colonial-williamsburg

For centuries, it has often taken a “meeting of the minds” to inspire, strategize and motivate change. To host a successful meeting, everything must be in synch—the setting, food, entertainment, purpose, and mission. Imagine surrounding yourself with the 18th-century settings that inspired Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Patrick Henry and others as they debated independence. Why should 21st-century corporate gatherings be any different?

Historic Meetings Deserve Historic Settings

Colonial Williamsburg offers a unique collection of hotels, meeting spaces and social events customized to meet your every need. Hotels range from moderate to luxurious, with meeting and event spaces that accommodate from 1,400 persons in general session to an intimate meeting in an elegant board room accommodating 18. The Colonial Williamsburg hotel group identifies with the 18th century, while the hotel facilities deliver on 21st-century expectations.

Accommodations for Every Budget

The Woodlands Hotel & Suites is the moderately priced hotel, with 300 guest rooms and 13,000 square feet of meeting and event space–complete with an outdoor terrace. The Williamsburg Lodge is more upscale with 323 sleeping rooms and 45,000 square feet of event space. The Williamsburg Inn is a boutique, luxury property with 62 guest rooms–and with the adjacent Providence Hall and Guesthouses–a total of 105 sleeping rooms and 9,000 square feet of event space.

Total indoor meeting and event space for all the hotels is 67,000 square feet with an additional 25,000 square feet in beautiful gardens and patios, perfect for receptions and dinners.

Colonial Williamsburg’s award-winning culinary team has developed an extensive, and delicious, array of banquet menu offerings guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning foodie. From southern-inspired buffets, to fresh made smoothie breaks, the staff will work with you to design the perfect menu for your event. Colonial Williamsburg also offers more than 15 restaurants, bars, lounges, and cafés located throughout the hotels and the Revolutionary City, including four historic dining taverns.

Offerings of Spirits and Scholars

When it’s time to wind down, Colonial Williamsburg offers a variety of exciting programs for groups—from ghost walks and behind-the-scene museum tours to scholarly interactions with Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. Unique after-hours events are often hosted in our contemporary Taste Studio offering exciting cooking demonstrations with our award-winning chefs; and beer, wine and cordials tasting programs such as, “Pints and Pairings,” “Wine, Wit and Wisdom,” and “Sips with Chefs.”

Guests of a Colonial Williamsburg Hotel also have access to endless recreational opportunities, including:

  • 45 holes of golf at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club
  • The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg, with daily complimentary fitness classes
  • Lawn bowling at the Williamsburg Inn
  • Four pools including one indoor lap pool
  • 8 tennis courts

To make your next meeting truly historic, contact the Colonial Williamsburg Hotels sales professionals at 1-800-822-9127 or visit colonialwilliamsburg.com/meetings.

Meeting Professionals: Submit your #ThinkBigMeetings photos and be entered to win fun getaways from Seasonal Spectacular exhibitors like the Anaheim Marriott and the San Francisco Marriott Marquis.

Prizes Include:

–Two-night stay at the Anaheim Marriott and two one-day Disney Park Hopper passes
–Two-night stay at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis!

We also want to thank our partners at Corporate Staging & Events for making this possible!

All entries will be showcased at the CALSAE show floor.

 

Natasha Crayton Essent Guaranty Inc.

 

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Jennafer Ross JR Global Events

 

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Lynn Milos Selectica Inc.

 

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Steven Klein Hollywood Beach Marriott

 

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Sunshine Baker Hello! Destination Management

 

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Corinne Evege Point B

 

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Lynette Owens Nime

 

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Christina Sears Koncept Events

 

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William Hopper Mercedes-Benz Club of America

 

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las-vegas-convention-center-expansion

The Nevada Senate has approved plans for a renovation and expansion to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), home to thousands of business events, including CES®, the world’s largest innovation event, which draws 165,000+ attendees to Las Vegas annually.

Las Vegas is one of the world’s top destinations for trade shows. In 2015, the city was named the No. 1 trade show destination for the 22nd consecutive year in the Trade Show News Network’s (TSNN) “2015 TSNN Top 250 Trade Shows in the United States” list.

In the first half of 2016, Las Vegas trade shows experienced growth in a number of areas, including square footage, attendance and number of exhibitors. Through May 2016, more than three million visitors traveled to Las Vegas to attend a meeting or convention, a 12.1 percent increase over the same time last year.

Karen Chupka, senior vice president CES and corporate business strategy, Consumer Technology Association (CTATM), owner and producer of CES, said, “We thank the Nevada Senate for approving the proposal to fund the expansion and modernization of the Las Vegas Convention Center, with an estimated completion date of 2023. This critical investment will help us grow CES, the world’s largest annual business event which is held in Las Vegas every January, and will allow us to continue to bring hundreds of millions of dollars each year into the Las Vegas economy even in the interim while the expansion takes place.

