The forecast for incentive travel over the next two years is mostly sunny with a chance of tighter budgets and an abundance of hand sanitizer. 2020 Incentive Travel Industry Index survey of 2,300 people, conducted by Oxford Economics in partnership with Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP), found that two-thirds of incentive travel buyers and suppliers expect incentive travel to recover within one to two years, once post-COVID conditions have been reached.

More: What Does a COVID Vaccine Really Mean for Travel and Meetings?

“Sanitation and health security will be permanently more important risk management strategies,” said FICP Executive Director Steve Bova, CAE. “Within the financial and insurance industry, we see greater optimism about recovery and stronger desire to travel, but this is counter-balanced by greater reluctance among qualifiers to travel and higher company risk aversion.”

In addition to new risk management strategies, future destination selections and program characteristics and activities are also anticipated to shift as a result of the pandemic.

“In the short to mid-term, domestic and close-by destinations will replace trans-continental and international destinations. However, there’s also a decisive shift away from buzzy urban locations to quiet countryside retreats and a definite preference for the road less travelled,” said SITE Chief Marketing Officer Padraic Gilligan.

IRF President Stephanie Harris shared the results in an exclusive Smart Meetings Accelerator webinar today and was optimistic about how meeting professionals have innovated during the disruption and what that means for a segment of the events industry that is difficult to replace with a Zoom call. She cited pent-up demand as an indicator. “The desire to travel is the greatest positive factor expected to influence the recovery, with 64 percent citing greater appreciation for travel after being restricted from doing so.”

Also a positive sign: Most senior-management stakeholders (83 percent) who sponsor incentive travel remain committed to incentive travel, although many buyers expect incentive travel will need to fundamentally change to reduce risks. Travel incentive pioneers have already been moving forward with programs, experimenting with new features and learning how to deliver luxury experiences that follow safety protocols.

For additional key findings from the 2020 ITII survey or previous-year data, visit here.

Soft Power, Security Rising

Benefits such as improved engagement, enhanced customer satisfaction and better relationship-building both between employees and management and among fellow employees—items often categorized as soft power—were seen as the greatest benefits of incentive travel.

“This marks a shift from 2019, when company sales and profits were top-ranked benefits,” Harris said. A renewed focus on experiences that will delight the individual traveler, with fewer corporate obligations such as group dining and team building, was seen as more popular in post-COVID incentive program activities.

Unsurprisingly safety, security, the health and well-being of attendees jumped up in importance. That mandate included giving people a sense of comfort, that it is safe to travel again. The survey showed that meeting professionals are doing that by opting for smaller, less crowded destinations, places that were perceived as doing a good job of managing pandemic numbers and outdoor locations. “These could be short-term shifts, but they are definitely a departure from previous years,” Harris said.

Budget Constraints

While meeting professionals on both sides of the contract were optimistic about incentive travel returning even faster than the rest of the industry, the return to activity was seen as more robust than the full budget return. “We are going to be facing some continued budget pressures,” Harris said. “We’re still in this to do more with less kind of culture.”

The silver lining, she predicted is that people will be so happy to be out and traveling again that they will not be expecting some of the extravagant expenses that may have been possible in the past. The shift to more local, less urban destinations and more “pure travel” freedom away from scheduled activities could help as well.

Respondents noted that they would be relying on DMCs—and CVBs for that matter—to help with logistics as they manage restrictions in specific locations and solutions for adding local culture without breaking the budget.

We’re heading ‘round the bend to 2021. What did 2020 have to teach us about our health and wellness? That may feel like a loaded question after what began in March, when shutdowns and the awareness of a worldwide pandemic drastically altered everything we had planned. However, humanity is nothing if not resilient and adaptable. At Smart Meetings, we tracked how a scary virus highlighted the crucial practice of wellness.

Tidying in 2020

Right before WFH became as well used an acronym as BRB, we shared a how-to on feng shui-ing your desk, a practice that we backed up with some scientific reinforcement on the benefits of its tenets. Shortly after, your home office, desk (or corner of the couch) became the line of demarcation between an ever-blending work and home life. The tips are still valid, with one to add—a final mist in a light coat of sanitizer.

