Marina del Rey offers harborside restaurants and venues with more than 100,000 sf of meeting space. Courtesy Photo

California combines a world-renowned destination with stunning landscapes, amazing cities, a gorgeous climate and a vibrant, creative culture. But its diverse geography, warm and welcoming nature, and a wide variety of outdoor venues, are perhaps what makes America’s Golden State a dream destination. California creates an environment that inspires planners to prioritize attractions and activities and engage attendees to come and experience memorable moments.

For Debra Rosencrance, vice president of meetings and exhibits, American Academy of Ophthalmology, the California weather is one of the biggest draws, as the state offers some of the best weather in the country. Diversity is another attraction — namely, the diversity of people, hotels, food and things to do.

“You name it, California has it,” Rosencrance says. “And most importantly, everyone is always welcomed in California.”

Rosencrance recently orchestrated the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, which has some of the most significant meeting space in the city. “We placed some of our largest affiliates and their events at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square because we were confident in their staff,” Rosencrance says.

Chelsea Gillen, director of event operations at CureDuchenne, has held two national multi-day conferences and multiple smaller events for individuals living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and their families in various cities in California, including San Diego, Anaheim, Palo Alto, Long Beach and Sacramento.

“Our biggest event of the year is our national conference for families, which is a three-day event that draws 600 to 800 people and connects families that are living with Duchenne with resources, education and information on the best care and latest treatments for themselves or their loved ones,” Gillen says. “It’s a fun event for them and also an important source of information and support.”

CureDuchenne serves families around the world and has determined that just about everyone wants to visit California. “There’s great weather and it’s easy to get to, whether you’re flying in or driving from somewhere on the west coast,” Gillen says. “Our primary large event is a family-focused conference, so having easily accessible family-friendly activities is important. With multiple theme parks and attractions and beautiful outdoor spaces, California is an appealing destination for families.”

Many individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have limited mobility and use mobility aids, such as wheelchairs or scooters, so accessibility is a primary concern for CureDuchenne. “We must ensure that meeting spaces, hotel rooms and dining venues are easily accessible for individuals in wheelchairs. We also look for cities that are easy to navigate in a wheelchair,” Gillen says. “For example, San Diego is a highly accessible city, with a wheelchair accessible trolley and even sand access mats and free beach wheelchair rentals to provide easier access to the beach.”

San Francisco

San Francisco offers such diversity in an incredibly compact footprint. Only in San Francisco will meeting planners and attendees find unique meeting spaces — from Oracle Park and the Chase Center to The Conservatory at One Sansome and the historic Fort Mason Center — located alongside iconic landmarks and nestled within vibrant neighborhoods, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Embarcadero, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, Chinatown, Union Square, North Beach and the Castro District.

Scott Young, owner of The Meeting Company, has planned several events in San Francisco, ranging from corporate incentives to pharma gatherings to partner meetings.

“San Francisco provides us with so many great choices for hotels, dining, activities and special event venues, it is impossible to ignore the positive impact this has on our clients and their attendees,” Young says.

With close access to Union Square, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Moscone Convention Center, Hilton San Francisco Union Square offers more than 150,000 sf of meeting space, the highest skybar in the city with panoramic eye-level views of the San Francisco skyline, outdoor pool and whirlpool, two dining concepts and sophisticated lobby bar.

According to the San Francisco Travel Association, in the fall of 2023, the Asian Art Museum debuted its 7,500-sf East West Bank Art Terrance, an outdoor platform that is ideal for evening events and presentations. In addition, the new Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco, located in the city’s Dogpatch neighborhood offers flexible facility rental options for up to 300 attendees. The 76,000-sf space includes three galleries and a patio area.

Located in the iconic 100 Stockton building in San Francisco’s Union Square, Convene, a hospitality company that designs, builds, and manages premium meeting, event, and flexible office spaces, recently opened a 65,000-sf space, which includes six unique meeting rooms that can be configured to accommodate various event types, from town halls to classroom-style learning to corporate social events.

San Jose

For Dirk Van Slyke, vice president and chief marketing officer at Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP), San Jose is the ideal locale to host his organization’s annual OCO Global Summit, a premier event uniting the most forward-thinking minds in open IT ecosystem development.

As Van Slyke explains, the OCP Global Summit presents a unique platform for industry leaders, researchers and pioneers from the open community to engage in dynamic dialogues, enlightening workshops and interactive engineering sessions. “San Jose is the ideal location for a variety of reasons,” Van Slyke says. “First of all, the region is home to the majority of the leading global organizations in the IT ecosystem, and especially in the field of data centers. Second, it is an international travel hub making it easy to travel to from virtually anywhere in the world, as many of our attendees come from Europe and Asia-Pacific.”

The ‘small town feel’ within a major region makes it a comfortable and easy destination, offering a wide variety of world-class dining, arts, culture and entertainment in a very accessible footprint. The year-round sunny weather doesn’t hurt either.”

The OCP Global Summit was held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center (SJCC), which enabled OCP to effortlessly grow within a singular location from hundreds of attendees to several thousand, and they still have plenty of room to grow. The facility itself offers the quality and flexibility to host keynotes, breakout sessions, entertainment, meetings and an exhibit hall full of hundreds of sponsors, with world-class food that can meet any desire or dietary restriction.

“The entire SJCC team have truly been our partners for this annual event for a decade now, working with us to make sure budgets are met while delivering an industry-setting service experience,” Van Slyke says. “We look forward to hosting our event there for years to come.”

Located an hour between San Francisco and Monterey, San Jose features stunning natural beauty, including parks and hiking trails for attendees to enjoy. The San Jose Meetings Campus, which covers 520,000 sf of meetings and event space including the SJCC and four performing arts venues (San Jose Theaters), is located downtown just 10 minutes from the airport and walkable to an abundance of local restaurants and bars.

Across the street from Plaza de César Chávez Park and within walking distance of the San Jose Convention Center, the reimagined Signia by Hilton San Jose is surrounded by museums, theaters, nightlife and culture. The hotel offers panoramic views of the Santa Cruz mountains or downtown San Jose, along with 65,000 sf of meeting and function space, an outdoor rooftop pool, live entertainment and extensive fitness facilities.

Anaheim

Anaheim has also proven to be a favorite option for corporate meetings and events. Conveniently located near four major airports, Anaheim celebrates more than 280 days of sunshine annually and is home to the largest convention center on the West Coast, spanning 53 acres and offering 1.8 million sf of function space. In addition, the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) recently underwent a $190 million expansion, adding to its already impressive venue options.

Orange County’s largest hotel, Hilton Anaheim, is located across from the ACC and offers 150,000 sf of indoor/outdoor function space for up to 3,000 attendees including twin 28,000 sf ballrooms, two outdoor 19,000 sf event decks, seven small meeting rooms, 17 Mezzanine level meeting rooms and a 1,400 sf executive boardroom.

Los Angeles & Pasadena

Opened last summer, Conrad Los Angeles marks Conrad Hotels & Resorts’ first California hotel and features 13,000 sf of indoor/outdoor meeting space, the best views of downtown Los Angeles, two original dining concepts from José Andrés, including a rooftop oasis for cocktails and team dinners with 360-degree views of innovative Los Angeles history and close proximity to downtown hotpots like Gloria Molina Grand Park, Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Broad Museum.

In addition to 5,600 sf of event space, signature rooftop deck and private group dining experiences with in-suite musical entertainment, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills just-launched Wine and Chocolate Tasting Room, an ideal spot for teams and corporate meeting attendees to gather. Small groups can reserve the new tasting room and enjoy French wines perfectly paired with sweet treats freshly prepared by the hotel’s world-class pastry team.

Terranea Resort, located 20 miles from Los Angeles International and Long Beach Airports, is considered to be Los Angeles’ only oceanfront resort. Featuring 60,000 sf of indoor meeting and event space, Terranea Resort can accommodate a variety of different corporate groups.

“Every year, Terranea continues to impress me with their execution of our program needs,” says Renee Shelton, meeting planner who prefers her company remain unnamed. “We’ve been coming annually for over 10 years and can’t imagine going anywhere else. A social gathering, it runs like a conference for the adults and kids ages 2-20. Keeping everyone entertained and palates pleased, Terranea pulls it off flawlessly.”

In addition to expansive meeting and event spaces, Terranea’s dramatic setting with its south facing, panoramic 270-degree views of the Pacific, makes this one of the rare places where one can see the sun both rise and set over the ocean from a single vantage point during the months of December and January.

Horizon views aside, meeting attendees will enjoy all the Terranea has to offer including an oceanfront golf course with stunning ocean views where groups of up to 60 players can hit the links. In addition, paddle boarding, tide pooling, guided bike tours, oceanfront hikes and even a falconry program will keep attendees engaged long after the meetings have concluded.

Although it feels as though Pasadena is part of the Los Angeles sprawl, it is actually a distinct and separate city with state-of-the-art meeting facilities, a wealth of intellectual capital in arts, technology and science, as well as global cuisine, iconic landmarks and ease of traveling via Burbank Airport.

And along Pasadena’s historic Colorado Boulevard, (a.k.a Route 66), meeting planners will find a wealth of new and renovated hotels, offering ideal options for meetings and events.

Long Beach

Within the shadow of Los Angeles, Long Beach is a wonderful option for companies looking for the urban amenities of a large city, but with a more relaxed vibe that many corporation attendees are seeking. A mere 30 minutes south of Santa Monica, Long Beach offers a vibrant lifestyle that can be experienced by attendees during their stay. This unique beach city offers associations and their attendees unique experiences surrounding art, food and culture, as well as beautiful beaches and outdoor recreation.

One of the favorite venues within Long Beach is the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, which has quickly become a big draw among association planners who are looking for a high-tech environment for their next association convention. As a leading state-of-the-art facility, the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center features exhibit halls, meeting rooms and pavilions that have been designed to allow for the greatest amount of functionality in an event space. In addition to the convention center, Long Beach offers dozens of other unique venues – from aquariums to cruises to classic ballrooms — where associations can hold their meetings and events.

Marina Del Rey

Considered by many to be Los Angeles’ “marina,” Marina Del Rey is a unique waterfront locale that boasts harborside restaurants, meeting venues with spectacular food and festivities, and a wealth of unique meeting spaces that will keep meeting attendees wanting more. In fact, Marina Del Rey offers more than 100,000 sf of unique meeting spaces — all of which are ideal for meetings, receptions, conferences or events. From the Ritz-Carlton to the Marina del Rey Marriott, there are plenty of options available that will surprise and delight attendees.

In addition, Marina Del Rey’s culinary corridor can play host to group gatherings of all sizes — from intimate soirees to more expansive company celebrations.

One of Marina Del Rey’s unique offerings can be found in the ever-popular yacht charters, which provide the memorable opportunity of hosting a coast meeting aboard a majestic vessel.

Monterey

Monterey is a scenic city where thousands of visitors come each year to mingle with otters and other sea creatures at the infamous Monterey Bay Aquarium. But for meeting planners, Monterey offers a sanctuary of sorts for attendees coming from near and far. In fact, Monterey’s biggest draw can be found in its breathtaking coastal backdrop, stunning accommodations, and rich historical and cultural gems. Groups can enjoy beach-side meetings and corporate events or take a field trip to one of the region’s many vineyards.

Of course, Monterey’s biggest draw is its expansive shoreline, unique lodging facilities and memorable golf courses. Meeting attendees can also explore the region’s plethora of art galleries and museums, before exploring the 19 state parks that dot the region. And 2024 brings plenty of new attractions, culinary experiences, and new places to host a corporate meeting or event.

So Cal

Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, currently under construction in Chula Vista, will offer the largest hotel ballroom and event space on the West Coast. The waterfront resort will feature its own convention center, as well as an additional 150,000 sf of outdoor lawns and pool space for events. Located only 10 miles south of San Diego International Airport, Gaylord Pacific Resort will offer the largest hotel ballroom space without pillars (47,000 sf) with 34’ high ceilings.

When it comes time for attendees to relax and unwind, the resort’s amenities, including four swimming pool areas (a lazy river; a family pool; an adult pool and a wave pool) will offer the ideal respite.

In La Quinta, CA, you will find the much-celebrated La Quinta Resort & Club. Here, you will find 190,000 sf of event space for up to 2,000 attendees. From intimate board meetings to full-size conferences, La Quinta Resort plays host to many different types of corporate events.

Golfers will revel in the resort’s amazing golfing options. In addition, groups can experience nearby adventures including exploring the Coachella Valley Preserve, embarking on an ATV experience, going on a windmill tour or having a BMW driving experience.

San Diego is home to the mid-century modern Town & Country Resort & Convention Center. This convention center hotel offers a unique experience for business events. Recently, the resort renovated its 671 guest rooms. In addition, the resort’s 295,000 sf offer state-of-the-art technology, and when it comes time to unwind, attendees can enjoy three pools, sand volleyball court, fire pits and a four-story water slide.

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is north of San Diego,  featuring 100,000 sf of indoor and outdoor space nestled amidst lush gardens. With an impressive award-winning spa, golf course, multiple pools and locally-sourced cuisine, attendees will enjoy the leisurely charm of this coastal gem.

