Smart Meetings | Page 146 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

“This is a great opportunity to get everyone out and together in these smaller groups to be able to experience a city and really get back into what everybody loves about this part of meetings—the momentum of connection,” said Brian Gilligan, senior vice president of sales and distribution for the United States and Canada at Marriott International, in an interview with Smart Meetings at last week’s Meet with Momentum Boston, hosted by Marriott Bonvoy’s 3-2-1 Connect hotel network in Boston’s Back Bay.

Meet with Momentum Boston, the second installment of a new event series by Marriott that began this June, continued the brand’s mission to educate meeting and event planners in its redevelopment projects—from convention resorts to spaces to food and beverage—and to empower planners amid a booming return to meetings. The event added perspective to the crucial role planners play in being drivers of industry innovation, evolution and reconnection.

Marriott Bonvoy’s meetings portfolio, also known as its Convention & Resort Network (CRN), is a collection of over 110 properties throughout the Western Hemisphere specifically designed with in-house event support infrastructure and meeting space in mind.

Among these, Boston Back Bay’s 3-2-1 Connect, a network of closely localized meetings hotels, saw over 60 planners and industry professionals gather June 22-24 to talk about what is new and improved for planners, what is coming with the return of meetings and what has concretized into an industry-wide movement for customer-centric, personalized experiences and sustainable change.

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In a destination where history and innovation intersect, a vision for the future of meetings and events is emerging with a focus on leveraging local experiences and learning how to be leaders in getting back up after two years of feeling face down.

Opportunity in Urban Markets

Attendees stayed at The Westin Copley Place, a property with over 57,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The hotel is particularly unique, with its 38 floors that climb up from the skyline behind Back Bay’s rows of historical brownstones, and 803 guest rooms.

Imperial Suite at The Westin Copley Marriott

Boston’s Back Bay area began to take shape in the late 1850s, built along the Charles River. Buildings of The Westin’s stature, however, cannot be erected on the area’s narrow waterfront landfill to this day; the result is a sprawling, unobstructed view of the river, community and commercial area below—from every guest room in the hotel.

The Westin Copley Place Boston, Boston Marriott Copley Place (59,000-plus sq. ft. for meetings) and Sheraton Boston Hotel (74,000-plus sq. ft. for meetings), joined by Copley Place shopping center, Prudential Center and Hynes Convention Center (176,840 sq. ft. for meetings), form an entirely indoors-accessible complex, making the destination a convenient location for meetings and events of all sizes.

In tandem with the hospitality industry at large, Marriott International is making strides in its initiative dedicated to improving sustainability and the brand’s social impact, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction. The initiative guides Marriott’s lofty goals to cut food waste in half, have 100% of its portfolio sustainably certified, responsibly source 95% of its top 10 priority categories and minimize overall landfill waste by 45% by the year 2025. As of its 2021 Serve 360 Report, the hospitality powerhouse is on track to meet its goals in two of its four categories across all aspects, and seeing mixed status across efforts in its remaining two categories.

Sustainability movement at the C-suite level is also evident on the ground. From cultivating bee hives that benefit both the hotel and surrounding city by miles to reducing single-use bottles in guest rooms, Marriott’s Boston hotels are thinking regeneratively. But the city is also regenerating post-Covid, and Marriott is working to strategically utilize the opportunities and unique regional experiences that urban markets afford meeting professionals.

Leveraging the Locale

The events industry has changed pace and hospitality is racing to keep up, creating new avenues and bolstering old ones to create more informed, efficient and effective systems of support for planners amid record industry compression post-pandemic.

Editor Skylar Sjoberg and Marriott International’s Brian Gilligan

“Especially now as meetings start coming back, and especially our urban markets in some of our bigger cities, the experience and the destination aren’t new to having a great meeting in a local destination,” Gilligan said. “[But] that decision definitely depends on the local engagement opportunities. I think now, more than ever, as things are opening in cities, things may look a little bit different… as far as new venues that have popped up, new experiences that might be popping up, or experiences that are more limited and for which you need better access.”

This is why local partnerships between the hotel and destination marketing or smaller, tourism-oriented organizations are so critical for meeting hotels to have in place. Bleisure is taking a front seat. And it’s all because of an obvious need for more space in the event schedule to network.

“One thing we’re definitely hearing and seeing more of is this need for more curated networking time… no one has seen each other in two and a half years. They’re getting to the meeting and they want extended break time,” Gilligan offered.

Bleisure programming can drive that networking time. “Having [these local experiences] proofed already… Whether that’s that it could have started earlier, or we could have introduced preregistration ahead of time or we could have promoted it differently so that people knew they could have come early or stayed late to take advantage of something… is a valuable part of being able to share the learnings,” Gilligan explained.

Growing Resources for Planners

Multiyear events are another way to share nuanced learnings about returning groups and teams. Jeremy Shears, vice president of finance for Marriott International and a co-leader of its CRN, asserted that customization is key.

Multiyears also allow for longer planning timelines, a widely sought-after and seldom found treasure in a current climate of industry-wide compression. As a result, multiyear contracts offer planners more opportune timelines, which provides time to plan early, and plan more detailed and customized events. “Almost 50% of group business booked in May are arriving in the next 120 days,” Gilligan said.

In light of this compression and the rise of ‘in the year for the year’ bookings, Gilligan noted that transparency on both sides is critical. It takes both the planner having the conversation the first time about the compression of timeline and the hotel’s account manager being upfront from the get-go about competitors for a space.

Gilligan also highlighted a tool more properties are beginning to use and one that Marriott has invested in for more efficient site inspections during an era of business travel challenges and properties being short space and dates. Take advantage of the search functionality of virtual mapping tools when discussing best properties for your next event with an account manager.

“People want to meet much faster and sooner,” Gilligan remarked. “Whether that’s being driven by budget or timing or because they haven’t gotten together in so long—that’s a really big difference.”

New Wave F&B

Executive Chef at Sheraton Boston Hotel Joseph Florio and Executive Chef at Boston Marriott Copley Place Michael Panasuk highlighted that what has made and continues to make efforts to improve F&B practices so effective is shared vision. F&B professionals in hospitality are seeking out fresh, locally grown, locally sourced ingredients and exemplifying sustainability in and outside of the kitchen.

“We’re really trying to position ourselves to make some changes. Don’t overcomplicate it. Let the food speak for itself,” Florio said.