Find Your Ikigai

Traditional Japanese culture is a bounty of wellness practices, including the concept of ikigai, the sort of Japanese version of raison d’etre (reason for being). It intersects at the junction of passion, talent and being of service to the world. Read on to re-evaluate yours in the coming year.

Resources for WFH—Wellness from Home

In this article, we covered the gamut of your new home wellness routine with viable resources for setting new fitness goals, cooking more from home, how to increase strength with pushups, and how to start a meditation practice—for real this time.

Zen Tech

We shared tips for mindfulness—not just because it’s in vogue, but because mindfulness is one of the biggest ways to mediate stress, which is medically relevant to keeping your immune system in prime condition. Here we shared six apps that will guide your practice, so that wondering where to start isn’t another source of consternation.

Secrets from Neurosciencemusical neuroscience

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, an internationally recognized author, behavioral economist and cognitive neuroscientist, illuminated us on scientific explanations for why this year felt like such a walloping with concepts such as “normalcy bias” and “planning fallacy”—then walked us through the secrets of mitigation in a COVID-19 meeting reality.

Sound Therapy

If you’re the kind who scoffs at the mention of healing therapies that don’t have randomized, double-blind, placebo control studies, we’re here to help you expand your horizons. Discover different modalities of sound healing in this article, where we explore its origins—as well as some pretty darn scientific observations on its potential.

Hilton Garden Inn Camden Waterfront, New Jersey

The first new hotel to debut in Camden in 50 years, this brand-new Hilton property has 180 rooms and 4,172 sq. ft. of meeting space equipped with projection screens and built-in audiovisual tech. Clean lines and neutral colors throughout make the place feel squeaky clean—or maybe it’s the new Bipolar Air Ionization filters installed during construction. If you’re hankering to see the Liberty Bell, it’s just across the bridge and 3 miles to downtown Philadelphia.

The Mayfair Townhouse, London, England

In London’s vibrant West End, this new luxury property aspires to bring dandy and whimsy hand in hand—fitting, as its location is famously the setting of Oscar Wilde’s The Important of Being Earnest. Modern luxury with Georgian influences rules the decor in the 170 guest rooms and suites, and all the way to the Lower Ground floor, an unexpected setting to meet, work or enjoy breakfast. The head concierge is a unique amenity—a member of the prestigious Les Clefs d’Or—who holds the secrets to unlock the city.

ME Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This ultra-luxe Melia property is the newest addition to the Dubai skyline, taking residence in the 28-story Opus building. It holds 96 guest rooms and suites as well as 93 apartments. All stylistic elements were created or chosen by the internationally renowned architect Zaha Hadid, who designed the uber-modern spaces with views of sparkling downtown Dubai. Event venues take the form of three gallery-style choices with creative tech capabilities.

Hilton Aventura Miami, Florida

This new, from-the-ground-up Hilton brings 208 rooms to Aventura, a short drive from the Miami or Fort Lauderdale airports. It boasts 15,000 sq. ft. meeting space and has indoor and outdoor venues, the area’s only event-dedicated kitchen and on-site AV services. You’ll find all the hubbub up at the seventh-floor lobby, which is also home to a rooftop pool, Gala restaurant and The Library—a separate gathering area equipped with large-screen viewing and private alcoves. If you eschew the elevator for all those stairs, stretch it out in the eighth-floor yoga studio.

Arizona’s wide open spaces offer safer places for your next meeting.

More than 325 days of sunshine each year. Wide open spaces framed by spectacular mountain ranges. Spacious venues to host groups large and small. Unique locales that provide inspiring views and tech-forward amenities. Arizona is the ideal travel destination for safe, socially distanced meetings and events.

Trade a virtual background for a real one.

Fortunately, there’s no need to be virtual in Arizona — you can be live and in-person — and keep everyone healthy.

Several properties, including the Phoenix Convention Center and Tucson International Airport are GBAC STAR-accredited with more on their way to being certified. Considered the gold standard for safe venues and certifying staff, the property teams have been trained to maintain sanitation best practices.

The Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association partnered with the American Hotel & Lodging Association to establish a unified standard of safety and cleanliness during 2020 and beyond. Several Arizona hotel properties have been certified by the AZSAFE+CLEAN Hotel Guidance, an initiative built on best practices from national hospitality and public health experts.

 Arizona is an easy destination to travel to. Major airports like Tucson International and Sky Harbor International in Phoenix have strict sanitation guidelines and testing facilities in place, safely welcoming visitors from around the world. Points of interest throughout the state are also easily accessible via freeway. You can take a trip north and go from saguaros in the high desert to ponderosa pine forest in as little as two-hours.

The space to make close connections.

With the largest concentration of luxury Four- and Five-Star resorts in North America, Arizona offers premier meeting venues with abundant indoor/outdoor spaces and unparalleled amenities.

The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa boasts a whopping 869 guest rooms and 241,106 square feet of total event space, with capacity for 4,000 in the largest space. There’s an on-site spa, championship golf, five pools, a lazy river and six dining options.

Framed by the Santa Catalina Mountains, the AAA Four-Diamond Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson has 487 guest rooms, golf, a full-service spa, five outdoor pools and a fitness studio. The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass on the Gila River Indian Reservation has 474 guest rooms, a Forbes Five-Star Native American-inspired spa and restaurant, four pools with waterfalls, horseback riding, tennis courts and walking trails. Both resorts offer 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, accommodating groups large and small.

In Person. Outside.

With beautiful weather year-round, being outdoors is the norm in Arizona. The majority of resorts, attractions and museums offer outdoor and hybrid spaces that make it easy to socially distance.

Host a poolside cocktail reception on a beautiful resort patio. Treat your team to a cowboy cookout under the stars. Hike amid spectacular scenery on high Sonoran Desert trails. Or accelerate group fun on a four-wheel drive into Red Rock backcountry to see ancient tribal ruins.

Golf is Arizona’s favorite pastime, and resorts offer championship courses galore. Take a shot at par and after you’ve worked up an appetite, discover Arizona’s second favorite pastime — eating! Nearly all Arizona resorts and restaurants feature glorious al fresco dining with cuisine prepared by world-class chefs. There’s plenty of space to spread out and enjoy a spread you won’t soon forget.

With health and safety standards in place, a plethora of outdoor spaces in which to meet and off-the-beaten path adventures, Arizona checks every box for planning a safe, socially distanced — and highly memorable gathering.

Learn more at ArizonaMeetings.com.

Under any normal circumstance, conferences are an extremely effective face-to-face marketing technique. With 49 percent of trade show attendees attending with the goal of buying new products or services according to exhibitsurveys.com, they represent the perfect opportunity to get valuable time with potential customers. Also, the average cost of a face-to-face meeting at a trade show is 45.2 percent less than meeting at a prospect’s office according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research. That is, when we were able to meet face-to-face. physical

Unfortunately, 2020 has been anything but normal. Since March, the pandemic has uprooted lives and altered how most in-person activities are conducted—including events, conferences and trade shows. In 2020, every event across the globe was either canceled, moved online or postponed indefinitely. And for the foreseeable future, until vaccines are widely available, it appears that the only way to deliver large-scale events will be virtually. Otherwise, it will be hard to convince people to gather indoors in large groups. The industry will need to pivot to encourage continued participation in events throughout 2021, whether it be online or in-person.

The Engagement Imperative

The key to making an event successful, even when online, is engagement. People attend tradeshows as an opportunity to meet with prospective clients and service providers, and to engage with other attendees. Although online events allow for some interaction through virtual booths, and attendees are still able to join sessions and panels, these methods fail to engage actively with attendees. After months of sitting in front of computer screens, attending Zoom call after Zoom call, conferences and trade shows end up becoming just an extension of everyday life, instead of an opportunity to engage, learn and connect. Event organizers need to find a way to facilitate engagement, even without the ability to meet in person.