Another Southern California favorite is the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. Because incentive programs are their specialty, the resort partners with 360 Destination Group to creative memorable itineraries for all types of group incentive needs — from bike tours to pool parties, from sailing regattas to jeep tours. In addition to a wealth of  meeting spaces, Ojai Valley Inn features The Farmhouse — an expansive 20,000 sf event center that is ideal for indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Sacramento

As the state capitol, Sacramento has emerged as a key meetings and event destination for corporations and companies. Not only do attendees enjoy the region’s culture, food, and drink, but the national beauty of the Sacramento area is breathtaking. Downtown Sacramento is filled with venues aplenty, as well as resorts, hotels and outdoor spaces ideal for corporate gatherings. Recently, the downtown SAFE Credit Union Convention Center underwent an impressive renovation and expansion, resulting in 240,000 sf in meetings and event space.

Greater California

Everline Resort & Spa, formerly known as the Resort at Squaw Creek, features several immersive experiences that are designed to help groups enjoy the Tahoe outdoors. Corporate groups can take part in the Pedal Paddle Adventure, which begins with a seven-mile guided bike ride on the Truckee River Bike Trail to Lake Tahoe. Once at the lake, attendees will embark on a paddleboard tour of the west shore of the Lake Tahoe, followed by the seven-mile bike ride back to the resort. Groups also have access to customized hikes and bike excursions to fit the preferences and experience level of attendees, with options ranging from adventurous day trips to stargazing hikes.

When getting down to business, the resort offers several meeting options including 33,000 sf of indoor meeting space, as well as 14,750 sf of outdoor meeting spaces, which provide expansive views of the nearby mountain meadows, as well as several scenic locations at the Links at Everline. The course showcases the dramatic mountain setting with the front nine holes climbing along the mountainside through trees and narrow fairways, and the back nine weaving through the wetlands of Olympic Valley with tall grass, marshes and wooden cart paths.

Corporate groups can arrange one-of-a-kind fishing experiences at the resort’s on-site fly-fishing center, which features two mountain valley ponds stocked with Rainbow Trout. The fishing center also provides several fly-fishing classes for all experience levels, custom fishing classes, and half- and full-day fishing trips to the nearby Truckee River.

Everline’s claim to fame is its idyllic skiing opportunities. Situated at the base of Palisades Tahoe, the resort features a “resort chair” lift that takes guests to the slopes. Some of the property’s lower-level rooms provide patio access outfitted with ski racks that open directly to the ski lift for convenience.

Ethelyn French’s song says it best, “California, California — the pride of the golden West.” The meeting/event industry is lured back to California again and again, “where sweet scented breezes blow. To the land of fruit and flowers, where the golden poppies grow.” C&IT

Successful events cater to the movtivations and needs of their audience and deliver “wow” moments they won’t forget. Photo by Matthew Kaplan / Courtesy of Jeanette Davis / M&IW

Today’s meetings and events are veering away from the decades-long trends of cocktail hours, networking breaks, buffet dinners and inspirational keynotes. Instead, they are putting intention first — reinventing the industry by building better, more meaningful events — keeping them relevant, useful and worthwhile to everyone.

Heather Herrig, CMP, president and chief event strategist at Every Last Detail, says putting intention first is critical within every phase of planning. When there is purpose driving each decision, element and invitation, you get to a level of intentionality that makes all the difference in the world.

“It’s more than ROI-based planning; we are designing each element to contribute toward an overall experience,” Herrig says. “It’s almost like taking strategy to the next level by incorporating this intentional design.”

Herrig says that it feels like emerging from the pandemic has allowed today’s corporate meeting planners to be more intentional.

“When we weren’t able to connect with each other like we were before, we saw even more how essential and precious our time together was (face-to-face or virtual), and the need to make every minute matter became even more pressing,” Herrig says. “It’s valuable to be intentional so that every aspect of your event feels like it’s in the gravitational pull of your core strategy and purpose, and everything feels like a cohesive whole. Being able to articulate this benefit is vital so that we can earn the trust of our stakeholders and decision-makers, receiving their buy-in to move forward with planning accordingly.”

Lee Gimpel is the founder of Better Meetings in Washington, DC. Gimpel says that with events, people often confuse being thoughtful — thinking about decisions and choices — with being intentional, which is to say really having an intent and then designing an event to manifest those intentions.

“Yes, being intentional requires thought, but a lot of events skip true intention-setting and then spend a lot of time and thought on details that aren’t connected to the purpose,” Gimpel says.

“When we are really intentional about designing events, it might turn out that we don’t need a networking break or a reception at all. Or it may turn out that the event should mostly be about networking instead of only having a few breaks or a single reception between mostly passive presentations. Or it may turn out that it makes sense to have those networking breaks and the reception, but what they look like, how they function, when we do them, and what happens during those segments is quite different than what we expected, or what we did in the past, or what happens at other events.”

When planning meetings, Jeanette Davis, customer success director, enterprise solutions at Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, says that more than ever, event owners and stakeholders are looking to brain-based approaches grounded in science to better understand their attendees’ motivations, engagement, needs and behaviors – and intentionally design events to meet these elements.

Through the lens of neuroscience, event planners are focused on ways to positively impact human performance, their sense of belonging and potential. Intentionally designing brain-friendly environments fosters learning, decision-making, and retention. In turn, this intentionality helps organizations align outcomes to their goals and objectives.

“A well-designed event is the most potent form of influence,” Davis says. They become extraordinary when event planners focus on infusing their culture and values, accelerating trust and connections, creating deeper meaning, engaging the social brain and inspiring innovation. At Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, they created an event design framework where event planners can apply neuroscience to build better, more meaningful events: Experience and Engagement, Health & Wellbeing, Technology & Innovation, Communications & Connections, and CSR and Giving Back. These five pillars are centered around Community and Belonging.

“Every year, we host our top clients at our signature event. The M&IW Summit is thoughtfully designed as a highly immersive, experiential day that creates moments of meaning and insights, influences strategic decision-making, and inspires creativity and innovation. The content is curated specifically for industry leaders and change makers,” Davis says. “Much thought is given to the flow and format of the agenda to maximize engagement, energy, excitement, as well restoration and retention. The experience is designed to deepen relationships and foster trust by bringing together our clients, employees and suppliers.”

Davis and the team at M&I Worldwide are finding that event attendees are placing a higher priority on where they give their time and attention. Events that have established a solid reputation for delivering “wow” experiences, customized around the motivations and needs of their audience are highly successful. She notes that attendees respond positively to more intentional meetings as they are more engaged in discussions and activities. They are more likely to retain the information shared and leave with greater satisfaction and a desire to attend future events. This is supported through quantitative and qualitative feedback.

Intentional Design Components

So, what does it mean to design a more intentional meeting? From event designs that foster conversations to a new environment that creates a wider community and speakers with diverse voices, planners are focusing on event designs that are purposeful and intentional.

“Networking breaks and cocktail hours are no longer enough. Business networking at events requires a structured approach that fosters intentional conversations,” Gimpel says. “From event designs that foster conversations to a new environment that creates a wider community and speakers with diverse voices, planners are focusing on event designs that answer the ‘why’ behind every decision.”

He goes on to explain that designing more intentional meetings means being really clear about what exactly your intention is. It means first thinking about “why” you’re doing “everything” rather than just jumping to planning the “what and how.” Wanting to bring people together or to show them a good time, or even to share learning, only gets to the surface of an event. You need to go deeper and be very specific about the real value of your event.

To Gimpel, an event needs to have an intention or a reason to exist and the different elements of the event should align and contribute with that goal. If you’re planning an event that welcomes in a new cohort of managers, for example, you would probably want to be intentional about how you connect them and make them feel included in the larger organization.

As an example of something that really hasn’t changed, but feels like it should often be part of a discussion of intentionality, is the size of the tables being used at events. As Gimpel explains, many events have an element of intentionality where they need to bring people together, connect them and have them engage with each other. And we assume that this will happen when people are sitting at a round-table session or at a meal. Then we use tables that seat 10 or 12 people and it becomes effectively impossible to have a conversation with anyone other than the person right next to you.

“There’s almost always a lot of thought about what goes on that table, but not a lot of thought about why we are using that table (as opposed to other sizes or configurations) in terms of the overarching intention of the event,” Gimpel says.

Societal Influences & Intentionality

Societally, today we seem to have more awareness of thinking more about our choices and how they affect others; that we should be intentional in the cars we drive or the food we buy or the companies we support. As Gimpel explains, the modern environmental movement seems rooted in this, as does a move over the past decade or so towards inclusivity, DEI and similar conscious decision making.

“At the same time, it feels like we are living in a very curated world where a regular lunch or a regular hotel or a regular speaker won’t cut it. We see an Instagram world where so much polish goes into all of those elements — or we are led to believe that,” Gimpel says. “Yes, it’s good for an event to make conscious choices about the environment and diversity, for example. And it’s also true that people increasingly expect more polish or at least a different kind of thinking today. Is it beneficial that speakers and panels are more diverse today than they were in the past? Do attendees appreciate an event that isn’t just run of the mill but is worthy of being shared on social media? Yes, they do.”

The reality is, says Gimpel, even with a different set of speakers or a really unique location or Instagram-worthy food, a lot of events are really just changing the paint job and not the destination to which the car is driving, which is at the heart of intentionality.

For example, many events exist to connect attendees, make them feel like they are part of a group and share knowledge among them.

“If we are intentionally choosing speakers from more diverse backgrounds to speak at the event, that’s good. But the reality is a bunch of people doing PowerPoint presentations — regardless of who they are — probably doesn’t align with the actual intention of the event. Such events end up being stagnant and largely passive and are often at odds with the very reason for bringing people together. In that case, it might be a nicer paint job on the car, but the car is still driving in the wrong direction,” Gimpel says.

Gimpel ran an event recently that brought together several large manufacturers who were working together on addressing climate issues. The event was in Washington, D.C. A big part of the intention was to make this group feel a sense of trust and urgency despite being competitors.

“We wanted them to really come together and understand that they needed to find true alignment on some really difficult topics with billion-dollar ramifications. We were in a beautiful hotel space that was accustomed to a very standard room setup for presentations. And what we realized was that the way the room was set was only going to keep the individuals and their companies divided and not foster a sense of cohesion,” Gimpel says.

“A big piece of the intentionality came down to how good design is often invisible. By the end of the event, there was a real shift in how attendees related to each other, but it was as unsexy as changing the size and shape of the tables and where people were sitting, as opposed to the more Instagrammable moments from the event.”

Gimpel advises planners to know why you are doing an event, as a lot of people and organizations putting on events aren’t entirely clear why they are doing it themselves. For example, Gimpel frequently finds that if a client has a planning committee of four people and you ask them why they are doing the event and what would define true success, each of their bottom-line answers are dramatically different and misaligned.

“Events can do different things and have more than one intention, but I like there to be one guiding intention that we can metaphorically put on a banner that hangs above our heads when we do our planning and then keep referring to it as we make decisions about everything else,” Gimpel says.

To this end, Gimpel almost always starts an engagement by going through his “Five Whys” exercise, or something similar, with a client. Although it comes from the process improvement world, he finds that it is a really simple but powerful exercise to understand what the intention of an event is.

“A lot of clients have really only thought about the surface ‘first why’ and it only scratches the surface of what the event should be. We will also often do a personas exercise where we will very clearly spell out who’s going to be at this event, why they are going to be there, and what would make the event worthwhile and an absolute home run for them,” Gimpel says.

Events tend to be dominated by logistics and people think of events in a template mentality. For example, we know what a corporate strategy retreat always looks like and we know what a sales kickoff meeting looks like, and so we largely recycle those templates, but add some thoughtful flourishes. “Planners are still skipping a crucial phase of understanding and are jumping right into logistics. We know a birthday party has historically had a cake so an early set of decisions resolved around how big a cake, what flavor, what color, etc.,” Gimpel says. “Maybe the best way to celebrate a birthday has little to do with cake. Planners may ask this intention-based question more often.”

Herrig has been extremely fortunate to have worked on meetings where establishing intentionality is essentially her primary role. She and her team design an agenda in which every session/function is meticulously considered, so it’s in the right environment (including elements that touch all the senses), with the right people, hearing the right message and for the right amount of time.

As Herrig explains, it’s a “Goldilocks” approach, and they want it all to be just right. To accomplish this intentionality, they carefully map out the attendees’ journey through the agenda, so there is time to reflect, process, pause, discuss and interact. And it’s just as important to give them the right content as it is to provide time to digest, so ideas and action are not lost in the moment.

“Every other aspect of the entire program receives the same precise and methodical consideration – arrival/check-in, giveaways, menu selections, furniture, décor, production elements, etc. Truly each element is considered for its alignment with the whole,” Herrig says.

And today’s attendees are taking notice of this intentionality. Herrig says it’s incredible how positively they respond to this level of thought and detail that she and her team put into the experience. She feels they receive much more from a meeting/event overall that is designed with careful intention.

Continued Intentionality

“With all my heart, I do hope this continues to be a focus for the event professional community. My advice to other meeting planners would be to not fear going into this depth of detail, but to embrace it,” Herrig says. “Allow yourself to be immersed in the ‘why’ of the event or meeting, so you can focus your attention on ensuring all the elements coalesce.”

This means creating a theme to articulate or illustrate this “why.” Then, consider the event pieces on their own merit, but don’t neglect to consider them as a whole.