“I met my fishmonger this morning and handpicked scallops for tomorrow. You can’t just wait for the truck to back up to your dock. You’ve got to see what’s going on out there. It’s the same thing with farms,” Florio explained, handing off the floor to Panasuk, a leader in New England culinary organizations.

“Local is mainstream at this point,” Panasuk began. “Now, it’s a question of, ‘What next? How can we improve our food and sourcing even more?’” Panasuk expressed that the talk about food sustainability and minimizing our carbon footprint and food waste on an organizational level ends with the individual.

“I take it personally. Climate change is serious and it is happening. We are a part of the problem in producing [big quantities] of waste, and we want to see how we can shrink that footprint as much as we can,” he said.

Planners also play a part in promoting sustainable F&B. Be aware of what’s in season and when while planning your event, especially is you’re looking to provide attendees with specific dishes iconic to the host city. Another note from the chefs: Be flexible when the season of your event makes a dish less available and less sustainable to source.

“I’d hate for someone to leave the table before getting enough of something they like to eat. We work with so many different folks trying to make a living—whether its cooks, utility guys or a purveyor we’re working with—you can’t help but feel like it’s a big family. We’re all in the hospitality business together.”

How to Be Leaders in Getting Back Up

“May every one of us forever realize that when we don’t think people are watching us, they are,” said the event’s guest keynote speaker and magician Jon Dorenbos, a former NFL long snapper who never really wanted to be identified as the football guy, nor a magician, he said. As he’s come to learn through career shifts and switches following a family tragedy in his childhood that took his parents and threatened to define him, Dorenbos defines himself as a storyteller.

“The story came first,” Dorenbos began in his interview with Smart Meetings after the show. “I was able to figure out the tricks I wanted to do with the stories I wanted to tell. And I never looked back. I realized I was never really in the magic business; I was in the speaking business.”

When Covid hit and our global recovery became an open-ended question, it knocked industries face down, turned our work and home lives inside out and forced us to reexamine the events we planners create and their reach. It has led us to face a few choices: Who do you want to be, and what story do you want to tell? When you fall face down, as Dorenbos asked the crowd, are you going to be defined by that defeat or by the victory of getting back up?

Planners are uniquely poised to be leaders in bringing back business, travel and so many other global industries that meetings inevitably intersect. Planners are already storytellers—every meeting and event has a mission, a message and a story. You tell that story through the experiences you create as we return to meetings.

Dorenbos told the audience during his performance, “We hold ourselves to a higher standard of accountability, every day, so that when moments like this come about, we find motivation in defeat.”

What better way to show appreciation for your colleagues, partners and associates than by nominating them for 2022 Meeting Professional of the Year?

Nominate your favorite meeting professional by July 12 and they’ll be entered for a chance to win this prestigious award. The short list of nominees will be emailed questionnaires and winners will be featured in the September Smart Meetings magazine along with their responses.

Celebrate all that is right in the meetings and events world by nominating a meeting professional of the year today.

Nominate your favorite meeting professional here.

If you haven’t stepped into a field of virtual impressionist sunflowers yourself, colorful images of room-sized starry nights have probably worked their way into your Instagram feed. From Abu Dhabi to San Francisco, abandoned warehouses and empty venues are being filled with projectors that bathe visitors in images from the Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh, sometimes with competing “immersive experiences” in the same city.

The Lume Indianapolis is making the venue permanent by embedding the museum’s 30,000 sq. ft. fourth floor with the technology and infrastructure, then making plans to rotate shows annually with the option of renting out the space for events.

What can meeting professionals learn from this popular pop-up social media craze?

Tell a Vivid Story

While Van Gogh’s art was groundbreaking in his time, it has long entered the popular consciousness as a cultural touch stone. For those looking to study the master’s technique and individual works, visiting a museum with the actual paintings is essential.

Audiences flocking to immersive shows are looking for something else—a story, an escape, a spectacle. Digitizing, enlarging and animating the popular cafe and iris scenes so they dance around the room synchronized to popular music engages multiple senses. As the vivid colors wash over the ceilings, walls, floors and the people, a sense of wonder flows and imaginations are sparked.

This larger-than life projection is worlds away from a droning PowerPoint presentation on a distant screen. Why not transform the welcome reception into a jungle or beach to fit your meeting theme and put everyone in a fresh frame of mind? A keynote projected by hologram that moves around the room and a presentation that leverages every available surface engages even the most abbreviated attention span. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination and brought to life by powerful storytelling.

Action Item: How can you turn your content into a visual story that plays out in unexpected ways? Can your AV team transform the closing reception into an alternate reality with visual surprises at every turn?

Scarce, Personalized and Social-Media Optimized

Wherever these art-infused programs have gone, they have quickly sold thousands of tickets after Instagram posts generate substantial buzz. Like the pop-up museums of ice cream, color and happiness of pre-Covid times, these productions are designed with abundant opportunities for selfies and ‘gram fodder. When the stage is set with fun, interactive quotes and props, people take the initiative to post themselves.

Action Item: Why not introduce similar whimsical and impactful Insta-worthy sets at your events to create demand for future ticket sales?

Visitors are also empowered to self-direct their experience. While tickets are for specific time slots, attendees are encouraged to make the journey their own. Groups choose a “circle” projected on the floor with the option to stand, sit or recline at their leisure. Those paying a VIP premium get a sunflower-bedecked cushion to soften the benches scattered around the room. For Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit San Francisco, the presentation is 35 minutes long and people can enter midway through and stay as long as they want before moving on to the adjoining photo sets, outdoor café and gift shop.

Action Item: How can you provide your attendees with the tools to create their own experience from whatever perspective they are comfortable? What would an agenda look like that allows attendees to take as much or as little time as they need to absorb the information?

As small- to mid-size meetings are coming back fast, how are meeting professionals really managing the challenges of sustainability, supply chain issues and staffing? “There is a gap between what people are saying and what we are seeing,” said IACC CEO Mark Cooper. At IACC Americas Connect, the group’s first centralized, live event in three years, he plans to build on Meetings of the Future research and model the three pillars addressed in the group’s signature report—Community, People and Environment.

Listen to a special Smart Chat Live! presentation from Mark Cooper filled with ideas for delighting attendees of all ages.

“Meetings of the Future has always been about getting the smartest people on stage along with the opinions of our members and working it out,” he said. That is just what the agenda calls for at Park MGM Las Vegas May 23-25.

