Smart Meetings | Page 144 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

More meetings industry associations have been moving into Europe, as evidenced by the latest gatherings by several leading organizations around the world.

While a couple of these organizations’ European events are recurring and returning to business after the pandemic slowed them down, even more are just beginning to introduce European initiatives or are still in the early stages of their European venture. In the face of news about Omicron subvariants, the show goes on.

What Countries Are Doing About Covid

Earlier this year, cases rose in several European countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Austria; Germany reported record high cases of between 250,000 and 300,000 in a day as a result of the Omicron BA.2. Luckily, none of these new strains appear to cause more severe illness than its predecessors, according to the U.S. CDC.

Read about the implications of returning to Europe for IMEX Frankfurt.

Currently, 32 destinations in Europe have eliminated travel restrictions, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany and Greece. European countries with some restrictions in place include: France, Malta, Spain and the Netherlands, which still doesn’t accept unvaccinated travelers from outside the European Union to visit.

Despite this, many European associations are still moving forward with their events, like IACC Europe Knowledge Festival 2022—which has always been based in Europe—taking place in Amsterdam on Sept. 23-25; as mentioned earlier, the Netherlands still has strict rules in place and is currently only taking non-EU visitors from its list of countries it deems “safe.”

See the list of Smart Meetings Experiences planned for the rest of the year.

Associations That Have Gone Euro

For the first time, PCMA Convening EMEA (representing Europe, the Middle East & Africa) will take place at Meeting Destination Vienna—named the world’s greenest and most livable city—Sept. 28-30, 2022. This will be PCMA’s second European gathering, its first was in Lausanne, Switzerland, at SwissTech Convention Center on the campus of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. This second installation has been built across three themes: future, engagement and planning.

We’re still reflecting on how good it felt to be reunited again in person, at IMEX in Frankfurt. We caught up with Dan Noyce, Senior Relationship Manager of our Hosted Buyer team, and Heather Gough, our Sales Director, about their experience of the show.#IMEX22 pic.twitter.com/FPsFFwuowO

— IMEX (@IMEX_Group) June 23, 2022

In early June, at the launch of the first IMEX Frankfurt since 2019, Destinations International unveiled its European Pathfinders Program, designed to increase engagement across Europe by highlighting key trends in European destinations and understanding how leaders are addressing these opportunities for growth. This program is scheduled to one for one year, through IMEX Frankfurt 2023. On May 30, just before IMEX Frankfurt began, MPI hosted the inaugural 2022 European Business Events Forum, a half-day event where meeting professionals discussed how to build better meetings and events in Europe. MPI has rescheduled its European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) for March 26-28, 2023 in Brighton, UK.

The annual ICCA Congress’ 61st event is taking place in Krakow, Poland—one of the 32 European countries without restrictions—on Nov. 6-9; connecting meeting professionals and hundreds of associations from around the globe at the 400,000-square-foot ICE Krakow Congress Centre.

SITE recently hosted its second Incentive Summit Europe in Geneva and Montreux, Switzerland, in March. The first event took place in 2019 in Verbier, Switzerland. Given that its third event will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, July 2023 and its fourth in Andermatt, Switzerland, the reception must have been phenomenal. SITE’s Global Conference also took place in Europe, at Convention Centre Dublin, the first time the organization gathered since January 2020.

Corporate meeting attendees often harbor inner geeks. Whether they embrace cosplay for Halloween or a Star Wars Celebration, your registration could get a supercharge by sourcing a city that lives a double life such as the site of the Harry Potter Convention LeakyCon in Orlando. In recognition of National Embrace Your Geekness Day, we are profiling 10 cities ranked by the service provider Lawn Love as the “geekiest in America” based on access to collectibles and costumes, sense of community and events.

1. New York City

Picture of New York City skyline

As the fictional home to both Peter Parker and Doctor Strange, New York is ranked the top city in the United States for geeks to live and visit. The annual New York Comic Con, located at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center draws around 150,000 attendees who are eager to explore the inspiration behind Gotham City.

New Yorkers can start and end their day with arcade games whether that be at The Uncommons while grabbing a cup of coffee, or at Barcade, the first of the now popular arcade-bars.

2. Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles at sunset

Los Angeles is a city exploding with imagination and creativity as aspiring actors, models, photographers, and other entertainers move there and try to “make it big.” Actors not working on big blockbuster movies can be seen in improv groups such as Drunkards & Dragons and The Show that Shall Not Be Named (modeled after Dungeons and Dragons and Harry Potter respectively) performing regularly at The Pack Theater.

Anyone who has ever dreamed of dancing in a fantasy and or Venetian world can dress in costume and attend the annual Labyrinth Masquerade Ball located at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel. For a more casual night out, check out the Scum & Villainy Cantina, a special Star Wars themed bar.

3. Las Vegas

the world famous Las Vegas city skyline.

In 2003, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority coined the phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” to reflect the one-of-a-kind experiences people have when visiting. The Millennium Fandom Bar is a safe haven for geeks to bond over fandoms, cosplay and pop culture, while simultaneously indulging in the famous Vegas nightlife.

