The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Courtesy Photo

Las Vegas leans in to the luxe and the luck with a slew of glam, posh and extravagant options for corporate groups, even as its history continues to inspire.

Northern Lights

When the self-contained universe of Resorts World Las Vegas first sprang to life in late 2021, it reinvigorated the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, bringing back some of the excitement that must have been felt when the El Rancho Vegas, the first resort on the Strip, opened 80 years earlier.

As the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s Las Vegas News Bureau celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2022, it encouraged visitors to look back to those first heady days. The property the El Rancho was sited on changed hands frequently over the years — Howard Hughes owned it at one point, as did MGM Resorts — and today the Las Vegas Festival Grounds sits on-site.

Like the original El Rancho, Resorts World is not a reimagining of a previous failed hotel, but a new build. The 88 acres include three different hotels — the 1,774-room Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World; the 1,496-room Conrad Las Vegas and the 236-room Crockfords Las Vegas — as well as 250,000 sf of meeting and event space. The resort is closest to the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall, and a ride on the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop gives attendees an option for reaching the otherwise somewhat remote North and South halls.

Crockfords’ top-tier suite’s 7,000 sf include a grand foyer, dining room, movie theater, billiards room and four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. The terrace includes a pool, and the outdoor space has a spa, gardens and an outdoor kitchen and dining area. And of course, floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the Strip.

The resort’s Famous Foods Street Eats features 17 options, including the Texas-based Blood Bros. BBQ. Intriguingly, it’s also home to a speakeasy, the Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den. The only clue to the speakeasy’s existence is a golden lucky cat sitting atop what otherwise appears to be shelving.

Miami on the Strip

Having secured a $2.2 billion construction loan just before the holidays, the new 67-story, 3,700-room Fontainebleau Las Vegas now confidently expects to be ready to welcome attendees late this year on the 25 acres that once held the El Rancho. Four miles from the airport and a block from the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Fontainebleau follows in the Las Vegas tradition of bringing Art Deco/Miami Beach to the Strip.

The Fontainebleau will add yet another whopping 550,000 sf meeting space, of which 105,000 sf is a pillar-less ballroom. Outdoors, only the palm trees dotting the 25,900-sf Meridien Garden with water wall will suggest Miami Beach; otherwise, the building is shimmering glass and steel. A 90,000-sf theater and 90,000-sf shopping district are also planned.

Caesars Palace Las Vegas recently completed a redesigned main entrance, complete with mosaic tiling, a new domed ceiling and a 15-foot statue of Augustus Caesar. Courtesy Photo

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Fans of actor Warren Beatty know that the first luxury property on the Strip, the 105-room Flamingo Hotel & Casino, was developed by mobster Bugsy Siegel, who Beatty portrayed in the movie “Bugsy.” Complications with financing The Flamingo would ultimately lead to Bugsy’s premature demise. The Flamingo would go on and change hands and its look often in the ensuing years. Bugsy would likely not recognize the hotel he developed, but the name persists. Current owner Caesars Entertainment toyed with the idea of selling last year, but for now, Caesars continues to carry on its legacy at the Flamingo and at the other properties the company owns or manages.

As for what’s new, the man who introduced a grateful nation to the pleasures of the Cronut and the Cookie Shot and brought the Galette des Rois, or King’s Cake, tradition to New York has made his way to Las Vegas. Dominique Ansel Las Vegas at Caesars Palace opened in mid-fall, offering not only Ansel’s signature treats, but a pastry series only available here. The unique collection of pastries is called “Lucky 7” and plays on the idea of good luck charms: Lucky Penny Pig, Ladybug, Goldfish, Four-Leaf Clover, Fortune Cookie, Feather and Evil Eye Éclair. The pastries not only look like actual charms, but include unexpected gastronomic surprises.

Stanton Social Prime, a steakhouse transplant from New York, where it has closed, is set to be resurrected in Caesars Palace, where it will join fellow New York legend Peter Luger Steak House, both set to open this year. The new entrants will join the existing Mr. Chow, Gordon Ramsey Hell’s Kitchen, Nobu and the Las Vegas outpost of MICHELIN-starred Chef Guy Savoy’s eponymous restaurant. Early in 2022, Caesars Palace Las Vegas unveiled its bottom-up redesign of the main entrance, complete with mosaic tiling, a new domed ceiling, and a 15-foot statue of Augustus Caesar, first Roman emperor and heir to the estate of the famously betrayed Julius.

Luxury Within Reach

“How do we support and put together a great event? With buses from seven different hotels? No, luxury properties in close proximity,” says Stephanie Glanzer, CMP, chief sales officer & senior vice president, MGM Resorts International. The Luxury Meetings District by MGM Resorts is a campus of meeting spaces, and luxury hotel rooms and venues, able to accommodate groups up to 15,000 attendees: ARIA Resort & Casino, Bellagio Las Vegas, Vdara Hotel & Spa, Park MGM and Dolby Live at Park MGM, NoMad Las Vegas, T-Mobile Arena, The Park and, added last year, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. “It’s perfect for dinearounds,” Glanzer says. “As many as 300 can stay under one roof and do appetizers, a main course and dessert at three different places. We can brand the group along the walkway so they feel they own that space.”

A six-minute stroll from the Park MGM is BrewDog Las Vegas, the newly opened rooftop bar, restaurant and microbrewery that recently opened with 360-degree views of the Strip, 96 taps and arcade games. The 30,000-sf fourth-floor rooftop bar beckons visitors with a 30-foot illuminated sign.

Las Vegas Convention Center’s new West Hall.

Keeping up Appearances

When the $15 million Tropicana Las Vegas opened in 1957, it was the most expensive build on the Strip. As of early fall, Bally’s Corporation owns the 1,467-room hotel, which is now part of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel portfolio. Talk has circulated of a possible stadium for Major League Baseball’s Oakland A’s to be erected on the property. But so far this year, nothing has been decided, and it’s business as usual.

“We continue to have great options for our groups when they are not in the meeting spaces, and those include favorites like Robert Irvine’s Public House, Red Lotus Asian Kitchen and, of course, Oakville Tuscan Grill. All of these venues have seen seasonal menu changes to keep the options fresh for our customers,” says Gavin Mealiffe, vice president of sales at Tropicana Las Vegas.

“There is no doubt we are seeing groups look at nontraditional spaces for some breakouts or meal functions to ‘mix up’ the flow of their events, and we certainly love this idea as it allows them to experience more on property,” Mealiffe says. “Some examples of this include utilizing the theater for short general sessions or presentations during the day, or even meetings in restaurant spaces combined with meals. We also offer some inspiring spaces, such as the Havana Room or other outdoor spaces like The Terrace that have a view of the Las Vegas Strip to spark creativity.” The 12,000-sf Havana Room can accommodate up to 300 seated attendees and 800 standing.

New to the Strip

After the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the second highly anticipated opening of this year is the MSG Sphere at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Envisioned by the group behind New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the entertainment venue will be 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide — the world’s largest sphere — and will hold up to 20,000 attendees. The venue features a 160,000-sf, 170 million-pixel LED screen. MSG Sphere Studios will allow filmmakers and artists to create immersive experiences.

The UK pub-themed Flight Club Las Vegas has opened in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian. At 16,000 sf, it features 20 spots for dart playing along with dining. The Venetian offers 2.25 million square feet of meeting and convention space, as well as 3,016 suites in The Venetian Tower; 1,013 suites in Venezia Tower and 3,064 palatial suites in The Palazzo Tower.

Its dozens of eateries include: Bouchon Bistro, offering French bistro classics such as steak frites, roasted chicken, leg of lamb and delicious desserts from two-time James Beard Award-winner Thomas Keller; Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, which offers American burgers featuring 12 distinctly different burger options, salads, wings, sandwiches and newly added vegan options; BRERA osteria, offering Italian cuisine featuring homemade pastas, wood oven-baked breads, cured meats, olive oils and mouthwatering mozzarella; and CUT by Wolfgang Puck, the award-winning, super-chic Beverly Hills steakhouse from master chef Wolfgang Puck.

MGM is investing $100 million into Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, to be completed in 2024. The upgrade includes refreshing and updating the technology, soft goods and lighting of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Renovated Reno

With its more than 200,000 sf of event space and 1,989 guest rooms and suites, Grand Sierra Resort and Casino is on track to renovate more than 600 rooms as part of a $55 million upgrade. Recently opened is the Philadelphia-based sports bar Chickie’s & Pete’s, which seats 260. Lest anyone doubt its Philly bona fides, for opening month, the venue offered a Grand Opening Burger composed of lobster, bacon, the bar’s signature Crabfries, cheese sauce, American cheese, chipotle aioli, friend onions and lettuce on a brioche bun. The obligatory cheese steak is also on offer, albeit in the form of nachos. Sports fans among attendees can watch events on a 45-foot-wide viewing wall.

Also just recently, the 170-room Element Reno Experience District welcomed its first guests. The space includes 1,820 sf of meeting space, each unit has its own kitchen, and the venue boasts a heated rooftop pool, fire pit, hot tub and electric vehicle charging stations.

Within walking distance is the Reno Public Market, which has a newly opened food hall. The entire Reno Experience District is expected to be up and running in the next few months. When complete, it will offer 65,000+ sf of retail. The district is a five-minute walk from the privately owned Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. The 1,623-room resort features three ballrooms totaling 62,000 sf and offers 10 restaurants on property, including casual quick bites, seafood, high-end cuisine, 24-hour cafe and in-room dining. The newest eatery, a taqueria called Sabroso, recently opened.

“Reno and the Peppermill will always come well within the budget of planners that might be looking at San Francisco, Chicago or New York: high-end destinations with much higher rates. I see a lot of corporate groups considering us more because they are being shut out of some expensive locales,” says Travis O’Donnell, regional sales director – Midwest with Peppermill. “F&B is 30% lower than the national average, so that savings spreads across the board. And being non-union really plays a huge role,” But cheaper doesn’t mean down market, O’Donnell says. “Once you get to Reno, you can see firsthand that you’re not sacrificing. We don’t skimp on quality of food or service.”

One East Coast-based agricultural soil company had never met in the West. The planner was considering both Reno and Las Vegas for the meeting of 300 attendees, and O’Donnell’s team took the planner on a city site visit that included the Reno Rodeo. “Time spent with the client definitely helped and probably carried their decision,” O’Donnell says. “The owners are committed to capital improvements — they’re always ongoing. Since I started in 2009, our guests always know when they come they’re going to have a more upscale, up-to-date product. Over the last 10 years, we continue to update all the rooms, carpets; beds. We don’t wait until it needs to be done; we get ahead of it.” Coming soon, the remodeling of the resort’s Tuscany Tower Suites.

“Reno has the biggest little-city feel, small-town homey feel,” O’Donnell says. Reno’s Riverwalk District of shopping, dining and entertainment is 2 miles from the resort, as is the 3.5-mile Truckee River Walk Trail. Lake Tahoe, “the most attractive thing about the destination,” is a 45-minute drive from the resort.

In the summer, Peppermill partnered with the WorldHotels Collection, which O’Donnell says opens up more booking opportunities for corporate travelers, attracting attendees the resort hasn’t seen before. In fact, O’Donnell’s team recently was working on securing Tesla for an upcoming meeting.

Those driving to events in Reno in their own electric vehicles can take advantage of the six Tesla Supercharger stations available 24 hours at the AAA Four-Diamond Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Atlantis prides itself on offering the last word in Reno luxury with its 27th-floor Penthouse Suites. The penthouse’s two villas feature three-sided fireplaces; a powder room with bidet and Italian marble sink; wet bar and Sub-Zero refrigerator; a pool table and a 75-inch TV. The 27 North Villa, at 1,734 sf, also has an infrared sauna; a Zen meditation room that offers self-serve heat, color, light, sound and aromatherapy and floor-to-ceiling views of the city lights.

The 1,847-sf, 27 South Villa has a private tasting room with crystal decanters and glassware, where attendees will be attended to by one of Atlantis’ sommeliers. This villa’s views are of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and both villas connect directly on either side to the King Penthouse Suites, doubling the square footage.

Planners can arrange private dining for groups of up to 50 attendees at Atlantis Steakhouse, where guests are encouraged to leave their cellphones at the hostess stand — the better to prepare them for the Old-World fine dining to come. The menu is studiedly non-contemporary, with classic dishes such as foie gras, prawn cocktail and lobster bisque, while Steak Diane is prepared tableside. C&IT

Leonard Hoops, President & CEO of Visit Indy, says the city hosts “something pretty much every week that is a borderline citywide event or full citywide.” Courtesy Photo

Challenges faced by convention and visitors bureaus across the U.S. since March 2020 have been unprecedented. While the COVID-19 pandemic’s most crushing blows increasingly appear to fill the meetings and events industry’s rear-view mirror, the impediments for a full-scale revival of meeting and convention business continue to percolate.

“With air and hotel rates up, pricing is becoming a barrier to bringing back meetings and conventions,” says Graeme Hughes, CTA, executive vice president of sales, Visit Tucson. “There’s global unrest with the war [in Ukraine], and if you’re a publicly traded company and your stock is taking a hit, you’re going to take a look at things. We live at the bottom of the stack when it comes to discretionary spend.”

Gateway destinations, such as Miami and Los Angeles, at times have struggled with overseas pandemic protocols that have made it difficult for international visitors to attend events that historically draw a large foreign contingent. Although, things have continued to tick upward since the Centers for Disease Control eased the vaccine requirements early last year.

Claude Molinari, president & CEO of Visit Detroit, expresses a concern shared by many: How will CVBs be able to service the city’s meetings and conventions in the best possible way? “There’s a labor shortage across the board, and it especially hit the hospitality industry,” Molinari says. “It’s not unique to the city of Detroit, but some of these companies are hosting their first show in … years, and they want to have a positive event.”

And yet, when one looks at individual facets of the industry, it’s clear meeting, incentive and convention business is on the road to recovery. Key findings from recent industry surveys reveal that the vast majority of business travelers soon expect to take at least one trip to attend conferences, conventions or trade shows. These surveys also generally find that economic uncertainty and corporate policies restricting business travel are making things difficult.