CSR in Action

Now, about that gap. When IACC surveyors ask meeting professionals if they consider sustainability in their RFPs, almost to a person they say, “Yes.” But in the Spring 2022, Meeting Rooms of the Future Barometer survey of global small and medium-size venues, only 46% said they are receiving increased requests to provide social responsibility or environmental credentials and only 13% are being asked to measure the carbon used to run their meetings.

“We could be in the adoption phase and the train is coming down the track, but hasn’t arrived yet, or it could be something else.”

“Yes, it is important, but no, it is not flowing through,” Cooper said. “We could be in the adoption phase and the train is coming down the track, but hasn’t arrived yet, or it could be something else. We need to understand what that means for the future.” He speculated the disconnect could be because meeting professionals have gotten to the point where they aren’t asking because they are just expecting sustainability measures to be in place. “We need to know that, too,” he said.

Experts being tapped to share insights include partners at Events Industry Council, Oxford Economics and Cvent.

IACC is also partnering with MGM Resorts while in Las Vegas to source talent locally, starting with author Vital Germaine leading attendees through an exercise to innovate their business practices for a post-Covid era. MGM is opening the doors behind the scenes to show off their solar array and leadership role in managing their environmental impact.

F&B is being designed around zero waste. And the Global Copper Skillet Finale on the last day has become a coveted cook-to-the-finish competition to name the best venue chef in the world. “We are embracing the best in building a sustainable and equitable workplace environment,” Cooper said.

Streaming Under the Microscope

Similarly, everyone assumed that hybrid meetings would be the future, but in reality most companies have gone straight to in-person. According to the Spring Barometer survey, 81% of venues have made some or a major investment in virtual technology and 56% of events happening in their spaces in 2021 have a virtual component.

Read expert predictions for 2022 meetings.

IACC’s research and sessions aim to filter out the reality from the platitudes. “We need to focus on the gaps in intelligence to learn what is really happening,” Cooper said. He is particularly interested in the trends for smaller conferences and meetings of under 100 or even under 50 people, which is the bread and butter of events held in IACC facilities. “Some of this may be happening at large venues and hasn’t filtered down yet,” he said. “It is valuable to understand what is coming.”

“As a global organization, IACC looks at trends across the world as that can inform what the future will look like in other countries.”

One of the trends hitting across the globe is a tight labor market. Because small venues have been the fastest to come back, they have had to build their workforce back faster than larger venues. Many were able to maintain their staff and that has made it easier. But they are sensitive to issues in the supply chain and workforce, Cooper reported.

“We are at risk of trying to bounce back to where we were before. But what if the reality is we are never going back to the way we staffed hotels and restaurants in the past because there isn’t the ability or desire to do so?” Cooper asked.

That could mean automating more and thinking differently. The idea is to use humans where people can make a difference, he said.

An example is when inquiries and RFPs have gone up 20% and staff availability is down 20%, venues can no longer respond to everyone individually. “Customers have digitalized how they are sending RFPs and we need to automate the ability for them to book and schedule small meetings themselves,” he reasoned. For an event of under 120 people, perhaps a bespoke, a la carte composition for every occurrence is not necessary or advantageous. A conference can be pre-packaged, and the value is built in.

Automated Planning

According to IACC’s most recent survey, 35% of venues in the Americas plan to automate services for meeting attendees to address staffing shortages compared to half of venues in Australia.

“Think of automation not as a threat or a solution to a problem that should be solved another way, but as an evolution now that we are being forced to take a risk,” Cooper said. “It is going to be another fast-paced five years,” he concluded.

Takeaways

Cooper hopes people take away a personal commitment to taking a calculated risk. “We want to use everything special about coming back live, infused with the three pillars, so people leave informed and enthused to make a commitment to try something new,” he said.

Editor’s note: This Week in Travel (TWT) is your essential guide to smoothing the road from here to there for your attendees and yourself.

Bernie Sanders Demands Airline Accountability, Airlines Blame FAA

As the news fills with stories of canceled and delayed flights, the airline industry lobbying group Airlines for America (A4A) president and CEO Nicholas Calio wrote to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on June 24 to complain that “not every air traffic variable is within an airline’s control.” Calio went on to say that “one of our A4A member carriers estimate that air traffic control (ATC)-related issues were a factor in at last one-third of recent cancellations.”

On the same day, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Secretary Buttigieg with demands that meetings and travel planners dealing with participants missing days at events because of flight snafus might applaud.

“All over this country, airline passengers are growing increasingly frustrated by the massive increase in flight delays, cancellations, and outrageously high prices they are forced to pay for tickets, checked bags and other fees,” Sanders wrote.

“I am writing today to urge you to take immediate action to substantially reduce the number of airline cancellations and delays in our country and protect the rights of airline passengers throughout our nation.”

Sanders pointed out that while the price of airline tickets have “skyrocketed by 38%…airline days have increased by 50% and cancellations are up to 18% compared to where they were before the pandemic.”

Read More: Airlines Evolve to Cater to Groups

Sanders cited the nearly $50 billion in taxpayer assistance the aviation industry received from the federal government. He asked for prompt refunds to passengers whose flights have been delayed over an hour, saying that airlines should also be required to cover meals and lodging for passengers of flights delayed more than four hours in addition to a ticket refund and alternative means of transportation.

Sanders also asked Buttigieg to impose fines on airlines for flights that are delayed more than two hours. He asked for full fines of $27,000 per passenger for all domestic flights delayed more than two hours and all international flights delayed more than three hours when passengers are forced to wait on the tarmac. Senator Sanders is also asking for fines to airlines who schedule flights they cannot “properly staff.”

Sanders concluded: “Taxpayers bailed out the airline industry during their time of need. Now, it is the responsibility of the airline industry and the Department of Transportation to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the flying public and crew members are able to get to their destinations on time and without delay.”

Jackson Hole Airport Reopens

A series of stanchions under a wooden ceiling at Jackson Hole Airport.

The TSA announced on June 28 that its renovated security checkpoint at Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), previously shuttered for 11 weeks, was now open. Passengers leaving JAC are now screened in a four-lane security checkpoint that also has the TSA PreCheck option.

Additionally, the closure was made way for a new $44-million runway, as well as parking options, which will employ higher fees designed to keep slots for travelers open and available.

Surveys Find Unconcern for Covid, Business Travel Boom

More than half of global tourists are “unconcerned” about the spread of Covid-19, according to surveys run by GlobalData. In a live poll, the data and analytics company said that 57% of respondents are “not concerned” or “not very concerned” about the spread of Covid-19.