More: Virtually Engaged: Ban Boring Events from Your Agenda

For events that were canceled or indefinitely postponed, event organizers also need to find ways to engage with former attendees as they prepare to launch their 2021 events. When it is canceled or postponed, the event is no longer memorable for past attendees. This means that they may not be engaging with traditional marketing efforts to encourage participation in the next event. Organizers need to find a way to keep their conference top of mind and seamlessly bridge the gap between the 2019 and 2021 events. Traditional efforts will not be as effective at a time when everyone is communicating digitally. With more people working remotely, there are more emails being sent, meaning that there is a higher chance of email marketing campaigns getting lost in the receiver’s inbox.

A Physical Reminder

So, without traditional engagement, how can event organizers and participating businesses still benefit from this once-lucrative marketing method? One solution is to offer creative physical components that connect users to the virtual event. These physical elements don’t have to be extravagant, like a new iPad or a cruise. In fact, simpler may even be better. The key is to connect these items to the event through a carefully curated swag bag.

Say you’re hosting a health and wellness event. By sending out items that relate to the theme—such as a healthy food box and some fitness items to ease their work-from-home pains—attendees will remain engaged and the event will be more memorable. If the event was canceled or postponed, sending these out to key past attendees or participants can serve as a reminder to sign up for the next event when it’s available. And by branding each item with your logo, it ensures that the event will be remembered by attendees whenever they use items from their swag bag.

For sponsors, it can also be hard to see the value in virtual events, especially when they can’t interact directly with participants. By including key sponsors in gift box sends, trade show organizers can ensure sponsor names are being seen by each attendee. Almost every business has something branded, and right now, these items are likely sitting unused in an empty office. Contact all exhibitors and sponsors from the virtual conferences and ask them to send a box of branded items—magnets, mouse pads, coffee mugs and masks—anything that can be included in each participant’s gift box. These items can also help serve as catalysts for conversations. Much like how at a live event, participants can connect with each other at booths and compare services and providers, physical items can allow them to find others who may be looking for the same solutions and offer insights and help. One of the best parts of conferences and trade shows are the free items that can be picked up from each booth. This brings that benefit to the front door of every attendee while creating and extending conversations in an organic way.

It can be difficult to think of creative ways to make virtual events engaging, especially since these events are supposed to be in-person. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that many major industries need creativity and innovation now, more than ever. Until people are comfortable gathering in large groups, which could be well after a vaccine is distributed, conferences and trade shows will be upended in favor of digital and virtual events. Event organizers need creativity in order to keep attendance up and sponsors actively involved.

Andrew Witkin is the founder and CEO of StickerYou, a global, e-commerce leader in custom-printed, die-cut products that empower consumers and businesses to create high-quality materials for personal expression, marketing and packaging.

The holidays are a-comin’ and you know what that means: office parties!

Well, maybe not this year.

And are we all glum over the prospect of not chatting it up with the boss and watching coworkers drink one (or three) too many? Apparently not. A survey by Convene found that 56 percent of people would rather clean their home or apartment this holiday season than attend an office party in person.

Ouch. But understandable…and safer.

Of the 1,200 people surveyed, 59 percent reported a cancelled holiday party, and nearly 40 percent say they are happy about the news.

Ah, but what about virtual holiday gatherings? They are still very much on the table.

When asked what they would like their company to offer for the virtual party, 39 percent of respondents said giveaways or branded gifts. Curated experiences in the form or workshops and food boxes are welcome ways to bring people together, too.

As an example, you can make employees happy and support local businesses by trying out City Tasting Box, a boutique e-commerce shop. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, City Tasting Box offers several food boxes for delivery that give a taste of the Bluff City. Many of the box options contain spices and sauces that’ll add Memphis fire to any meal.

Convene is also offering packages. The Reach Across the Aisle package is designed to counsel teams on how to have difficult conversations; Good Riddance 2020 includes a 30-minute shadowboxing class to help employees battle frustration; and the Appreciation Package provides the tools to show gratitude to employees, and includes workshops on writing thank-you notes, learning to give and receive feedback, and several fun activities, including cooking lessons, cocktail-making and exercise tips.