The return of in-person meetings and events — and business travel in general — is a welcome sight after more than two years of pandemic-related uncertainty, experts say. They add that there is simply no substitute for a face-to-face meeting, which is proven to lead to more fruitful business opportunities and can help power an economic and jobs recovery in communities across America.

New Revenue Streams

Tucson is among the many cities that are seeing a light at the end of a long tunnel, albeit with revenue streams coursing through new channels. “Like so many destinations, we were on the precipice of breaking a lot of records before the pandemic,” Hughes says. “[Now], I’m looking at occupancy levels getting very close to where we were in 2019.”

Hughes notes that his team lobbied Visit Tucson’s Board of Directors to keep the sales department open. “We benefitted from astute oversight, and by not shuttering our sales organization, it served as a vital link for communications as hotels went offline. The demand we’re fielding right now is extraordinary. We do a robust series of FAM trips and individual site tours, and we’ve found planners are eager to travel. We’ve hosted [hundreds of] individual site visits and [continue to welcome] new planners through FAMs … so I see that as a real positive trend.”

Molinari says the reason for the uptick in face-to-face meetings is because the virus continues to abate. “Our team booked [hundreds of] pieces of business in the last year, including eight citywides [last year and into] 2023. Two really strong pieces of business included Automate, a manufacturing show we wrestled away from Chicago that was put on by the Association for Advancing Automation. [They had] 20,000 attendees in June, and that [was] a huge event with robotic displays that filled up almost the entirety of Huntington Place. And [last] May, [we hosted] RAPID + TCT, a 3D technology printing show put on by SME. It’s a monster that brought in an incredible number of attendees. Because of our ability to land those events, it helps us get trade shows like the Silicone Expo and Injection Molding Show. Detroit is still a major manufacturing hub, and this is proof positive.”

Motley says Miami is also seeking to continue building back its international market. Carol Motley/GMCVB

New Business Models

Some destinations were able to thrive modestly during the pandemic by pivoting their business models. Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy, says Indianapolis has hosted a wide variety of events since July 2020, when the convention center was first reopened and groups of up to 250 attendees could come in with an approved health plan. The city has gone back to its roots and hosted a bevy of sports events, which helped make up for the absence of trade shows. “With 12 hotels and 4,700 rooms connected to the convention center by climate-controlled skywalk, we can create a quasi-bubble,” Hoops says. “They like the campus feel, and they like not having to take shuttles from downtown. Those tournaments had an immediate impact, and allowed a number of hotels to stay open for business. Now, we have something pretty much every week … that’s either a borderline citywide event or full citywide.” The big show for last year was the recent Gen Con, the longest-running and largest tabletop gaming convention, which has taken place in Indianapolis since 2003.

Like Detroit, Indianapolis also has picked up some business from Chicago, which was closed through the pandemic longer than most Midwest cities. The Sweets and Snacks Expo has been an annual event in Chicago for 23 years, but Indianapolis hosted it for the first time in 2021. Early last spring, the National Confectioners Association announced they’ll be alternating Indianapolis and Las Vegas for the Expo over the next decade, starting in 2024.

Miami was able to rely on leisure travelers to fill much of the gap left by canceled events. “When Omicron hit [last] January, I remember getting a call from several of our hotels saying, ‘Oh boy, what are we going to do?’” says Carol Motley, senior vice president, convention sales & services with the Greater Miami Conventions & Visitors Bureau. “They ended up having a stronger first quarter than they imagined. They were thinking Omicron was going to be a big deterrent, but they are pleasantly surprised at how well they did.”

Miami bounced back in mid-spring with what is now being called Tech Month. “The NFT meeting was held in Wynwood,” Motley says. “eMerge had an extremely successful show at the Miami Beach Convention Center, as well as Bitcoin, which brought over 20,000 people to the convention center.” Motley says convention center bookings are continuing to move along robustly.

Motley continues: “We want to build on that momentum, because corporate is a big push of mine. There’s West Coast fatigue, and we want that business to come here. On the association side, everyone still wants to be in San Francisco and San Diego, and those convention centers will continue to draw that kind of business. But … I want people to know about the intellectual capital we have — we’re not just beaches here.”

As the major gateway between the U.S. and Latin America, Miami’s tourism depends on international traffic, and although leisure traffic is back at the airport, Motley says international meeting business continues to rebound. “The biggest difficulty is the border,” Motley says. “We’re driving the Florida market in terms of rate, and a lot of international visitors are going to Orlando, because the rates are less and they love the outlet shopping. So our biggest challenge is bringing the international market back.”

VISIT Milwaukee kicked off its 2023 marketing efforts with a 35-by-23-foot billboard in New York City’s Times Square that ran from December 26 to January 1. It capitalized on National Geographic naming Milwaukee to its “Best of the World” list as one of the best destinations for travel in 2023 — one of only 25 such destinations. The 15-second video ran four times every hour, and the billboard — at 1540 Broadway — introduced Milwaukee’s stunning lakefront, James Beard award-winning cuisine and diverse attractions to tens of millions of viewers.

“Milwaukee’s incredible moment in the spotlight, thanks to publications like National Geographic, is monumental, but we want to keep that momentum building through 2024,” says Josh Albrecht, vice president of marketing and communications for VISIT Milwaukee, in a news release. “What better way to do that than with a billboard in one of the busiest intersections in the world over New Year’s Eve?”

This marketing initiative is just one of many that will increase awareness of Milwaukee in new markets and build on the momentum of a city adding new reasons to book meetings and conventions.

Graeme Hughes, CTA, Executive Vice President of Sales at Visit Tucson, says Tucson is hosting hundreds of FAM trips as things improve. Courtesy Photo

Attendee Confidence Grows

A former executive at Visit Anaheim says attendee confidence is starting to come back, but concurs that regaining the international sector is the destination’s top challenge. “Asia-Pacific is one of the biggest feeder markets for Southern California — [destinations] from Seattle to San Diego are impacted by Asia-Pacific,” the former executive says. One of Anaheim’s biggest draws is the Natural Products Expo West, and in March 2020, it was the first major event to cancel as the pandemic bore down. The expo was also the first large event to stage a return, last March, drawing 57,000 attendees to the Anaheim Convention Center.

The period going into last summer was very busy for Anaheim. Leading the list was the annual National Association of Music Merchants show, which had 45,000 attendees. The estimated economic impact to the area was $164.9 million.

The Asia-Pacific market is one reason Bryan Churchill, senior vice president, hotel sales for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, was looking forward to hosting Anime Expo, a Japanese animation event [that drew] 120,000 attendees the first weekend of July. “That’s our most notable … convention event, representing a true return to normal,” says Churchill, who thought international visitors made up 15% to 20% of the attendees for Anime Expo. “The event impacts 26 hotels, and the 18-34 age demographic is perfect.” He adds, “I’ve never been more encouraged than now. It feels about as normal as it has been. We’ve been able to remain hyper engaged with our main customers. Now we’re in a business development mode, where things are reaching, and in some cases, eclipsing 2019 levels.”

Churchill says the tech sector is showing the strongest demand and reached 2019 levels early last year, and that the destination will meet or exceed 2019 levels at some point this year.

Whether for its entertainment, fashion or tech industries, Los Angeles has long been globally recognized as a creative hub. The city is prepared to exit the pandemic with 2,100 new hotel rooms, including Hyatt’s Thompson Hollywood and the five-year, $2.5 billion makeover of the Fairmont Century Plaza. The $484 million Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened in fall 2021, and LAX, the city’s congestion-plagued airport, is undergoing a $1.62 billion modernization project in preparation to host the 2028 Olympic Games.

New Projects Come Online

Around the country, destinations are excited to emerge from the pandemic with projects to tout. In Tucson, the city’s convention center has undergone a $65 million renovation, and added two much-needed downtown hotel properties — a 170-room DoubleTree and a dual-branded Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites with 200 rooms.

Detroit’s Molinari reports 11 cranes are building some of Michigan’s tallest buildings today, with prospects for two 750- to 800-room upscale hotel properties on the drawing board. And in Indianapolis, in mid-pandemic, the City Council unanimously approved a $155 million expansion of the convention center. The expansion will share ballroom space with a new 800-room Signia by Hilton.

Clearly, in ways large and small, cities and CVBs across the country are preparing to exit the pandemic with new wares and new flair. C&IT

Fitness offerings at events can include any number of activities, such as hiking or enjoying a few minutes of quiet time in a natural, scenic environment. Courtesy of Chris Reed

As in-person meetings make a meaningful comeback after the ravages of the global COVID-19 pandemic, organizations and companies are looking ahead, asking how best to regroup, reward and incentivize teams in today’s new meetings environment.

Enter event planners ready to respond to today’s evolving meeting needs. Virtual programming? Check. Hybrid events? We’ve got you covered. Back to live meetings? Let’s go! Yet the meetings landscape looks different post-pandemic. After spending much of the last two years working remotely and with fewer meetings, the expectations of attendees for in-person events have changed, particularly when it comes to matters of health and personal well-being.

Elevated Expectations

The topic was highlighted in a recent videotaped panel discussion of wellness experts hosted by Hotel Business and sponsored by Peloton Commercial. Some of the featured panelists included: Sonya Haffey, principal of V STARR; Kenneth Ryan, vice president – global operations: spa, fitness and retail at Marriott International; Anne Dimon, president/CEO of the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) and founder/editor of TraveltoWellness.com; Kevin Edmunds, MS, CITP, vice president, meeting & incentive sales at AIC Hotel Group; Mariela McIlwraith, former chief sustainability officer of the Events Industry Council’s (EIC) Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact; Celine Vadam, WE(i) Think founder & CEO; Ryan Crabbe, senior director, commercial experience and partnerships at Peloton Interactive; and Sonal Uberoi, global wellness expert and author of “The Wellness Asset: How Wellness Can Transform and Future-Proof Your Hotel.”

Ryan acknowledges that the pandemic has heightened the importance of prioritizing personal health. “It allowed us all to pause and look at our lives individually,” Ryan says. “We saw more people working out outside, walking, hiking and the like, and also put a focus on what they’re eating.”

Dimon agrees: “What we have seen is that the one greatest things that has come out of the pandemic is people are now realizing how important making their own personal health a priority is.” In fact, she says, “The meetings and events side of wellness is bound to grow as more people are becoming more educated about how their daily lives affect their health, longevity and sense of well-being.”

Yet, despite high demand, persuading businesspeople to attend a live event requires more effort than it did pre-pandemic, Edmunds says. “Events are no longer all about business — instead, attendees insist on bringing spouses or partners, expect activities both on and off the hotel property for themselves and their families, and demand a menu of activities that allows for personalized experiences,“ he says.

McIlwraith echoes Edmunds, saying opportunities to get together in person need to be leveraged to have the greatest impact possible. “We want to make sure we design events that matter, where people come back energized and solutions are created,” she says. “The power of human connections is the ultimate renewable resource. Sustainability [and its connection to health and wellness] is about more than environmental issues. It’s about the interrelationship of people, planet and purpose, and how our decisions affect each area.”

Fitness offerings at events can include any number of activities, such as hiking or enjoying a few minutes of quiet time in a natural, scenic environment. Courtesy of Sandra Barnhart

A More Holistic Approach

To be sure, spa and fitness centers remain the gold standard of amenities among conference attendees when it comes to health and wellness. “In the luxury space,” Ryan says, “spa and wellness are synonymous.” Karen Devine, CITP, CEO and founder of 3D Cruise Partners, says this has even extended to meetings and events that take place on cruise ships. “Our clients look for a good spa and fitness area, no matter the size of ships, and inclusions on port offerings featuring athletic offerings for all levels,” she says. “Health and wellness activities for corporate meeting events are as important as they’ve ever been. Particularly, coming out of the last couple of years, there is renewed interest in travel with a definite application to continue health and wellness inclusions on programs.”

Still, today’s meeting attendees have elevated their expectations of wellness to encompass a more holistic approach beyond on-site fitness centers and luxury spas and what has become standard post-pandemic cleanliness and safety protocols. Meeting planners have seen more people who have adopted a wellness lifestyle who want to incorporate those elements into their travels. “At the WTA, we see two types of travelers who can fall under the umbrella of being a wellness traveler: those who already live a wellness lifestyle, and want to take that with them on the road, and those who want to use their travel time, their vacation time, their leisure travel time to actually get on a path to wellness,” Dimon says.

The Where Comes Into Play

Location remains top of mind among corporate planners and their clients in choosing desirable sites for meetings and events. Sandra Barnhart, president of JWB Management Group/Continuing Education/University at Sea, oversees an organization that runs more than 100 meetings each year, in addition to managing meetings for organizations. “Our clients, for the most part, lead very stressful, overworked lives. As a result, we seek locations that are conducive to physical activities and have on-site gyms and spa treatments,” Barnhart says. “When on ships, we have [health- and wellness-oriented] shore excursion options in each port. We also plan optional outings for attendees to participate in, such as fishing, whale watching, hiking, surfing, golfing, tennis, etc.”

As far as specific geographical locations, Barnhart says, “We are seeing a big demand for nature walks at our Alaska cruise meetings. Nature walks can be very fulfilling; Alaska is perfect for that. The trails are endless and just beautiful.”

Experts agree that as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, attendees are flocking to events that offer a robust menu of fitness and health and wellness activities. Courtesy of Chris Reed

Properties and Venues

From heightened awareness of the importance of personal health and well-being, paired with elevated expectations of the meeting experience from attendees, comes positive opportunities for destination properties to up their game in support of overall wellness. Sally Mainprize, owner of Iron Peacock Events, notes, for instance, that health and wellness programs in events are included, or not, based on several factors.

“With some clients, free access to the hotel fitness center suffices,” she says. “Others want a daily activity.” Physical activities and spa pampering packages may be where health and wellness programs start, but for today’s discerning meeting attendee, having a choice of curated activities enhances the wellness experience. In recent client events, Mainprize has incorporated morning yoga instruction, 5K runs and Zumba activities for clients.

Michelle Zwirek, director of sales and marketing at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, notes that incorporating mindfulness and active movement into programming really depends on the client and type of meeting. “A more corporate, business-focused group usually prefers wellness elements that are very approachable, like movement breaks and healthy food options,” she says. “By contrast, if it’s a conference for mental health providers, they may want to explore the more immersive wellness offerings like meditation or sound healing.”