Herrig recommends meeting planners place themselves into the perspective of various stakeholders and ask if your intention is understandable and makes a difference.

“Putting that extra time and care into your design, strategy and planning will absolutely be worth it,” she says.

Davis advises planners to also understand attendees’ preferences, learning styles as well as demographics and culture to create a more inclusive experience. “Prioritize positive emotional connections through senses, their physical setting and engaging interactive sessions,” Davis concludes. “As for the future, this focus is here to stay and is likely to continue evolving.” C&IT

Millenials desire more variety in trip destinations. Pictured: Sales incentive winners and Brightspot program managers enjoying a group yachting experience. Courtesy of Brightspot Incentives & Events

Throughout all industries, millennials are having a significant impact on product development, marketing strategies and the overall structure of consumer-centric products. Within the meeting and events industry, millennials are also having an impact on how today’s events are designed, thanks in part of their interest in tech-focused experiences and interactions.

As Paulina Giusti, senior manager of meetings & events at Cvent, explains, as the first generation to grow up alongside the transformational evolution of the internet, millennials are very comfortable around technology. So, it’s probably no surprise that they expect to see at least the fundamentals — such as social media ops or mobile-friendly tech — be incorporated into their meetings and events.

“Millennials are also used to having information immediately at their disposal, so while it may seem like they have trouble putting down their phones, event planners who want to engage this generation will have a better chance of succeeding if they view these habits as opportunities, rather than challenges,” Giusti says.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways event planners can incorporate technology into their events that won’t just appease millennials but will make the event more streamlined and engaging for everyone. Some tips from Giusti include:

Capitalize on mobile screen time: According to recent reports, average daily smartphone use has increased to more than four hours, so having a customized mobile event app — or at the very least an interactive mobile-friendly website — is a no-brainer. “An app is a great way to not only share real-time updates with all your attendees, but it also allows for greater event personalization — which millennials expect,” Giusti says. You can use custom push notifications, session recommendations, in-app messaging to drive meaningful engagement and help attendees get more out of your event. Younger attendees will also appreciate being able to build their agendas and sign up for events instantaneously. In the same vein, ensure your internet connection onsite is reliable. There’s nothing more frustrating to tech-savvy attendees than spotty Wi-Fi during an event.

Don’t shy away from social media: Although apps like TikTok are all the rage with Gen Z and much younger generations, as Giusti points out, millennials were the first generation that really embraced the early days of social media (Myspace, anyone?). Since then, millennials have branched out to other platforms, like Instagram, Snapchat and X (formerly Twitter), and they still want to share with their connections that they were part of a fun, unique event. Plus, millennials are more likely than older generations to turn to social media for business recommendations, professional inspiration and industry news.

Creating a hashtag for the event is one way to help them get the word out, while unique onsite activations or livestreaming big keynote moments encourage further reach and social engagement.

Make the event experience easy: From the moment they register for an event to the post-event survey submission, millennials expect an easy, streamlined experience. “Pre-event, create a seamless online registration process (make sure it’s mobile-responsive and ask relevant questions to customize their event experience),” Giusti says. “During the event, if they attend in-person, provide self-serve check-in kiosks and sustainable badging options.”

If they’re attending virtually, provide a more interactive experience with live session Q&A, chat and attendee-to-attendee online networking options. Post-event, use AI-powered technology to deliver a personalized recap message straight to their inbox — with notes and key highlights from the sessions they attended, along with on-demand content they can consume later to continue their learning at their leisure.

Chandra Major, CMP, DES, events manager at Purchasing Power, points out that millennials prioritize engaged, interactive and authentic event experiences, valuing learning, networking and meaningful connections over traditional, passive conference setups. This includes interactive sessions, engaging speakers and immersive experiences, aligning with their love for both fun and travel, fostering curiosity and growth.

“Millennials perceive events as crucial for professional development, seeking genuine connections over forced interactions,” Major says. “They look for networking avenues such as roundtable discussions, mentorship programs, or themed networking sessions focusing on shared interests or industries, particularly valuable when seeking job opportunities.”

Seamless tech integration is a priority, especially at tech-focused conferences. Millennials expect event apps, interactive displays, charging stations and social media integration for enhanced engagement. “Digital business cards and QR codes for instant information sharing are increasingly favored, alongside hybrid or virtual components enabling remote participation,” Major says.

According to Kristin Spencer, senior manager of experiential marketing at Ecolab, one key point to remember is that millennials spent COVID balancing work-from-home with parenting-from-home, which has blurred the lines between the two, for better or for worse.

“Meeting attendees have become much more discerning with their time, choosing only the events that will drive the most benefit to their careers. They want meetings that will fit into their busy agendas,” Spencer says. “Even when attending events as a part of their role, they want a more personalized experience that fulfils both their professional obligations and their personal development.”

Millenials enjoy smart snacks and fun swag, but they expect sustainability, diversity and wellness at an event. Photo by Christian Purdie / Courtesy of Paulina Giusti

The Value of the Experience

Millennials value experiences over material goods, so what does this mean for today’s meetings and events?

Millennials are the largest segment in the workplace (they make up 46% of the full-time U.S. workforce), which means that they get a lot of executive attention. According to Michelle Crosby, CMP, CITP, account executive, Brightspot Incentives & Events explains, “ombre” travel is a new term for “bleisure,” which embodies the mixing of business travel with a few days of leisure vacation. This is popular with millennials who are looking to explore and experience a destination outside of the four walls of the hotel meeting room.

“This means mixing in new places for the next annual meeting or sales kick-off to take place,” Crosby says. “Millennials desire more variety in trip destinations. A recent SITE research study said that 67% would be more motivated to attend a new destination than if the meeting or event is booked in the same destination year over year.”

Variety then leads into wellness and overall well-being for millennial meeting and event attendees with an emphasis on mental health. They appreciate a choice in how and when they recharge their batteries.

Crosby points to a recent company that decided to incorporate a come-and-go wellness lounge throughout the days of their meeting. This room included a variety of 15-minute treatments like lymphatic massage, facial treatments and meditation practices. Participants could indulge at their leisure to relieve stressors of the day.

“Combined with smart snacks and a variety of toiletry style sundries provided the attendees with exactly what they needed when they needed it with minimal waste,” Crosby says.

Millennials, shaped by our rapidly changing landscape, do tend to prioritize meaningful, unique experiences, and event planners can lean into this by sourcing destinations and hotels or venues that offer stand-out amenities, or environments that encourage exploration, adventure and “shareable” moments.

“Planners can partner with their hotel or CVB partners to help highlight these experiences through their pre-event marketing promotions or creative in-room amenities,” Giusti says. “The right pre-event promotions can also benefit your host hotel/city as many millennials are now old enough to be well established in their careers and are more likely to tap into the ‘ombre’ travel trend by tacking vacation days onto work trips. During the event, planners can incorporate unique experiences into their agenda such as dog petting lounges, food truck tours/street food strolls, pop-up wellness spaces or unique “mini” performances from local artists — or offer an interactive songwriting workshop that attendees get to record and take home as a keepsake.

“Some events integrate gamification, live polls and live DJs in session rooms, offering VIP ticket tiers with exclusive perks and dedicated networking apps,” Major says. “These apps facilitate pre, during and post-event connections, fostering community and excitement, especially beneficial for first-time and solo attendees. Unconventional venues and experiences like VR/AR or pop-up events enhance memorability.”

Major adds that millennials value event experiences that create lasting memories, often compensating for fewer travels during their upbringing. Diverse workshops, wellness activities like mindfulness and yoga, culinary experiences, fun unique company sponsored events and community engagement initiatives resonate well.

Meeting attendees also are craving experiences beyond the traditional networking format, instead interested in more cultivated experiences that pairs them with like-minded attendees. Spencer says that, whether through event technology or agenda layout, meeting planners should consider ways to connect attendees with their peers for thought-leadership sharing, career development and long-term relationship building.

“Many apps and other event tech now offer matching-making functionality, a great way to support networking before the event even starts. At events, things like curated ‘birds-of-a-feather’ conversations help drive meaningful connections in ways the traditional event experiences aren’t able to accomplish,” Spencer says.

Gone are the days of week-long events. Millennials are looking for concentrated, meaningful experiences that will support them professionally, both in their current roles and their careers long-term.

“Attention spans are shorter and so content needs to follow suit. This can be accomplished through shortened breakout sessions, interactive content and more movement throughout the event days,” Spencer says. “I encourage our business stakeholders to consider non-traditional delivery mechanisms when creating content plans. An information exhibit, interactive workshops, and micro-sessions are a great way to deliver information quickly, aligned to the desires of meeting attendees.”

A shift in preference from goods to experiences can provide planners the opportunity to drive more meaningful connections with their attendees. Interactive gifting hits the trifecta of millennial values: experiential, sustainable and personalized; gifts that offer an interactive experience, driving longer-term brand awareness as those items become a part of the attendee’s “home life.”

New Events Landscape

Another aspect of today’s meetings and events landscape that millennials have shaped is an emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility. As Giusti explains, millennials’ formative years were marked by increased awareness of global issues that has stayed with them. So, event planners should keep environmental and social impact top of mind when thinking about how to attract millennials to their events.

“Research by Deloitte has found that millennials (and Gen Z) stand out particularly for their climate change activism, to the point where they research a brand’s environmental impact before accepting a job,” Giusti says. “The meetings and events industry is already one step ahead in that regard, with over a third of event planners reporting that sustainability, diversity and wellness will predominantly shape their planning priorities this year, according to the latest Cvent Planner Sourcing Report.”

The good news is that there are plenty of steps that are already widely implemented:

• Providing attendees with virtual attendance options to reduce carbon emissions from business travel
• Leveraging mobile event apps and websites to remove the need for any printed materials onsite
• Asking attendees what their meal preferences and restrictions are ahead of time to minimize food waste
• Sourcing food, attendee gifts and performances locally to reduce carbon emissions from transportation
• Providing attendees with their branded water bottle
• Working with the venue to incentivize smart water consumption and heat usage

“Millennials advocate for more diversity, inclusion and relevant discussions at events, stressing representation in speakers, panels and discussions focused on mental health and social responsibility,” Major says.

Further Appealing Efforts

Almost all meeting and event attendees today are tech-savvy and expect the seamless integration of technology throughout the event experience, and many attendees expect there to be sustainability goals or guidelines put in place by the organization hosting a meeting or event.

“When it comes to learning, millennials like to learn in ways that involve interactive and engaging activities. Mobile meeting apps that provide gamification and accessing speaker or meeting materials long after the event are at the top of the list,” Crosby says. “Gone are the days of the slide after slide presentations and single-sided conversations. More ‘un-conference’ experiences, workshops, TED talk style education and experiential events are gaining traction.”

Millennials also appreciate effective engagement efforts throughout the event. As Major explains, effective engagement involves personalized experiences, flexible scheduling, pre-event community building, reduced paper usage and emphasis on digital sustainability.

“In that same vein, millennials have been known to respond well to opportunities for direct engagement and participating at an event, but this isn’t exclusive to this generation. All attendees would respond well to opportunities for more meaningful interactions and perhaps some friendly competition,” Giusti says. “In all, it’s good to remember that as event planners strive to meet the evolving needs of millennials, they inadvertently elevate the overall event experience for diverse audiences, creating environments that foster engagement, connection and a shared sense of purpose.”

Spencer stresses that as meeting planners, she and others should consider the whole person attending the event as they make decisions about the experience. “I like to take a step back to consider how I would interact with a decision being made. Would I still be able to catch a flight if the event ends mid-afternoon? If I bring a carry-on, do I want a large welcome gift I won’t be able to fit into my suitcase? Do I want an app that is released weeks in advance, or one that includes more relevant and up-to-date information?

Spencer adds, “Our attendees’ needs should be at the center of decision making. And be sure to listen. Millennials are more than happy to share their opinions on what they want and need. Provide easy, relevant opportunities to share feedback and use the information given in future decision making.” C&IT

QuikTrip went to Atlantis Paradise Island for its incentive program for the first time last year and liked it so much they booked it again for next year. Bahamas Visual Services

The Caribbean showcases great destinations even at first glance, and surprising delights sit below the surface. Groups seeking sunshine, beaches and spas are sure to eye the Caribbean but the region’s diverse destinations serve up a vast array of experiences. Luxury resorts, fine dining and high-end shopping are available while dashes of history and meals aboard ships are on offer too.

U.S. Virgin Islands

Made up of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, this cluster of destinations provides an assortment of attractions, including white sand beaches, snorkeling in clear waters that enable the visibility of many tropical fish, tons of high-end, duty-free shopping in St. Thomas and even a Pirate’s Treasure museum in St. John.

The Frenchman’s Reef complex in Saint Thomas underwent a $425 million renovation, after a double wallop from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and triumphantly re-opened last year. Revamped properties at the site included Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef and Morningstar Buoy Haus Beach Resort at Frenchman’s Reef, Autograph Collection — formerly the Morningstar Beach Resort.

A total of 486 guest rooms were added to the complex, as were two pickleball courts and hurricane proofing. At the Westin, the spa was expanded while, across both hotels, guest rooms, lobbies, bars and restaurants and public spaces were redone.