If you’re looking for more customization in your gift-giving, give Swag a try. With swag, you can send employees custom office materials, drinkware, bags, health and wellness products, custom-branded jackets and all kinds of tech gadgetry, such as loudspeakers and mugs that keep coffee hot.

Although many won’t see their employees or coworkers in person this holiday season, there’s no reason not to put a smile on their faces with thoughtful gifting. In other words, don’t be a virtual Grinch!

GMID Collective, a rebirth of the group behind April’s #GMIDGoesVirtual, launched a formal nonprofit organization today with the goal of creating a global community to share ideas, knowledge, research and perspectives that promote the understanding that events and hospitality foster human connection.

And the organization’s leadership wants you.

The group’s first initiative will be Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) 2021 on April 8. Members of GMID Collective are currently collecting personal stories about meaningful transformations that happen at meetings, with plans for a 2021 GMID activation to highlight those moments.

The Backstory

Last April, founders of the Collective received an overwhelming response to a thoughtful tweet about Global Meetings Industry Day and drew more than 12,500 people for a virtual hug and an attempt at breaking the world record for the largest audience on a livestream conference (close but no cigar).

The cadre of event professionals from around the world behind that effort decided to keep the momentum going by including everyone who produces experiences in any capacity.

The GMID Collective Board of Directors is made up of industry leaders Anh Nguyen, principal at Spark Event Management; Shawn Cheng, a 2019 planner of the year and project manager for MCI Group; Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey, a 2020 Smart Women in Meetings award winner and CEO of Nifty Method Events + Marketing; Rachel Stephan, snoballer-in-chief of Snoball event influencer marketing; Miguel Neves, social strategist with Miguelseven.com; and Rutger Hoorn, vice president of global sales with Ovation Global DMC.

Endless Possibilities

Board Chair Nguyen explained the guiding principle of the organization this way: “We were created by the community, built for the community and directed by the community, so that leaves us open to lots of partnerships, suggestions and ideas.”

The group is dedicated to collaboration, community, grassroots growth and breaking barriers. While the group is still very much in its infancy, it is open to new members who want to be part of the long-term solution.

GMID Collective is seeking volunteers, partners and underwriters, along with Moments that Matter stories that will be used to raise global awareness about the important work meeting professionals do to improve and change the lives of people around the world.

Lights… camera… inaction? The pandemic may have put a pause on blockbuster movie releases and nights out at the cinema, but, in the face of economic struggle, several theater companies have opened their doors to affordable private screenings for small groups. If you want to start off an event or treat your team to a safe and responsible night out, you can do so—following CDC guidelines—for as little as $99. Here’s how.

AMC Theaters

The national AMC chain is renting out their Safe & Clean auditoriums—featuring advanced cleaning, disinfecting and air filtering between showings—for private screenings of up to 20 people. You can choose from older films, starting at $99, and new releases, starting at $149. Custom content is not yet available, but most concession stands are open. Masks and social distancing are required. Check out available movies and book your outing here.

Cinemark

Like AMC, Cinemark has private screening options for up to 20 people for as little as $99 in thoroughly cleaned and disinfected theaters. Masks are required and there are concession packages to treat your group to. Hosting more than 20 people? The company also offers a premium private screening service which allows up to 50 percent capacity, starting at $175. You can book that here—or purchase a private rental gift certificate as a present, prize or incentive at the site.

Showcase Cinemas

With locations in New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, this company is bringing $99 private rentals to northeast and Midwest winters for up to 20 people. Choose from holiday classics, Quentin Tarantino movies and popular films, or watch a new release starting at $199. Concession packages are available; masks are mandatory; and the theaters are cleaned. Book your movie here!

Landmark Theaters

With locations around the US, Landmark Theaters is taking it a step further and offering private screenings for as many people as allowed by the city (in most cases, up to 20) and with many customizable options. You can rent out the theater for a new release; provide a DVD of your favorite movie to play; hook up a gaming console for a maximized gamer experience; or display a company video or presentation up on the big screen for your team. Catering and concession packages are offered; masks are required; and the theater follows CinemaSafe protocols. For pricing and details, click here.