Zwirek emphasizes that “every client is different, so we like to collaborate with them to ensure they are aware of all the possibilities.” One popular activity at the resort has been to “incorporate elements from our Best Life-ing program, a group wellness service offered through our spa, with customizable programming available to our group clients,” she says. “Sessions can include meditation, breath work, yoga, life coaching and more as whole day, half day or a-la-carte option for attendees.”

Haffey, in the video, cites the impact of customers’ changing expectations of health and wellness. “It’s everything … from head to toe, from the moment you arrive,” she says. “That includes whether or not a person smiling when they open the door, F&B — and scent is also a big deal that sparks emotion — your comfort level, [and even] how easy is check-in?”

Vadam notes that the evolution of meetings has gone “from physical appearance to now wellness-related and how to improve overall health, sleeping, eating, moving and socializing well …,” she says.

Dimon recognizes that health and wellness has evolved to be so much more than spa and luxury, while Ryan finds more planners asking to incorporate elements of health and wellness into the meetings themselves, in addition to offering separate amenities and activities. “Can you do a wellness zone, a Zen den in addition to healthy food choices?” she asks. “Wellness is a filter that everything is being looked through.”

Well rooms, in which meeting attendees are offered a bounty of individual, curated wellness experiences within the comfort of their own guest rooms are also finding favor among planners, Haffey says. Features can include a healthy mini-bar, motivational books, mood lighting and free water, for instance. Other guests might enjoy receiving yoga mats, sleep masks, luxurious bath products and exercise programs as welcome amenities.

Toward that end, Crabbe notes that the Peloton app in partnership with Hilton represents one of the biggest shifts in promoting health and wellness. It offers the concept of “connected fitness” that can deliver motivation and fitness training to guests outside of fitness centers, providing users with live and on-demand classes in yoga, meditation, cardio, strength training and more.

Ryan notes Marriott’s successful launch of partnering in the digital space to promote health and wellness as well. “We have put wellness in the palm of our hands as a membership benefit so members can stay fit on the go with Marriott Bonvoy, which offers curated fitness classes on demand and exercises you can do in your room — meditation, yoga and visualization — among the programs,” he says.

Food & Beverage

For Devine, ensuring there is a wide variety of healthy food choices is also key to health and wellness. “There are so many different interests now — vegetarian, vegan, keto, low salt, low carb, etc. — you have to be careful and work to please as many tastes as possible,” she says. She adds that the cruise industry has responded “in amazing ways to the interest in health and wellness, from including more smoothie and juice bars with options for clients to choose their own shake or drink, to food choices locally sourced and prepared with health in mind.”

Barnhart agrees: “Nutrition, of course, is always a consideration for our guests. We keep that in mind when ordering food for breaks and meals. In fact, we organize our agendas so that meal times are spent with their guests and families,” another touchpoint in health and wellness.

For Mainprize’s clients, “The most frequent requests I receive are nutritional in scope, such as clean menus with flexibility, together with locally sourced, seasonal food items,” she says. “Consequently, those destinations that are willing to put the catering menus to the side and build the F&B offerings needed for the group are hitting it out of the park with meeting attendees.”

From the venue’s perspective, Zwirek says, along the lines of healthful eating, one trend they have noted at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa specifically is requests for more plant-based options for meals.

So has Chris Reed, vice president of global sales at The Ranch in Malibu, California, resulting in the property’s featured plant-based menu, “artfully prepared and rich in nutritious value to help further cleanse the body,” he says, along with cooking classes and garden tours.

Authentic Experiences

Beyond the boundaries of hotel lodging, today’s advocates of holistic health and wellness practices seek authentic experiences and activities that take guests out in nature, such as forest bathing, sustainable and green practices, and connection with local culture, Uberoi says.

Haffey cites hotel guests who ask where a nearby path or trail is so they can take a walk or hike, while Ryan mentions how some guests seek areas where they can go on runs around the destination city and spas that use locally sourced luxury products.

“Especially now, attendees are learning they need to put their well-being first,” Reed says. “The Ranch offers natural, open-air spaces to detoxify the mind and body while reconnecting with nature. In fact, time in nature is a key component of our program, which also offers sequestered settings where guests spend their mornings hiking in the nearby mountains.”

Recognizing the importance of mental health as a current health and wellness trend, Reed says they emphasize the importance of nature, which is scientifically proven to have incredible health benefits, from reducing stress to improving creativity and focus. “Our guided hikes leave guests with a refreshed and rejuvenated mind and body as they take in the beautiful scenery,” he says. “Also on tap is a daily schedule of morning stretching, hiking [built for time, not distance, allowing all ages and fitness levels to easily participate], nap time, afternoon fitness classes, yoga, meditation and daily massage. Sound baths, acupuncture and chiropractic services are also available, any and all of which can be customized, even added into meeting programs, as requested.”

Experts agree that wellness travel is at the top of everyone’s minds right now. “But few are seeing it as an incredible opportunity in the corporate event space,” Ryan says. “By booking this type of experience for your team, not only are you ahead of what is becoming a huge trend, but you are also showing employees that you are prioritizing their health.”

And if you’re wondering where best to begin, Mainprize offers this: “You can start small and implement changes most important to your audience — one step at a time.” C&IT

Dan Lockyer, of Dream Yacht Worldwide, left, says his company gives groups the chance to do beach cleanups in the Virgin Islands. Courtesy of Dan Lockyer

Corporations are committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, and many have become vocal about the social stances they choose to take. The upshot is that corporate social responsibility (CSR), which has a much longer corporate history than ESG, is getting a bit of a boost as corporate employees and event attendees start to merge their concerns about sustainability and social justice with the “environmental” and “social” aspects of ESG.

“People don’t want senseless team building,“ says Joanna Berens, president & Zero Food Waste Chair, Sustainable Events Network, Florida & Caribbean, and president, Joanna Berens Hospitality, Inc., a site-selection and logistics company. Today, with so many team-building options that have a philanthropic component, it’s easier and more rewarding than ever for corporate planners to take advantage of these opportunities.

Conserving Coastlines

“I work with both the environment and tourism at a very high level,” says Valerie Peters, director of operations at the U.S. Virgin Islands-based destination management company VIP Destination Solutions, and also an active member of the nonprofit Virgin Islands Conservation Society (VICS). For her, matching corporate groups with a CSR activity is all part of the same commitment to sustain the USVI through thoughtful tourism. Coastal cleanups are a major CSR choice for corporate groups in the USVI — the region takes three to five years to recover from a hurricane, she notes, and over the past few years, it’s undergone two, along with the pandemic.

“Coastal cleanups — for us they actually mean something,” Peters says. “We do data collection, and thanks to our cleanups, we have a plastic bag and straw ban and a coral-safe sunscreen requirement. So they mean a lot more than cleaning up a beach; they change how we do business and how we live.”

And while some planners, particularly of incentives, may shy away from the idea of a beach cleanup, Peters finds that cruise ships and groups from the pharmaceutical and trucking industries are particularly keen to pitch in. “Groups are meeting on cruise ships with a stop in the island doing a corporate activity. It’s a different way to organize conferences.”

Cruise ships for meetings makes particular sense for the USVI, not only because it’s in the obvious path of many Caribbean routes, but also because, for the time being, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas and the Frenchman’s Reef, when it reopens in the spring, are the only two USVI hotels set up to accommodate large corporate groups. Vessup Bay, not far from the Ritz-Carlton, is a favorite spot for such cleanups as it gets a lot of boat traffic. “We organize shuttles, provide gloves, bags, pickers, buckets, water, compostable plates/reusable utensils [and] biodegradable cups. For data collection, we have teams of four — one person collecting, one holding the bag and two picking up trash.”

The beach cleanups can also be turned into something fun, Peters says. A couple of hours of cleanup, a couple of hours of fun in the sun, all amid conversations with local conservation experts about the island and its culture. “It turns into so much more than picking up trash.”

Peters’ company is now in discussions with a cruise ship of about 150 attendees expected to arrive in mid-spring. Along with a cleanup, this group will be doing mangrove planting and glass crushing for hurricane sandbags.

Another available team-building activity is building picnic tables, benches and raised gardening beds along with an at-risk group of youths. The constructed items then go into schools, parks and public areas through the nonprofit My Brother’s Workshop, and the students get class credit and hands-on woodworking experience. “It’s an incredible life experience for kids, to interact with people who are successful and goal oriented, some of whom started in situations very similar to theirs,” Peters says.

Groups can also have learning experiences and support projects at Coral World; donate book bags filled with school supplies to VICS’ Eco-Schools program; donate hurricane supplies; or escort an animal that is flying to a no-kill shelter for adoption on the mainland. The animal travels in a carry-on bag with the attendee, who is met by a Humane Society representative from among the USVI’s East Coast network at the airport on the other end.

Lovango Resort & Beach Club, on a private island near St. John, which can host corporate groups for day or evening trips, does coral conservation-related work with the University of the Virgin Islands and the Trust for Virgin Islands Lands, “protecting endemic species, ensuring minimal footprint, relocating, planting in other areas.” Peters says of the resort, “They are really good partners, showing that development does not necessarily mean destruction.”

Impact 4 Good builds cars from kits that are then donated to kids. Courtesy of Ira Almeas

Choosing Green

Like the Lovango Resort, Dream Yacht Worldwide approaches CSR from a conservationist and sustainability perspective, contributing as a company to the ongoing well-being of the areas it spends time in.

Corporate groups use Dream Yacht Worldwide for incentives, taking two to 20 boats of typically maximum six-guest cabins. Last summer, for example, a group in the gas industry cruised down the coast of Croatia as a fleet of 18 boats. “It’s a really unique experience with a wow factor, something people will remember,” says Dan Lockyer, vice president of tourism for Dream Yacht Worldwide. Groups can be as involved as they want in the sailing, and can engage in regattas where they race against each other. Boats all have a dinghy, stand-up paddle boards and kayaks, and attendees can stop at various beaches to play games and even get away from the group for a bit to explore on their own.

But the boats have a second purpose: “After Hurricane Irma destroyed the [British Virgin Islands], as the islands were rebounding, a number of groups went to help locals rebuild, tear down derelict buildings and help rebuild houses — free labor for a week,” Lockyer says. “We have a number of companies that we supply boats to, with the agreement that if they book a certain number of trips, they can use our boats and crew to do beach clearing.”

Team Building Through Bike Building

“For 13 years in the industry selling team building, bike building is still the No. 1 program,” says Nanci Donahue, vice president of sales at Best Corporate Events & Team Building, which offers a portal where DMCs and planners can register to get early information about team-building programs, including pricing, to use in their own proposals. “Everyone identifies with the feeling of getting a new bike for the first time; it resonates with many people.”

One recent Bike Build Donation involved 1,850 attendees at the annual summit for employees of a cloud-based supply chain software company that met in Minnesota late last year. They were divided into 185 teams, each building two bikes.

For such a large group, stations were set up to make it easier for attendees to get preset materials. The teams decorated the bikes, and every bike was tested for roadworthiness before it was donated. “A lead facilitator is on stage, welcoming, setting energy and creating excitement,” Donahue says. “Teams answer as many challenges as they can to gain as many overall points as they can. The top scoring teams are awarded gold/silver/bronze. There are certain levels of points that the teams achieve in order to claim some of the supplies needed to build their donation.”

Roy Charette, managing partner at Best Corporate Events & Team Building, says the largest bike build in history took place in Las Vegas with 3,500 Lowe’s employees, who built and donated 1,058 bicycles. “For many children, it’s the first bike they’ve ever had,” Charette says. “It has a big impact on the Lowe’s people to be part of that, to realize the scope of what they were able to do.”

Best Corporate Events also offers Build-a-Guitar, particularly popular in Nashville, where as many as 3,000 attendees at once string, tune, decorate and donate a guitar along with an amp, pick and case to a local charity such as the Boys & Girls Club. Music trivia can be part of the iPad portion of the team building.

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, also works with many corporate companies who want to incorporate a charitable aspect to their team-building activities. One such option is also a Build-a-Bike program, for which Heather Tate, vice president at real estate investment company Blue Vista Capital Management, opted for the company’s annual off-site retreat of about 65 primarily Chicago-based attendees. The company has a committee devoted to “team fun.” Tate was the chair and responsible for planning an event to do at the off-site. “We wanted to do something different,” she says, particularly given that they would be celebrating the company’s 20-year anniversary.

Typically, the firm’s two-day event features a golf or spa option and a company dinner on Sunday, then the conference room on Monday for goal setting, business updates, accomplishments and strategic initiatives. “Then everyone needs a mental break,” she says, which is a perfect time for the team fun component. In past years, activities included three-legged races, kickball tournaments, escape rooms and scavenger hunts. “Build-a-Bike sounded fun, and that it would be gifted just made it even better,” Tate says. “Not everyone wants to do a run/sprint/kickball thing. This caters to more personalities.”

This was the company’s first year centering the team fun activity around a CSR component, and Tate worked with the Grand Geneva event staff to organize the 65 participants into multiple groups to work through various team-building challenges, including one to build a standing structure out of spaghetti, duct tape, string and a marshmallow.

“At the end, we got to race the bikes, tested them to make sure they are roadworthy, and ended up with 13 or 14 bikes that we donated to Treehouse for Kids, a not-for-profit that helps protect children who experience child abuse and neglect.” A representative from the nonprofit also came by to chat with the group. “It was a fun, memorable event that opened some eyes,” Tate says. “Everyone was very excited. We are a very competitive group, and we were still able to flex our competitive muscles. Going forward, it can expand what we think of as fun — being competitive while making an impact.”

The company also embraces CSR back at home. “We have an internal ESG committee focused on implementing sustainability initiatives across our real estate investments,” she says. The company has also launched a social impact fund “dedicated to providing capital to women and minority-owned companies to grow their real estate businesses. Our knowledge of the market and resources allow us to provide capital and mentorship to these companies that are looking to grow.”