Hannah Free, travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData said in a statement that: “The outlook for tourism in many countries is brighter than at any time in the past two years. However, the turbulence and uncertainty of Covid-19 has created several challenges which are likely to further complicate recovery. Rising demand, coupled with mass layoffs and competition for talent with other sectors, has resulted in widespread labour shortages in several tourism economies such as the UK, the Netherlands, and Spain.”

A GlobalData graph charting Consumers' responses to the spread of COVID-19. The line labelled "very concerned" is trending downwards.

Free added: “The global travel and tourism industry’s post-pandemic recovery is gaining traction as pent-up demand for international travel rekindles. According to GlobalData’s latest forecasts, on a global scale, international departures will reach 68% of pre-Covid levels in 2022. This is expected to improve to 82% in 2023, and 97% in 2024, before fully recovering by 2025 at 101% of 2019 levels. There is reason to be cautiously optimistic for the return of travel demand as growth in international travel is finally expected in 2022.”

In a separate study, also by GlobalData, it was reported that business travel mentions among corporates have already increased by 4% year-on-year in 2022 as Covid-19 restrictions ease.

Following the easing of global Covid-19 restrictions, mentions in filings of ‘business travel’ per company across sectors rose 17% in 2021 and have risen a further 4% in 2022, suggesting that companies are looking at resuming business travel,” the company reported in a statement.

A GlobalData graph charting Mentions of Business travel and related keywords per company in filings. The line is trending upwards.

Rinaldo Pereira, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData said:

“Zoom calls were quite frequent throughout 2020 and 2021 for sales, marketing or other activities. A rise in mentions of business travel per company points at corporates looking to reinstate face-to-face meetings despite there still being a considerable amount of Covid-19 cases across the globe.”

Even the biggest conferences are always looking for ways to improve. Weeks after IMEX Frankfurt wrapped up its first show since 2019 with 9,000 attendees in Europe and less than four months before the return of IMEX America to its new home at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer sat down at Meeting Professionals International (MPI) World Education Congress to talk about lessons learned. “The fundamentals are the same for both shows, but the venues and attendance are unique,” she said. “We are always looking to learn and adapt.”

Focused Learning

One lesson learned from both Frankfurt 2022 and America in 2021 was that people want more focused learning tracks. In Europe, just over 200 sessions were offered on everything from “purposeful recovery and well-being to upskilling and diversity, equity and inclusion. “Generally, we offer 10 tracks, but we are narrowing that down with lots of exciting speakers and topics to help give people more clarity,” she said.

The education will still come in lots of different formats, including keynotes, seminars and campfires. One feature that was well-received in Frankfurt was the addition of an overflow area outside sessions where people can have one-on-one conversations with speakers. The research area focused on trends was also popular.

New at Frankfurt was a Listening Lab staffed by trained coaches where people could book 20 minutes to talk about personal or business issues with professional listeners instructed to ask probing questions. On the heels of MPI speakers talking about the power of listening, Bauer was pretty sure they had hooked into a trend of what people are craving right now.

The other trend Bauer noted is the sheer joy of being together that seems to happen at every industry event now. “We learned that people are just so happy to be back. As we look at the education programs and even the locations of the keynotes, we want to give more space for networking,” she said.

Hosted buyers are required to come with business and take appointments, but for the first time in Frankfurt, they didn’t have a minimum number of one-on-one appointments required. That gave them time to create experiences that work for them, including wandering the show floor and attending stand presentations to find out who is working at the destinations now and what is new, since so much has changed. “The mix of options allows people the opportunity to do fact-finding,” said Bauer.

See highlights from IMEX America 2021.

A Unique Footprint

MESSE Frankfurt had its own challenge that turned into a golden opportunity. The venue is actually two halls, so Bauer’s team created two completely different experiences. People appreciated that one hall was busy and vibrant and business was getting done and the other one was relaxing, where they could be in a park atmosphere and get a bite to eat and hear birds sing or go into the well-being lounge or redesigned education space. But at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, everything is in one space, so it will require a different solution. “You have to think about the design element strategically based on the space available,” Bauer said.

This will be the second year in the new venue after moving from The Venetian Convention and Expo Center, where the event was held for the last decade. Last year was complicated by the fact that Covid restrictions meant opportunities to visit in person from IMEX Group headquarters in Hove, England, were few and far between.

Now that everyone has their bearings and access with measuring tapes, there will be some adjustments to the map. The People and Planet Village from Frankfurt will probably return adjacent to the Innovation Hub to showcase ways to run sustainable events, information about net-zero carbon initiatives and social responsibility activations all in one area, but there will probably be enhanced interactivity so people know what to do with the information. That could be in the form of campfire talks and additional educational elements.

One of the learnings from IMEX Frankfurt is that people loved the big broadcast studio on the show floor because they could see behind-the-scenes, but not many people tuned in to watch the show live from home, so it may not be back virtually in the same way. In Frankfurt, the team produced lots of short videos and social media. “We are learning the balance between the two things,” said Bauer.

Bauer is looking forward to a long future at Mandalay Bay, which is planning a renovation of the meeting space that will be complete by the 2023 IMEX America show. “Right now, the contract is through 2025, but we’re already talking about continuing,” she said.

Kate Patay, Smart Meetings Smart Style Ambassador and the woman behind the eponymous Patay Consulting for the last five years, recently announced that she is taking a role as director of engagement with Terramar US, a DMC Network Company. Here in her own words is the story behind the decision to shed the event boss mantle and join a team again.

Talk about the decision to go back to working for a company.

I’ve been known for bold moves, but never rash decisions. After 20 years in the industry, I spent the last five years operating my own successful business, which to me was always deemed as the pinnacle of success. “I AM THE OWNER!” in all caps was the dream. But there was something missing.

An anomaly in the industry, my business thrived during the pandemic, yet I was feeling more disconnected from it than ever before. Mainly, that was because as the business grew, I was forced to do more of the work I didn’t enjoy to keep it successful (licenses, insurance, tax reviews…all the necessary evils) and less of the work that keeps me fulfilled and happy (connecting, speaking, branding, planning, events and marketing).

It took a lot of introspection to realize that I wasn’t happy being the one at the helm. I wasn’t walking my talk—a cardinal sin in my book. As a consultant, I would come on to a team for a specified project or event and work to achieve that particular goal, and then just move on.

I didn’t get to stay and celebrate those wins or work towards even greater achievements with the teams. I just jumped onto a new team with a new vision and a new project. While that sounds like fun, and it can be for a while, it felt isolating to not have a team to come back to and brainstorm our next big milestone together.