Morningstar has 94 guest rooms, including two suites; almost 13,000 sf of meeting space; four restaurants and an infinity-edge oceanfront pool. The Westin now provides 392 rooms, including 28 suites; 72,000 sf of meeting space; a private beach, five restaurants/lounges and three ocean-view pools.

Also coming off of a recent $100 million renovation is The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas. A breathtaking 30 acre, oceanfront luxury hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas is a Caribbean marvel styled after traditional island architecture, but richly updated with all of the contemporary comforts for which the resorts of The Ritz-Carlton are known. New public and event spaces have been added to the property, which has 180 guest rooms and suites, and over 10,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

An incentive group of 30 couples, made up of top sales people and executives plus their guests, wanted to stay in the United States and the Virgin Islands were easier to get to. The hotel went over well, says planner Helene Falgia, founder and president of Fancy Meeting You Here.

“It was not a bad ride from the airport, to get downtown or to the ferry to St. John,” she says. “Plus, it’s on the beach, you can’t go wrong. We went snorkeling, did a catamaran sunset cruise one day and had lunch on the beach. It was beautiful.”

The group patronized restaurants in St. John, Falgia says, including Morgan’s Mango “where the food was delicious,” and in St. Thomas, Oceana Restaurant & Bistro, which had an “amazing view of a mountain top” and others. “Everywhere we went, the people were extremely nice. In St. Thomas and St. John, there was a great atmosphere everywhere and I never had a bad meal.”

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism distributed her RFP to numerous properties and introduced other suppliers. The Ritz-Carlton arranged a fire show on the beach for the group on the final night, with music. “The performers got the attendees up and dancing. It was fun and a nice way to end the trip,” says Falgia.

Aruba

Home to Eagle Beach — which last year won first place in TripAdvisor’s Best of Best beaches in the world, and second best in the Caribbean — the island of Aruba is home to unique geological formations made of coral limestone, which can be found perched 25 feet above the sea in Arikok National Park. The destination is debuting two luxury hotels.

Iberostar Grand Aruba, an adults-only property, will open this year. Perched on Eagle Beach, the hotel will have 240 guest suites and a more than 10,000-sf convention center divisible into five rooms. The venue will have its own entrance and lobby, and it can seat 360 people for a banquet.

The resort will offer three restaurants: a buffet for breakfast, one spotlighting Caribbean cuisine and another for grilled local fish and meat. It also will have five bars and sustainability will be a focus in the hotel’s design.

Iberostar Grand Aruba is just six minutes from Palm Beach, a two-mile stretch of hotels and water sports. Joining that stretch in 2025 will be the St. Regis Aruba Palm Beach Resort. Strategically located in the Caribbean — one of the most coveted leisure destinations in the world, including locales most desired by the next generation of buisness travelers, this resort will offer a leisure experience inspired by the glamorous private retreats of St. Regis’ founding family, the Astors.

Bermuda

Known for its pink sand beaches, an atmosphere of luxury and, of course, its near-to-the-knee shorts, the island of Bermuda also includes mystique and history as it boasts shipwrecks and the intrigue of the Bermuda Triangle. The island will soon get a new major branded resort. Bermudiana Beach Resort, Tapestry Collection by Hilton is expected in late 2024. Overlooking Marley Beach, this clifftop resort is five minutes from the famous Horseshoe Bay Beach. The capital city of Hamilton is just 15 minutes away, and Southlands Park is right outside their doors. Close to the island’s pristine pink sand beaches, the 110-room resort will have 387 sf of event space but will boast an ocean view pool bar and grill, as well as a cliff top bar and restaurant overlooking turquoise reefs.

Next, after a decades-long closure, Ariel Sands will reopen in 2025 following a $155 million renovation. The revamped property of Kempinski Hotels will feature a 33-room hotel and 21 villas. Once co-owned by actor Michael Douglas, Ariel Sands arrived in the early 1950s but closed in 2008 and was demolished in 2015.

Meeting and incentive attendees looking to explore the island have new options. Tour company Blue Sky Bermuda, which was closed for several years, is back. Portions of guests’ itineraries can be customized and visitors can try operating a small plane.

Bermuda’s stately appearance and hospitality impressed a high-end group enough for its event organizer to re-book the island this year after a 2023 event there.

Last month, the Ultimate Whisky [sic] Experience was held at The Loren at Pink Beach, a luxury resort. Between 100 and 150 spirits collectors, connoisseurs, master blenders and others were there. Most came just for the main tasting, The Nth Bermuda Experience, where rare and premium whiskies and spirits were served alongside select culinary offerings, says Erika Welling, owner and chief experience officer at Blendz Events.

“We were impressed with the quality, taste and detail in each superb culinary creation of Executive Chef Lourence Godinho. He turns the ordinary into delectable, un-ordinary dishes, making everything unique and delightful,” she says.

The meeting owner is “great at ‘experiences’ so the Nth is all about pairing the whisky with food, just like wine,” says Welling. The group dined on “heavy hors d’oeuvres” and at carving stations offering everything from a baked camembert tart, lobster salad, stations with gourmet sausages and skewers to live fish carving and poke stations and a panoply of desserts.

A contingent of 20 to 25 attendees arrived early, or stayed after the Nth, for several other activities, including a sit-down dinner at The Loren’s Marée Lounge and a welcome reception at the hotel’s Oceanfront Disk and Pink Beach Club. The closing night event was aboard The Spirit of Bermuda, a modern-built sloop that’s a replica of a famous Royal Navy sloop-of-war.

Bermuda has both the vibe and the customer service needed to pull off the event, Welling says. “It’s pristine, with the pink beaches, and I’ve never seen trash or graffiti there. Plus, the people we worked with at the CVB are by far better than anything I’ve experienced.”

Testing Bermuda’s waters last year, Welling brought a small group to the island and took part in equally unique activities, including dinner at the Governor’s home, a pairing of whiskies and perfumes that focused on their common scents and more.

“There’s the fun mystery around the Bermuda triangle and a lot of shipwrecks. People were so accommodating. If I had wanted to put a vent in the Crystal Caves they’d have made it happen.”

At Atlantis Paradise Island, planners can have the Junkanoo perform for attendees. Courtesy Photo

Atlantis

While its legendary pink exterior is one of the Caribbean’s most iconic images, like the region itself, Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas offers much more than what appears on the surface.

The 3,805-room resort features 300,000 sf of outdoor event space and another 200,000 sf for indoor functions. Atlantic Paradise Island offers a sprawling 141-acre waterscape comprised of river rides, 11 pools and five miles of white sand beaches. It’s also home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, where over 50,000 marine animals from more than 250 species reside, and the property offers many marine experiences.

Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas recently underwent both renovations and expansions.

All 1,200 guest rooms in two of the Royal Towers were renovated last year to be more relaxing while the casino was updated with a grander look and expansion of two on-site lounges, a high-limit slots lounge and the gaming salon.

Additionally, two celebrity-chef helmed restaurants came onboard last year, giving attendees some delicious fine dining places to choose from onsite during those nights when dinner is on their own.

Michelin-starred and James Beard Award nominated chef Michael White opened Paranza, a fine-dining venue for regional Italian cuisine. The eatery’s launch makes Atlantis the only area resort with three Michelin-starred chef restaurants. The other two are Nobu and Fish by Jose Andres.

Last month, Atlantis Paradise Island opened FIELDTRIP Restaurant from another James Beard Award nominated chef and television celebrity JJ Johnson, who joins the resort’s rapidly growing portfolio of internationally recognized chefs. He is recognized for his innovative approach to African Caribbean cuisine.

QuikTrip, a convenience store chain, went to Atlantis Paradise Island for its incentive program for the first time last year and liked the resort so much that the organization booked it again for 2025. Comprised of 450 qualifiers and their plus ones, the group had been meeting in Hawaii for a decade when a new decision-maker came in and noticed that many attendees had been on the trip before, so a new location was needed.

For planner Kelly Whitney, account executive of Maritz, Atlantis Paradise Island came to mind in particular because most of the attendees were young, with the average age being 23 years old.

“I thought Atlantis would be appealing for all of the things it offers: the restaurants, the water parks, the beach, the nightlife, plus really everything is contained,” she says. “Not to say that you can’t leave Atlantis but there is a significant amount of things to do right at the property.”

Travel for the large group went smoothly because management had all attendees go through gateway cities to avoid hiccups — or have options when problems arose — and there were ample flights into Nassau International Airport, which sits 30 minutes away from the resort.

The group had a welcome reception on Atlantis’ royal deck which, Whitney notes, “looks out to the ocean but also looks back up to the bridge suite, which is what is known best. It gave the group iconic views.”

Participants enjoyed Atlantis’ many pools and water slides and even had a full pool day where managers made themselves available by sharing their locations in the SpotME meeting app on attendees’ phones. Then attendees could go to whichever property restaurant they chose with a room credit.

But a particular highlight of the event for the group was a dramatic and surprise ending to the award ceremony. A Junkanoo crew — a Bahamian parade tradition that occurs on Boxing Day — entered the room and led attendees out, past restaurants and stores, which the group enjoyed, and down to an event center, called “the Cave,” where a disco had been set-up.

That moment was managed by Atlantis’ in-house AV team, Whitney says, “which speaks highly to their technical and production capabilities.” She also praised the property for allowing the group to use the sprawling Imperial Ballroom, a 50,000-sf space, for the ceremony. “They gave us a large space, it was very generous. We were able to set the room how we wanted to.”

For Whitney, a particularly notable moment in the planning experience happened when there was a staffing change at the hotel. “The conference services manager left and the salesperson did a good job of making sure the transition [to a new one] was handled smoothly and that the details that we had been working on for the nine months leading up to the meeting weren’t lost in the handover.”

Whitney continues, “He led some transitional meetings and he was always on the phone internally to make sure information was being trickled down. If he hadn’t stepped in we could have had a very different outcome.”

The outcome was a success, and when it came time to consider locations for 2025, Whitney brought QuikTrip’s management several new destinations but they said, “You know what? We’ve realized that Atlantis did such a great job, and our attendees loved it so much, we just want to do it again.”

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is a perfect destination for incentive and corporate groups, and trade shows. Courtesy Photo

Baha Mar

Baha Mar offers three iconic oceanfront hotels: Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood. This $5.2-billion complex, which won Corporate & Incentive Travel’s 2021 Award of Excellence, also operates the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center, which features 82,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

The Grand Hyatt offers a 200,000 sf convention facility plus 1800 guest rooms. The SLS Baha Mar offers 299 rooms plus 107 suites and 12,000 sf of meeting space, while Rosewood Baha Mar provides 230 rooms, suites and villas with 14,200 sf of meeting space. The complex also features a casino, water park, two spas and more.

Last year, Baha Mar added the Aldabra tortoise encounter where, for 20 minutes, guests can touch, feed and snap numerous photos with small, baby tortoises who can grow to 700 pounds!

Restaurant wise, the complex has added operating hours and more offerings at both Café Madeleine, the indoor-outdoor French café and bakery and the Regatta Buffet, also known as the international buffet with a Bahamian twist.

Located in the lively Nassau section of The Bahamas, which is home to over 45 restaurants, lounges and bars, Baha Mar offers guests the “Caribbean’s largest and most luxurious casino,” a wildlife sanctuary, a water park and unlimited access to Baha Bay.

The Bahamas and Caribbean islands offer great scope for those planning group events and those who wish to attend them. From the natural attributes of crystal blue waters, warm climate, pristine beaches and endless sunshine to the tropical vibe found across the islands, the lure is inescapable. C&IT

The Colorado Convention Center, located in Downtown Denver, recently completed a 200,000 sf rooftop expansion. Courtesy Photo

Set against a ravishing variety of backdrops, from snow-topped peaks to rolling plains, and with environments ranging from the big city diversions of Denver to a wealth of mountain towns offering year-round activities, Colorado is one of America’s top destinations, inviting meeting planners to think outside the box. Incentive programs can be organized in beautiful dude ranch settings, at plush spa retreats, or within the state’s abundant ski towns, inviting attendees to unplug and bond, or to simply celebrate a job well done, pre- or post-conference.

With one of America’s best-connected airports, Denver is one of the country’s fastest-growing and most desirable cities, thanks in part to its 300-plus days of sunshine annually. Situated at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the “Mile High City” is reached under four hours from every major U.S. airport, it’s located just 340 miles west of the exact center of the continental U.S. As the nation’s third busiest hub, Denver International Airport has nonstop flights from almost 200 U.S. cities, plus service from 25 international destinations in 13 countries.  Downtown Denver alone boasts more than 13,000 hotel rooms within a short walk of the Colorado Convention Center, making it a natural for larger events, such as the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, expected to draw 11,000 attendees this April.

The Colorado Convention Center put its finishing touches on a 200,000-sf rooftop expansion last December and it is now open for business. The center includes the 80,000-sf, column-free Bluebird Ballroom — the largest in Colorado — divisible into 19 different configurations. The expansion features 35,000 sf of new pre-function and networking space that wraps around the ballroom, cutting-edge technology improvements, and a 20,000-sf rooftop outdoor terrace with sweeping panoramic views of both the city and the Rockies, all seamlessly integrated with the existing building.