Bridging with Golf

Another popular team-building option at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, is Putt for Hunger. Last fall, the resort hosted a “Putt for Hunger” session for 75 attendees from industrial tools company, Enerpac. “Groups are divided into teams and are given a 3-by-7-foot area of putting green. Using the limited space, goods and materials, teams are then instructed to start building their own course,” says Allyson Carlson, experience activity facilitator at Grand Geneva. “The goal is to make it easy enough for their team to make a hole in one, but difficult enough that other teams cannot. Once building is complete, the teams go around and play each course, competing against each other for the best score.” She continues, “We had initially scheduled for the event to be hosted indoors, however, we switched to outdoors. The energy of Enerpac was contagious. The competition was strong, but easygoing. And in the end, everyone helped to load up the van with all the food.”

Ultimately, the resort’s nonprofit partner, Walworth County Food Pantry and Diaper Bank, got 500 pounds of nonperishable goods.

Building Cars, Beehives and Memories

CSR team-building organization Impact 4 Good hosts some 24 to 36 programs a week, and offers a “cause wheel” that allows planners to choose the CSR activity that best aligns with their own corporate focus. Among the most popular is Go GREEN Racing, which supports STEM education. “It’s extremely competitive,” says Ira Almeas, CITE, president of Impact 4 Good. “There are three tasks the teams have to complete within a certain time, such as assembling solar car kits for children … and building two different cars made out of recyclable materials. Each team races both cars in a bracket-style tournament. We can do this for eight people or over 1,000 people.”

Ultimately, both the kit and the built cars are donated to local schools or after-school programs. “For us, the emotional connection is just as important as the tangible donation. When you find out that one of the attendees’ families have relied on their local food pantry to get them through the week, that hits home,” Almeas says. “When it impacts actual employees and they connect with what we’re doing, that to me is a success story. A youth that receives a bike, but the bike allows them to help their family with an after-school job, this donation became a tool for them to succeed.”

Beehive making is one of many other team-building options Impact 4 Good offers. Teams learn about colony collapse, create hives and help support bee farmers. “Vetting the community is equally important, as the team-building activity that they might also want. Make sure it’s meaningful,” Almeas says. “Don’t just stuff bags and find someone who wants what you want to give out — find out what the community needs and how the donation will make an immediate difference.”

Joanna Berens says one of her passions is the zero-food-waste network, which seeks to limit food waste at meetings and conventions. Courtesy of Joanna Berens

Waste Not, Want Not

In addition to her work with Hospitality Inc., Berens is entering her second year as president of the Sustainable Events Network, Florida & Caribbean. She had a wake-up call when, while handling the F&B budget for an opening reception for a group of international attendees, she realized they didn’t have an accurate head count for the $200-per-head event. “I said, this is killing me, watching so much food going to the back of the house. I cannot stand to see the waste. I was told it was against corporate policy to donate food, and I realized we’ve got a logistics problem: way too much food in this industry, meanwhile kids with not enough to eat.” This led her to the zero-food-waste movement, where the goal is ideally not to have leftovers, or at least to have a designated place for extra food other than the waste bin.

Some hotels have begun to embrace the move toward zero food waste. The Hyatt Regency Orlando, for example, piloted a brief program in which they analyzed attendees’ eating patterns at the first meal and adjusted their production based on this; instituted a “meal of the day;” served smaller plates and offered less preplaced food, like bread, that can’t be donated once it’s been set out. The hotel also regularly donates to the Second Harvest.

Of course, there is always an inherent tension at work with food rescue. Having to ask for iced tea because the table is not already set with it inevitably slows down service and increases the chances that attendees will be unhappy with both the speed and the perceived attentiveness of the experience. Still, Berens says, “our mission is to get chefs and sous-chefs to just have it endemic to the host hotel or catering operation” to be mindful of how much food there is and where it’s going.

“A number of hotels and catering operations participating in food rescue are starting to embrace the compost side of things with anaerobic digesters, for example,” Berens says, adding that some 100,000 pounds of food was rescued from the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. “There’s a trend with operations trying to get on the stick,” she says, mentioning Florida convention centers in Broward County, Miami Beach and Greater Orlando as examples.

Berens offers these tips for planners moving toward less food waste:

• Add food rescue to both the RFP and the contract itself.
• Know your group; keep good records of attendee-eating patterns. Are the various food functions compulsory or optional? How often do people eat and where? Will the local attendees stay for lunch?
• Consider offering breakfast vouchers for the on-site restaurant instead of a separate buffet.
• Repurpose continental breakfast for breaks.
• Offer an outlet credit rather than a planned private lunch.

“Any of these practices are not meant to take away from the revenue intentions of the venue you have chosen or detract from the integrity of the contract,” Berens says. “Some hotels do not consider outlet credit to be part of F&B minimum, for example. But you can strategically plan — upgrade the wine; switch the beverage to full open bar for two hours; serve beef instead of chicken; offer a champagne toast.” She continues: “The planner audience is the one moving the needle,” Berens says. “If you start demanding this, the venues will have to shift to meet your needs.” C&IT

FlooringMarkets.com often hosts events in Arlington, home of AT&T Stadium. Courtesy of Barbara Stroup

Texas’ offerings for corporate and incentive gatherings are as big and diverse as the state, with many cities featuring a broad range of attractive options and settings.

“The saying, ‘Everything is bigger in Texas!’ is especially true when it comes to ways for planners to tailor their ‘Lone Star State’ meetings, which are as unique and memorable as they are productive,” says Mario Bass, chief sales officer for Visit San Antonio. “In Texas, you should expect everything from world-class venues and cuisine to down-home barbecues and neighborly hospitality.”

Corporate and event planners find that many attendees are attracted to the state’s blending of unique history and upscale modernism. “Texas is an open-for-business state with a thriving economy and wide diversity in its ecosystems and topography,’’ says Karen Fogle, CMP, HMCC, corporate sales manager for Visit Plano. “It’s a destination known for big Texas hospitality while encompassing its rugged past and an advanced future.”

Several of the state’s premier meeting cities are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but many planners are well aware that cities such as Houston, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso have plenty to offer, both for meetings and a variety of downtime activities. “Big business or big fun, there’s no place like [Texas],” says Amy Brown, senior vice president of convention sales and services for meetings and conventions at Visit Fort Worth.

Dallas

Dallas is a popular choice for meeting planners, with its multitude of offerings, central location and easy accessibility, including flights from more than 200 destinations arriving daily. “It is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, with more than 20 entertainment districts offering walkable access to music, shopping, arts and award-winning global cuisine,” says Craig Davis, president and CEO of VisitDallas. “We also offer an unparalleled variety of accommodations. With over 35,000 guest rooms, from the intimacy of boutique hotels to the convenience and luxury of large convention hotels, all the nation’s top brands are represented in Dallas.”

Kelsey Grisham, senior events operations manager for Clarion Events Inc., planned a recent event for more than 18,000 attendees in Dallas. It took place in late spring at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCC) in the heart of downtown. “We chose Dallas because it is centrally located, the venue had enough space to hold our program, and was recommended by our audience in previous surveys,” Grisham says. Attendees stayed at some 40 different hotels in the downtown and market center area because of the size of the group.

When planning the event, Grisham’s team made biweekly, and later weekly, calls to the convention center, VisitDallas team, their contractors and staff members. “I think that helped a lot,” Grisham says. “The VisitDallas team and the KBHCC team were amazing to work with. VisitDallas provided us with tools for our website, we met regularly to discuss pick up, they assisted us with any issues that came up throughout the year, and they hosted us for multiple site visits.”

Craig Davis, right, of VisitDallas, says the city is “vibrant and cosmopolitan.” Courtesy of VisitDallas

The Dallas City Council has approved plans to expand the KBHCC, with construction expected to begin in 2024 and completed in 2029. Once completed, it will provide 800,000 sf of exhibit space and 400,000 sf of breakout space, including a 100,000-sf ballroom.

Another excellent choice for corporate and incentive gatherings is Omni Dallas Hotel, which features 1,001 guest rooms — with each room showcasing works of local artists — and 110,000 sf of meeting space, including 41 meeting rooms. Hyatt Regency Dallas, connected to the iconic Reunion Tower and historic Union Station, has 1,120 guest rooms and 160,000 sf of meeting space, including 60 meeting rooms. The largest hotel in the city, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, features stunning views of the city skyline, 1,841 guest rooms and 230,000 sf of meeting space. Sleek, chic and boasting newly renovated meeting and event space, Renaissance Dallas Hotel offers 514 guest rooms and 51,573 sf of meeting space. Hilton Anatole has 1,606 guest rooms and 600,000 sf of meeting space.

Plano

A 20-minute drive northeast from Dallas, Plano provides a big-city feel without a big-city price tag. “With nearly 60 hotels of various price points, more than 1,000 restaurants, world-class shopping, a lively arts and nightlife scene, abundant natural beauty and four walkable entertainment districts, Plano is the perfect city for a meeting of any size,” Fogle says.

Emily Burroughs, vice president of marketing for BGSF, planned a gathering in mid-spring for 250 of its sales staff and leaders. She arranged for the group to stay at Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park hotel because of its large size — 299 guest rooms and 33,000 sf of meeting space — and assortment of spaces that met its needs. Also nearby is The Boardwalk at Granite Park, with eight Dallas-based restaurants and a waterfront view, which made it easy for attendees to grab food before or after meetings.

“The hotel was great and a perfect size for this group,” Burroughs says. “The rooms were nice, clean and large. The overall hotel was very easy to get in and out of, and around. The parking for our local team members was waived, which was extremely helpful as people came and went throughout the conference. Also, the food — which I know is something they take pride in — was phenomenal, and we were very impressed with the overall service. Their chef did a great job to ensure anyone with allergies was taken care of, which is always appreciated.”

Attendees attended conferences and learning sessions during the day, and made the most of their downtime. On the first night, some attendees went to piano bars, bars and clubs in the area, while others enjoyed simply walking across the way to the boardwalk for an evening cocktail.

Burroughs says her group loved the event and location, and would like to repeat the experience every year, but with the entire company. “It’s a great location to get to and from any local airport and there are great places to walk to in the area,” she says.

Another option for large corporate and incentive meetings in the city, the Plano Event Center offers 86,400 sf of meeting space, a 21,600-sf exhibition hall and 14 breakout rooms. Also, Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, which completed a $3.6 million renovation in 2020, is surrounded by scenic parks and water features, and offers 417 guest rooms and 35,000 sf of meeting space. Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel features innovative design merging Asian and Texan influences, state-of-the-art technology, 303 guest rooms and 34,869 sf of indoor and outdoor event space, including nine breakout rooms.

Omni PGA Frisco Resort is expected to open in May. The resort will offer 127,000 sf of meeting and event space. Courtesy Photo

Just a few more miles north sits the new, state-of-the-art Omni PGA Frisco Resort. Expected to open in May, the resort will offer 127,000 sf of meeting and event space, highlighted by two ballrooms — 22,000 sf and 11,500 sf — 19 meeting rooms, including one boardroom, nine outdoor event venues and a 5,000-sf event pavilion, which is perfect for special events, says Gus Tejeda, director of sales & marketing.

“Omni PGA Frisco Resort will be the first resort of its type ever constructed. Our goal was to create a resort which enriched attendees’ lives through memorable experiences,” he says. “One of our most memorable venues is the PGA District, which will feature The Swing, a par-3, 10-hole course, and The Dance Floor, a 70,000-sf putting green — both venues have lighting for night play — as well as several signature dining and retail venues. We added the par-3 course and putting green as an ‘entertainment’ component, as we wanted to make the game of golf approachable to persons of all ages and abilities.”

The resort will feature new meeting and technology tools to planners and attendees, such as the ability to produce hybrid/virtual meetings. “Our A/V partner, Pinnacle Live, is focused on customized solutions that streamline workflows, curating multifunctional equipment to increase flexibility for any event, whether it be in-person, hybrid or virtual, all while keeping abreast of the latest trends and customer expectations,” Tejeda says.

In addition to offering a world-class golf experience, other on-site activities include an adults-only rooftop infinity pool, which features six cabanas and overlooks Fields Ranch golf courses and the area’s rolling hills, and the Mokara Spa, a 15,000-sf destination salon and spa offering 20 treatment rooms, private spa pool and café. There will also be a number of signature retail concepts, which will be located in the resort tower and PGA District, the names of which will be divulged in the near future, Tejeda says.

Nearby activities will include the Star District, which has more than 35 restaurants, shops and specialty services, and is the headquarters for the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys football team. The Star District is located approximately 10 minutes from the resort, and Legacy West, an upscale retail/dining experience with 40 retail and dining venues, is located approximately 20 minutes from the resort.

“We have over 40 definite groups on the books for future dates, ranging from board of directors meetings to large-scale incentive programs,” Tejeda says. “Clients are excited that our resort will feature a plethora of unique offerings, which will allow their attendees to experience something ‘new and memorable.’”

Irving

Irving, located 13.5 miles northwest of Dallas, features 90 hotels, offering a full range of accommodations and meeting spaces, as well as a diverse and vibrant food scene. “The city offers culture, adventure and entertainment, all in one compact, accessible footprint,” says Lori Fojtasek, vice president of sales and services for the Irving Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Visiting groups have the convenience of experiencing all of it from the central hub of Las Colinas, a master-planned community with a thriving, walkable entertainment district.”

Debbie Sardone, CEO of Debbie Sardone Consulting LLC, has hosted three gatherings for the company in Irving during the past two years. Last summer, a group of 30 attendees stayed and met at The Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas hotel, which offers 350 guest rooms and 275,000 sf of meeting space. In mid-spring, 400 attendees met and stayed at Omni Las Colinas Hotel, which offers 421 guest rooms and 50,000 sf of meeting space. And in mid-summer, 30 people met and stayed at The Westin Irving Convention Center. She chose these properties because of their convenient locations, availability, easy access to the airport, food options, “excellent” contract terms and “beautiful, right-sized facilities that make a fantastic impression.”

The mid-spring gathering included hosting a benefit gala for Cleaning for a Reason, a nonprofit organization that provides home cleaning for people battling cancer. “Attendees commented on the easy ride from the airport, and there were lots of options for food and places to convene and network after our training event,” Sardone says. “They also loved the number of vendors who were on-site and the ability to interact with them face to face.”

