All posts by Christine Loomis

Many name Las Vegas as the top conference destination in the world. Few places are as thoroughly dedicated to meetings and events or able to offer the unbeatable combination of massive amounts of space and thousands of rooms in a relatively concentrated area within minutes of an international airport.

Associations and destinations have a mutually beneficial relationship when it comes to meetings. The right destination can increase attendance, support an association’s core values and goals and reach its core audience where they are.

Whatever type of meeting or makeup of attendees, the bottom line remains the same. A simple meeting break is an opportunity for planners to deliver increased ROI for attendees — more professional connections, more learning and sharing, more inspiration, more collaboration, more relationships that extend well beyond the meeting.

Louisiana is a meeting-friendly state with destinations for every kind of meeting. New Orleans draws attendees from across the country and the world with its bounty of lodging for any budget, chef-driven restaurants and top-tier entertainment.

California’s impressively varied landscape — from vast urban hubs to wild expanses, all informed by ocean, desert and rugged mountains — is overlaid with richly diverse culture and an abundance of attractions. It makes for a destination that can meet the needs of any meeting planner.

Arizona’s warm, sunny weather is a factor often cited for meeting in the state — especially when much of the rest of the country is cold, dark and wet. The formidable beauty of the Sonoran Desert is another, along with easy airlift for attendees wherever they reside. Add multiple desirable destinations to choose from and Arizona is a planner’s win-win.

Ohio’s strategic geographic location made it crucial to young America’s westward expansion, and later to the manufacturing and shipping of goods. Today, Ohio’s location in the heart of the nation also makes it an important center for meetings and conventions.

We asked a few meeting planners for their “secret weapon” for excelling in the face of multiple challenges, and this is what we learned….

Options and possibilities may be limited by space and budget, but meeting planners know multiple ways to harness knowledge, experience and creativity to make any room meet the needs of organizers and attendees.

On or off The Strip, Las Vegas is a city that consistently and effortlessly delivers that elusive “wow” factor along with solid ROI.