The Excalibur Hotel & Casino takes the saying “dinner and a show” to a whole new level with their live production adapted from the tale of King Arthur that guests can enjoy while devouring a utensil-free dinner.

Read More: New Developments in Las Vegas

4. Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia, USA downtown city skyline.

Atlanta has the most comic cons out of any other city in the US, including DragonCon, regularly held at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, the Momocon and the Atlanta Comic Convention, both held at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Post-convention, attendees can be found at Battle & Brew or Joystick Gamebar playing arcade games while enjoying a night out. Any superhero fan in Atlanta must check out Savage Pizza-a superhero-themed pizza joint, located in the Little Five Points neighborhood.

5. San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas, USA downtown skyline.

San Antonio is the premier place for history geeks to get up close and personal with some of the locations of the biggest battles in our nation’s history. Visitors must check out the Alamo located in downtown San Antonio, which serves as a representation of Texas Liberty.

San Antonio also hosts numerous events such as San Japan, an anime convention, and the Alamo City Comic Con, Texas’ largest pop culture convention, both located at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. San Antonio is also home to the largest collectible shop in Texas: Heroes and Fantasies Collectible and Comic Book Store.

6. Houston

Houston, Texas, USA downtown city skyline over Root Square.

Everything is bigger in Texas and that doesn’t just refer to landmass. Located 50 miles outside of Houston is the Texas Renaissance Festival. Averaging 500,000 guests annually, it is one of the biggest renaissance fairs in the country.

Houston is also the home of the anime, comics and gaming convention, ComicPalooza, located at the George R. Brown Convention Center. No trip to Houston is complete without checking out Houston’s best comic book store, Bedrock City Comic Company, now with 6 locations across the city.

7. Chicago

Sunrise in Chicago

Chicago is home to the “biggest geek party in the midwest.” The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) convention is located in the heart of downtown Chicago at the McCormick Place convention center. This 2.6 million-square-foot property is the largest convention center in the country and attracts 95,000 attendees for C2E2 every year.

Chicago is also a great place to live out science-fiction dreams whether that be at the Robot City Workshop, learning modern robotics, or at the 3D Printer Experience. The neighborhoods of Logan Square and Wicker Park are the best places to find a variety of barcades, comic book stores and more.

8. Orlando

Orlando, Florida, USA downtown skyline.

Orlando is home to Universal Orlando and Disney World, which are partly themed around movie series like Harry Potter, Star Wars and Marvel. Visitors should stay at the Walt Disney World Resort featuring Disney-themed rooms and early access to the parks.

Orlando also has themed restaurants including Naroodle Noodle Shop, modeled after the anime Naruto, and Soupa Saiyan, modeled after the anime Dragon Ball Z. Another place worth checking out is The Geek Easy, a bar with nerd-inspired decor and theme nights, conveniently located right next to a comic book shop.

9. Austin

Golden Hour Austin Texas Skyline

Texas is clearly the place to go for geeks, as this is the state’s third city to make the list. Austin is home to I Luv Video, one of the largest independently owned video stores, and Pinballz, which has over 200 pinball machines across three Austin locations. Austin also hosts the Greater Austin Comic Con, this year at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. If you’re looking for trivia, puzzles, board games and more, be sure to check out the Vigilante Bar.

10. Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon, USA downtown skyline with Mt. Hood at dawn.

This Pacific Northwest city has some of the best collectables, bookstores and of course, donuts. Billy Galaxy, Dr. Tongue’s I Had That Shoppe and Kenton Antiques & Collectibles make up some of the finest places to purchase and see rare collectables in Portland. Portland also hosts the anime, cosplay and gaming WasabiCon PDX located at the Hilton Portland Downtown and the pop culture Rose City Comic Con located at the Oregon Convention Center.

Pelham Hotel, New Orleans

The newly renovated lobby of Pelham Hotel. Two sitting areas made of teal and red couches are below reclaimed artwork.

Downtown New Orleans’ Pelham Hotel has received more than a fresh coat of paint. The whole interior, including the lobby, guest rooms and hallways have been renovated to reflect the lavish parties the city once hosted. Originally built in the 19th century, the hotel embraces vintage qualities while being polished and modern.

The lobby, once a series of sequestered spaces, has been opened and now includes group seating with a street view. Jewel tones combined with wood and leather are reminiscent of America’s Gilded Age, while modified paintings by local artist Page Goss add a modern neon pop.

Each of the 60 guest rooms have a clean new look, trading frills for bright blocks of color and subtle patterns. Ceilings are 18-feet tall to give guests plenty of breathing room. These graphic qualities continue into the bathrooms with houndstooth wallpaper and granite counters.

“Inspired by the property’s origins, we sought to preserve the hotel’s unique character while transforming spaces with the modern-day traveler in mind,” said Allison Barnette, Pelham’s general manager.

Cormorant Boutique Hotel, La Jolla

A room in the new Cormorant Hotel in La Jolla. There are yellow walls, built-in furniture and a blue bed skirt.

In the coastal town of La Jolla, California, the Cormorant Boutique Hotel opened its doors at the end of April. Most of its 26 guest rooms have a view of the ocean and a private balcony. Inside, custom built-in furniture and patterned fabrics feature a nautical color palette.

