Many of us dream of seeing our name in lights, but what about seeing the name of our company in the sand? It’s possible during island-wides, where groups can opt for sandals (or bare feet), rather than the comfortable walking shoes needed to tackle the concrete jungle of a city-wide.
Marco Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast is excited to debut this concept in April. The tropical paradise features three large meeting hotels—Marco Beach Ocean Resort, JW Marriott Marco Island and newly reopened Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa. The trio works in tandem to provide planners with peak nights across the properties, all within a calming stroll from each another along the beach.
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“The thing about that is groups love to merchandise the island as well, so when they come over the bridge, we just merchandise the lampposts with their logo and their message of the meeting,” explains Andrew Neubauer, director of sales and marketing for Hilton Marco Island. “They get to utilize all the charters, the boats for fishing, the jet skis on the beach. It’s a collective involvement with the three properties.”
In August 2019, Smart Meeting East National will be utilizing this island-wide package. The event will primarily be held at JW Marriott, but Hilton will host an evening function and Marco Beach Ocean Resort will get involved, as well. Register here.
Marco Island is not the only locale where planners can book an island-wide. In Southern California’s Catalina Island, meetings can sprawl across venues for a one-day or multiple-day conference. Rudy Alvarez, director of sales for Catalina Island Company, says groups stay at Pavilion Hotel, begin with a catered lunch at Catalina Country Club and end the night with a reception overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Island Spa Catalina’s relaxation deck.
The following days are spent in meetings at Catherine’s Terrace, enjoying lunch at Descanso Beach Club and dinner at Avalon Grille. Meeting groups also take advantage of the island’s thrilling activities, such as Zip Line Eco Tour, Catalina Aerial Adventure and Hummer tours of the island’s interior.
Down in Nassau, Bahamas, planners can also find a treasure trove of island-wide opportunities by utilizing Atlantis Paradise Island and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar as headquarter hotels for meetings. George Brice, vice president of Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, says accommodations are available at other hotels in Nassau, Cable Beach and Paradise Island.