To many, the pinnacle of your career is creating your own business and thriving, but I’ve come to learn that that is all just perception. I was afraid that if I gave up my business that I would be perceived as a failure, when in reality I knew I was taking a bigger step in my career and practicing what I preach—giving myself a better work/life balance and doing something that presented me with the challenges I thrived on.

And an interesting thing happened, I learned I wasn’t the only one. Sharing my thoughts on this publicly showed me just how many of us are ready to move into new roles, but fear what people think of us if they *gasp* go back to working for someone else.

I’m sitting here sharing this story because of the responses I received when I shared my vulnerability on a public platform. I decided to jump…and my industry caught me. It’s ok to not be sure if you want to go in-house, work with a small business, return to corporate, or take the leap to start your own business. Put it out there to the world that you’re open to something new and it’s amazing how the world responds to you.

How do you see the role of DMCs changing in the meetings ecosystem?

My answer would have likely been different if you had asked me when I was still working on-property. Right now, we are seeing how our industry has reset after monumental challenges over the last few years and I believe that the role of the DMC is more important than ever. Planners have more on their plate than ever before and venues are challenged with staffing and bandwidth to execute events to the expectations and standards we’ve always held for our industry, which is where your DMC comes in.

I, personally, looked long and hard at many options. I saw the impact DMCs were having by helping with showcasing the destination and taking the pressure off of hotels in designing the in-house pieces and assisting with all those little pieces that elevate the experience (ground transportation, activities, dining, manifest, etc.). These are all of the places where our industry is struggling to find adequate staff and it’s exactly where a DMC can help fill those gaps in service and exceeding guest expectations. I see the growth potential for all of us if we embrace this vital role that has for so long operate behind the scenes.

I believe we’ve been given the opportunity as an industry overall to change the ways in which we’ve always done business, to be more nimble and streamlined, to create better workflows and care for our employees. Partnering with a trusted, reputable DMC is one of the easiest ways to achieve this and overcome many of the pain points we all face.

What makes you most excited about the future of the industry and the destinations you serve in particular?

I’m excited for our industry to start truly working together as better partners to each other. We’ve used these buzzwords for so long, but frankly, that’s all they were—ideas and buzzwords. We have not always been great at this. We’re excellent at “do as I say, not as I do” and I’m including myself in this generalization. If you preach self-care and work/life balance, but haven’t had time to meet your closest friend for dinner in 6 months, then I’m looking at you.

As meeting and event professionals, we’re expected to smile and work through all challenges, which we do because the show must go own, but we don’t need to do it alone. We need to let go a little and rely on other professionals to help us reach our goals. Being transparent, sharing the overall vision and how you define success, and allowing for new ideas on how you can get there is going to be the key to us coming back stronger and better than ever.

What do you hope meeting professionals have learned from the last two years?

I sincerely hope that we’ve learned empathy, compassion and that we truly are stronger together. I hope we’ve learned that we can say no, in all facets of life. No to overextending ourselves, no to business that isn’t the right business for us, no to anything that doesn’t serve us. No. It’s a full sentence. We can set healthy boundaries if we properly communicate them and move our industry forward together to be better than it ever was before.

“Being transparent, sharing the overall vision and how you define success, and allowing for new ideas on how you can get there is going to be the key to us coming back stronger and better than ever.”

I’m taking away a renewed sense of purpose on how I can impact the meetings and live events industry overall. I’m fortunate to have landed with a spectacular company that believes in the mission of taking care of its people so they take care of the clients…and they walk that talk!

Plus, I have their support to continue to educate our industry, be an advocate, speak on topics that are relevant and meaningful, and most of all continue to align myself with the organizations and foundations that help us achieve all of this.

Terramar is a leader in the DMC world, but also in the betterment of the industry and those that are members of it. The saying about a rising tide lifting all boats has been around for so long because it’s true. I love that this company sees the bigger vision of how we can all be better and encourages not only me, but all of its employees, to help move us all forward together and lead by example. My platform has changed slightly, but my message has not. I hope to reach more people and empower them to make bold moves that better themselves and our industry overall.

Why did you wake up and decide to broadcast to the world one of the most vulnerable things you were going through?

I knew I wasn’t alone. All of the conversations I’ve had with industry friends and colleagues have been circling around this for quite some time, yet it’s scary to admit how we feel out loud. We run the risk of opening ourselves up to criticism and negativity, and none of us need more of that in our lives.

I’d go into the state of the mental health of our industry overall right now, but I’d need 27 more pages to even scratch the surface. I saw my industry quietly burning out and decided that if speaking up helped even one person to take the leap they’ve been dreaming about, then I was doing the right thing.

Maybe we can start having more raw, open conversations about how we accomplish all of these great ideas that I know we have…let’s really get down to business and affect change. Our time is now.

Matt Gleaves

A portrait of Matt Gleaves. He is a balding white man with a blue suit and striped tie.

Cunard, a luxury cruise line, appointed Gleaves vice president of commercial for North America and Australia. Gleaves entered the hospitality industry a decade ago when he joined Carnival UK, most recently serving as its vice president of international development and planning. He also held several additional senior positions during his tenure at Carnival UK.

German Villa

A portrait of German Villa. He is a balding man with a short beard and grey suit.

Hilton Aventura Miami announced Villa as its new director of sales and marketing. Villa brings 15 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing. Most recently, he was area director of sales and marketing at Driftwood Hospitality Management. He has also held directorships and senior leadership roles at DoubleTree Resort & Spa by Hilton Hotel Ocean Point – North Miami Beach, Trump International Beach Resort and Hyatt Regency properties.

Jessica Schultz

A portrait of Jessica Schultz. She is a white woman with wavy brown hair and a blue blouse.

MMGY Global, a global marketing firm for travel, hospitality and entertainment based in Kansas City, Missouri, promoted Schultz to executive vice president of global media strategy. Schultz has 15 years of hospitality experience, the majority of which she has served at MMGY Global. She most recently was vice president of planning and strategy at MMGY Global and has held several other roles over her career.

Patrick Andersen

A portrait of Patrick Andersen. He is a white man with short red hair and square glasses.

CWT promoted Andersen to CEO of the company. Most recently, Andersen was CWT’s president and chief commercial officer. A 37-year business development veteran, Andersen has also held the roles of chief strategy and commerce officer, president of the Americas; executive vice president of the UK and Ireland, Nordics and Eastern Europe, and more. He has also worked for Global Minnesota and DHL.