Above the rooms is the rooftop bar and lounge, Birdseye. Drinks and seafood dishes are served with a panoramic view of the ocean and La Jolla. Corporate gatherings for up to 50 people can be hosted in the scenic lounge.

Downstairs, Prospect Market gives guests an upscale grab-and-go market experience with wine, snacks, small lunches and souvenirs. It pays homage to the property’s original purpose as the only market in La Jolla in the 1940s.

The new property is inspired by the black fishing birds that give it its name. Steps from the front door, guests can see cormorants perching, swimming and diving in the Pacific. The nearby La Jolla Bluffs provide even more birdwatching opportunities.

Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista

The interior of a suite at Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando. A small seating area is around a corner next to a window. A TV and cabinet are next to a desk.

The largest property in Drury Hotels’ lineup is coming to Lake Buena Vista’s Disney Springs this fall in Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista. With 604 rooms and 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, this resort offers large groups a Disney-adjacent event venue. Guests can make reservations for the first 264 rooms—the rest of the hotel will open in spring 2023.

As an Official Walt Disney World Hotel, guests can book rooms as part of a Disney World vacation package. Drury Plaza offers transportation to and from the park. The property is a short walk from Disney Springs, the retail, dining and entertainment district adjacent to the main park.

Next to the resort-style pool and splash pad is the Lakeside Bar & Grill, a poolside restaurant and bar. A marketplace offers guests snacks and grab-and-go food for their busy days. The Kitchen + Bar provides a more intimate dining experience.

“We look forward to welcoming guests and providing them with a magical experience,” said Chuck Drury, CEO of Drury Hotels. The resort plans on hiring more than 150 full- and part-time staff.

Read More: New and Renovated: Warming Trends

Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Miramar

The newly renovated lounge of Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Miramar. Dark grey couches and carpets are next to white-curtained windows.

A short distance from the MCAS Miramar Base, UC San Diego and La Jolla is Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Miramar. Formerly a Holiday Inn, the property has been transformed inside and out with a Spanish Revival exterior and a modern interior.

Whitewashed walls, arches and red clay tiled roofs help the hotel blend in with the style of many buildings in the area. The pool area follows the pattern while adding decorative tile and blue accents. A fire pit is available for guests to spend time together outdoors.

Inside are modern guest rooms with subtle elements of the exterior. Each of the 155 rooms are equipped with the amenities guests expect like workspaces and spa-like showers. The 15 suites offer king-sized beds, living areas and kitchen appliances. Seven meeting spaces offer planners more than 6,500 sq. ft. of space.

The property pays homage to the area’s military history with plane-themed murals in the restaurant and fitness center. Proximity to MCAS Miramar Base brings plenty of military families through its doors.

In early July, financial technology company nCino made an explosive return to in-person events in collaboration with The Special Event Company (TSEC). The ninth nSight conference was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, an up-and-coming technology hub between three major universities. To pull off the biggest nSight event to date, TSEC worked closely with nCino to turn their vision into a reality.

The Birth of a Collaboration

Founded in 1986 in the United Kingdom by CEO Sally Webb, TSEC was a pioneer in the budding event planning industry. The planning experience she gained in PR propelled her to creating a dedicated event business.

The younger nCino started in 2011 and started nSight in 2013. Their cloud banking technology is used by more than 1,750 financial institutions around the world—over 250 of which attended this year’s nSight. Headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, nearby Raleigh was an obvious choice for its popularity in the tech world.

Marisa Roberge, nCino’s associate director of global conferences & events, had prior experience with TSEC in her previous job. TSEC CEO Sally Webb said that the company earned her trust through several years of events and a smooth transition into virtual events during Covid. This was the start of the cross-company collaboration that would bring nSight 2022 to fruition.

Earlier in 2022, TSEC assisted in the late stages of planning nCino’s private leadership conference in Wilmington, North Carolina. This small gathering of global executives paved the way for the creative vision of nSight. TSEC was able to get familiar with nCino’s branding and event needs in a sort of “trial period.”

A Mountain of Challenges

For TSEC, Covid was a negligible hurdle compared to the massive influx of events that would come after the pandemic’s biggest waves subsided. Their staff and vendors were stretched thin by companies eager to return to events.

“All of our customers that had put their events on hold suddenly wanted them live again,” said Webb. Though TSEC quickly opened an in-house production studio to host virtual events, many companies laid off their internal planning teams. The first six months of in-person events were a balancing act of what events the company took on and who was able to manage them.

Keri Gloth, executive producer of nSight 2022 and manager of growth and development at TSEC, added that Covid majorly shook up the planning industry. Turnover and delayed timelines plagued the area’s event companies.

During the week of nSight, TSEC held three other events across the country. While most of their staff were at nSight, they managed to juggle multiple projects. Webb continued, “Every one of our events went flawlessly. It was quite astonishing.”

Pulling Off nSight

A crowd watches a speaker during nSight 2022. There are purple lights on either side of the projector.

Initially projected to be half the size, nSight 2022 drew in 1,400 registered attendees. It was only with the combined creative and strategic efforts of TSEC and nCino that the program went off without a hitch.

