The Convention & Visitors Bureau's sales department works hard year-round to bring groups and amateur sporting events to the city.

One of the things the sales staff does is conduct familiarization tours of the city for meeting and event planners to showcase hotels, facilities and all the city has to offer for groups. The next tour is set for Nov. 10-11.

A familiarization tour also is planned for December for group tour operators in conjunction with the Travel South International Showcase set for Dec. 2-5 in St. Louis.

Other upcoming tradeshows where CVB staff will represent the city include the TEAMS Conference + Expo and Connect Missouri in November.

For more information about familiarization tours and other activities of the group sales department, contact Dana Maugans, sales director, at 417-881-5300 or dmaugans@springfieldmo.org.