She was impressed with both hotels. “The Omni and the Westin have outstanding banquet facilities,” she says. “Our events have a reputation for offering healthy, beautiful, delicious food, and both hotels delivered. Omni has more classic charm, while Westin is very modern.”

Sardone says the attendee feedback for the gatherings was “fantastic,” adding the hotels are beautiful, with high-end amenities and delicious food.

Situated on 40 acres in the heart of Irving’s Las Colinas Urban Center, the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, which provides nearly 100,000 sf of meeting space, is just one phase of a mixed-use entertainment district that includes the Westin. Other options in Irving include The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport hotel, with an array of dining choices, 506 guest rooms and 34,701 sf of meeting space.

El Paso offers a vibrant downtown that is popular with attendees. Live Life In Tandem Photography

Arlington

The big news in Arlington is that construction is underway on the $810 million expansion of the Entertainment District, which will include the new Arlington Convention Center, with 216,000 sf of meeting and outdoor function space, and the $550 million, 888-room Loews Arlington Hotel, with 35,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space. The project could be completed as early as 2024.

“This will truly be a game-changer for our meetings portfolio and destination,” says Chad Enloe, vice president of sales for the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our existing world-class sports and entertainment venues will now be complimented by incredible hotel and meeting facilities that will attract national events of all kinds. We are already a leading destination for meetings and events, and this new development will further strengthen Arlington’s robust convention opportunities.”

Barbara Stroup, managing partner of FlooringMarkets.com, which provides product innovation, education, networking and growth opportunities for dealers and designers in the flooring industry, recently hosted 3,000 exhibitors, buyers, retailers, builders and designers at its 2023 Southwest Flooring Market, which was held on the concourse level at Globe Life Field (GLF), a retractable-roof stadium in Arlington.

“GLF offers wonderful, flexible space, allowing our B2B trade show more than adequate linear space for our exhibitors’ flooring booths and displays,” Stroup says. “The GLF team has worked closely with our staff and exhibitors to dissect their needs in advance, offering economic solutions that will provide the best possible experience.”

Many of the exhibitors hosted after-market hospitality events, especially at Texas Live!, which includes entertainment, restaurants and accommodations. “Where else can you find the variety of options right outside the door that are better than what we are offered at Texas Live!, in addition to the variety of options that are available to us within the GLF?” Stroup asks. Attendees stayed at Live! by Loews, which she describes as a “top-notch, clean, safe, service-oriented property” that is a very short walk to GLF. It provides 300 guest rooms and 35,000 sf of meeting space.

Stroup highly recommends Arlington, situated 20 miles southwest of Dallas, to convention and incentive planners. “If you are looking for meeting space in [Greater Dallas], travel on over to Arlington,” she says. “There is an amazing number of diverse properties that will compliment or reinvent your next meeting or trade show. The city is a mixture of unique and traditional venues that can handle small intimate gatherings up to mid-size trade shows.”

Other options for corporate and incentive meetings include Lux Hotel & Spa, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, a modern property with 192 guest rooms and 12,000 sf of meeting space; and Sheraton Arlington Hotel, located in the Entertainment District, with 311 guest rooms and 26,151 sf of meeting space.

Fort Worth

Combining chic Western amenities, such as new and renovated hotel offerings, restaurants and exciting tourism venues, it’s no wonder Fort Worth, 30 miles west of Dallas, was ranked among Travel & Leisure’s Top 15 U.S. Cities, placing 12th. “Fort Worth is one of the most convenient meeting packages in the country,” Brown says. “The city’s connected downtown has become one of the country’s most lively urban settings. The 35-block Sundance Square district, adjacent to the convention center, is home to restaurants, live music clubs, theaters, shops and exciting nightlife, headlined by the acoustically perfect Bass Performance Hall.”

The Nash, Texas-based BWI Companies, a distributor of lawn and garden, animal health, professional grower, turf, landscape, agriculture and pest-management supplies, held a trade show that drew 2,380 people in early fall. “Fort Worth offered everything we wanted — a clean, safe, walkable downtown area with numerous hotels and restaurants conveniently located close to Fort Worth Convention Center [where the trade show was held],” says Patrick Wilder, marketing coordinator for BWI Companies. “Downtown Fort Worth is a short drive from DFW International Airport, which is also a plus.”

Some attendees participated in an invitation-only shooting event and catered lunch for 40 people at Alpine Shooting Range. April Montez, senior convention services manager for Visit Fort Worth, assisted with the event, just as she did with other attendee activities. “She was instrumental in helping me find the shooting location, scooter rentals, boot shiners, longhorns for photo opportunities and everything else I requested,” Wilder says.

Attendees stayed at Omni Fort Worth Hotel, which offers 618 guest rooms and 65,000 sf of meeting space; The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel, offering 504 guest rooms and 53,000 sf of indoor and outdoor space; Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth Downtown and Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown/Convention Center. “We chose these hotels because they were in walkable distance to the convention center, and because of the room rates and their reputations. Plus, I had stayed at the Omni and Worthington and knew they are incredible.”

Wilder says attendee feedback regarding the event and location was all positive, which is why BWI Companies plans to be back in 2024 and possibly 2025. “I was nervous, as we hadn’t held our trade show somewhere new in several years,” he says. “As it turns out, there was no reason for me to be. I felt like I was in good hands with Visit Fort Worth, and they continuously steered me in the right direction. Fort Worth is a fantastic city, and I look forward to hosting our event there in the future.”

Corporate and event planners seeking a larger venue often opt for Fort Worth Convention Center, located in the heart of downtown and providing 253,226 sf of exhibit space, 58,849 sf of meeting space, a 28,160-sf ballroom and 38 breakout rooms.

Austin

Buoyant Austin’s growing popularity as a corporate and incentive meetings destination has kept in step with its rising status as a tourism magnet. “When it comes to meetings and conventions, Austin is a city that planners and visitors always agree on,” says Steve Genovesi, executive vice president of Visit Austin. “Our state-of-the-art infrastructure, innovative meeting spaces and world-class hotels are nestled in the center, and the heart, of the city. Within a few walkable blocks, you’ll also find the famous Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail, legendary live music venues and some of the best barbecue and tacos in the country.”

Lauren Gould, corporate events director of Insight Global, a staffing agency based in Atlanta, planned its annual conference, which attracted 3,000 attendees to Austin, in late summer. “Texas has been one of the top destinations for Insight Global’s annual conference,” Gould says. “Due to the size of our event, Austin was a great choice. The proximity of the conference venue — Austin Convention Center (ACC) — to the airport, host hotels and off-site receptions and events allowed for a mini citywide program where our attendees could experience the best Austin had to offer.”

Leadership meetings and the main general session programs were held at the ACC, which covers six blocks in the heart of downtown and offers 247,052 sf of meeting and exhibit space and seven ballrooms. Insight Global also hosted a leadership comedy event at Hilton Austin — offering 801 guest rooms and 112,000 sf of meeting space — where some attendees stayed. Event attendees also stayed at Fairmont Austin, which offers 1,048 guest rooms and 140,000 sf of meeting space; JW Marriott Austin, which offers 1,012 guest rooms and 120,000 sf; Austin Marriott Downtown, which offers 613 guest rooms and 60,000 sf; and Omni Austin Downtown Hotel, which offers 393 guest rooms and 20,000 sf.

“We wanted to work with trusted brands and partners, along with hotel locations that were in close proximity to the conference venues and events,” Gould says. “All of these hotels were within 10 to 15 minutes walking distance of sponsored activities.”

She says this was the company’s first event in which attendees stayed in five hotels. “Every group enjoyed a curated experience specific to their hotel, where they were able to experience the Insight Global brand come to life through welcome signage, welcome teams, curated entertainment, cuisine and more. Every venue was heavily involved in supporting the success of the event.”

Gould says the overall attendee reaction and feedback was great, but she wishes the group had more time to spend in the city.

Additional outstanding properties for corporate and incentive meetings in the city are Renaissance Austin Hotel, located in the stylish Arboretum, surrounded by rolling hill country scenery and offering 492 guest rooms and 70,000 sf of meeting space; and the newly renovated Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, secluded in the hill country, with 493 guest rooms and 76,192 sf.

San Antonio

The Alamo city is perhaps best known for its pulsating multicultural vibe, and one of the best places for corporate and incentive groups to experience it is on its famed River Walk, which has been expanded twice in recent years. “Each section offers unique experiences, from exciting indoor and outdoor venues in the heart of downtown, to the cultural and culinary experiences of the Museum Reach,” Bass says. “And don’t forget an all-time San Antonio favorite — enjoying dinner or a narrated tour on the city’s fleet of electric river barges.”

Tyler Technologies has hosted many meetings in San Antonio, and attendees are invariably drawn to the River Walk, partly because of its vast array of culinary choices. Heather Schneider, CMP, DES, manager, event operations, recently planned an educational conference for some 5,500 people in the city. She worked closely with Visit San Antonio, which she says felt like an extension of her own team. “They were there every step of the way to provide resources, feedback and anything else that came up,” Schneider says.

The group utilized the Henry B. González Convention Center (HBGCC) — located in the heart of downtown. The HBGCC offers 514,000 sf of exhibit space, 86,500 sf of multipurpose space, more than 70 meeting rooms and two ballrooms — as well as overflow hotel space. Attendees stayed at more than 20 hotels during the conference. “Between the convention center and overflow hotel space, we had the room we needed to host all of the more than 900 sessions we provided to our users across our 2.5-day schedule,” Schneider says, adding that attendees participated in hosted networking sessions and educational seminars to learn more about Tyler Technology’s software.

Her team was impressed with San Antonio’s offerings. “We love how walkable the downtown area is and that it offers a great selection of restaurants and retail for our attendees to enjoy their visit,” she says. “Additionally, San Antonio is still an affordable place to host an event, and allowed us to stretch our investments, immediately impacting our attendees’ experience at our conference.” Schneider says attendees loved the area, and that they will be returning this year and also in 2025.

Many of the city’s hotels are well-suited to corporate and incentive gatherings. San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter offers 1,000 newly restyled guest rooms and 70,136 sf of meeting space; San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk, located across from the convention center, has 500 guest rooms and more than 17,000 sf; Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk, a five-minute walk from shops at the Rivercenter, provides 1,003 guest rooms and 115,000 sf; JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, nestled amid 600 acres of oak-covered hills in Texas hill country, provides 1,002 guest rooms and 268,000 sf; and the luxurious Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resorts & Spa offers 500 rooms and 100,000 sf.

Houston

Houston boasts first-class hotels, state-of-the-art facilities and a world-renowned cultural scene, but perhaps what makes it especially appealing to corporate planners is its strong business ethos. “Referred to as a ‘powerhouse on the rise,’ Houston is a leader in business, medicine, energy, science and technology,” says Michael Heckman, president and CEO of Houston First Corporation. “The city is home to the fourth-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country. So, corporate events can potentially engage with the local community for additional business opportunities beyond the traditional trade show.”

Planners of large corporate and incentive meetings in Houston often utilize the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC), which provides 1.8 million sf of meeting space, including seven exhibit halls, more than 100 meeting rooms, four outdoor balconies, a 31,000-sf ballroom, a 3,600-seat amphitheater and 6,000 retractable seats. “The convention center is in constant motion,” Heckman says, adding that two headquarter hotels — Marriott Marquis Houston and Hilton Americas-Houston — are attached by skywalk at each end, and that its setting, on the edge of east downtown, is a rapidly developing, hip entertainment area with comedy clubs, music venues, restaurants with unique Houston cuisines and sports bars.

Houston’s hotel portfolio is as large and diverse as the city itself, providing more than 92,000 guest rooms in the greater metropolitan area. Newly renovated, The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria is located in the vibrant Uptown area and offers 406 guest rooms and 90,000 sf of meeting space; Marriott Marquis Houston has 1,000 guest rooms and 150,000 sf; Hilton Americas-Houston provides 1,207 guest rooms and 91,200 sf; and The Westin Galleria Houston, which has direct access to the Galleria mall, and has 469 guest rooms and 91,749 sf.

Heckman says the city’s culinary offerings are a major draw for corporate groups. “There are 12,000 restaurants in the city, and that number does not include the wide variety of food trucks and pop-up concepts that have continued to position Houston as a culinary and culture capital,” he says. “The global makeup of our residents is directly reflected in our cuisine. From Vietnamese-Texas barbecue and West African cuisine to South Indian and fresh Gulf seafood, there is no shortage of flavor and variety.”

El Paso

Once regarded as simply a mid-size city on the U.S-Mexico border, El Paso has been making great strides toward becoming a major player in the Texas meetings scene. “The community is experiencing unprecedented growth, with a focus on the downtown area,” says Brooke Underwood, executive director of Visit El Paso. “Investments currently in operation are adding to the excitement of an already-booming downtown.”

For meetings and events, the city offers the El Paso Convention Center, which features 133,000 sf of exhibit space, 14,900 sf of additional meeting space, three halls and 17 breakout rooms. Hotels include Hotel Paso del Norte, Autograph Collection, which recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and offers 350 guest rooms, 32,000 sf of meeting space, the 7,344-sf Blackjack Pershing Ballroom and the 2,886-sf Pancho Villa Ballroom.

Other meeting and lodging options for groups in El Paso are Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel and Water Park, catering to business travelers and offering 272 guest rooms and 17,000 sf of meeting space; and Radisson Hotel El Paso Airport, another popular hotel among business travelers, featuring 239 guest rooms and 10,200 sf of meeting space. C&IT

Florida’s Sports Coast offers plenty of outdoor sporting activities, including snorkeling and fishing, as well as state parks and natural areas. Courtesy Photo

There’s no question how important meetings, incentives and conventions are to the state of Florida, and visitation statistics back that up.

“The MICE market is extremely important to Florida’s economy, as these visitors on average spent 80% more per person, per day than leisure travelers in 2021,” says Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA president and CEO. “The state’s wide array of accommodations, combined with the countless leisure activities make Florida the ideal destination to host trade shows, conventions and other business meetings.”

Add to that what’s coming down the pike: “With more than 275,000 sf of meeting space at 14 hotels in the pipeline as of October 2022, we offer even more options for the MICE market and more opportunities to generate revenue for our state,” Young says.