Adrienne Willis

A portrait of Adrienne Willis. She is a white woman with loosely curled brown hair and a black sweater.

Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island, welcomed Willis as spa director. Most recently, Willis was spa director for Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa in Greater Austin, Texas. A 10-year hospitality veteran, Willis was also assistant general manager for Marilyn Monroe Spas in Lahaina, Hawaii, and assistant spa director at Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course.

Lance Marrin and Vincent De Croock

Two portraits of Lance Marrin and Vincent De Croock. They are both white men, one in a blue collared shirt and the other in a black suit.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch in Arizona appointed Marrin general manager and De Crooke to director of sales and marketing.

Marrin has spent 35 years in hotel management, most recently serving as general manager of Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside. For Hyatt Corporation, Marrin was director of rooms for North American operations, working with properties such as Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk and more, from Vancouver to Puerto Rico.

De Croock brings 15 years of hotel sales and operations experience to his new role. He was most recently director of sales, marketing and events at Hyatt Regency Houston. De Croock has also been director of sales, marketing and events at Hyatt Centric Times Square New York and held similar roles at De L’Europe Amsterdam, Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo and several Hyatt Hotels properties.

Michelle Haider, CMP

A portrait of Michelle Haider. She is a white woman with loosely curled brown hair and a floral blouse.

Visit Milwaukee promoted Haider to director of event experience. Previously, Haider worked on the DMO’s event experience team and recently held the role of executive director at Association Acumen LLC in Wisconsin. With a decade of industry experience, she has been executive director of Village of Wauwatosa Business Improvement District and Hartland Business Improvement District, and she was senior meeting and event services manager earlier in her career at Visit Milwaukee.

Joseph Fisher

A portrait of Joseph Fischer. He is a white man with a blue suit.

PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, appointed Fisher managing director. Previously, Fisher was hotel manager at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Bal Harbour, Miami. A 20-year hospitality and hotel management veteran, he has also been general manager at Marco Beach Ocean Resort in Naples, Florida, food and beverage manager at Delano South Beach hotel in Florida and held similar leadership roles at Conrad Miami, Waldorf Astoria Park City and more.

Jamie Ades

A portrait of Jamie Ades. He is a man with a short beard and a blue suit.

Convention and exhibition center ExCel London welcomed Ades as its new senior account manager. Ades was most recently sales manager at International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) and has more than 25 years of experience in hospitality sales, events and business development. His career in hospitality began at Ashford International Hotel & Spa in England in sales and events. Since expanding to tourism bureaus and convention centers, Ades has also held roles at London’s Queen Elizabeth II Centre (QEII Centre), Barbican Centre and VisitBritain.

Plan with Confidence

Asheville, on the western stretch of North Carolina, is well known for its ability to attract leisure groups and families, with its abundance of outdoor activities and attractions built around creativity and art. What meeting planners may be pleased to discover is Asheville’s potential for hosting eventful gatherings. More exciting is Asheville’s increasing efforts to make the city even more attractive to groups through plans such as its various community restoration efforts and an expanding airport.

“Asheville is surrounded by the spectacular natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has been defined by its creative spirit and rugged independence,” said Marshall Hilliard, vice president of sales for Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The scenic backdrop has long served as a source of inspiration, fueling a drive to innovate and collaborate.”

Asheville has been focused on creating an environment that welcomes groups from all corners of the world while also highlighting its own creative spirit by showcasing its local F&B, and visual and performing arts scene, all in the spirit of creating a stronger community both internally and to its visitors.

“It’s a place that supports homegrown brands and attracts purpose-driven companies aligned with the area’s values; Hilliard continued. “This translates into a creative community prime for group gatherings. Executives and meetings professionals in search of locations to hold meetings, executive retreats, conferences, and incentive trips will be inspired by Asheville’s spirit, scenic beauty, and fresh mountain air.”

A convention center at Omni Resorts with long tables and red, patterned carpet.

Becoming More Accessible

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is one of the fastest growing airports in the United States. In 2019, 1.6 million passengers traveled through AVL, which saw a 43% year-over-year growth from 2013. To accommodate its increasing number of visitors, AVL is scheduled to break ground on a $230 million terminal expansion this summer.

The 280,000-square-foot terminal expansion, slated for completion in early 2025, is set to be twice the size of the current one, with 12 gates and 12 loading bridges, replacing its current seven gates and five bridges. According to Gresham Smith, the terminal’s designer, the terminal is planned to accommodate growth through 2038.

The city of Asheville from a distance, with flowers and trees in the foreground.

Making Impactful Change

A city focused on its community is a city that thrives. The Asheville area focuses heavily on making a positive impact on its community through its many community service organization collaborations. And Asheville makes it easy for corporate groups to get involved.

Asheville Greenworks, a volunteer-based organization, had 1,609 volunteers across 196 projects in 2021, who all helped restore Asheville in a variety of ways, including planting trees and removing litter from creeks and roadsides. Asheville Greenworks also lets corporate groups get in on the tree planting and cleaning up of the Asheville area.

The non-profit organization Riverlink also specializes in the restoration of areas in Asheville. The organization leads the revitalization of the French Broad River via cleanup and its Adopt-a-Storm Drain Program, where volunteers can help maintain, a local storm drain to prevent flooding.

Mountain Area Nutritional Needs Alliance (MANNA) Food Bank was created with the goal of ending hunger in Western North Carolina. In fiscal year 2020-2021, nearly 2,500 volunteers supported MANNA. Support is welcomed from corporate groups, as well, in the form of donating, volunteering, or hosting a food drive.

Eblen Charities is an association also in Western North Carolina. The association helps children, adults and families via programs and partnerships; tens of thousands of families are helped annually with heating, utilities, medication, housing, clothing, toys, hygiene products and food. Hotels can collaborate with Eblen to coordinate on-site donations, which can include all the items mentioned. Eblen’s Saint Nicholas Project provides Christmas gifts, toys, clothes, books, and other children-related items for those ages up to 18.

Asheville’s Outdoors

For all that the Asheville area offers corporate groups, where it really shines is in its outdoor spaces, where networking and mingling are enhanced by the city’s gorgeous landscape.

A case in point is Taylor Ranch in Cane Creek Valley, just 15 minutes from Asheville, able to accommodate groups of all sizes. The 500-acre property, which recently booked a Mini Cooper rally in June, is home to the 6,000-square-foot Lakehouse, which features a stage and dance floor. The property’s smaller and more intimate Waterin’ Hole is suitable for up to 130 attendees, also equipped with a stage and dance floor.