“They have a phenomenal creative team that are really collaborative, they’re very open to innovation that takes them outside their comfort level,” said Webb, praising the nCino team. “It was really great to see our team being able to have some fun with an event again.”

On the nCino side, sentiments were the same. Shelby Keiser, co-creator of nSight and manager of conferences and events at nCino, was happy to see the event bring clients together again. “Feeling the energy of this year’s event was truly magical,” she said.

Altogether, the teams collaborated to organize the event’s stage production, creative design, registration, staffing, lodging, transportation, entertainment and security. The elaborate program was rehearsed many times over, giving everyone confidence that the event would be a success.

Takeaways for Planners

Sally Webb and Keri Gloth shared the lessons they learned from the massive project that was nSight 2022.

“There is always a place for the virtual market.” Webb had to pivot her company to accommodate the sudden need for online events. With the technology available today, virtual events can go above and beyond what attendees expect.
“There still is nothing like the experience of people actually coming together in person.” The physical excitement that buzzes in a conference hall can’t be replicated online, says Webb. Being forced to stay inside for two years has especially increased the desire for in-person events.
“We have to keep communicating to all our customers all the time to set expectations.” Everyone is familiar with staffing shortages, supply chain issues and rapid inflation. Webb approximates events are 30% more expensive than they were before Covid.
“Collaborate with your clients and your industry peers.” Gloth says that bringing the customer into the planning process, especially in creative and strategic areas, can help deliver the exact event they want.
“Value your vendor relationships.” As a North Carolina-based company, TSEC has a limited pool of venues and services to draw from. Webb says the pandemic brought the local industry together—local event companies greatly contributed to the success of nSight 2022.

As the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas never lacks in new developments. These new spaces on the block that will have planners knocking. And newly renovated venues couldn’t come at a better time, when industry compression has a sea of planners competing for meetings and event space. Here are some of the highlights that are open now or slated for later this year.

What’s New in Hospitality

If glamour is what you’re looking for, these renovation projects will provide. Mix up your Vegas experience with new hotel amenities and a revived brand.

Plaza Hotel & Casino Expands

A render of the front of Plaza Hotel & Casino. A glass dome with a bar underneath is in the center, Pink box donuts is on the left, and a game room is on the right.

Multiple additions will expand Plaza Hotel & Casino’s dining, drinking and gaming options. Most extravagant is an animated Carousel Bar under the venue’s distinctive glass dome. The new 2,500-square-foot space offers seating for just under 100 guests. An air-conditioned bar, booths and a railing overlooking Main Street will keep away the desert heat as attendees network over drinks under vintage Vegas lights.

Next door, Plaza Hotel & Casino is opening downtown Vegas’ first smoke-free, social media-friendly gaming room. It will be stocked with the latest slot machines including the Brian Christopher Slots that were new to the scene last year. Above the gaming room, a rooftop patio will be added to Oscar’s Steakhouse, and the full dinner and drink menu will be available to guests in all 225 seats.

To sweeten the deal, local favorite Pinkbox Doughnuts will open opposite the game room. Its 1,200-square-foot store will be home to a 16-foot-long display case featuring more than 70 flavors of doughnuts. These new spaces, soon to heighten the draw to Vegas for meeting and incentive planners, are expected to be completed by the end of this year. Plaza Hotel & Casino will stay open throughout construction.

Horseshoe Las Vegas: Homage to a Classic

The planned interior of Horseshoe Las Vegas. The casino uses earth tones, wood ceiling panels and yellow chandeliers.

Caesars Entertainment has started the renovation and rebranding of Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. It will revive the classic name of Horseshoe Las Vegas, a gambler’s club known for its no-limits betting and gambler-first policies. The casino, situated on the corner of Flamingo Road, will exude a rustic feel with leather seats, bold colors and the Horseshoe golden horseshoe emblem.

From May 31 to July 19, Bally’s is hosting the 53^rd annual World Series of Poker, an event first held at the original Horseshoe Club in 1970, just as renovations start.

What’s Coming to Entertainment

If your incentive groups need something to wow them, look no further than the biggest shows in Vegas. These performances are also perfect for a fun night out in between convention days.

Encore at Wynn Las Vegas

A portrait of Diana Ross. She is wearing a tan tank top and her hair is draped on one shoulder.

Celebrating a legendary career, Diana Ross will hold six shows in Encore at Wynn Las Vegas at the end of September. Her signature extravagant fashion and colorful sets will be featured in the feel-good performance.

Also at Encore, comedian Sebastian Maniscalco will be performing four additional sets in October due to popular demand. Praised by the The New York Times as today’s biggest comedian, fans can expect more of his unique brand of comedy.

The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Sting onstage at a performance. He is wearing a black tshirt, yellow pants and holding a guitar.

Sting will extend his residency at The Colosseum with six new dates in April 2023. His set, titled “My Songs,” is made up of his greatest hits, and songs from his latest album.

Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino

John Legend playing a white piano for his Vegas residency. Four women in gospel choir robes have their arms raised on a platform behind him.

A newly launched residency, John Legend is set to perform at Zappos Theater through October. His “Love in Las Vegas” show features 91 different looks onstage, all designed by Legend’s longtime stylist Dave Thomas.