Or—go to a drive in.

The year 2020 hasn’t spared any industry, but that hasn’t stopped planners from conducting events online. Yes, the events industry—one of the hardest-hit during COVID—has proven that it is possible to have fun online, too. B2B

While virtual events may not be able to replicate the physical experience, they can surely enhance networking and learning opportunities in a brand-new way. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that by using a single virtual platform, attendees can network, engage and attend various educational sessions.

Still scouting for ways to pull off some fun online activities at your next B2B corporate event? Don’t worry. Here are some ideas you can use to host a captivating event on a virtual event platform.

1. Karaoke Party

Hosting a karaoke party is one of the simplest and most entertaining online event ideas. Though it requires some amount of preparation to in advance, the results are totally worth it.

To create an immersive party experience, schedule the karaoke party in your agenda, invite your guests, add an AV microphone setup (it shouldn’t feel like you’re just singing to a laptop screen) and ta-da your event is ready.

2. Quirky Digital Swag Bags

Go the extra mile! Send out event badges, event merchandise and other event collateral to your attendees. You can also deliver gift hampers and welcome drinks to a few premium attendees or early registrants.

See our gift ideas here: Your 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

3. Breakout Sessions

Have the most planned and effective breakout sessions, using virtual breakout rooms. These sessions can be small, with an intimate gathering of people to facilitate informal networking and focused group discussions, etc.

4. Virtual Culinary Classes

Invite world class chefs and bakers to give your attendees a cooking or a baking class or simply get everyone together on a single online event platform and have a cook-off. Upload the photos of the competition on the event feed and announce the winner (i.e. who receives the highest votes).

5. Virtual Standup Comedy

If conference sessions, teaching lessons and even weddings can go online, why can’t stand up gigs? It is totally possible to include entertainers at your virtual event. Just plan out your agenda and decide whether you want to have a single show or several gigs spread out across the event. Then add them as speakers from the system’s back end and tag them with their session, so they can easily join in and lift up the energy in the room!

6. Jukebox and DJ Sessions (for a zestful audience)

Take your event to another level by adding a DJ session. Alternatively, host a jukebox party for your attendees. Let them submit their favorite music tracks in the chat window and hear them get played. This will surely boost the excitement levels of the audience.

7. Gamification

Photo contests, quizzes, entry contests and leaderboards are great ways to boost up engagement at your online event format. Not only do they capture the attendees’ attention but also create a sense of community.

8. Scavenger Hunt

Organize a fun virtual scavenger hunt for attendees to take part in. Leave certain word puzzles and image clues across the virtual event platform. This will not only build excitement but also encourage them to explore the platform, in search of more clues.

9. Fitness Session

Help your attendees de-stress after a hectic day of sessions, panel discussions and online networking. Invite yoga instructors and Zumba trainers, or even include meditation sessions in the agenda.

10. Wine Tasting and Mixology Session (best for weekends!)

Add wine tasting samples or a mixology kit in the event swag bags and pre-deliver them to your attendees, along with some cheese. Then invite a professional to guide them through the process.

Vaibhav Jain, founder and CEO of Hubilo, is an entrepreneur at heart. The need to engage with other humans prompted the company’s crucial pivot to find a break-through solution.

“We’re changing the front door to Memphis,” was what Kevin Kane, CEO of Memphis Tourism, said before switching on the lights to a renewed Renasant Convention Center. It was during a lighting ceremony in celebration of the $200 million renovation of the Tennessee city’s riverfront convention center.

After much feedback from planners, Kane and Dean Dennis, CEO of Renasant Convention Center, decided it was time to make some major changes. That translated into an additional 60,000 sq. ft. of space, including an exterior concourse leading to more space just across the street, prefunction space and digital wayfinding that makes it easier for visitors to navigate the convention center.

Convention center terrace

The center is also now flooded with sunlight, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that give views to the mighty Mississippi.