There’s also Addison Farms Vineyard in Leicester, just 17 miles northwest of Asheville. The vineyard was created in 2009 and is family-owned, serving to preserve the family farm, which has been around for four generations. The vineyard gives tours and wine tastings, usually headed by owner and winemaker Jeff Frisbee, where groups can learn about the winery and vineyard’s history.

Farm at Green Heron Pond, 20 minutes outside Asheville, is a 50-acre blank canvas nestled inside woods and mountains, ready for your group to enjoy. The property, also in Leicester, is home to two venues, a 7,000-acre lawn and 1,500-square-foot pavilion, fit to accommodate up to 150 people. The space can be rented for half-day, full-day, or even multiday events.

The 4-acre Heaven’s Cloud Event Center in the western region of Asheville features more than 7,000 sq. ft. of rustic 1950s-designed outdoor and indoor spaces. The Center’s 5,027-square-foot outdoor pavilion is complemented by a gorgeous mountainous backdrop.

A large dining venue with exposed wooden beams and fairy lights.

Properties of Asheville

The Asheville area features hotels that are in a league of their own. While more strongly suited in the boutique category, its large-scale offerings are equally appealing. Either way, you’ll be sure to find a space that can accommodate your group no matter the size.

Biltmore can be described as an experience within an experience, offering several distinct options for stays, as well as team-building opportunities that can’t be had elsewhere. Groups can make a visit to see the century-old Biltmore House, its garden, grounds, and winery, as well as Antler Hill Village, where there’s plenty of shopping and dining to be had and exhibits to see, like Antler Hill Barn, where groups can get a peek into the everyday lives of the typical 1890s family.

Staying at Biltmore can be experienced in three different forms: Village Hotel, The Inn, and Cottages. The 209-room Village Hotel is Biltmore’s cozy and casual option, with nearby hiking, biking, and walking trails. The Inn has 210 rooms, including nine suites. The Cottage is Biltmore’s intimate option: a 1,500-square-foot retreat which can accommodate up to five attendees.

Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel collaborates with the Bee Institute in an effort to promote sustainability, its roof serving as a resting place for the institute’s bee boxes since 2015. Sitting just below the colony of bees is Renaissance Asheville’s nearly 23,000 sq. ft. of meeting space across 13 event rooms, including its 8,085-square-foot grand ballroom. The property’s 278 guest rooms are accompanied by Writer’s Bistro, a literature-inspired casual American restaurant.

Views of the Blue Ridge Mountains can be seen from one of the 513 guest rooms at The Omni Grove Park Inn. These same views are available at one of 10 of The Omni Grove Park Inn’s restaurants, whether outside at Sunset Terrace, which features steaks, seafood and more, or inside at the property’s large, windowed brasserie – Vue 1913. The Omni Grove Park Inn has 86,852 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 17,760-square-foot grand ballroom.

The 272-room Crowne Plaza Resort Asheville is home to an equally sizable venue, the 16,600-square-foot Expo Center, part of the property’s total 34,000 sq. ft. In addition to the 125-acre property’s ample meeting space, there is plenty of on-site adventure to be had, from mountain biking on Crowne Plaza Asheville’s 4-mile mountain bike trail to fly fishing for Wild Brook Trout and Smallmouth Bass. The property’s newest addition, TreeTops Adventure Park, offers five aerial trails with elevated bridges, cable walks and swings.

The 104 guest rooms at Grand Bohemian Hotel, Autograph Collection, mixes the rustic with modern luxury. The property features more than 5,200 sq. ft. of meeting space, including such venue options as the Black Forest Wine Room and private cocktail receptions in its art gallery, which features pieces by local artists, both established and up-and-coming.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is well known for specializing in the boutique. This specialization is evident at Kimpton Hotel Arras, which features 128 spacious guest rooms and suites, with modern accents such as gray brick wall behind and above the beds, marble counters and brass touches throughout. Hotel Arras’ rooms also feature collections from local artists, and the suites feature an even more extensive collection.

Wining and Dining in RAD

RAD’s F&B is as varied, expansive, and full of selection as the district itself.

Wedge at Wedge Studios is both brewery (two, in fact) and event space, a convenient combination. Wedge at Foundation, the company’s 1,500-square-foot private event space, is 1 mile from the studio. Both Wedge at Foundation and Wedge Studios feature a wide array of different food trucks, and in Wedge Studios’ case, the options change by the day.

A group of four young adults drinking at an rustic outdoor table.

Pleb Urban Winery offers a tasting experience of Western North Carolina wines. In addition to a simple sit down with the group—accompanied by a wine flight—Pleb also gives one-hour production tours, with wine tasting in the company’s wine room included. Private event reservations for groups larger than eight are also available.

Sugar & Snow Gelato is all local, selling dairy from North Carolina’s farmland, as well as nondairy gelato, sandwiches, espresso drinks and smoothies. Sugar & Snow also offers grab-and-go half pints for hotels.

French Broad Chocolate Factory & Cafe offers a plethora of chocolate in its many different forms, such as sipping chocolate, chocolate bars, and even chocolate candles. On the company’s chocolate factory tours—which has a capacity of 14—group members will get the chance to learn about the chocolate-making process, from its origin in Costa Rica to its being unwrapped and enjoyed in Asheville.

Hands-on Group Experiences

Artistry takes many forms. While it can be appreciated on its most common medium, a canvas or wall, Asheville’s RAD also houses artists who specialize in the field of glass making. At North Carolina Glass Center, a non-profit facility designed for education and collaboration, there are more than 40 glass artists that work and sell out of the space, for groups’ viewing pleasure.

For those who want to go further than mere observation, the glass center offers several glassmaking classes, each with their own focus, such as furnace work or torch work, which can be experienced in 30 minutes or a day or two.

Not as fiery, but equally capable of bringing out one’s creative spirit, is Ignite Jewelry Studios, which teaches jewelry making workshops that are open to all skill levels and can last up to three hours. Ignites workshops include instruction on skills such as metalsmithing and placing enamels on charms. You can even watch the studio’s jewelers get down to business through the studio’s large viewing windows.

The creativity continues at Odyssey Clayworks. For up to 16 participants, Odyssey offers one- to three-hour private classes on either the potter’s wheel or handbuilding. The clay shop also sales various mugs and decor created by the studio’s artists.