Miranda Lambert will start her own residency at Zappos. She was named Entertainer of the Year at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. Her show, “Velvet Rodeo, the Las Vegas Residency,” will start in late September.

Read More: Las Vegas: Silver and Green

New Dining Options

If you need a new place to take your group, or even a few friends, these restaurants will satisfy your hunger with style.

Nellie’s Southern Kitchen

The entrance to Nellie's Southern Kitchen. The exterior walls are wood-paneled with a large model fork and spoon on either side of the doors.

Inspired by the grandmother of the band Jonas Brothers, Nellie’s Southern Kitchen has opened in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. The restaurant’s first West Coast location is headed by the Jonas Brothers’ parents, Denise and Kevin Jonas, Sr. Nellie’s is home to nightly live music, a culture of Southern hospitality and comfort food.

Ramsay’s Kitchen

A render of the entrance of Ramsay's Kitchen. A bar with wooden chairs is behind a short wall with the restaurant's name and a cutout of Gordon Ramsay.

Multi-Michelin starred Chef Gordon Ramsay is opening a new restaurant this fall at Harrah’s Las Vegas. His sixth restaurant on The Strip will have a menu inspired by his personal kitchen and global flavors. Some specialties will also incorporate a Vegas flair. A total of 240 guests can sit at a seafood counter or private booths, and the restaurant has a private dining room for those post-convention team dinners. Ramsay’s Kitchen will open this fall.

Plan with Confidence

All-inclusive Hyatt Zilara and Ziva luxury resorts line the most spectacular shores in Mexico and the Caribbean and have each been designed to deliver extraordinary events and guest experiences for savvy planners and their participants. With the uncompromising group services one can expect from the Hyatt brand and the value and convenience of an all-inclusive resort, adults-only Hyatt Zilara and all-ages Hyatt Ziva are the ideal destinations for your next programs.

At any Zilara or Ziva property, guests enjoy oceanfront accommodations, luxurious swim-up suites, fine dining at a number of a la carte restaurants featuring inspired menus and uncompromised service. There are sprawling infinity pools with swim-up bars and an array of on-site activities including state-of-the art spas and fitness facilities. It’s all included and bestowed with heartfelt service that has helped make Zilara and Ziva the new favorite brands for meeting and incentive planners around the world.

When it’s time to meet, attendees will enjoy spacious and modern meeting facilities that have been purposely designed, are equipped with the latest technology, and can accommodate gatherings of almost any size. Hyatt Zilara and Ziva’s all-inclusive formula takes the stress out of planning as there are no food and beverage minimums to worry about.

Planners appreciate the ease and convenience of the professionally trained, dedicated events team and flat-rate billing makes budgeting a breeze. When the meetings are over, and it’s time to relax in tropical paradise, your team will enjoy discounts on spa treatments and destination activities.

Whether it’s a corporate convention, executive meeting, incentive trip or special event, every aspect of your experience at any Zilara and Ziva property is designed and executed for success.

Locations include:

Jamaica: Hyatt Zilara and Ziva Rose Hall

Mexico: Hyatt Zilara and Ziva Cancun, Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos and Ziva Puerto Vallarta, Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya (coming December 2022, booking now), Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun

The Dominican Republic: Hyatt Zilara and Ziva Cap Cana

All-new All-inclusive Experiences

Mexico’s Riviera Maya region is home to two brand-new all-inclusive resorts, designed with meetings and incentives in mind and the Caribbean Sea as the backdrop. All-ages Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun and adults-only Ziva Riviera Maya are both located near Cancun International Airport (CUN) and to many of Mexico’s most renowned Mayan archeological sites, making it ideal for enriching cultural experiences.

Both resorts’ group function space is unsurpassed with flexible meeting rooms, decadent ballrooms, and innovative technology. Like their sister properties, these new resorts offer outstanding dining experiences, culturally inspired activities, luxurious suites, live entertainment and so much more included in guests’ stays.

Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos

Surrounded by the quiet charm of the Baja peninsula and the Sea of Cortez, with luxurious accommodations and superior conference facilities, Ziva Los Cabos is the ideal setting for corporate meetings.

Plan with Confidence

Hyatt Ziva and Zilara Rose Hall

Plan with Confidence

With luxurious accommodations, a multitude of dining options and superior conference facilities, Ziva and Zilara Rose Hall is the ideal beachfront setting for corporate meetings and incentive trips, with every aspect designed for success.

Lynn Osmond

A portrait of Lynn Osmond. She is a white woman with short curly hair in a red dress. She stands in front of Chicago skyscrapers.

Choose Chicago named Osmond president and CEO of its organization, making her the first woman to hold the role in the Chicago DMO’s history. Osmond most recently worked for Chicago Architecture Center, where she served as its president and CEO for almost 26 years. Osmond is also a former member of the Choose Chicago Board of Directors.

Miju Kim

A portrait of Miju Kim. She is an Asian woman with wavy black hair and a black floral blouse.

Viceroy Hotel Group appointed Kim area director of group sales for San Fracisco’s Hotel Zelos, Hotel Zetta and Hotel Zeppelin. Kim has been in events and luxury hospitality sales for 10 years and most recently worked at Highgate hospitality as its area account director for groups. From guest services to hotel sales, Kim has held positions at several hotel properties and brands across Hawaii.