“This investment will pay dividends far into the future for the city and citizens of Las Vegas and greater Nevada. For the immediate term, the expansion will bring an estimated $2.1 billion in construction-related money to the local economy. The long-term economic impact is estimated at $810 million annually and will generate more than 7,800 full-time permanent jobs.”

2017-travel-trends

An uncertain upcoming presidential election, sluggish global expansion, low inflation, weak investment and choppy geopolitical conditions continue to shackle business travel volume and spending growth, according to the GBTA Foundation’s latest business travel forecast for the United States.

Total business travel volume is expected to advance 1.0 percent in 2016, while spending is projected to fall by 0.6 percent, according to the GBTA BTI™ Outlook – United States 2016 Q3, a report released today by the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). In 2017, GBTA predicts spending will increase 3.8 percent reaching $293.1 billion, although that will largely be driven by price inflation.

The report also cites three critical macro drivers of business travel that continue to provide mixed signals.

• Business Confidence: In general, indicators of management confidence remain weak, but narrowly positive suggesting a definitive lack of enthusiasm for the near-term outlook.
• Corporate Profits: After-tax profits fell for the fifth consecutive quarter in 2016 Q2, and although they appear poised to return to the plus side during the second half of 2016, expect the continuation of tighter expense controls, lethargic capital spending and constrained business travel growth for at least the rest of the year.
• International Trade: Weakness among key U.S. trading partners combined with a strong currency continues to plague export performance.

Indicators point to a better, but still-modest 2017 for the U.S. economy with 2.4 percent GDP growth. American businesses are hiring, the labor market is doing well, consumer confidence is rising, consumption spending is robust and the housing sector is improving, yet capital equipment, bricks and mortar and business travel spending remain low. Rising uncertainty and weak labor productivity are to blame, resulting in more caution and a wait-and-see attitude, particularly with decisions that have longer-term implications.

“Businesses are hiring and paying better wages, but business travel spending is stalled – something we rarely see happen,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO. “The ongoing global uncertainty and added heartburn from a presidential election unlike any we have ever seen are causing many businesses to stay in a holding pattern, taking an extremely cautious wait-and-see approach bordering on paranoia. This begs the question of whether many of these companies will be ready when growth does re-accelerate. To be prepared for lasting business growth, companies must be ready with the newest technologies, the most productive workforce and the critical customer relationships necessary to take full advantage.”

GBTA Foundation Business Travel Forecast by the Numbers

• Total U.S. business travel spending is projected to fall 0.6 percent in 2016 to $282.3 billion with trip volume increasing 1.0 percent to 520.8 million trips.
• Total U.S. business travel spending is projected to grow 3.8 percent in 2017 to $293.1 billion with trip volume increasing 2.7 percent to 534.8 million trips.
• Real travel spending growth per trip will fall by 3 percent in 2016 and 2.6 percent in 2017 as travel price inflation rises continuing to outpace the growth in spend per business trip.
• Group business travel volume will remain positive in 2016, growing 1.3 percent, before accelerating to 2.5 percent in 2017, while spending will fall 2.3 percent this year before picking up 5.3 percent in 2017.
• Individual business travel volume will grow by just 0.9 percent in 2016, followed by a more positive growth rate of 2.8 percent in 2017, while spending is projected to grow 1.1 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively, in 2016 and 2017.
• International outbound business (IOB) travel continues to be a major weak point for the U.S. business travel market with IOB volume expected to grow by only 0.6 percent this year and another 0.6 percent again in 2017. Spending will barely advance this year growing 0.1 percent in 2016 before gaining 1.7 percent in 2017.

meeting-trends-predictions

According to Issa Jouaneh, senior vice president and general manager of American Express Meetings & Events, new 2017 meeting predictions reflect mixed sentiments, from continued global expansion and growth to political and economic uncertainty that has resulted in safety concerns in some countries.

The annual American Express Meetings & Events report, designed to identify trends based on survey responses, suggest spending will likely be similar to 2016, while overall activity, including number of meetings or number of attendees per meeting, may see a decline.

“Across North America, organizations continue their global expansion efforts through organizational growth, as well as mergers and acquisitions,” Jouaneh said in the report. “This activity drives the need for additional training and internal meetings, as organizations require internal alignment in order to be successful.”

Jouaneh singled out the medical and pharmaceutical meetings world, for example, which has increased the number of conferences in order to address regulations associated with the Affordable Care Act.

Political uncertainty may be one reason for flat meeting predictions. Beyond the 2016 U.S. presidential election, European meetings and events are being influenced by Brexit and acts of terrorism. Germany is showing the most optimism, predicting overall meetings budget growth of 3.3 percent.

Global sporting events have helped fuel interest and traffic throughout Central and South America, although caution related to the Zika virus is expected to translate to lower demand for 2017.