Florida’s cities and destinations are diverse, but there’s a commonality: Groups love to meet in Florida in the winter to get away from snow and cold, and in the summer when accommodations and flights are often less expensive.

If more proof is needed of Florida’s many attributes, MICHELIN recently launched its first ever MICHELIN Guide Miami, Orlando and Tampa, giving planners a multicity resource for locating each of the cities’ MICHELIN-starred dining options — four one-star restaurants in Orlando, 10 in Miami and one two-star restaurant in Miami, plus three MICHELIN Bib Gourmet recognitions in Tampa, along with a slew of MICHELIN recommendations.

Whatever planners may be looking for, Florida probably has it.

Miami

Smart City Expo USA held its annual conference and expo in Miami Beach in early fall with 1,500 in attendance. The Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach, Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel and The Palms Hotel & Spa met the group’s accommodation needs, while meetings were at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC). “We basically bought out the Kimpton Palomar for one group and hosted others at the Palms and Kimpton Surfcomber,” says Aarti Tandon, CEO, Smart City Expo USA. “Each spoke to a different demographic and had a different vibe. They were all in close proximity to the venue and gave us great rates.”

About the city, Tandon says, “Miami Beach is an ideal location for us because we have an international audience and it’s easy to access, the convention center is state of the art, there are great bars and restaurants, and from a subject-matter perspective, Miami is focused on becoming a smart, equitable and sustainable 21st-century city.”

The Smart City Expo USA group met fully in person. “We wanted to be in person and chose a spacious venue and a location that had great weather so people could meet outside,” she says. “Registrations are certainly up; I think people are looking for quality over quantity.”

Tandon calls the Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (GMCVB) “the best,” adding, “They’re so committed to highlighting all that Miami can offer and are excited to share resources and ideas. One such example was sharing a hotel booking platform called On Peak, which gave our attendees flexibility in finding the type of hotel and location they most preferred.”

The MBCC also gets high praise. “From the CEO to the sales and event managers, the convention-center team is fabulous. They’re honest, genuinely interested in executing a great event and are all-around good people.” Tandon notes that the building is new, offers a lot of light and great spaces and is ideally located. “The staff,” she says, “genuinely cares and the F&B was great.”

To planners considering Miami, Tandon says, “Definitely book the convention center if your audience size permits, and certainly connect with the GMCVB. Both are very vested in bringing diverse voices and events to Miami Beach.”

There is a lot that’s new in Miami for planners to consider. CitizenM Miami Brickell opened in 2022, the Mayfair House Hotel & Garden in Coconut Grove reopened, while citizenM Miami World Center is set to open soon. Collaborators on the art deco-esque goodtime hotel include music great Pharrell Williams. It offers plenty of “calming spaces,” as well as eclectic experiences. Also newly opened is KAYAK Miami Beach, with its tech focus, innovation and guest use of the KAYAK app. An 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach, which will be the headquarters hotel for the MBCC, is slated to open in 2025.

With more than 100,000 sf of completely reimagined meeting space, Trump National Doral Miami is one of Miami’s top venues for groups and events. The resort features five ballrooms, including the 24,000-sf Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom, 15 breakout rooms and five executive boardrooms. The resort’s more than 75,000 sf of outdoor space offers garden and golf course views and includes the Champion’s Patio, with 3,600 sf of space, an outdoor bar and grill and room for up to 300 attendees.

Trump National Doral Miami offers more than 100,000 sf of meeting space. Courtesy Photo

The resort’s Imperial Terrace looks out toward the world-renowned “Blue Monster” golf course, spans 2,300 sf and connects to the standalone ballroom sharing its name. Just a few feet away from the main clubhouse is the Royal Palm Pool, offering a 15,000-sf pool deck where outdoor events can be held for up to 1,000.

A two-hour drive south sits Duck Key in the Florida Keys. There, you will find Hawks Cay Resort, which offers a plethora of activities and amenities. The 60-acre resort is ideal for groups interested in the Florida Keys experience. After a day of meetings, attendees can enjoy activities centered on fun in the sun with virtually every water-related activity imaginable, including stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling excursions, sunset cruises, island tours and even a private boat charter with a captain.

The resort boasts 427 villas and hotel rooms, six restaurants, a saltwater lagoon, five swimming pools and a full-service spa, Most accommodations have balconies with ocean views or direct access to the adults-only pool in Oasis Cay or the main Resort Pool.

The resort is capable of delivering seamless meetings, conventions and conferences. Hawks Cay Resort has the largest waterfront meeting space of any resort in the Florida Keys, with 48,760 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting and banquet space that can accommodate up to 480 guests in the Dolphin Ballroom and 450 guests in the Overseas Ballroom. The combination of indoor waterfront meeting space, a variety of outdoor venues and even a private-event catamaran ensures groups will never have to meet in the same space twice. State-of-the-art A/V and modern technology capabilities are available, and an on-site technology director and dedicated event team ensures flawless operation.

Tampa Bay

The city is in the midst of a major revitalization of its Water Street district. With the Tampa Convention Center (TCC) and major meetings hotels located there, it’s an area drawing more and more planners and groups.

To answer what about Tampa Bay appeals to her, Leticia Desiano, corporate events and trade show leader for home-automation-solutions company Resideo, points to location, airlift, ease of access, cost, quality of lodging and entertainment. Moreover, attendees like Tampa Bay, which is important as Desiano says the company is back to fully in person events and close to pre-pandemic travel levels.

“This area of Tampa has been built up over the past few years. We look to provide our guests the convenience of being able to walk out of the hotel and have activities to do, particularly those attending a [pre- or post-event activity].”

The Tampa Convention Center is expanding its waterfront meeting space.
Courtesy Photo

Desiano is familiar with Marriott’s two properties here: the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, which opened in 2021, and Tampa Marriott Water Street. The two are connected via a skybridge. Resideo’s 2024 CONNECT conference with 700 attendees will be based at the JW Marriott, as will the company’s 2024 sales meeting with 400 expected to attend. Desiano says the hotel’s location by the Riverwalk “gives it the feeling of a resort hotel, yet it’s really an urban vibe. Meeting space is great, proximity to the airport is a plus and there are many activities right outside the hotel.”

She says the meeting space and modern design really drew her to the JW, as well as the “beautiful pre-function space with a ton of natural lighting and sites along the Riverwalk.”

It’s the staff, too. “[The] senior sales executive, has been amazing to partner with. He took the time to understand our program needs and worked with me on adjustments. He’s very patient and accommodating. I’m looking forward to working with the team, and I hope they live up to the service [the executive] has provided.”

Desiano urges planners to consider staying at a hotel on their own before or after an official site visit. She says, “When doing a site, I suggest you stay at the hotel pre or post to really get a feel for the day-to-day experience — outside of being a meeting planner and the hotel so graciously hosting you. As a regular guest, you can get a true sense of the operations.” Doing this, she adds, also affords you the time to walk the surrounding area on your own, which enables you to sell the location to your executives, if that’s required in your approval process.

“JW Marriott Tampa Water Street has its own uniqueness that stands out from other JW/Marriott properties and I’m happy to be bringing two programs to the hotel before the secret gets out. I’m always looking for something different with an amazing ‘wow’ factor, and this location checks all the boxes.”

Tampa Bay is well underway with its Water Street revitalization. Tampa Convention Center is in the process of expanding its waterfront meeting space and adding innovative touches, all expected to wrap this year. The Tampa EDITION, Tampa Bay’s first five-star hotel, opened in the fall with 172 guest rooms and six F&B outlets. Meanwhile downtown, the Floridan Palace Hotel is rebranding as a Hilton Tapestry Collection property and undergoing a $25 million renovation. While “unique” is vastly overused these days, Ybor City’s newly renovated J.C. Newman Cigar Co.’s Museum & Cigar Shop, the oldest family-owned cigar factory in America, is truly unique and well worth an off-site visit for groups.

Located on the west coast of Florida, just 30 minutes north of the Tampa International Airport, sits Florida’s Sports Coast, formerly Visit Pasco in Pasco County. The area offers guests easy access from key direct flights in markets from across the country. Home to 742 square miles of rolling green hills, scenic coastlines, countless amateur sports venues and complexes, picturesque trails and rich culture, there are game-changing experiences for attendees to enjoy — all situated on the picturesque Gulf of Mexico.

The area is home to 65 world-class locations offering first-rate amenities, fantastic team-building exercises and delectable dining options. Whether planning a seminar for a thousand people or a meeting for a dozen co-workers, the area offers everything a planner might need. Outside of the top-notch event spaces, attendees will be able to experience award-winning restaurants, newly constructed hotels, unique attractions and myriad ways to enjoy the year-round warm weather.

The Palm Beaches

It’s no surprise that Palm Beach appeals to incentive planners and groups. It has long had considerable cache in the realm of upscale and exclusive. Kim Savransky, CITP, CIS, V.P. of operations for Georgia-based Fab at Incentives, worked on a program for a group of 200 recently, based at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. She says the group recently rebooked for 2024 “at another of the iconic Palm Beach resorts.”

Like many planners, Savransky finds that some discussions with clients have an added focus in the post-pandemic era. “For planning incentives, our discovery meeting with clients has become a focus for discussing destinations and what the landscape is like in these destinations post-COVID. It’s important for our clients to understand what it will be like to travel to these destinations as there may be changes and challenges that affect the incentive/meeting. Once we’ve determined the destination, we highly recommend a site visit so that our clients can experience what the program could be like for the attendees and to ensure that the destination is providing the backdrop the client is looking for.”

Kim Savransky, CITP, CIS, right, says a recent client was very pleased to host an event at The Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. Courtesy of Kim Savransky

Because Savransky works primarily on incentive programs, she notes that these groups don’t lend themselves to virtual or hybrid events, so they’re definitely back in person. “Our registrations are close to pre-pandemic levels,” she says. “In the spring, there were a few people that were hesitant to register, but for the most part, those who weren’t able to attend didn’t indicate that it was due to the pandemic.”

As to why Palm Beach works so well for incentive programs, Savransky says, “It provides fun and sun, as well as four- and five-star rated resorts, which are important factors to the group’s leadership team. The airlift into the area is also a positive aspect with Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airports close by. This destination also provides a variety of restaurants, shopping and entertainment venues that work well for incentive groups. For activities, there’s something for everyone — beaches, fishing, golf, the Everglades, shopping, foodie tours, kayaking and so much more. Palm Beach is a planner’s dream as there are so many options to really curate a memorable experience for attendees.”

Savransky says as soon as they started considering Palm Beach as a potential destination for the incentive group, they reached out to Discover the Palm Beaches, the area’s convention and visitor’s bureau. “We were familiar with Miami, but not Palm Beach when we started our journey, and we felt they would be able to provide us with some valuable insights.”

They met with a CVB representative and then toured the destination. “During our meeting, we were able to communicate what we were looking for in a destination, and the CVB did a fabulous job of taking that information and curating our tour to highlight venues they thought would work for our group. There are a multitude of venues in the Palm Beach area that can cater to all types of incentives and meetings. Depending on what the objectives are, there are unique, historical spaces or, if the convention center is more appropriate, it provides state-of-the-art meeting space.”

In this case, the client chose the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. “It has a retro Palm Beach vibe that our client was drawn to, and it’s a more of a boutique-size property, which our client prefers for this group,” Savransky says. “Other aspects of the property that were a draw for this client were close proximity to the airport, rooms facing the water, a beautiful white-sand beach that’s swimmable, and a pool area centrally located on the property. There’s also a good-sized ballroom space to accommodate the group, and there’s space for after-hours hospitality, which is also important to our client.”

Savransky says the Four Seasons staff also set it apart from many other properties the group has been to in the past. “They really embrace what ‘hospitality’ means and they perform their job functions so effortlessly. Hospitality starts at the front desk at check-in and continues throughout the property. Whether you’re relaxing on the beach or chilling by the pool, there’s always someone there to elevate your experience. Other special features of this property are the mixologist, who designs specialty drinks that are truly works of art and also quite tasty, and the ‘water sommelier’ who will educate you on the differences in bottles of water from around the world — who knew? The spa is also an experience not to be missed.”

For planners looking for “that special hidden gem,” Savransky suggests Palm Beach and the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. “Palm Beach is often overshadowed by Miami and Fort Lauderdale, which are great Florida destinations, but very different than what you’ll find in Palm Beach,” she says. “But beware, Palm Beach is known by many groups; planners are just not as vocal about it as they like to keep this area on the down-low. Repeat business is prevalent at many of the resorts in Palm Beach, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re looking for beachfront and luxury for your next incentive trip.”

Additionally, Savransky encourages planners to reach out to the CVB. “They’re experts in this area, have developed relationships with the vendors and can provide you with details and contacts to get started. Don’t forget to ask about any incentives available for your group, as they may have a special incentive that could entice your clients to consider Palm Beach as the destination for them.”

In addition to the tried-and-true historic properties in the area, the Palm Beaches have much in the pipeline or recently opened, most notably the health-centric Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences on Singer Island, Mandarin Oriental in Boca Raton and the Banyan Cay Resort & Golf West Palm Beach. The 158-room Mandarin is the brand’s second property in Florida, and Banyan Cay Resort, a new build, will be the first full-service Hyatt-branded property in Palm Beach County. As for renovations, The Colony and Boca Raton Tower wrapped up renovations this year, and The Breakers and Jupiter Beach Resort will complete renovations soon. Check with Discover the Palm Beaches on the many restaurants, museums and other venues that have recently opened or are coming soon.

Hawks Cay Resort offers 48,760 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting and banquet space capable of hosting large and small events. Courtesy Photo

In Broward County to the south sits Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, home of the iconic Guitar Hotel. The resort underwent a $1.5 billion resort-wide expansion a couple of years ago, and now offers 1,275 guest rooms and 120,000 sf of event space. The space includes a 38,000-sf exhibition hall large enough to host trade shows, conventions and large corporate groups. There are also 46 unique spaces, which can be reconfigured to accommodate groups as large as 5,000 or smaller, more intimate groups. Additional event space is available at DAER South Florida, the resort’s nightclub/dayclub complex, which is a 44,000-sf, customizable space that includes an indoor nightclub; a day club with resort-style pool oasis and bungalows and a rooftop bar.