John Ehlenfeldt

A portrait of John Ehlenfeldt. He is a white man with a short beard and a dark plaid suit jacket.

Visit Dana Point welcomed Ehlenfeldt as the organization’s new executive director. Most recently, the 25-year hospitality veteran was executive vice president at Visit Huntington Beach. Ehlenfeldt has held directorships at Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Destination Canada and Long Beach Convention Center.

Dina Fenili Niekamp

A portrait of Dina Fenili Niekamp. She is a white woman with round glasses, straight blonde hair and a gray suit jacket.

Niekamp is director of sales, marketing and brand at Miraval Resorts and Spas. Over the last 16 years, Niekamp has become a successful sales leader based in the greater Chicago area. Niekamp was previously director of brand and marketing at Miraval Resorts, and she is a member of Global Wellness Institute’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative on behalf of Miraval Resorts.

Greg O’Dell

A portrait of Greg O’Dell. He is a bald black man with a dark suit and a colorful tie.

OVG360, Oak View Group’s sustainability-focused venue management division, named O’Dell president of venue management. Previously, O’Dell was president and CEO of Events DC. O’Dell brings over 25 years of business development experience in hospitality and events and has held roles such as chief development officer for the D.C. government and chief executive officer and general manager at Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Bruce Roy

A portrait of Bruce Roy. He is a white man with a short beard and a black suit.

Roy joined Dallas’ Hilton Anatole as its general manager. Bringing 30 years of hotel and food and beverage management, Roy most recently served as Hilton Boston Logan Airport’s general manager. Roy has worked at multiple HEI Hotels & Resorts properties, was corporate director of operations for CAM Hospitality Advisors LLC in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was director of food and beverage at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, now known as Aimbridge Hospitality.

Kelly Gertino

A portrait of Kelly Gertino. She is a young white woman with long brown hair and a teal cardigan.

Gertino is group sales and services coordinator at Arizona’s Visit Mesa. Most recently, Gertino was lead concierge at Greystar, a luxury high-rise apartment building in Seattle. She has been in event sales, travel and hospitality management for the past decade, previously holding roles such as senior vacation specialist, travel consultant and more.

Anthony Molino

A portrait of Anthony Molino. He is a white man with a short beard with a black suit and a red tie.

Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) appointed Molino director of the Chicago sales area. Previously, Molino was director of hotel sales and national sales manager at Choose Chicago. He is also presently diversity, equity and inclusion chair for Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Global. Molino has spent 15 years in hospitality, hotel sales and events and has held positions at multiple Hilton properties, Marriott International and Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown.

Nigel Barker

A portrait of Nigel Barker. He is a bald white man with a black shirt.

21c Museum Hotel Chicago, a new downtown property, named Barker its creative director, the new lead for the property’s event programming and design initiatives. Barker was last CEO of V1VE in New York, a fitness and health entertainment company. He presently owns his own photography company, Nigel Barker LLC, and has an extensive history in design, arguably most notably having served as photographer and judge on 17 seasons of America’s Next Top Model, an international hit TV show.

Derek Flint and Tatiana Lora

Two portraits of Derek Flint and Tatiana Lora. Flint is a bald white man with a gray collared shirt, and Lora is a brown woman with long black hair and a blue dress.

The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami and The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami welcomed Flint as market general manager and promoted Lora to area director of marketing.

With 35 years of luxury hospitality experience, Flint has held roles at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park; The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco; Four Seasons Clift Hotel and Park Hyatt San Francisco. Flint first became a leader at The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami in 2008 as its general manager, a role in which he served until 2014. Most recently, Flint was general manager of The St. Regis Beijing.

Lora has been with the hotels for 12 years, beginning her career at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale as its public relations manager. Since then, Lora has held the roles of area communications manager, and director of public relations, her most recent position.

Von DeLuna

A portrait of Von DeLuna. He is a bald brown man with square glasses and a grey suit.

Springboard Hospitality appointed DeLuna vice president of operations. DeLuna spent the last 20 years as a leader in hotel management at Kimpton properties. He was most recently general manager at Kimpton Hotel Born in Denver. DeLuna has also been vice president of operations at Sage Hospitality.

Sandra Estornell

A portrait of Sandra Estornell. She is a tan woman with curly blonde hair and a black collared shirt.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts named Estornell managing director of Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Estornell brings 20 years of extensive senior hotel management experience, most recently having been general manager of Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Los Cabos. She has been general manager of several Ritz-Carlton properties in South America and several across North America and Europe.

Meghan Pearis and Catherine Duncan

Two portraits of Meghan Pearis and Catherine Duncan. They are both white women with long brown hair and gold earrings.

Zemi Beach House, located on the small island of Anguilla in the Caribbean, welcomed Pearis as its senior sales and events manager and Duncan as its digital marketing manager.

Pearis is a 10-year sales and events veteran, and most recently was sales and marketing manager for North America at Monaco Government Tourist & Convention Authority. Pearis has held roles in event production, business development management, business event marketing and more.

Duncan has been in digital marketing and business management for more than a decade and has held several senior and executive roles. Previously, Duncan was digital marketing specialist for Dynam, a marketing and web design agency headquartered in Scotland.

