About the CVB

Our Mission

The mission of the Convention + Visitors Bureau is to stimulate the economic vitality of Greater Portland by soliciting and servicing conventions, meetings, groups and visitors, and by promoting Greater Portland as a preferred travel destination.

Marketing Maine as a Foodie Destination

After nearly thirty years of promoting the Greater Portland Region, the Convention + Visitors Bureau conceived Harvest on the Harbor as a way to share Maine’s rich culinary bounty with the growing number of travelers looking for authentic, locally grown and produced products, combined with a strong sense of place.

Harvest on the Harbor Business Model

We’re often asked what charitable organization benefits from the proceeds of Harvest on the Harbor.  Although we provide scholarships to Maine’s best culinary students, this event is designed to market and promote Maine, our esteemed chefs, our responsibly harvested products and to attract visitors to the Greater Portland Region during our less busy shoulder season, immediately following our bustling fall foliage.

The business model for Harvest on the Harbor is one of extensive marketing and promotion on the part of the Convention + Visitors Bureau utilizing in-kind donations from a wide array of sponsors and contributors to attract visitors from around the state and around the country while providing affordably priced admission fees to the event.  To date, Harvest on the Harbor has not generated any revenues above the cost to produce the event.  In fact, it runs at a significant deficit, a deficit that our board of directors gratefully accepts as part of our overall mission to increase visitation to the region.

Business Partners Make it Work

Representing member businesses from restaurants and bakeries to seafood retailers and specialty food manufacturers, the Convention + Visitors Bureau is the natural umbrella organization to promote culinary tourism in the region.

One of our visions for Harvest on the Harbor is to foster a group of troubadours to sing the praises of Maine hospitality, scenery, and cuisine. So take in the blazing foliage. Smell the briny air. Watch the fishermen unload their daily catch. Visit our bustling region filled with boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Most of all, enjoy the fresh, locally grown and responsibly harvested bounty that is uniquely part of Maine’s culinary magic.

For more information:
To learn how your business can benefit from the marketing programs of the Convention + Visitors Bureau -

Contact
Vanessa Pike 
(207) 772-4994 x 237

For more information about the Convention + Visitors Bureau, please visit our website at www.visitportland.com