There is also a 13.5-acre pool lagoon with activities such as kayaking and paddleboarding and is perfect for team-building activities or for attendees looking to relax after a day of meetings or to cool off. Hard Rock Live, the resort’s concert venue, offers unobstructed sightlines from every seat in the house, and with Hard Rock Live and a comedy club with weekly programming, attendees will find plenty to do. Not to be overlooked, live music can be found at the resort’s signature bars, ranging from jazz to upbeat rock cover bands and everything in between.

Naples & Marco Island

Although the area on Florida’s southwestern Gulf Coast suffered from the impacts of devastating Hurricane Ian, it may surprise planners to learn that the Paradise Coast is open and ready for business. The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB wants planners to know it’s definitely time to visit. Lisa Chamberlain, CMP, group sales manager at the CVB, says, “Our destination rebounded at a staggering pace. Just two weeks post-storm, two of our largest resorts, the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort and the Naples Grande Beach Resort, hosted full conference buyouts. Currently across the destination, over 88% of our hotels and resorts are open and maintaining high occupancies. Our famed 5th Avenue South restaurants are welcoming guests with white-linen tablecloths, and our retailers and art galleries are filled with shoppers.” She continues: “There are multiple opportunities to enjoy arts and cultural performances in our theaters, museums and performance centers. The feedback we’ve received from meeting planners is extremely positive, and many have expressed the desire to support our destination as we put our ‘best foot forward’ to host their events.”

“We’re eager,” Chamberlain adds, “to relay the message that our destination is open for business and welcoming back groups that have a long history with us, as well as those that may have just discovered us. Meeting professionals seeking ways to support the region are encouraged to submit RFP’s and have a discussion about upcoming meetings. Your support is invaluable, as our dedicated teams of professionals across the destination prepare to welcome you with legendary hospitality and first-class service.”

Destin-South Walton

The Emerald Coast, on Florida’s northwestern stretch of the Gulf of Mexico, is also evolving. A former Best Western in Fort Walton Beach will undergo extensive renovation and rebrand as Beal House Destin-Fort Walton Beachfront, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton. A new Tru by Hilton soon will also open in Destin. Upcoming renovations include Four Points, which will rebrand as a Marriott property; the Holiday Inn Resort; Best Western Sugar Sands and Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, an off-site option, which will unveil its new multimillion-dollar dolphin habitat next spring.

The South Walton area offers 16 beach neighborhoods, each with its own, distinct personality, and also offers more than 15,000 guest rooms and 155,000 sf of meeting space — ideal for everything from a 20-person executive retreat to a 1,500-person convention. There are also four state parks, the 15,000-acre Point Washington State Forest, 15 rare coastal dune lakes and easy access to the Gulf of Mexico along the area’s stunning beaches — which means there are plenty of outdoor activities for attendees to enjoy after a day inside.

Convention hotels include Hotel Effie Sandestin, located at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, which opened its doors early last year. It offers more than 20,000 sf of meeting and event space, and features the only rooftop pool with lounge and event space on the Emerald Coast. In addition, this luxury hotel features 250 guest rooms with hand-selected furnishings and sophisticated décor. Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa offers 590 spacious guest rooms and suites divided among two towers, Emerald and Spa, as well as 40,000 sf of flexible indoor meeting space. It also has an expansive, 22,500-sf beachfront deck, the AAA Four-Diamond Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood and six other eateries, and the 14,500-sf Serenity by the Sea Spa.

Orlando

As usual, there are a slew of new dining, attraction and entertainment options already open or on the horizon. But of particular interest to planners may be the partnership between Visit Orlando and not-for-profit Orlando Health. The new alliance designates Orlando Health as the official health and wellness partner of Visit Orlando and offers health-related benefits for millions of visitors, including meeting and convention attendees. It provides customizable health solutions specifically for conferences and attendees via an Orlando Health Virtual Care Center, which will open at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). Medical providers will be available virtually 24/7, and during major conventions the clinic will be staffed by clinicians.

The South Terminal Complex is now open at Orlando International Airport, adding 15 gates and a state-of-the-art baggage system. The new train system is soon also scheduled to start carrying passengers.

Walt Disney World Resort will complete its multiyear transformation of EPCOT by late this year, and Journey of Water, inspired by the movie “Moana,” will also open late this year. In the Magic Kingdom, groups can look forward to a new nighttime spectacular over Cinderella Castle next year, and Disney’s sixth ship, Disney Treasure, will set sail next year. It will feature a Grand Hall inspired by the grandeur and mystery of a gilded palace, with Asian and African influences and paying homage to the distant land of Agrabah — yes, magic carpet included. Finally, the largest celebration in Disney’s history, Disney 100 Years of Wonder, recently kicked off.

Orlando’s other resort that boasts theme parks is Universal Orlando Resort, which offers eight hotels, each with a unique theme and amenities. They include Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites and a sister hotel, Surfside Inn and Suites; Universal’s Aventura Hotel; Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort; Loews Sapphire Falls Resort; Loews Royal Pacific Resort; Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.

Set aside specifically with meeting planners in mind, the Loews Meeting Complex at Universal Orlando connects the meeting space of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Loews Royal Pacific Resort to offer 2,000 rooms and 247,000 sf of meeting space. Together, the Meeting Complex and the rest of the campus offer 295,000 sf of meeting space and 9,000 guest rooms. Also, attendees at Universal’s resorts get special park passes, early admission and other benefits to Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Volcano Bay and Universal CityWalk.

The Sunshine State is geographically and culturally diverse, with cities and towns for planners to consider from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast, from the Keys to the Georgia border. Florida draws attendees with its sun and beaches, but it draws them back with all of the many other attributes that make it so ideal for incentives and meetings. C&IT

Valerie Bihet, left, owner, director of VIBE Agency, suggests asking the right questions can help avoid budget issues. Courtesy of Valerie Bihet

The past nearly three years have been trying times for meeting and event planners, to put it mildly. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic brought things to a grinding halt in 2020, and though it seems we’re heading out of the pandemic to live more normal lives, a host of challenges continue to present themselves.

“The pandemic has created quite a bit of turmoil for the events industry. We all have to be more creative when it comes to the overall look and feel of events,” says May Yeo Silvers, the COO of M2 Hospitality LLC and founder of Events4Anyone. “We are experiencing a shortage of labor, so the level of service is not what it used to be. To counteract that, we need to reprogram the events in a fashion that is not labor-intensive, such as reducing the number of changes in the room setup and utilizing menus that are self-served.”

There’s also the need to make it attractive for people to attend meetings and events virtually, which can further reduce the cost of the event since there are fewer mouths to feed, fewer people to service, and there is less space needed. However, those savings might be offset by soaring production costs for online and hybrid meetings.

It’s important to always remember that the challenges of the pandemic can be navigated, and planners who apply their experience and creativity to events are seeing success by putting in the hard work, especially when it comes to sorting out budgets after the pandemic.

“We have been working with our clients to mitigate risk around shifting back and forth between virtual and live formats,” says Matthew Byrne, CSEP, founder/president of Byrne Production Services. “In our budgeting process, we identify key dates to make decisions on format and shift to that budget as we need to. Additionally, with the uncertainty in supply and labor resources, we are backing up timelines for confirmations to secure equipment and personnel.”

Changing With the Times

In 2023 and beyond, planners must be aware of the market demands across the industry, and they should communicate with vendors early and often and be as specific as possible when talking about the needs of their clients. “Every one of your vendors wants to work with you and make your event go flawlessly, so engage them early to make sure they can provide the support you need,” Byrne says, adding that success also requires flexibility on the part of planners.

One of the key changes he’s seen since the pandemic is the increase in pricing for and availability of A/V equipment and resources. “While the resurgence of events is a welcome thing after two years, resources are in high demand, and that’s driving price increases,” he says.

Melissa Park, global event producer at Melissa Park Events, says her firm is dedicating more time than ever to client education, which involves briefing clients on the state of the industry and the impact that is having on budgets. “Prior to the initial kickoff meeting for every event my team produces, we sit down with our clients to clarify their mission, define any non-negotiables and outline their goals and key performance indicators (KPIs),” Park says. “Based on this information, we get to work creating an event concept, their program and a preliminary budget.”

The next step of her process includes scheduling time with clients to walk through each document, slide by slide, tab by tab, line item by line item. She does this so the client knows how each and every dollar is being used to create experiences that are guaranteed to achieve each client’s business goals and exceed the expectations of attendees. She explains that this doesn’t represent a change to her process, but she has added two additional tabs to her conference budget template, which is now loaded with 19 tabs, 15 column headers and more than 500 itemized expenses — everything that is required to deliver a virtual, hybrid or COVID-safe, in-person event.

“The thing to remember is that budgets haven’t necessarily increased in line with the cost of producing two events in one [for hybrid events] or paying for daily rapid tests for hundreds or thousands of attendees, and PCR tests for each of your international attendees,” Park says. “Because of this, I make it a habit to highlight all of the ‘nice-to-have’ expenses, so that way, if I need to reduce spending, I know instantaneously which line items — like non-essential signage, signature cocktails, a reduced number of branded activations and theming, excessive entertainment — I can eliminate that won’t impact the actual delivery of the event.”

The Effects of COVID

Paul Dolce, vice president of hospitality for Arch Amenities Group, says the pandemic and its aftermath have led to a trend toward more realistic budgets because clients have recognized that costs have gone up for travel, food, lodging, venues, production and wages. “And now with inflation, and unsettling world events, costs are rising even more,” he says. “So, I believe that meeting planners connect the dots and recognize that they have to be practical in budget planning. We are seeing this at our Meet Hospitality locations.”

Byrne notes that the availability of labor is one of the key challenges planners continue to face as we enter the post-COVID era. “Skilled labor has left the industry in droves over the last two years,” he says. “As such, we need to make sure we are recruiting and paying livable wages to our crew and staff to make sure we can retain them. A lot of clients and organizations are finding themselves without qualified personnel once they confirm an event or meeting.”

Keep in mind that a lot of people in the meetings and hospitality industries found other ways to earn incomes during the pandemic, and they are staying on those paths instead of returning to their old jobs. “Because of that, the service and hospitality industry is experiencing a crisis in delivering the customer service we used to deliver pre-COVID,” Silvers says. “Now, we have to pay a lot more for each event if we want to regain the level of service we used to have as people are demanding higher pay and benefits.” Those costs, she further says, are trickling down to planners.

May Yeo Silvers says planners now must be more creative to budget properly. Courtesy of May Yeo Silvers

Cost Considerations

When budgeting client meetings, Valerie Bihet, owner, director of VIBE Agency, says her first rule is to limit the percentage of the budget that is spent on hotel accommodations. “If your hotel is more than 30% [of your budget], you’ll have to cut on decor, food, transport, etc., and you’ll be tight,” she says. “Just as when you spend more than 30% of your income on your mortgage, you know you’ll have to cut back in other areas of your life. It’s the same in an event.”

This connects to the importance of staying in touch with clients and knowing what their priorities are in terms of the event. “Do they care more about providing activities for guests or giving them free time?” Bihet says. “Do they want to provide food and beverage for all meals or only a couple? Answers to these questions can adjust how much you spend on the hotel and its amenities, and therefore the rest of the budget. Now with inflation, you need to be even more conscious of that. Compared to where we were in 2019, things are more expensive. We are seeing huge increases in all areas of events.”

In fact, she says the hotel industry is extremely busy these days as meetings and events ramp up again, which has resulted in increased costs for room blocks. “Also, there is less availability because all the events we had planned for 2020 and 2021 that got moved to 2022 [and 2023] are using the inventory for any new events we are trying to do.”

One of the biggest challenges in terms of budgeting is tracking the pricing evolution from year to year and avoiding hidden costs when using budgeting templates. “For example, some hotels have attrition based on room nights, whereas others do it on room revenue,” Bihet says. “The difference between these two approaches can greatly affect the budget. Similarly, hotels tend to charge tax on gratuity, and now more restaurants are starting to do that as well. When you work for international conventions, the clients don’t always understand that, so you have to educate the clients even more about U.S. taxes and how the line-item price can vary when the actual bill comes because of taxes and gratuity.”

Her key piece of advice is to “know what you buy and how to negotiate reasonably while still keeping your relationship with the vendor or venue.”

Post-COVID Budgeting

The meetings and events industry is still feeling the effects of the pandemic, and that requires diligence when working with clients on budgets. “We are taking into consideration the additional costs such as on-site COVID-testing services, incorporating livestreaming, and being extra cautious with the financial implications for the possibility of rescheduling or canceling the event if there is another uptick of the COVID cases,” Silvers says. “My strategy is to have very open and honest conversations with my clients about their expectations for the return on investment if they plan to host an in-person event — and how to get additional sales by incorporating a virtual component of the event and work out a mutually agreeable arrangement with the venue and vendors so all parties can minimize their financial risk.”

She adds that communications between all parties involved in the planning process is of vital importance. “The things that can quickly get out of control and blow your budget include food and beverage, and this happens when you don’t stand firm on the final number of people you want to have at the event,” Silvers says. “Another thing that could get out of control is not understanding how much things cost. For instance, if you require a motivational speaker for your sales conference, it can cost as little as $5,000 or as much as $50,000. Set your expectations on what caliber of speakers you want to engage. Do your homework and find the best one that is within the budget.”

There are also many who are spending a lot of energy resources on making an event look “sexy or entertaining” to get people to come, when that often isn’t the most effective approach. “Understand what is the ultimate return on investment you want to achieve for the event, then decide if the extra money you want to spend on ‘experiential marketing’ — which is also known in the events world as anything that engages the emotions of your attendees — is worth going over the initial event budget,” Silvers says. “For instance, is it really necessary to have a vending machine that disperses a $75 baby bottle of champagne as a gift for each attendee? Or can we do artisanal, company-branded truffles with exotic flavors that cost only $25? As an event strategist and planner, sometimes you have to check your client’s ego and ask if what they want is what the attendees want.”

