, and has seen the destination's stock in trade rise steadily in that time. "Fewer meeting professionals are surprised when they experience Durham in person than in years past.  It's an exciting time to be bringing people here," he added.

ConventionSouth, the national multimedia resource for planning events that are held within the South, has selected Durham for their 2013 Editors’ Hot Picks for the “South’s Smartest Medical Cities for Groups.” After an in-depth review of nearly 30 cities in the South that are known for their healthcare infrastructure, the editors of ConventionSouth deem Durham to be one of the most ideal cities for hosting healthcare-focused groups and meetings.

“It is a great honor to recognize Durham as one of the South’s top cities for hosting medical, pharmaceutical and other healthcare meetings and events,” said ConventionSouth Associate Publisher Marlane Bundock.  “Durham is home to several nationally recognized medical facilities such as Duke University Hospital & Medical Center and a physician-to-population ratio almost 4.5 times the national average. Durham’s reputation in the U.S. and global healthcare industry provides a valuable resource for medical and healthcare conferences, allowing the events to have access to some of the country’s most renowned hospitals,  healthcare institutions and experts.”

A complete list of ConventionSouth’s 2013 Editors’ Hot Picks for the “South’s Smartest Medical Cities for Groups” can be found online.

Learn more about meetings in Durham, NC here.