Four more loading docks make it easier for planners to load in and out. Other new features include a 118,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 46 breakout rooms and a 28,000-square-foot ballroom. And while convention centers around the country continue to enhance their audiovisual capabilities, Renasant CC took it a step further by adding them to their parking structures, providing ambient sounds throughout.

“So much more than a renovation, the transformation of our city’s meetings facility will aid us in sustaining and growing the tourism and hospitality industry’s impressive annual economic impact,” Kane says.

Renasant’s makeover is scheduled for completion by year’s end, with a grand opening in early 2021.

Renasant’s Next Door Neighbors

Big Cypress Lodge

And it isn’t just the convention center going through major changes—it’s the entire neighborhood. For a while now, Memphis has been on a revamp tear that includes new hotels and renovations to many of its attractions.

Arrive Memphis is one of those new hotels. The fifth of its brand and the first in Tennessee, this 62-room, luxury boutique hotel near National Civil Rights Museum is the place to go if your group wants an intimate local vibe. The property features a conference room that can accommodate up to 20 people and a private poker room—inspired by Elvis’ billiards room at Graceland.

More: National Civil Rights Museum’s Faith Morris: It’s Past Time for Meeting Planners to Diversify

Big Cypress Lodge is the brainchild of Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, and Bill Dance, Tennessee-born angler and TV show host. Encased in Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, the 103-room property is a mixture of luxury and outdoor living.

Big Cypress is home to the tallest freestanding elevator, leading to a bar and restaurant at the top of the pyramid, which can be bought out for private events. The Mississippi Terrace, which was the venue for Renasant’s lighting ceremony, is a beautiful outdoor space that connects with the Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited Galleries, for a combined 9,800 sq. ft. In all, the property features more than 14,000 sq. ft. of space to host your event.

The Central Station Hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton, was built on the site of a former train station, a building that has been a landmark in the city for more than 100 years. While operating as a hotel it has remained an active train station, servicing Amtrak’s New Orleans route and the Memphis Area Transit Authority. The 6,576-square-foot grand hall once served as the train station’s waiting room but is now a meeting place with 33-foot ceilings and huge windows, allowing for plenty of natural light.

Music, BBQ and Lively Streets

There’s a long-standing battle among Southern states about the answer to one question: Who has the best barbecue? While I’m not a southerner and therefore have no stake in the matter, I can say that Memphis’ options are up there with the best of them. Central BBQ is a Memphis staple, and is a perfect introduction to someone visiting Memphis for the first time.

More: Mighty Memphis: Rock & Soul Brings People Together

Central BBQ serves ‘cue in all its forms: pulled, smoked, with nachos and in sandwiches. The authentically Memphis vibe of the place is great for hosting a midday luncheon with the group, with four meeting rooms that can seat 60 to 110.

Stax Records is a hotbed of Memphis’ musical history, having been a home away from home to Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding. Your group can tour the record store, as well as dine and network within the property’s 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Stax sits right across from Soulsville Charter School and Stax Music Academy, where thousands of local youths, from 6th grade to high school seniors, can hone their musical ability and prepare for college.

Beale Street is known as one of the world’s most musically significant streets and sees hundreds of thousands of international visitors annually. Although this year will look a little different, the street is still well worth a visit. And now there is a Beale Street app that provides live music updates, restaurant, bar and shop information, and gives an interactive historic tour of the street.

Right at the corner of Beale and B.B. King Avenue is Memphis’ Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum. There are several configurations the museum can lay out for your group, including a gallery-seated dinner for up to 60, multigallery seated dinners for up to 150 and receptions for up to 200.

And you can’t visit Memphis without visiting the home of The King: Graceland. In 2017, Elvis’ estate underwent a vast renovation, and now it encompasses several museums, a performance stage (which hosted this year’s Miss Teen USA) and the 450-room Guest House just around the corner. In addition to the Graceland Museum tour, there’s 240,000 sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor space for events, including the 40,000-square-foot Graceland Exhibition Center and Jungle Room Bar, available for that private post-meeting powwow.