Challenges Beyond COVID

As if a pandemic that sent the world into lockdown and essentially ended in-person events for nearly two years isn’t enough, the meetings industry is also dealing with an array of challenges that are presenting problems when preparing events, while also adding to their costs. According to Dolce, many meetings and events are being planned with short time frames, which can make things difficult for planners. “Lead times to find meeting space and hotels, make travel arrangements, and book speakers and facilitators is increasingly compressed, and thus more costly,” he says. “And many clients want to budget for flexibility, which also drives costs.”

Park says another one of the biggest challenges meeting professionals are facing these days is supply-chain issues. “Earlier [last] year, I had a company quote on a large feature that would be part of one of my general session stages,” she says. “Approximately six weeks passed from the initial quote to when we would have placed the order, and in that time, the vendor contacted me on three separate occasions to increase the quote.”

She also echoes that staff shortages are presenting numerous challenges. “Unfortunately, a very large number of event, entertainment and hospitality staff lost their jobs due to lockdowns and the cancellation of large gatherings,” Park says. “Many of those individuals have decided not to return to their respective industries. On the other end of the spectrum, many contractors and freelancers are now charging a lot more than their pre-COVID standard rates. Due to the shortage, companies are left with little choice but to pay exorbitant fees to hire skilled professionals to enable them to successfully deliver their events.”

Tips for Success

Successful planners have a passion for their work and for organizing effective events that fulfill their clients’ needs. But for many of these professionals, budget management isn’t their favorite part of the job. If that describes you, the good news is that by taking the right steps, you can simplify the budget management process. “Budget management doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated, nor do you need to be a mathematician to do it well,” Park says. “It comes down to giving every dollar a job, so you know you’re investing in all the right things to host a show-stopping experience.”

She offers some key tips for staying on budget, starting with negotiating. “Most vendors and suppliers add a little cream to their quote,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to push back and ask for better rates or a discount. What’s the worst they can say, ‘No?’”

If you come in under budget, add a line item in your miscellaneous tab titled “Backup” or “Bank” and add the line difference there. “You should never agree to a budget that doesn’t have a little padding,” Park says. “With live events, one wrong move can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Whatever you do, do not set yourself up for failure.”

For items with lower costs, Park asks her main partners — the general show contractor, the venue, caterer and A/V provider — to confirm that their tabs outline every single cost associated with the delivery of the event, and, most importantly, that they are accurate. “Doing this not only holds them accountable to their anticipated cost, but also makes them feel and behave like the integral part of the delivery team that they are,” she says.

And though this may take some time to set up, she recommends using formulas from the start to automatically calculate all of your totals. “Doing this will remove a lot of margin for error, and save you time down the track if you need to manipulate the budget to show the impact of multiple audience sizes,” Park says.

Dolce suggests taking advantage of special offers that a hotel or meeting venue is offering and being realistic about attendee count. “Do not over-inflate, or you will likely be hit with cancellation or attrition charges,” he says. “Look for venues that offer a meeting package — at Meet Hospitality, we offer various levels of our Day Meeting Package, per-person, per-day and price-related to your meeting experience, as well as continuous breaks, meals, conference space, A/V and technology, and a conference and meeting support team.”

A Different Approach

If you want to keep your budget under control, Bihet, who was born and raised in Paris, suggests thinking like a European. “We tend to be very detailed right away compared to the American approach with budgets, which is usually more broken down by bigger chunks of categories,” she says. “I say go line-by-line.”

She also warns against estimating, even if there’s a rush to the event. “I tell the client we need more than 48 hours because we want to guarantee pricing in writing from vendors rather than estimate it,” Bihet says. “Those who are rushing to just get it done and give ballpark numbers tend to have issues later. With the problems we’re having now with delivery, staffing and equipment, it’s important to realize that pricing is not the same as where it was in 2019.”

Finally, she suggests that 10% of the budget should be set aside as a miscellaneous line item. “Clients tend to want to remove it, but it’s always needed to be sure you have room to move around things when, not if, it’s needed,” she says.

The lesson to learn is that the challenges of 2023 and beyond can be overcome, and successful planners certainly have what it takes to navigate these difficult times. In fact, it already says something about you and your business if you’ve managed to stay afloat during these unpredictable times.

As Park puts it, “If you survived the last two years, I can guarantee you are savvier than ever.” C&IT

Walter J. “Walt” Leger III

New Orleans & Company introduces Walter J. “Walt” Leger III, the organization’s new president and CEO. Leger, who succeeds J. Stephen Perry, longtime New Orleans & Company president and CEO January 1, is an accomplished attorney, former legislator and Louisiana’s youngest ever Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Perry describes Leger as “a visionary with immense talent who will be an extraordinary leader for the next quarter century.”

Leger was raised in the New Orleans suburb of St. Bernard Parish, where his parents instilled in him the spirit of public service and civic engagement from an early age. He is a graduate of Jesuit High School and Louisiana State University and Tulane Law schools. He began his career as an assistant district attorney in New Orleans, specializing in the felony prosecution of violent offenders and narcotics traffickers.

During his legislative career, Leger passed more than 100 pieces of legislation, and was one of the most prolific and successful members of his generation. He also was named legislative champion more than 40 times, highlighting his broad agenda to promote educational opportunities for children, reform the criminal justice system, support victims of crime, achieve tax and fiscal reform, improve connectivity and transportation, support economic development, promote affordable housing and protect and restore Louisiana’s coastline.

Since joining New Orleans & Company in 2019 as executive vice president and general counsel, Leger has quickly made an impact with employees, customers, members and industry partners. He has already earned a seat on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors, and is leading national conversations about how to unite people through travel in these divisive times, restore international visitation to the USA and much more. He is inspired to continue to work to bring people together by the Mark Twain quote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.”

Leger takes the reins of New Orleans & Company in a city considered one of the most culturally rich destinations on the planet. Incredibly well-known for its unique brand of joy, celebrations, festivals, food, music, architecture and so much more, New Orleans is also well-established as one of our nation’s most distinguished hosts of major events, conferences and meetings.

Part of the appeal of New is its unique culture of music, food and architecture, such as the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France.

New Orleans is truly ‘Built to Host,’ with billions of dollars in investments in hotels, new cultural attractions, a beautiful new airport terminal and $557 million in improvements at the LEED Gold-certified New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The improvements enhance their walkability and other infrastructure, which makes them such an attractive location for major events and meetings.

Welcoming others is in their DNA, which allows them to highlight and celebrate their authentically diverse people and culture, as well as their excellence in executing complex logistics for events of all types.

Many meeting professionals choose New Orleans for its authentic music, food and architecture that provide memorable and successful experiences. However, New Orleans & Company invites them to see their beloved city in a new light — for its innovation, creativity and hidden gems. For example:

The Artemis Rocket that will take the first woman and person of color to the moon was built in New Orleans at NASA’s Michoud Facility.

They offer innovative corporate social responsibility programs. The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana collects shells from New Orleans restaurants to restore oyster reefs and shoreline habitats in Coastal Louisiana, and has become one of the nation’s largest shell-recycling programs.

New Orleans City Park is the 87th largest and 20th most-visited urban public park in the United States, and is approximately 50% larger than Central Park in New York City. Amid 200-year-old live oaks, City Park features the New Orleans Museum of Art, the city’s oldest fine arts institution, as well as the Bestoff Sculpture Garden, one of the most important sculpture installations in the United States.

One of the world’s top museums, the National World War II Museum, is located in New Orleans. New to the spectacular campus is Expressions of America, a first-of-its-kind nighttime sound and light experience celebrating the power of individual Americans to impact the world around them during a time of monumental conflict.

New Orleans is one of only five cities in the United States accredited as a Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR Destination.

When times get tough, they get creative and excel. For example, New Orleans & Company helped create NOLAxNOLA, a citywide celebration of New Orleans music and culture to bring business to the city’s musicians when they needed it most. At one of the most difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city safely hosted more than 300 music shows at 35 venues over 10 days. It was such a success, that New Orleans & Company is making NOLAxNOLA an annual tradition. C&IT

Walter Bond is the author of “Swim!: How a Shark, a Suckerfish, and a Parasite Teach You Leadership, Mentoring, & Next Level Success.” Bond is also a renowned business coach, motivational speaker and former NBA player. His time in the NBA taught him the fundamentals every team needs to be successful, and today he shares his knowledge with global audiences to help entrepreneurs, business leaders, sales teams and employees get to the next level. Bond has keynoted conferences in numerous countries for brands such as 3M, Hilton and Allianz.

Face it: 2022 wasn’t a great year for employee engagement. Gallup reports that only 32% of U.S. employees are engaged, while 17% are actively disengaged. You may have seen these numbers playing out in real time via rapid turnover, difficulty hiring new employees and “quiet quitting.” Wouldn’t it be great to start 2023 with a team that’s more motivated, productive, and connected — and less likely to jump ship?

The key is for leaders to unleash their inner shark — and the close of 2022 and beginning of 2023 is the perfect time to get started.

Sharks are smart, adaptable, discriminating and goal-focused. They also have symbiotic relationships with other sea creatures that benefit both parties. In humans, these qualities create great leaders, the kind people want to follow because it makes for personal fulfillment, professional success and satisfied customers.

Employees won’t ask for engagement as a gift, but deep down, it’s what they crave. And the cusp between the old year and the new naturally lends itself to taking stock of old patterns and leader/employee dynamics and committing to new ones.

Many sharks have a “team” of remoras, or suckerfish, that they tow through the ocean. In return for transportation, protection and scraps from the shark’s meals, suckerfish find and eat microscopic parasites that might otherwise kill their shark. My book, “Swim!: How a Shark, a Suckerfish, and a Parasite Teach You Leadership, Mentoring, & Next Level Success”, explores this relationship in greater depth. Readers learn that in the human world, “suckerfish” are those who need direction, coaching and guidance, and “sharks” are the empathetic, people-focused leaders who provide those things.

The more a shark — the leaders — develops, supports and cares for its team of suckerfish, the more value they’ll bring to your organization. Not only are engaged employees less likely to leave your company, they will be more productive and fulfilled at work, which of course has all sorts of positive implications for performance and culture.

Here are nine ways to keep employees engaged going further into this year. You won’t be able to make all of these changes in the next few weeks, but pick one thing to start, and as time goes on, mix and match what works best for your team.

1) “I want to make your life better!” Tell them what you’re doing and how you’ll do it. Be transparent about wanting to improve your team’s experience. Tell them what changes you’ll be making in the upcoming year and why. Then, ask them for their input. Not only will your intentions earn you some instant goodwill, their feedback and ideas might give you a better understanding of where to focus your efforts. Plus, employees are more likely to buy into a change initiative they had a hand in designing.

2) Have fun not just during special occasions, but all year round. The holiday season was the perfect time of year for casual holiday parties, celebratory brunches and gift exchanges, but don’t stop there. Throughout the year, consider catering lunch from time to time or organizing fun outings such as a happy hour, mini golf, trivia night a sports game, etc. Events like these connect employees to each other and to you. They are building blocks for engagement.

3) Introduce engagement rituals. Shared daily rituals get everyone on the same page and moving in the same direction. In “Swim!”, the main character, Scotty, shares several rituals with his team during morning huddles. For instance, “Goals and Gonnas” gives employees a chance to share their goals for the day and how they plan to accomplish them: “My goal is to finish servicing the Joneses’ unit by noon. I’m ‘gonna’ do it by cleaning the condenser fan and oiling the fan motor.” This allows employees to hold each other accountable and help each other out.

Another engagement ritual is reciting the “Sacred Six.” This reminds employees of six fundamental “shark-like” principles that will help them operate with integrity and success.

4) Create a comfortable work environment. Remember, customer experience is tied directly to employee experience. You might consider replacing worn, uncomfortable office furniture; giving people flexibility to work remotely when possible; providing snacks and coffee in the break room and making sure office supplies such as pens, staples, post-its, etc. are available.

5) Remove obstacles to their success. Disengagement — and eventually, burnout — often happens not because of a big catastrophe or crisis, but due to annoyances and inconveniences that consistently make the workday more difficult than it needs to be.

As a leader, a big part of your job is enabling your people to do their jobs, to serve them by making sure they have the tools, training and time they need. A good place to start is by removing “dead weight” like unnecessary meetings or low-value “busywork.”

6) Invest in your employees’ growth and development. When you help your “suckerfish” develop a skill, mentor them, send them to a conference, or pay for them to get a certification, it shows that you recognize their potential and want to help them reach it. This is a tremendous loyalty and engagement booster. You’re also packing your bench with future “sharks” who will be well equipped to serve your customers.

7) Ask for their input. In “Swim!”, Scotty recalls that his own “shark,” Drew, asked him a lot of questions. Often Drew already knew the answer, but he succeeded in his goal of making Scotty think through a problem or learn a lesson. Having this kind of conversation with your employees builds their confidence and strengthens their relationship with you.

Sometimes, you’ll hear innovative solutions or ideas for improvement that you wouldn’t have thought of yourself. And when employees see their input being put into practice, their sense of ownership in your company will grow.

8) Just say thanks. As simple as it is to recognize employee efforts — via handwritten notes or public recognition — leaders often get distracted and/or stressed out and forget the power of positive reinforcement. This is a huge oversight. Lack of appreciation and acknowledgment often contributes to “quiet quitting”: People feel that their efforts are taken for granted and believe that their leader cares only about results, not the people achieving them.

9) Don’t express anger when they slip up. Mistakes are simply opportunities to “fail forward.” Rather than judging or humiliating employees, support them in fixing the mistake and using it as a launch pad for improvement. If you treat employees with empathy when they’re at their worst, they will want to give you their best in the future. Also, they’ll learn problem-solving skills and feel better equipped to handle tough situations when they inevitably crop up.

There’s one caveat: These strategies work only if you lead by example. Sharks exemplify the behaviors they want their suckerfish to adopt. The more engaged you are — not just with the organization and its customers, but with your employees — the more engaged they will be. C&IT

Want a comprehensive list of all the meeting industry happenings in the new year? Check out our 2023 Meeting Industry Events Calendar, mailed with the December 2022 issue of Corporate & Incentive Travel. With events from London to Los Angeles, we’ve compiled a list of what’s happening across the globe — plus details on how to attend. Kick-start your 2023 and download a printer-friendly copy here.