“Denver was a great destination for us, because it’s easy to get to from both the east and west coast and the city itself is very walkable,” said Jessica Rife, events director, CMP for E Source, a sustainable utilities research consultant. “Attendees can easily get around and explore everything the city has to offer. There are restaurants, museums and entertainment all over the city or they can venture up into the mountains for more recreational activities or just to sightsee. Denver is also reasonably priced in comparison to other destinations, for both attendee travel and event costs.”

For its annual, 600-attendee event last September, E Source chose the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, the city’s largest hotel and recipient of an $80 million renovation completed in 2022. The hotel is one of the first to introduce Sheraton’s new branding, which emphasizes community and productivity and makes the lobby a kind of co-working space, offering both shared tables and glass-enclosed studios that can be reserved for smaller meetings. In addition to 1,238 redesigned guest rooms, the hotel features over 133,000 sf of innovative meeting space and fresh new culinary experiences.

“The Sheraton offered us ample event space all on one level, and it’s large enough to host our group all at one property for both guest and meeting rooms,” explained Rife. “Their central downtown location allows easy access from the airport, as well as lots of options for offsite activities and dinners.” Rife noted that she had strict budget requirements to work within and credits her event manager for spending time talking through creative ways to keep the event within budget. “He really went above and beyond to make it work without sacrificing the attendee experience.”

“We hosted several offsite dinners and our annual closing night party at Ace, Eat, Serve, a ping pong hall within walking distance from the Sheraton,” added Rife, who calls it a highlight of the program. “It has 12 ping pong tables, both indoors and out, and really great food and drinks. We also offered optional afternoon tours to give attendees a chance to get out of the hotel and explore the city.  We did a brewery tour, a wine tasting, a tour of the National Western Complex, a Best of Denver walking tour and a run. Attendees like being able to network with their peers in a more social setting and the shared experiences giving them a greater sense of camaraderie.”

But although E Source spent time off-property, Rife noted the Sheraton’s culinary team constantly raises the bar with their food and beverage offerings. “Especially when it comes to catering to dietary restrictions,” said Rife. “I often find myself measuring other properties against what the Sheraton offers and then asking for similar options to fit our attendee’s needs.” This year, the Sheraton also introduced Parlur Denver, a casually elegant off-site event space in the heart of downtown on the 16th Street Mall.  The flexible venue offers 7,000 sf of both indoor and outdoor space for curated group experiences.

With its guest rooms located in two separate towers, Rife made some suggestions for meeting planners considering the Sheraton: “If possible, ask for your guests to be put in the tower your meeting is in. It can get confusing for them to figure out how to get to the meeting space if they have to cross towers and aren’t familiar with the hotel layout.”

Denver offers plenty of places for off-site events, such as brewery tours, wine tastings, a visit to the art museum or the National Western Complex, or a tour of the state capital. Photo Courtesy of Jessica Rife

Other downtown options include the 613-room Hilton Denver City Center, which offers 50,000 sf of meeting space, including the 14,352-sf Colorado Ballroom. The newly renovated 432-room Westin Denver Downtown provides 36,686 sf of total meeting space. The Grand Hyatt Denver is located right on the 16th Street Mall and features 516 rooms and 52,600 sf of meeting space.

With 60,600 sf of meeting space and a location adjacent to the Colorado Convention Center, the 1,100-room Hyatt Regency Denver provides 35 different meeting rooms, including the 30,000-sf Centennial Ballroom and a complete range of executive services. The Peaks Lounge, located on the 27th floor and overlooking the city, can be used for smaller group gatherings during the day, or cocktails in the evening.

But don’t overlook the greater Denver metro area, which provides other options within a short drive of the airport. Located in the suburb of Aurora, the 1,501-room Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is Colorado’s largest meetings hotel, providing more than 500,000 sf of meeting space within 15 minutes of the airport.

Access was a key reason that the Florida-based communications firm MasTec chose the Gaylord Rockies for two operational and strategic planning meetings this year, with another two planned for next year. “We have five people based in Denver, but most of our staff is coming from out of state, and Denver is easy to get to from around the country,” explained Lina María Valencia, executive assistant to CE&I Group Level Executives at MasTec Clean Energy & Infrastructure. “What makes Colorado special is the weather, the changes of the leaves and the snowy mountains. Our attendees love to golf. They do a lot of activities while they’re in Denver.”

Valencia said pricing for her planning meetings, which involve between 50 and 80 attendees each, are less expensive in Denver than other locations, like Miami, where the company is based. But what she really appreciates is the welcome she receives at the Gaylord Rockies.

“From beginning to end, even when the business is done, we communicate,” explained Valencia.  “I’ve done many events around the country, and it’s different with this hotel. They create an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality, and their personal touch and dedication to fulfilling even last-minute requirements makes me feel that nothing will go wrong. It’s truly unique and inspiring, and not something you experience everywhere.”

Valencia continued: “My executives get upgraded to the suites, they get champagne and chocolates and other amenities. Last June, we had the COO of MasTec, and he was planning to come for just the day, but he enjoyed it so much he ended up staying three nights.”

The Gaylord Rockies is in the process to reconceive three of its existing restaurants, launch a new dining experience, remodel the Grand Lodge and increase its function space. The first phase of enhancements was completed last year, including a redesign of the outdoor lawn spaces and the addition of dining terraces for Old Hickory Steakhouse and Mountain Pass Sports Bar. This year, phase two will add new bar and restaurant concepts in the Grand Lodge, and a new event space, Mountain View Pavilion, offering scenic views of the Rocky Mountains. The pavilion covers 12,118 sf of indoor event and pre-function space, plus outdoor terraces and patios, as well as turfed lawn areas.

The state’s cornucopia of ski resorts offer winter fun, but also plentiful outdoor activities in summer. The 75th anniversary of the Aspen Music Festival will be celebrated this year, with over 300 classical music events planned, including concerts by five orchestras, fully staged opera performances and more. Cycling, hiking and high-altitude golf at Aspen Golf Club — ranked Colorado’s top municipal course by Golfweek magazine — are among the summer diversions, while skiing and snowboarding options have been expanded on Aspen Mountain thanks to the new Hero’s high-speed quad lift, which adds 153 acres of skiing and riding to the area — Aspen’s first significant addition since 1985.

Nestled in the heart of Snowmass Base Village immediately west of Aspen, the newly renovated and renamed Snowmass Conference & Events Center is now open for bookings. More than a venue, the facility is a canvas for any event with four versatile meeting spaces, ideal for executive meetings and intimate occasions and features a 3,600 sf Grand Ballroom for larger gatherings.

The Grand Hyatt Vail has lots to reveal going into its winter season, including a new restaurant, Makoto Vail. The innovative menu by chef Makoto Okuwa, who has operations in Miami and Washington D.C., among other international cities, highlights preparations of Edomae-style sushi and other traditional Japanese cooking. The resort has also renovated its lobby and its signature Gessner Restaurant.

Opening in fall 2024, Hotel Polaris, located at the north gate of the Airforce Academy, will offer more than 26,000 sf of meeting space. Courtesy Photo

Just outside Colorado Springs, the Hotel Polaris is under construction near the North Gate of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), in the shadow of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak. The new TrueNorth Commons is a 57-acre mixed use development that also includes the new USAFA Visitor Center, as well as commercial retail and office space located 30 minutes from the Colorado Springs Airport and an hour south of Denver.

Opening in the fall, the 375-room Hotel Polaris is an upscale property at TrueNorth designed to serve corporate, group and leisure guests. Food and beverage amenities will include a full-service restaurant, an outdoor pool, full-service spa and fitness center, as well as more than 26,000 sf of indoor meeting space on one dedicated floor, including a 12,000-sf ballroom and 11 breakout rooms, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Academy.

Andre Fournier, COO of CoralTree Hospitality, management company for the Hotel Polaris, said the developers talked about linking with an established name like Curio by Hilton or Marriott. “But we really felt the brand was the Air Force Academy,” explained Fournier, who added that groups of 100 to 300 attendees will be targeted.

“The Academy is forward-looking — that’s what makes it unique. So, we’ll be looking for companies that are building leadership within their organizations, or that are rewarding people for their sales efforts.”

In the spirit of its location, Hotel Polaris will offer a first: the only flight simulators at a hotel. The flight simulators will provide guests with an immersive, tactile, real-life pilot experience, reproducing the flight deck with seats, throttles, switches, pedals and yoke from original parts of real aircraft, using a 220-degree wraparound screen with HD imagery to make the experience as life-like as possible.

Also in Colorado Springs, the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club recently completed an extensive $40 million renovation. The makeover covered all 117 guest rooms, suites, cottages and casitas, four dining venues, its destination STRATA spa and more than 22,000 sf of indoor-outdoor meeting and events space. To complement events up to 250 guests, the resort provides gourmet catering services and state-of-the-art AV equipment. Groups can also take advantage of a variety of experiential and wellness packages designed to spark creativity, optimize well-being and foster team building.

Arrow Exterminators looked to Colorado Springs as a setting for its annual incentive program for 300 premiere club and circle of diamonds employees, and their guests, last fall. “It was an area of the country we’ve never been to,” said Lisa A. Tennison, Arrow’s senior meeting & event planner.  “We typically rotate between beach destinations and a city, and a western-themed area was never part of the equation.”

The historic Broadmoor has two iconic golf courses. Courtesy Photo

To confirm that Colorado Springs offered a quality property that could accommodate the incentive group, Tennison met with the Broadmoor’s director of sales. “We wanted to be in area with outdoor activities, we wanted a western theme and we wanted a great hotel. The Broadmoor is a classic, iconic resort — it’s a must-do, bucket-list kind of thing.”

Built in 1918, The Broadmoor has grown through the years and now has 784 rooms and had its most recent renovations in 2022. A new asset for the hotel is Bartolin Hall, which was completed during the pandemic and offers 125,000 sf of flexible event space, including 93,500 sf of true exhibit space designed specifically for trade shows. Bartolin Hall features polished concrete floors, 32 breakout rooms, 25-foot-high black piped ceilings, and direct connection to the resort’s 60,000-sf ballroom.  The addition of Bartolin Hall brings the total function space of The Broadmoor to over 315,000 sf.

Tennison worked with a DMC on décor but otherwise basic linens and chairs were provided by the hotel. “The aesthetics of the space we used was a bit higher-end than a normal four-wall ballroom,” noted Tennison. “The Broadmoor offers a bit of European flair, and it’s nice to have that elegant feel in a western setting.”  The Broadmoor sprawls over a large property that can take time to navigate, but Tennison said this did not present an issue. “We had sprinters pick up our VIPs, so they didn’t have to walk across property in heels. Otherwise, we liked being spread out a bit.”

One challenge was provided by the weather. “Everyone kept saying ‘September is a perfect month,’” said Tennison. “I said stop, you’re jinxing it, and, of course, we had rain during our program. Things happen, and so, flexibility is important. We were able to move inside an event that was planned for outside on the lawn.” Broadmoor’s ability to pivot quickly helped Tennison.

“We always do a golf tournament, so we have to have a golf course on the property,” she said.  “But they also have a bowling alley and so we did a bowling tournament.  I was really surprised — it superseded the golf signups.” Other events were done offsite, including a dinner for 250 of Arrow’s highest achievers at Cheyenne Lodge, which involved shuttles. “It was a fantastic experience overlooking the city. And then we hosted our awards event and reception at the Flying W Ranch, which was introduced to us by the CVB during our site visit. It’s located inside the Garden of Gods, and it was breathtakingly gorgeous. We had a live rodeo and the world-renowned Flying W Wranglers performed for you. We had Indian dancers and even axe throwers.”

The group sent out a survey at the end of each of these, and there were no complaints, she said. Everyone loved the Broadmoor and plans to go back. “Not everyone wants to go to a beach hotel, and some people don’t like a city location for one reason or another,” concluded Tennison. “If you were coming from Colorado, The Broadmoor might not be as spectacular. But everyone in our group loved it.” C&IT

DepositPhotos.com

Event podcasts are designed to give listeners a backstage pass to the world of event planning. In today’s market, a podcast keeps corporate meeting and event planners in tune with their industry. From interviews with thought leaders and topics ranging from new trends in event design, event technology and management to setting up your events and so much more, these kinds of podcasts also highlight the world’s most daring events and the people who make them happen.

Podcasts are recorded audio files produced and distributed online for free. It’s like an on-demand radio show for a certain demographic, genre or fanbase. For corporate event planners, always on the go, podcasts take a lot less effort to listen to than watching a video or reading a newsfeed. So it’s no wonder that the industry is seeing high-quality, industry-related event podcasts popping up everywhere.

“Podcasts have been around for a long time,” said Keith Johnston, managing partner of i3 Events in Chicago, IL. “All of the things in podcasting now are those that public radio stations used to play back in the day. Then, you would have someone who would have a little show about planning events on your local public radio station on a Saturday morning. Now, podcasting allows people to produce niche content that anyone can listen to anytime.”

There are many places to listen to podcasts, but the big three are Spotify, Apple and YouTube Music. “There is a great number of industry-related podcasts, and my colleague Bob Toovey and I created a site called Phizzpod, which has become the home of the event industry podcasts. Anyone that we can find that’s active is there,” said Johnston. Toovey is also the founder of Event Planner News and co-host of the Bullet List podcast.