Jennifer Erney, CMP, CMM

A portrait of Jennifer Erney. She is a white woman with big blonde hair and a black blouse.

International hospitality group Accor appointed Erney executive director of global sales for meetings, incentives and industry relations. Erney was most recently regional vice president of sales at Associated Luxury Hotels International. She brings over 25 years of sales and events experience, recognized in 2019 as Supplier of the Year (Doer category) by Smart Meetings.

Derek Douglass Drew

A portrait of Derek Douglass Drew. He is a bald black man with a grey suit and a red collared shirt.

Drew is now area hotel manager of the recently opened Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis, and Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis in Tennessee. Drew has a long history as a leader in Hyatt hotel management, most recently serving as director of operations at Hyatt Regency Reston in Virginia. He brings 22 years of events and hotel operations and management experience to his new role.

Denis Espina

A portrait of Denis Espina. He is a Mexican man with combed black hair and a lavender collared shirt.

Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita in Mexico appointed Espina resort manager. Espina has spent over 20 years in hotel operations and food and beverage management, having held leadership roles such as director of restaurants at Four Seasons Resort Whistler in Canada, and director of food and beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Austin. Most recently, Espina opened Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas as its resort manager in 2019.

Brock Hochhalter

A portrait of Brock Hochhalter. He is a white man with combed hair and a blue suit.

Hochhalter is now area general manager of Marriott International’s luxury properties in Dominican Republic and Haiti. With 25 years of global hospitality leadership experience, Hochhalter has been operations partner with Marriott for the Caribbean and all-inclusive properties, and aided in the opening of JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo and Marriott Port-au-Prince Hotel on their respective executive teams. Most recently, he was vice president of operations for luxury Marriott properties in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Graeme Hughes

A portrait of Graeme Hughes. He is a white man with square glasses, a cowboy hat and a blue collared shirt.

Visit Tucson in Arizona promoted Hughes to executive vice president. Previously, Hughes served as senior vice president of sales and brings over 30 years of hospitality and travel sales leadership experience to his new role. He has held management roles for Visit Tucson, Loews Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and more in sales, marketing and convention services.

Ron Bracco

A portrait of Ron Bracco. He is an older white man with combed grey hair, a short beard and a grey suit.

Destination DC appointed Bracco board chairperson. Bracco is vice president of events at Hargrove by Encore. A 25-year events leader, Bracco has served as vice chairperson of Destination DC’s board, and senior sales executive for events and creative director of events at Hargrove by Encore.

Dana Hubbe

A portrait of Dana Hubbe. She is a blonde white woman with a red one-shouldered dress.

Grace Bay Resorts in Turks and Caicos appointed Hubbe director of sales for its resorts portfolio, including Grace Bay Club and the brand’s newest property, Rock House. Hubbe most recently founded Raise The RevPar, a boutique sales consultancy for hotels and resorts. In her 28 years of hospitality sales experience, Hubbe has been a manager of East Coast sales for The Mark Hotel in New York City, director of East Coast sales for Santa Monica’s Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa Del Mar, and more.

Joele Brew Hatton

A portrait of Joele Brew Hatton. She is a black woman with short combed hair, gold hoop earrings and a coral blouse.

Hatton was appointed director of national accounts at Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau in Texas. A hospitality sales veteran of more than 15 years, Hatton was most recently associate director of sales for Omni Dallas Hotel; before, she was the property’s director of national accounts. She has also been a sales leader at Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Texas.

Genevieve Dumont, DMCP

A portrait of Genevieve Dumont. She is a pale woman with shoulder-length black hair and a black blouse.

New Orleans’ Windsor Court Hotel promoted Dumont to assistant director of sales and marketing. Most recently, Dumont was senior sales manager for the property. She brings more than two decades of hospitality and travel sales experience, specializing in group sales at Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. Dumont has also been senior account executive at BBC Destination Management, based in New Orleans.

Ryan Fitzgerald

A portrait of Ryan Fitzgerald. He is a white man with short curly hair and a blue suit.

Waldorf Astoria Orlando welcomed Fitzgerald as its new general manager. Most recently, Fitzgerald was hotel manager at Loews Philadelphia Hotel, where he also served as the property’s interim general manager, leading the hotel to record performance numbers for two years. In his 20 years of hotel and food and beverage management, Fitzgerald has held leadership positions at Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California; The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu; Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort; and more.

Randall Scott-Miller

A portrait of Randall Scott-Miller. He is a brown man with a black beard and blue suit.

Royal Sonesta New Orleans appointed Scott-Miller director of rooms. Bringing two decades of experience in hotel operations and management, Scott-Miller was most recently director of rooms at Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has also been complex director of housekeeping services for Waldorf Astoria properties in Key West, Florida, and executive housekeeper at Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando.

David Sandler

A portrait of David Sandler. He is a bald white man with square glasses and a grey plaid suit.

Sandler is now general manager of The Wall Street Hotel in New York City. For more than 20 years Sandler has garnered hotel operations and management experience, holding roles such as regional general manager for Denihan Hospitality Group, vice president of operations and transitions during The Carlton Hotel’s rebrand to The James New York – NoMad. Most recently, he was regional general manager for The Bejamin Royal Sonesta New York and The Fifty Sonesta Select New York.