There are three key areas to pay attention to with regards to meeting predictions in 2017:

Consolidation activity in the hotel space: Hotel consolidation is front of mind and a potential area of concern. While the impact of many of these mergers will take a while to be fully understood and realized, decision makers need to be prepared and plan ahead to ensure they are in the best possible position to navigate and benefit from the changing supplier environment, according to the American Express report.

Increasing urgency related to emergency readiness: The report provides insight into managing emergency situations, including the roles attendees, meeting owners and onsite planning teams can play in a comprehensive plan. With more incidents, from weather and worker strikes to acts of terrorism, impacting meetings today, this section provides suggestions on how to best prepare for the potential disruptions.

The future of talent in the meetings and events industry: The meetings and events industry is well suited to the interests of the new generation entering the workforce, providing flexibility, opportunities to travel and work in changing environments, and creativity.

Of course, technology continues to be a hot topic. Meetings management technology is a key focus as organizations look to improve the data collected from their programs and how they use that data to inform program decisions. Others are implementing technology to quantify spend. Mobile apps are not only helping with engagement, but also are used as measurement tool, providing immediate feedback and deep post-event insight.

“I remain optimistic about the increasing strategic role that meetings and events play in businesses of all sizes across all regions,” Jouaneh says. “Through this growing recognition of the value of our industry, we have a responsibility to continue to elevate the tools and resources that enable our efforts. As I work with customers around the globe, I also see an increase in the rigor applied to meetings to achieve meeting compliance requirements and to demonstrate the tremendous value meetings deliver. In an ever-globalizing world, face-to-face interaction continues to be the best way to make connections and get business done.”

gateway-canyons-resort-colorado world's top resorts

It doesn’t matter what kind of travel you’re into—leisure or business, independent or group—the annual Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are always informative and serve as a reminder of places to dream about or add to the proverbial bucket list.

This year’s survey included votes by more than 300,000 travelers from around the globe. Six U.S. properties ranked among the 50 Top Resorts in the World, according to the latest report, including several destinations that are very familiar to Smart Meetings.

It’s great to see that Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa in Gateway, Colorado, made the cut at No. 37. We just featured Gateway owner John Hendricks on our September cover. Before developing a world-class resort, Hendricks founded Discovery Communications, which includes the acclaimed Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Gateway Canyons features 58 guest rooms and 14 new casitas. There’s 11,778 sq. ft. of meeting space.

“When I was growing up, my father always told me stories about the Gateway Canyons area,” Hendricks told Smart Meetings. “The first time I visited it, I fell in love with it.”

The U.S. top resort according to the Conde Nast survey is The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, in Saratoga, Wyoming, which ranks No. 5. The ranch is most famous as an upscale dude ranch, featuring a refined Western personality. Typically open May through October, the lodge can accommodate up to 150, offering lodge guest rooms, cabin suites and residences.

Checking in at No. 23 among the top resorts, L’Horizon Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California, has history on its side. Dating to 1952, this resort has attracted Hollywood stars, including Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable. It’s also been popular among U.S. presidents. It offers 25 private bungalows spread out over 3 acres.

Ranked No. 40, Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colorado, has more than 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, with the ability to accommodate up to 300. There are 128 guest rooms and suites.

Two island properties off the coast Georgia round out the world’s top resorts, with The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island at No. 49 and The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club at No. 50. The St. Simons Island property has space for up to 32 overnight guests adjacent to 7 miles of pristine beach.

The Lodge at Sea Island has 40 guest rooms and the Georgian Room, a fine-dining experience and the only Forbes Five Star restaurant in Georgia. The Lodge is part of the Forbes Five Star Sea Island Resort, which completed a $40 million expansion in April. It also includes The Cloister with 267 rooms. The resort offers more than 51,000 sq. ft. of flexible, high-tech event space overlooking the Georgia coastline.

 

There were more reasons than ever to attend IMEX America 2016, the biggest three-day exposition for incentive travel, meetings and events, which concluded yesterday at Sands Expo and Convention Center at The Venetian | The Palazzo Las Vegas. From new exhibitors to a wider away of education sessions and more networking events, there were plenty of opportunities for the thousands of meeting professionals in attendance.

“We’ve also added new zones, innovations and improvements to enhance the experience for all our attendees,” says Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group. “Many of these we’ve introduced in response to research, delegate feedback and market trends. It all means we’re offering more opportunities to do business, learn and meet new contacts than ever.”

Here are six highlights from IMEX America 2016:

IMEX America 2016

Innovation & Technology

Pablos Holman, hacker extraordinaire, encouraged disruption and invention within the meetings industry during one of the Smart Monday keynote sessions. How meeting planners can innovate in order to meet future developments and trends was a key theme throughout educational programing and the tradeshow floor.