Leading the pack of event podcasts is EvenIcons, hosted by Will Curran, an experienced event professional and founder of Endless Events and the creative force behind #EventProfs Community. He is also head of Klik at Bizzabo, an event operating system platform that features smart wearables, deep insights and even apps. On his podcast, he sits down with event industry influencers to discuss topics like event technology innovation, management and AV, just to name a few.

“EventIcons got started primarily as an experimentation for a live-streaming conversation platform called Blab that was tied into Twitter,” explained Curran. “This was before the Periscope or Meerkat streams were huge. These streams allowed four people to get on screen and talk to each other quickly.”

Curran thought it would be interesting to experiment with a live interview-style podcast for the events industry. So, on a whim, he started EventIcons in 2000. Since then, he’s done over 400 episodes. “I wasn’t necessarily setting out to create a long-term podcast, but I realized the livestream recorded conversations could be repurposed as a podcast. So that was how that started.”

Today, EventIcons is the longest-running podcast in the events industry. “Fortunately, and unfortunately, we’re sunsetting it just because the interview format is kind of overdone now,” he said. “But out of that, we spun out a podcast called the Event Tech Podcast. My co-host, Brant Krueger, and I became good friends. He was a guest on the show several times, and we realized that our banter was really good. We could complete each other’s sentences. We noticed that no podcasts were talking just about event technology, so we started that podcast.” As event technology has become increasingly critical for any event planner, Krueger and Curran interview and discuss the essential tools. Guests on their show have included Scott Owens, director of Event Technology at Salesforce, and Alon Alroy, CMO and Co-founder of Bizzabo.

“What’s that word when you like pain? Yes, well, I decided to start a third podcast called the Event Brew Podcast,” said Curran with a chuckle. Event Brew talked about the podcasts that were circling around the things that everyone really needed to talk about in the events industry but didn’t.

The podcast’s design is “to tell it how it really is” — the kind of unfiltered conversations planners usually have in the lobby bar at an industry conference. One of their first episodes was about why everyone in the industry needs to stop talking about the word “busy.”

Curran developed two pieces to fit the topic. “One is that whenever people say, ‘Hey, how are you doing? They say, ‘Oh, I’m busy.’ And it’s like, look, being busy is not necessarily a good barometer for how you are doing. The other piece we uncovered is that we uniquely love to ask other people how busy they are as a barometer for how well the industry is doing or how well you’re doing compared to the rest of the industry. So people love asking, ‘How are you doing?’ And if someone says, ‘I don’t have a lot of events going on,’ and the other person does, you wonder, is my marketing working? Is my event design or tech not working? What’s going on? But in reality, there are so many different events going on!”

And the reaction from the industry? “Oh, they loved it!” Curran said. “Honestly, after that episode, I thought people would either stop wanting to work with my company or be angry that we call people out. To be clear, we don’t call people out by name, but we call out the typical things we see, which just shows that people crave realism in the world. Sometimes, we are so nice about things, we sugar-coat things, but in reality, there are some big things that everybody’s talking about, but no one will really say it out loud.”

This kind of transparency is what attracts Cheyenne Nelson, HMCC MMP, with McVeigh Global Meetings & Events (MGME). MGME is a leading full-service global events agency with over 30 years of expertise in event planning. InteleTravel, an integrated travel distribution group, recently acquired it.

“I listen to podcasts all the time,” said Nelson. “While many offer insight into events and trends that might affect us, my focus is on global trends and to hear what’s in the zeitgeist. If you are hearing a topic across multiple podcasts or even across several mediums, you know that it is on everyone’s mind and isn’t isolated for one group.”

Event Podcasts

“The topics I find interesting are event technology trends and innovations, strategies for effective event planning and management,” said Nelson. “I also like to listen to topics like industry best practices and case studies, as well as sustainability initiatives within the event industry and negotiation techniques for vendor contracts and partnerships. And, of course, personal and professional development for event professionals, crisis management and risk mitigation strategies for events.”

The podcasts on Nelson’s radar include:

• GatherGeeks
• The Event Planning Podcast
• The VIP Collective
• The Event Tech Podcast
• Event Industry News Podcast
• Event Marketing Redefined

Amanda Ma, founder of the EventUp podcast, has worked in the events industry for over 20 years as an event planner. Her podcast was “formed out of a desire to help others gain insight into the current happenings within the events and marketing industry.” She continued, “EventUP has blossomed into having guests from multiple industries spanning marketing, PR, and topics that can help propel event and marketing professionals. Another purpose is to highlight other top diverse and women professionals.”

Ma’s listeners love to hear how big brands such as the NFL, Fox, Amazon and Zoom run their events. Every episode is packed with tips and advice she knows will benefit the audience. “Thought leadership is always our goal,” she said.

The Topics | The Guests

With that in mind, how do podcast hosts determine what topics to cover and which planners/personalities to have on their shows? “We look at their experience and what that company is known for,” explained Ma. “Whether it is Zoom with what new event tech is available or how the NFL prioritizes and engages the fans, we always touch upon what we know they do best! Our guest speakers are leaders and top professionals in this field.” Last year, Ma had Erin Edwards from the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation as a guest. “It was a treat to hear how they incorporate the Los Angeles community within every event they produce. They know the Dodgers fans make the experience special, so they prioritize it. We’ve had so many fantastic guest speakers on the EventUp podcast.”

The topics that event podcasts talk about today differ from a few years ago, added Curran. “The thing that we’re talking about now that we didn’t before is the big data conversation. This is where I spend a lot of my time now.”

Those conversations start with, ‘How do we actually properly gather data at our events, and how do we use that data to plan better events?’

“With Klick, we have the ability to know where attendees are at any given moment. So why are we not designing our events around that data, knowing where they’re moving around our venues?” Curran said.

Something to Talk About

The event podcasts are not like other industries or careers, explained Johnston. “Event people tend to get wrapped up where our job is our life, and our life is our job. Because we’re traveling, we’re moving. There’s all this new education that we need, and podcasts can help with that. Not everybody is a reader. Not everyone wants to go to a web page and read all about Costa Rica, for example, and what it can do for meetings and events,” he said. “Whereas with a podcast you can sit down and listen to someone talk about that country, the hotels that are there, the activities, and you can consume this content all the time.”

Johnston’s favorite time to listen to podcasts is when he flies. He said the second the door shuts on the airplane, he dials into one of the many podcasts he listens to. “I learn things every single time. And there are podcasts on every subject in the event industry. Tess Bismill and I have the Event Tech Pull Up podcast, which is a podcast that talks about event technology. It’s a great way to gain knowledge and learn about software products without sitting through a sales call.”

Sustainability and DEI are two hot topics in the industry, said Curran. “I’m not the foremost expert at both of those, and everybody’s talking about them, so I don’t tend to spend a lot of time on them. But I think one of the interesting things we’re talking about this year is last-minute registrations and struggles around sponsorships.”

Creating more white space for attendees is another dialogue Curran finds worth chasing. “I consistently hear that we need to serve up lots of content, but in reality, you can watch a thousand TED talks back to back online. What makes the in-person experience different is our ability to network — to talk to each other, to process the information and build through the conversations of what we learn.”

Starting Your Event Podcast

So you want to start your own event industry podcast? Curran offered some great tips.

“If you’re going to start a podcast today, you must be everywhere, sharing it in all the groups and telling everybody you know that you have a podcast. If you’re doing the interview style, rely on your guests to be the self-promoters and bring in their audience. And then I would say, too, find a way that you can do collaborations with other people who already have audiences.”

So, for example, you may try collaborating with Bizzabo, a software company with a vast audience, by hosting one of their webinars. It worked for Curran. “The more I put myself out there to host webinars and to do guest speaking engagements, it drew just the audience back to the podcast, and then the podcast drew those on themselves and became this kind of flywheel.”

The audience follows the conversations, and they, in turn, feed other dialogues. When Curran was asked if there was anyone in the industry he would like to have on his show, he said, “Amy Kule from Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” Why, we asked. “It has always been a joke that she was the one person I couldn’t get on the show. We’ve had everybody on EventIcons, but not Amy.”

And again, why her? “She planned one of the most iconic events there is in the world. What’s also really interesting is the security, coordination and live broadcast challenges. And those are the kinds of things that I like to talk about with guests who I like to have on the show. We could have 1,000 conference people come and talk about conferences, but our best learnings came from the people who were doing just wild, different events. The festival people learn from the conference people; the conference people learn from the festival people. And I very much believe in that nonlinear thinking in terms of inspiration.”

Ma suggested planners must be clear about the why and who they want to attract. Is it more seasoned planners or those who are just starting in the industry?

Like any new venture, there are challenges involved in starting and maintaining a successful events planner podcast. “That depends on your structure, of course,” concluded Ma. “Ours is all self-funded, and we’re looking forward to having sponsors in the future. With that said, we invest our time and resources in building this platform, which we are very proud of.” C&IT

The Most Popular Event Planning Podcasts

The meetings and events industry podcasts have it all covered — from episodes featuring industry professionals discussing real-life event experiences and cutting-edge innovations, to programs covering the international events industry, highlighting topics like growing and attracting talent, planning events and bleeding-edge marketing strategies. Here’s a list of the most popular event-planning podcasts:

• EventIcons
• IN-PERSON Podcast
• Techsytalk Unscripted
• Event Tech Podcast
• Turn Of Events
• The Meeting Planning Madness Podcast
• Meetings Podcast
• The Savvy Event Planner
• Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals
• GatherGeeks
• Event Industry News Podcast
• The Exposure Podcast
• EventLAB
• Meeting Minds with Charles Eide
• Events Unpaused

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Courtesy Photo

Whether golf or spa are an official part of a meeting, their presence at a resort can be a registration draw for attendees who want to take advantage of them before or after core meeting functions, as well as for spouses planning to attend. Golf may be a game, but it’s also an activity during which important business relationships have been formed and deals made in the few hours it takes to play 18 holes. No wonder these resorts are frequently the setting for corporate meetings and events.

Trina Sharp, CMP, CMM, CED, former event manager with consulting firm Point B, chose Arizona’s Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia in Scottsdale for an annual fall getaway with 75 in attendance.

“The Omni Scottsdale at Montelucia is in a prime location with beautiful views of Camelback Mountain. It’s close to the city but the resort makes you feel like you’ve been swept off of your feet into a private destination. You can’t beat the rooms, weather, landscape and activities, and so many other close-by opportunities await. The Omni puts guests close to everything and anything they want to do,” said Sharp.

Sharp called the resort’s indoor and outdoor spaces “incredible,” and had high praise for the staff as well. “You don’t have to feel like you need to track someone down; they’re always right there ready to assist.” And then there’s the food. “They use top ingredients and are willing to work with you to get you the perfect meal.”

The spa and golf course, she noted, “are definitely a must for our groups—the spa treatments are unbelievable.” Although there was no official golf tournament or spa visit organized this year, Sharp said, “Attendees golfed on their own and we had a lot of folks who use the spa on their own.”

In terms of onsite functions, the group participated in a salsa-making competition to foster team building and held a dinner party at the Chapel. “I’ve also had events at El Chorro, which is close by and features a wonderful Sunday brunch,” she added. A top highlight this year is the 5,000 sf, newly remodeled President’s Suite. “We used it for our late-night functions, and it really made our event a total success. I believe five past presidents have stayed there!”

Sharp’s advice for planners considering a meeting in the area is to call Experience Scottsdale. “Let them know you’re interested in a tour and are considering the Omni Scottsdale for an event. They’ve been so helpful to me in planning in Scottsdale. You have to see it for yourself!”

Debbie Pompa, executive assistant at global manufacturer Genie/Terex, helped organize an event at Scottsdale’s’ Boulders Resort & Spa for 117 attendees from Caterpillar, Inc. “This was a golfing event and Boulders is one of the top destination resorts for golf.  It also has a beautiful spa and three pools, along with a great gym, free classes and a nice gift shop and golf shop. It has something for everyone—even those who chose not to golf.  The resort is easy access and just a short drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport,” said Pompa.

Pompa said the food and beverage at the resort was a hit. “We had one reception and three dinners — one a progressive dinner with four stations on the golf course for which we had about 50 golf carts. The attendees would hop on the carts to go from one food station to the next. It was so unique, and they loved it.”

This event was set at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California in the past, but a site visit to Scottsdale led to the 2023 event at The Boulders Resort & Spa. “Boulders was toward the end of my visit. As soon as I entered the resort and saw the amazing grounds, huge boulders and individual casitas I was impressed. And I received a warm welcome as soon as I reached the security entrance. All of the staff were so welcoming, and it wasn’t just because they were trying to impress me to win my business. That warmth existed throughout our weeklong stay during the event.”

Attendees had three days of golf, which Pompa called, “well planned and executed by the staff,” adding, “This is one of the top courses and all the attendees love it.” For meetings, the group used a ballroom with views of the massive boulders and formations from which the resort gets its name. And while there was no official function at the spa, the company gave attendees’ wives gift certificates for the spa, and they made their own appointments at their convenience.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

When global frozen-food supplier Lamb Weston, Inc. worked with TMN Events for its 2023 annual worldwide leadership meeting, the result was a gathering of 240 at spectacular Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. TMN Events president and owner, Scott Winegar, listed the resort’s assets as “affordable, good weather, natural and unique beauty and the availability of a good variety of activities.” Those activity options include two pools, four tennis courts, a spa and two award-winning Tom Fazio-designed golf courses.