Eddie Canaday, CHSP, CHME

A portrait of Eddie Canaday. He is a white man with shaggy blonde hair and a white sweater.

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp in Tennessee appointed Canaday director of national accounts. A 30-year hospitality and travel sales veteran, Canaday brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his new role. Most recently, he was director of convention sales for the Washington, Maryland and Virginia at Visit Salt Lake, as well as its diversity market development director. Canaday currently serves on the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation’s board of directors, and is co-secretary to the foundation’s executive board of directors.

Nicholas Kuhns

A portrait of Nicholas Kuhns. He is a white man with combed black hair, a short beard and a Hawaiian shirt.

Kuhns is now resort manager at Montage Kapalua Bay in Hawaii. The 21-year industry veteran was most recently general manager of Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square, earning it the No. 2 ranking among Seattle hotels by TripAdvisor and the 2018 Hotel Opening of the Year award by Hilton Worldwide. Kuhns has also served as general manager of Hilton Salt Lake City Center, director of food and beverage at Hilton properties in Clearwater, Florida, and more.

Mark Goeman

A portrait of Mark Goeman. He is a white man with square glasses, a grey suit and a red tie.

The Benson Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton, in Oregon appointed Goeman managing director. Goeman brings more than three decades of hotel, food and beverage and revenue management experience to his new role. He most recently served as chief operating officer for North Pacific Management. Goeman has held leadership positions including senior vice president of sales, marketing and revenue management at Lighthouse Lodging Group, general manager for multiple Embassy Suites properties and more.

When the creative brief from your initial event strategy session calls for brand and reputational impact, how do you measure if you are successful?

The events team around Google Lunar X Prize, a $20 million, 10-year competition for scientists and students to be the first team to land a rover on the moon worked with Academy Award-winning directors to shoot a documentary with the stories behind each team, screened it at SXSW and hosted an after-party. They even flew in some of the rovers for people to see. Success was measured based on attendance, views on the videos and reported as brand deposits with “key opinion formers.”

This is just one of the examples from a new Million Dollar Event Planning Career learning course by former Google Marketing Events leader and author of “The Art of Event Planning” Gianna Cardinale Gaudini. Now Global Head of Events, Training and Certification at Amazon Web Services, she has realized that the challenges meeting professionals are facing and the way they are learning has changed since she published her book pre-Covid.

That understanding led her to record a 10-chapter course that went live this month complete with exercises that covers everything from career path to CSR and Inclusion. “Event planners don’t always have time to go to a class or read a book. Sometimes we learn best with snackable content in 5 minutes a day,” she said.

Career Changers

Some of the content is anecdotal from her 20 years in the industry, a winding road that led from specializing in California’s wine industry and getting her sommelier certification as the “Decantress” to producing women in tech events, running global events for SoftBank Vision Fund and her current role at AWS. The constant through all of this? Her passion for tackling new challenges and inspiring others.

Whether you are new to the industry, looking for career advice to find your niche or planning to shift careers in the industry using the skills you have and exploring new territory, these short videos are filled with tips and entertaining stories.

Read Gianna Gaudini’s tips for keeping virtual attendees engaged.

Contract and Negotiation Tips

We skipped to the good part—Negotiating Rooms: Cancellation, Attrition, Rebooking and Reselling—where the big idea is planning for contingencies. “There are always unexpected internal or external changes, even pre-Covid,” Gaudini said.

She suggests stipulating that cancelation charges are calculated on a sliding scale based on the distance out from the event rather than signing a 100-percent cancellation policy due after the contract is signed. The thinking is that the farther out the event is cancelled, the more likely the hotel will be able to resell the rooms.

There is a fine line between requesting enough rooms and too many. Requesting 70% allowable attrition gives you flexibility to account for people not showing up.

Another pro-tip: for multi-day programs, request that attrition is cumulative. That way, it is not calculated per night, but over the course of the event, which may zero out the impact. Ask for an occupancy report for each night so you know if the rooms resold.

You can subtract that from your attrition policy. “Hotels rarely include resell clauses by default, but usually will if you ask for one. It is a matter of law that they have an obligation to resell,” she said.

Read about the true cost of postponing an event.

Example: “The Hotel shall use its best efforts to resell rooms and function space affected by attrition or a cancellation. The total amount paid to Hotel for rooms and function space resold after cancellation shall be calculated and such amount shall be refunded to Company. The refunded amount will be received by company no later than (30) days after the last scheduled meeting date.”

Bottom Line

“We need to focus on being more strategic rather than reactive when planning in-person and virtual,” Gaudini said. “We jump right to the ‘how’ instead of stepping back and starting with a creative brief.”

Plan with Confidence

From unexpected meeting spaces to a wide range of unique experiences, Connecticut serves up an entire state of ways to meet memorably. Here, you can hold your meeting aboard a historic schooner…at a ballpark…on a carousel…in an aquarium…or at one of the world’s largest casinos. Offer attendees a mix of modern and historical, with top dining options throughout the entire state. And everything’s exceptionally easy to get to, thanks to our super convenient location near 23.5 million people.