Here’s one you haven’t heard of: chair caning. It’s the art of chair weaving. And at Silver River Center for Chair Caning, visitors will be able to check out the United States’ only caning school and museum. In-person classes include chair weaving of different varieties; classes are typically longer—two weeks—but they also offer one-hour tutorials in person and online.

Phillip Allen

A portrait of Phillip Allen. He is an older white man with greying hair and a tan plaid suit.

Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts appointed Allen president of the brand. Most recently, Allen was chief development officer of international markets at Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners. Since his early career as an attorney in Greater Louisville two decades ago, he has also served as chief development officer and general counselor for 21c Museum Hotels.

Colton Call

A portrait of Colton Call. He is a white, red-haired man with a blue collared shirt.

Radcliffe Moab, a new boutique hotel in Utah, welcomed Call as its new general manager. Call last worked for Under Canvas Moab, a local glamping company, as general manager. During his tenure there, the property was named one of the 2020 Top 15 Resort Hotels in the West by Travel + Leisure. In the last decade, Call has held roles including Partnerships Lead for DoorDash and client service specialist for golf at OGIO International.

Read More: Utah: The Land of Incentives

Angela Val

A portrait of Angela Val. She is a black woman wearing a white suit jacket and black dress.

Visit Philadelphia appointed Val president and CEO, making her the first Black president and CEO to head the destination marketing organization. Val is a hospitality business development leader of 28 years, most recently serving as COO of Tempest, a marketing agency for domestic DMOs. She now returns to Visit Philadelphia after a 16-year tenure and has since held similar executive roles at Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, on the host committee for the 2016 Democratic National Convention and more.

Alex Batista

A portrait of Alex Batista. He is a white man with dark hair and square glasses.

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) welcomed Batista as vice president of convention sales. Batista has been a hospitality sales leader for 26 years, most recently serving as complex director of sales and marketing for Eden Roc Miami Beach and Nobu Hotel Miami Beach. He has held senior and executive positions at Marriott International, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Kimpton properties and more.

Sezin Kutlu

A portrait of Sezin Kutlu. She is a white woman with red hair and a purple blouse.

Viceroy Hotel Group appointed Kutlu area director of revenue management for Hotel Zelos, Hotel Zetta and Hotel Zeppelin in San Francisco. A 21-year hospitality veteran, Kutlu most recently worked for The Estate Yountville in California as its senior director of revenue strategy. She has served similar directorships at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center; The Ritz-Carlton properties in Israel and Turkey; The Langham Hotels & Resorts in Pasadena, California; Montage Hotels & Resorts in Laguna Beach and Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

Leslie Prea

A portrait of Leslie Prea. He is a bald black man with a black suit.

The St. Regis Bermuda Resort in St. George’s, Bermuda, appointed Prea general manager. Bringing over 22 years of experience in hospitality, Prea last worked at Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, most recently as hotel manager. He has also been director of food and beverage for the complex, as well as director of rooms at La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino.

Daniel Padilla

A portrait of Daniel Padilla. He is a white man with a short, dark beard and square glasses.

JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa welcomed back Padilla as its director of sales and marketing. Padilla was previously director of sales and marketing at W Austin in Texas, after serving as the hotel’s director of catering and events. He began his hospitality career 15 years ago at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa, holding roles including event manager, housekeeping manager, director of guest experience and senior catering sales executive.

Natalie LaVire

A portrait of Natalie LaVire. She is a blond white woman with a light blue sweater.

The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Avon, Vail Valley in Colorado appointed LaVire catering sales and events manager. LaVire brings over a decade of events and hospitality sales experience to her new position. She has previously held roles such as group sales coordinator for Grand Hyatt Vail, service coordinator of group sales for Vail Resorts, guest service agent and pre-arrival coordinator for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Resorts Vail simultaneously, and more.

Urmas Karner

A portrait of Urmas Karner. He is a blond white man with a tan jacket sitting on the step of a firetruck.

The Nantucket Hotel & Resort in Massachusetts appointed Karner its new general manager. Most recently, Karner was strategic advisor for Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa on the Caribbean island of Dominica. A 30-year leader in the hospitality industry, he has been general manager and director of operations at Heartland Golf Park in NYC, general manager at The Somerset on Grace Bay in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and more.

Victor Pynn

A portrait of Victor Pynn. He is a bald white man wearing a black suit.

Vindow Inc., a Miami-based travel technology platform for buyers and sellers of contracted accommodations, appointed Pynn president and CEO. Pynn brings over 20 years of experience, previously holding roles such as chief operating officer for North America at Amadeus in Miami; chief operating officer at TRX, a Concur Company, in Atlanta; and several travel- and revenue-related leadership roles at American Express.

Colleen Hughes

A portrait of Colleen Hughes. She is a white woman with loosely curled brown hair and pearl earrings.

Fox World Traveler welcomed Hughes as global sales director. Hughes most recently worked for Amentum as its director of travel management and credit card programs. She has been a travel industry leader for 30 years and has served as director of strategic agency relationships at Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), national sales director for AirPlus International and Omega World Travel, hotel program manager for Ultramar Travel, and more.

Justin Jaret

A portrait of Justin Jaret. He is a white man with dark hair and a dark blue suit.

Hilton Hotels promoted Jaret to complex director of food and beverage for Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Jaret has spent 16 years in restaurant and food and beverage management, most recently serving as complex director of restaurants for Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. He has also been restaurant general manager for Patina Restaurant Group; director of food and beverage for The Press Hotel in Portland, Maine; general manager of Primo, a restaurant in Orlando, Florida; and more.

Ana Liberty, Kristina Ovies and Chuck Carter

Three portraits of Ana Liberty, Kristina Ovies and Chuck Carter. Liberties and Ovies are women, and Carter is a bald man.

Visit Spokane appointed Liberty and Ovies to director of national accounts and Carter to sales manager.

Liberty most recently worked for Travel Portland as its national account director. She has been in hospitality sales for 18 years, holding roles such as senior sales manager at Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside in Washington and Hilton Portland Downtown, national account director at Travel Portland and more.

Ovies has been in hospitality sales for over 12 years. She has been senior sales executive, senior frontline sales manager and more for Wyndham Vacation Ownership; national sales manager for Grand Sierra Resort and Casino and national group sales manager for Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno, Nevada; and was most recently national sales director at Nugget Casino Resort, also in Reno.

Carter has been in hospitality sales for over 20 years. He has previously served as global director of sales for Red Lion Hotels (RLH) Corporation in Spokane, as well as regional director of sales and general manager for properties managed by WestCoast Hospitality Corporation.