Winegar said the group used several venues among the resort’s 77,000 sf of indoor and outdoor space, and also took advantage of guiding hiking through the surrounding Sonoran Desert terrain. Winegar himself is no stranger to the resort’s golf courses, even though this particular event didn’t include golf as an official part of the program. “A few people played on their own,” he said, adding that he has booked groups for which golf was definitely a deciding factor in the choice of Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. Additionally, he noted “I’ve played several pro-am tournaments on the resort’s two courses.”

Some attendees also went on their own to the resort’s Lakeside Spa. “The feedback,” Winegar said, “was very good.”

As for the function spaces the group used, Winegar said, “There are two pretty large ballrooms. One is a separate building with a great patio we used for food and beverage. There’s also a significant number of various-sized breakout rooms. In addition, the resort also has two unique venues for evening functions that worked great for us — Coyote Corral, a 22,000 sf, themed western village, and Cascade Terrace, ideal for cocktail receptions with sweeping views of the Catalina Mountains.”

Winegar’s advice to planners considering Loews Ventana Canyon Resort is to book well in advance, especially if you want to set your meeting during high season. But he also noted that groups should consider shoulder season for more “value” opportunities.

While Arizona has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to fantastic golf and spa resorts in the west, Florida can boast exactly the same on the East Coast. Among the Sunshine State’s stellar options is JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, Florida. That’s where John C. Washbish, president of Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc., set the company’s annual shareholders meeting and winter banquet for approximately 500 in December.

“The JW Turnberry provides us with the optimal location to host our annual shareholder and channel partner meeting,” he said. “The sleek, elegant ambiance of the hotel, comfortable accommodations, first-class food and professional meeting space offer the perfect location for our meeting. The weather in December is usually warm, allowing us to take advantage of Turnberry’s outdoor gathering spaces and to host our meetings within the newly renovated meeting rooms.”

The group uses both golf courses during the meeting. “We host a large golf outing,” Washbish continued, “and two courses guarantee we can get everyone to play. The courses at Turnberry are in wonderful condition and the pro, who is fantastic, makes sure all of our needs are met.”

Washbish pointed to another “fantastic” feature of the JW — its workout facilities and spa — which are very popular with many in the group. “Whether our attendees are taking advantage of the three-mile loop around the property or the workout room, the spa is the perfect place to relax. This is a highlight they look forward to every year. We arranged spa treatments for several guests, and we had two massage therapists work at one of our events in the pool cabanas. We offered chair massages all afternoon to a special meeting group.”

The JW Marriott Turnberry also has another venue popular with attendees that may seem surprising for a such a sophisticated resort — Tidal Cove, the property’s onsite waterpark. “It provides a place for our attendees to relax as well as to socialize,” Washbish said. In addition to onsite functions, he said attendees took advantage of local restaurants to host offsite functions as well.

Courtesy of JW Marriott Miami Turnberry

Washbish called the resort’s convention center “perfect” for the group’s meeting needs, which vary greatly. “We host several smaller committee breakout meetings for 10-30 attendees, medium-sized open sessions for 30-75, larger general sessions for 150 – 350 people and our grand finale banquet for 525.” The convention center easily accommodates all of them.

As for advice to meeting planners considering the Turnberry, Washbish said the earlier groups commit to the business space and dates they need the better. While the Turnberry is an excellent destination for business and professional events, Washbish points out that it’s also very popular for personal events (weddings for example). “Lock down your meeting space and convention needs,” he advised.

As we learned in 2023, increased leisure demand frequently made it difficult for planners to book the destinations, resorts, spaces and times they wanted. Planners and site selectors having to book in shorter windows throughout 2024 may find the same challenges.

Tips From a Golf Pro on Planning a Corporate Golf Event

Sean Olson, Class A PGA professional and director of Golf at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa, has a few suggestions to help meeting planners organize a corporate golf event for their company or clients. There are many complex elements to a tournament or outing for multiple players that meeting planners, especially those who don’t play golf themselves, might not even know they have to consider. We asked Olson to share his expertise on how best to organize a corporate golf event and what organizers need to know.

What are the three most important things for planners to consider?

Venue choice.  Venue choice, Olson noted, is not just about the venue itself. Planners must consider the time of year, weather and daylight hours in order to choose the right venue.

Scheduling. A round of 18 holes takes approximately 4.5 hours. Questions planners must ask include: Is the golf a standalone event or does it have to fit into a larger program?  How will the timing of the golf affect other program components? How will meals be scheduled around golf?

Budget. What’s the cost per player and of the total event? Planners must calculate the cost of greens fees, prizes, promotional product, rentals if any. Is there a sponsor? Will there be a reception?

“You don’t know what you don’t know” is an old saying. What is it that planners — who may not play golf themselves — often don’t know about planning a golf event?

Format of play is a big one, said Olson. Will it be leisure golf or a team game with scoring and prizes? Do you prefer a shotgun start (all players start at the same time and finish at the same time) or concurrent tee times (groups tee off every 10 minutes)?

The number of players impacts the preferable format and whether you need a resort with one golf course or more than one. “The maximum player count for one golf course is 144 players,” Olson noted. How will player groups be decided? Golf carts fit two players and groups of four (two carts) play together. Will the group have specific pairings (players wanting to play together) or will it be random? Will players need rental clubs or will they be bringing their own?

What’s your best advice for planners organizing a corporate golf event?

“Get in contact with the golf representative hosting your event sooner rather than later,” Olson said. “He or she will guide you in the right direction based on your needs.” C&IT

Forbes Business Council, Newsweek Expert Forum and Rolling Stone Culture Council member Merilee Kern, MBA, is founder, executive editor and producer of “The Luxe List,” as well as host of both the “Savvy Living” lifestyle and travel and “Savvy Ventures” business TV shows. Connect with her at TheLuxeList.com, SavvyLiving.tv, at LuxeListReports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on LinkedIn at MerileeKern. 

Mental health problems stemming from lifestyle concerns like stress, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, trauma, debt, bereavement, medical issues, social media and more at an all-time high. In fact, new Gallup findings indicate stress, sadness and worry have all inched higher worldwide — pushing Gallup’s Negative Experience Index to another new high. As the results of which wreak havoc on society, families and individual well-being, there’s an escalating movement toward preventative mental healthcare, including that being offered in a wellness spa setting.

Indeed, the good news is that there are numerous technologies and methodologies determined to help us alleviate the angst in our lives. To discuss new biotech-driven ways to stem daily stress, I connected with biowellness pioneer Dr. Katelyn Lehman, Quantum Clinic co-founder. A model of preventative healthcare, Dr. Lehman’s work puts the emphasis on psychological, emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing for epigenetic healing through coherence — the degree of correlation between the body’s electromagnetic fields.

Dr. Lehman underscores that interventions and modalities like floatation REST, frequency therapy, scalar energy and more can employed to combat stressors that can negatively impact our physical, mental and emotional well-being. This is how she describes a bit about each.

Frequency therapy – a non-invasive treatment that uses frequencies to restore balance to the body’s energy systems. These frequencies can be applied to target specific health issues, such as pain, inflammation and anxiety. This therapy works by stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanisms, promoting cell regeneration and reducing oxidative stress. It has been shown to be effective in treating a range of conditions, including chronic pain, autoimmune disorders and depression.

Scalar energy – while this is a type of energy that is not easily measurable by conventional scientific instruments, its effects on living organisms have been studied for decades. One of the areas in which scalar energy has been found to be particularly relevant is in the communication between cells, specifically within the context of water in intracellular communication. One of the ways that scalar energy may influence the structure of water is through the use of scalar energy devices.

Scalar energy devices are designed to emit scalar energy waves, which are believed to interact with water molecules and influence their molecular structure. These devices may be used to enhance the structure of water in the body, promoting intracellular communication and improving overall health and wellness. While the theory of scalar energy and water in intracellular communication is still a relatively new concept, it has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the human body and its functions. By exploring the role of scalar energy in facilitating intracellular communication, we may be able to develop new therapies and treatments for a wide range of health conditions, from chronic illness to acute injuries.

Floatation REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy) – a form of sensory deprivation therapy that involves floating in a tank filled with salt water. The water is heated to body temperature, and the tank is designed to block out external stimuli, such as light and sound. This creates a state of deep relaxation, allowing the body to enter a state of deep rest and repair. Floatation REST has been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep quality and enhance creativity.

“Combining these modalities for preventative care can create a powerful tool for maintaining optimal health and preventing chronic illnesses,” noted Dr. Lehman. “Doing so can create a comprehensive approach to preventative care that addresses the root causes of chronic illnesses, rather than just treating the symptoms. By providing a non-invasive and natural approach to promoting relaxation and stress reduction, individuals can learn to manage their own health without relying on costly medical interventions. By taking a holistic approach to our health and well-being, we can live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.”

In all, Dr. Lehman is driving a movement centered around radical reconnection — with nature, our own bodies, our intuition and one another. With a profound belief that all healing is a result of empowerment and awareness building, the clinic offers a deeply deliberated space to facilitate your deepest transformation and self-healing through coherence. C&IT

Disney Castaway Cay. Photo by Steven Diaz

For an enticing incentive or corporate meeting, Disney Cruise Line offers personalized facilities and a fun atmosphere aboard a full fleet of ships that appeal to adults as much as kids. Groups can integrate into their meetings onboard entertainment, whether it’s Disney character appearances at private functions or teambuilding activities onboard.

“I think it makes a lot of sense doing events on these vessels because it’s fun. It adds an element of mystery and a bit of magic,” said Joyce Landry, CEO of Landry & Kling Global Ship Solutions, a leader in booking ship-based meetings and events as well as incentive cruises. “If it’s an incentive program, you’re trying to reward people; you’re trying to have them have an experience that they wouldn’t have elsewhere. Very few people have cruised in general and even fewer people have been on a Disney cruise. It could be a really nice enticement.”

Landry & Kling works as a liaison between its planner clients and the cruise line. “We work with a lot of planners who have never done a program on a ship before,” Landry said. “We help them to understand what they can and can’t do, what they can negotiate, what’s included, what’s not included. We help with that learning curve — help to make it easier for them.”

Landry noted that Disney executes its meetings and incentives with the utmost attention to detail from the very start of the voyage. “It’s lovely for incentives and meetings. As you’re arriving at the vessel, you enter this gorgeous atrium. They have a microphone there and you tell them your name and they introduce you to the whole ship.”

The Disney team is quite creative. If planners tell them what they’re planning on doing, they are open to customizing some of the technology onboard to make it much more customized and to have some of the characters come to your meeting.

Landry is particularly impressed with the technology capabilities on the ships. On one of the ships she booked, she said there was a re-creation of the Star Wars starship, and Star Wars characters were on hand. “It’s like being on a movie set, and it’s done very well. I think that for adults or for children, it can be fascinating and charming. It can be funny because you walk down the hallway and if you’re passing one of the animated pictures, they’ll come to life. And it will be a surprise. You will be passing a battleship and all of a sudden, you’ll hear the ship, and you turn around and then another one comes alive, and then they start fighting.”

A good size group for a Disney Cruise Line meeting is up to 300, and employee events where attendees can bring their families are ideal. “We’ve had a lot of these lately where it’s an employee reward and for extra cost you could bring your kids. It’s a pretty low step-up price. Everyone loves the quality of it.”

The Disney Cruise Line fleet features a variety of ships visiting ports of call at destinations around the globe. The Disney Wish, which first debuted in 2022, the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder all offer everything from a full-time group services manager and catering team to Broadway style lighting and laser systems, which are at their disposal for presentations and group entertainment.

“Disney has several different ships, and they built all their vessels with a very similar platform, so you can count on certain amenities,” said Landry. There are conference rooms available onboard the Disney Dream. The ship features the Fantasy Conference Room at 337 sf; Magic Conference Room with 337 sf; and the Wonder Conference Room, also with 337 sf. All three combined, with air walls open, equals 1,012 sf.

One of the onboard venues on all the Disney ships is the Walt Disney Theatre, which is equipped with an approximately 40-foot-wide proscenium stage and full-flying capabilities for moveable backdrops and scenery. There is also a sophisticated projection system, pyrotechnic capabilities, and state-of-the-art lighting and sounds.

The Walt Disney Theatre on both the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream ships offers a 1,340-seat capacity theater; and the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are each home to a 977-seat capacity theater. Landry has used the Walt Disney Theatre for groups on the Disney Dream. “It’s got incredible audio visual and 4D cinema and a nice stage in the front. Planners can take that over privately.”

She has also utilized two of the premium restaurants onboard Disney Dream, Palo and Remy, which offer intimate rooms for private group events. “We worked with a technology group, and we were able to take over one of the restaurants as a trade show. This was a big production. We booked it almost two years in advance.” Landry said the setup entailed placing displays on the dining tables and having meetings in there for the three nights of the cruise. “It worked out incredibly well, but it’s not easy to do and it would have to be offseason. You need to really pick your times to do something like that.”

Advance planning is crucial for something that elaborate, whether it’s taking over a restaurant dining area or a particular lounge for an event or cocktail party, since Disney has extensive programming onboard their ships and planners need to make sure their events can fit in.

Disney ships also offer adult-only areas where groups can gather such as Disney Dream’s The District. Pink is an adult exclusive bar inside The District designed to look like the inside of a champagne bottle. Guests can see within the bar’s walls the pink elephants from the beloved Disney film “Dumbo” dancing. There is also a District Lounge for cocktails and sports bar Pub 687.

“If you have attendees who didn’t bring any children, Disney has adult areas especially at night where no children are allowed,” Landry said. The Route 66 area on the Disney Wonder, includes the WaveBands live music club, Diversions sports pub and The Cadillac Lounge piano bar.

Disney is expanding its fleet later this year with Disney Treasure, which will feature a Grand Hall with decor inspired by exotic locales in Asia and Africa, including the fictitious city of Agrabah from Disney’s “Aladdin.” The space will serve as the ship’s most prominent gathering space and will offer its own dedicated entertainment moments and surprises.

The Disney Wish

The signature suite on the ship will be the two-story Tomorrow Tower Suite, similar to the multiroom suite on the Disney Wish — a nearly 2,000-sf setting themed to “Moana.” The Disney Treasure will look to EPCOT for its design, with art pieces, molten metal and colorful glass accents evoking the atmosphere of EPCOT’s World Discovery neighborhood.

Another feature on the Disney Treasure will be the Haunted Mansion Parlor, pouring craft cocktails and offering an exclusive onboard merchandise collection. Another onboard venue will be the Periscope Pub, which takes a page from Walt Disney’s 1954 film, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and the legacy 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride at Disney World. The submarine-styled interiors include a glass ceiling.

Disney Treasure will also introduce “Disney the Tale of Moana,” in its Walt Disney Theatre with set design and music based on elements of Pacific Islands culture and towering puppets coming to life onstage. The vessel will also feature Plaza de Coco — the first theatrical dining experience themed to the Disney and Pixar film, “Coco.” The theater-in-the-round venue will offer dining tables surrounding a central stage, with performances and show effects that will spread throughout the room.

The Disney Treasure will embark on its maiden voyage, a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida, this December, followed by an inaugural season of seven-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

Disney Cruise Line is also building out a new ship, Disney Adventure, that will be homeported in Singapore for at least five years beginning in 2025. Disney Adventure will be dedicated to Asian destinations and markets. The 208,000-gross-ton ship will become the largest in Disney’s fleet and will be the cruise line’s debut in Southeast Asia.

Ports of Call

The destinations and ports of call are broadly varied on the Disney Cruise Line ships.

Disney Dream offers options for groups and incentives on four- and five-night cruises to locations in western Caribbean and The Bahamas such as Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Nassau. Disney Dream also sails to European destinations in the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, British Isles and popular locales in the Norwegian Fjords and Iceland.

Disney Dream sails to the Castaway Cay, a private island in The Bahamas reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line. Disney Castaway Cay offers beaches, lagoons for snorkeling, walking trails and BBQ dining locations. Groups can set up private areas on Castaway Cay and host events with music, dancing, Disney characters and a host of other options. They have an entire area of the beach that’s only for adults including a spa.

Groups booking on the Disney Magic can choose three routes in the Caribbean that all stop at Disney Castaway Cay. Its Western Caribbean route offers ports of call in Mexico, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and more while its Southern Caribbean route stopping in Martinique and Barbados among other locales, and Eastern Caribbean offers Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, among others.

Disney Wonder heads to Alaska with stops in historic towns like Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau, as well as glacier viewing along the Stikine Icecap. It also runs itineraries in Mexico with stops at Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos for snorkeling or sailing down the Baja Peninsula. Other options include glass-bottom boat tours on California’s Catalina Island. Its Caribbean itinerary can include the nature island of Dominica, the beaches of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the colonial history of Puerto Rico’s San Juan.

The Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish travel to islands throughout The Bahamas and Caribbean. All sailings on these Port Canaveral-based ships feature a visit to Castaway Cay. Disney Wish offers mainly three- and four-night Bahamian vacations, while the Disney Fantasy sails to popular ports in the eastern and western Caribbean on seven-night cruises.

Disney Cruise Line introduced its new dedicated cruise terminal last year at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The Disney Dream began sailing from the dedicated cruise terminal last November and will be followed by the Disney Magic this May.

The experience starts when guests enter the terminal, as the experience turns into the Disney and Pixar’s film, “Finding Nemo.” Guests are joined by some of the movie’s favorite characters on colorful murals, including fish, rays and coral. As guests get closer to embarkation, they will be welcomed by characters Nemo, Marlin and Dory. Overhead, the ceiling fixtures are designed to make guests feel like they are undersea and part of the movie.

This year, there are sailings from Fort Lauderdale to Disney’s new island destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in Eleuthera, The Bahamas, which offers play areas for children as well as adult-only beaches, dining areas, bars and beachside cabanas. At the heart of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is a colorful arts and cultural pavilion where special programs and local artists offer opportunities to learn and celebrate the traditions and natural beauty of The Bahamas.

Disney partnered with Bahamian artists, historians and cultural ambassadors when designing Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Some other local elements infused into the destination include the colors and music of the Bahamian street parade, Junkanoo. Murals, sculptures and other designs created by Bahamian artists, including some from Eleuthera, are integrated into gathering spaces and cabanas, which can be used by corporate and incentive groups.

The growing trend of meetings at sea is keeping corporate event planners sailing away! And looking to keep the cruise community among their venues of choice for meetings and or incentive.

Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean: A New Look for Meetings at Sea 

Last month, Royal Caribbean launched Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, nicknamed “The largest waterpark at sea.” It offers meeting and incentive groups new bleisure possibilities. Sailing from the port of Miami, at a length of nearly one-quarter of a mile, the vessel can host 5,600 guests across its 20 decks. It is equipped with a conference center that can accommodate up to 180 people across three rooms that can be combined or separated with airwalls. Besides the new vessel’s eight “neighborhoods,” seven swimming pools, and five sit-down restaurants, Icon of the Seas has seven music lounges and two theaters — one a high-tech domed show venue, the other featuring an ice surface for skating performances that can be rented out by business groups during the day. For a list of other Royal Caribbean vessels, visit royalcaribbean.com.

Celebrity Cruises: Leading a New Era of Corporate Travel

Meeting planners looking to be a star by finding a unique and incredible venue will absolutely be that when they choose Celebrity Cruises. Known as one of the best premium cruise lines in the industry, Celebrity Cruises offers 16 award-winning ships with unique experiences in more than 300 destinations and 3,000 shore excursions on all seven continents. From Asia, Alaska, Australia to Europe, the Caribbean and many more destinations, Celebrity Cruises lead a new era of corporate travel. Attendees can expect unique conferences, fundraisers, product launches, trade shows and more while experiencing the seven seas as their brilliant background for a tailor-made luxury experience. Meeting planners can find the perfect space to host meetings with exclusive access to onboard facilities. They can save time and money with F&B and entertainment, which is all included in the cruise fare. Impressive theaters set the stage for larger conferences, while comfortable lounges can accommodate smaller breakout sessions. For more information, visit celebritycorporatekit.com/group-meetings.

Norwegian Cruise Line: Entertainment Beyond Anything at Sea

With some of the newest ships in the industry, Norwegian Cruise Line currently boasts the youngest fleet among major North American cruise lines. Thanks to a wide range of revolutionary features, in addition to a number of new spaces and interactive experiences meant to excite and inspire, attendees can expect an extraordinary meeting at sea. Norwegian Viva, the second ship of the groundbreaking Prima Class, debuted last fall. Mirroring the design of the award-winning sister ship Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva features standout onboard experiences, including the Viva Speedway — the three-level racetrack; Indulge Food Hall, an upscale food market exhibiting 11 unique eateries; the fastest slides at sea, The Drop and Rush; and NCL’s industry-exclusive sustainable cocktail bar, the Metropolitan Bar.

Following the successfully launched Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, making new waves in March 2025 will be the Norwegian Aqua, the latest evolution of its innovative Prima Class Norwegian Cruise Line. With contemporary accommodations, spectacular dining choices and award-winning Broadway performances like “Jersey Boys” or “Footloose,” attendees will discover entertainment that’s beyond anything at sea. Visit ncl.com for more information.  C&IT

Hailed as the world’s leading business strategist, award-winning expert witness, strategic consultant and professional speaker Scott Steinberg is among today’s best-known trends experts and futurists, and the bestselling author of “Think Like a Futurist;” “Make Change Work for You: 10 Ways to Future-Proof Yourself, Fearlessly Innovate, and Succeed Despite Uncertainty” and “Fast >> Forward: How to Turbo-Charge Business, Sales, and Career Growth.” The president and CEO of BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, his website is FuturistsSpeakers.com.

Is it just us, or does barely a day go by without your e-mail or LinkedIn inbox receiving a deluge of unsolicited offers from previously unknown service providers? How about social media accounts — sometimes it feels like you can’t go 48 hours without receiving a request from a random stranger who “is impressed with your resume,” “just wants to connect” or “is looking to expand their connections.”

As we note in new book “The New Rules of Business Development,” sending these types of requests is a great way to end up in someone’s spam folder — or, potentially, ensure you’ll never do business. Thankfully, as a MICE industry leader, avoiding a few simple mistakes can help you and your teams more effectively stand out to new prospects, better connect with and engage potential clients and build better business relationships.

A few points to note upfront, before we dive deeper:

• It’s important to know and understand your target audience’s background, operating reality, and potential pain points or opportunities — a one-size-fits-all query is a great way to alienate hundreds of prospects in the hunt to find one.
• Leading with a service request or offer is like walking up to someone at a cocktail party and immediately hitting them with a sales pitch — uncomfortable at best, off-putting at worst and a surefire way to start things on a bad foot.
• At a fundamental level, organizations and individuals do business with firms and partners that they trust, like and respect. Business relationships and negotiations go much more smoothly when you establish a trusted presence online and prompt others to come to you, not reach out to them instead.
• If you do want to reach out, think first and foremost about incentivization: In other words, with countless competitors and service providers vying for their limited time and budget, what clear and compelling reason will make others want to connect with you?

The first question you should be asking yourself before attempting business outreach is: What can I do for them? Your goal should be to save others time, effort and money and help them solve problems — not immediately think about how to get paid off a cold call or email.

That being said, as a keynote speaker and futurist for over 2000 brands, I often remind audiences that it helps to think about some of the more common mistakes in business development that business people make as of late — and how you can avoid them. Below, you’ll find the 10 fastest ways to torpedo a working relationship, and ways to avoid falling into common traps associated with these pitfalls.

1. Ghost others and don’t return emails or calls in a timely manner. Pro tip: If you don’t have an update, or aren’t looking to proceed, at least drop a one- or two-line email so you’re not leaving contacts in limbo.
2. Don’t keep your word or follow through on promises or statements made. After all, people remember how you treat them and make them feel — and in a world of endless alternative options and providers, trust is the most important currency. Also remember: Businesspeople tend to stick around industries for a long time — and aren’t shy about sharing their thoughts with one another.
3. Randomly bail out of negotiations or collaborations without warning or explanation. If the offer doesn’t fit your needs or priorities change, let others know. Keep in mind that you may need to come back with other requests later, or find that your chosen alternate provider may need replacing over the long haul.
4. Only reach out or communicate when it’s clear that you want something. We all know folks that we only hear from when they have an incentive to reach out. When that happens, it’s not only obvious — it’s off-putting. You can avoid this hazard by making a point to stay in touch and offering to help others or keep up to date with them even when there’s no direct payout.
5. Say “you’ll keep someone in mind” but never present an opportunity. Among the most insidious statements in business today, it’s meant to assuage your worries — not theirs. Service providers know: If someone’s been keeping you in mind for months or years, but never reaching out with opportunities or to see if there’s a fit, for instance, it’s not hard to notice that they don’t think highly of your offerings.
6. Fail to make introductions or present promised networking chances. We’re all grown-ups here: If the person you’re being asked to introduce to another party doesn’t see a fit, they can always decline the invite or let the party know. Trying to play gatekeeper is a great way to alienate others and ensure that they return the unwanted favor as well.
7. Hesitate or decline to support others when they reach out for assistance. You may not have the insights, resources or capabilities (or time on your schedule) to help, but it doesn’t take much to send a quick note to someone or somewhere that does; for example: “Sorry, Jane, I don’t have the answer — but have you tried checking in with Jim or checked the resources on this corporation’s website?”
8. Decline to do the homework and research needed to understand the other party. If you don’t know who you’re pitching, what’s important to them or where they’re currently looking to focus business efforts, you might as well be taking random swipes at the air.
9. Underprice or undervalue the worth that others bring to the table. Similarly, you need to know what budget range and financial ballpark a prospect is playing in. Noting that time is money? Wasting a prospect’s time by, say, offering a service that’s out of their budget, or requesting that work be performed for far less than their going rate actually costs both them and you in the end.
10. Ask for something without offering something of equal or more value in return. It’s like walking up to someone and saying: Hey, what can you do for me? Consider: If you don’t have something of value to offer or trade to the other party, what incentive do they have not to politely shut the door on you?

Long story short: It’s not hard to enhance your chances of landing new clients or attracting fresh business prospects when you apply a little bit more research and critical thinking. The most common mistakes business people make are to not communicate effectively, align pitch with their audience or understand their target market. Happily, all are easily remedied with a little up-front planning and effort — and when you strive to build more meaningful connections and win-win relationships at every turn. C&IT