Holman explained new technologies and their potential to address worldwide catastrophes and predicaments. Holman and his team at Intellectual Ventures Lab take on problems such as hurricane suppression and brain surgery to disease eradication and nuclear energy. The power of innovative problem solving stuck a chord with many of the attendees during the interactive session.

Innovation on the floor took the form of tours enabling planners to gain the advice of experts on how to use how tech, innovation and trends to create compelling experiences. Led by Glenn Thayer of Emcee Squared, the group met exhibitors such as Quick Mobile who advised on using technology to turn delegates from attendees to participants in order to boost engagement. CNTV explained how video can be used all year round as part of an event’s marketing campaign of customized content and the trend towards live video.

Among the initiatives that IMEX America has introduced to meet this need is the EventTechTours. Taking place throughout the show, they were led by Tahira Endean, who was recognized in 2015 as one of the Top Five Women in EventTech and who now specializes in explaining the integration of technology into our lives, businesses and events.

Innovation Tours were led by Glenn Thayer of Emcee Squared. They demonstrated how tech, innovation and trends can be implemented into general sessions, as well as examining the future of meeting experiences.

IMEX America also features the TECHknowledge Area, powered by The Meeting Pool. Experts delivered targeted technology sessions and answering questions on hot topics such as Snapchat, Slack, OneNote and wearable technology, and guided buyers through the latest tech in the Gadget Lab.

IMEX America 2016

Event Technology in Action

According to research conducted by Meeting Professionals International (MPI), 61 percent of meeting professionals agreed that currently available event technology makes event management much easier and that it will develop and change dramatically over the next 10 years, however 92 percent admit that meeting planners are not making the most of such technology solutions. It also revealed that when buying event technology products and services, only 21 percent of those surveyed approached the project with confidence.

“We believe that having technology demonstrated by experts face to face is a highly effective way for buyers to get to grips with technology and discover how it could help them,” Bauer explained.

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) drew crowds to its trade show booth with a citywide interactive screen, which allowed users to access to hotel, convention and event spaces through the power of touch-screen technology.

Vegas Interactive featured four, 55-inch touch screens with more than 4,000 pieces of content, including 360-degree videos, time-lapse photography and still images for guests to experience the destination. LVCVA developed the trade show booth over the past year in partnership with Inhance Digital.

“Our new trade show booth creates a unique and memorable brand connection to Vegas,” said Cathy Tull, senior vice president of marketing of LVCVA. “The technology allows travel professionals who plan or sell leisure vacations, business meetings and events to better understand what the destination has to offer.”

The trade show booth interactive map is scalable, from a wall mural to an individual touch-screen device. Not only is it versatile, but the imaged-based content eliminates the need to translate pages of text for international shows.

Industry Trends

How shifting trends will impact meetings and hotels in 2017 was the hot topic debated by a panel of five meetings and hospitality leaders led by Dan Berger from Social Tables. Experts from Maritz Global Events, Accor, Hyatt and MGM Resorts International discussed how meetings will change and what will drive growing demand in the year ahead.

This covered delegates’ expectations for personalization, right down to food and beverage, as well as keeping up with evolving technology and addressing security needs. Experts also discussed the trend towards increasing collaboration between venue and planners as delegates’ appetite for a customized experience grows, as well as the need for “white space” in between sessions for relaxation and networking.

“This session covered ways in which we, as planners, can balance an increasing workload with the need to deliver an innovative and personal experience for delegates at every one of our events.” said Karen Ruiz from Au Courant Events, who attended the session.

Focus on Associations

For the first time this year, IMEX America, in conjunction with American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), hosted a dedicated leadership stream for senior management to address the challenges facing association leaders including governance, volunteer management, cyber security, membership engagement and growth.

John Graham, FASAE, CAE, president and CEO of ASAE, introduced a packed afternoon of sessions focusing on different aspects of leadership, designed to help association CEOs and senior executives to empower and motivate their boards, volunteers and staff to achieve growth and to achieve their strategic mission.

Planning and organizing association meetings and events involves numerous challenges involving clever negotiation, a sensitive approach to cultural differences, and a creative flair to keep formats fresh and engaging for members. Case studies and examples of best practices were shared in the Meetings & Events stream of Association Focus. Martin Sirk, CEO of ICCA, introduced a series of in-depth and interactive 40 minute sessions covering sponsorship, creativity and innovation and building relationships with convention bureaus.

IMEX America 2016

The Sharing Economy

An eager crowd of around 70 meetings industry professionals gathered to hear a cosmopolitan line-up of business executives talk about the disruptive possibilities of the sharing economy. Throughout the discussion some startling statistics were revealed, not least that Airbnb predicts it will be handling one billion room nights per year by 2025.

Audience responses to the speaker questions varied, although generally IMEX America attendees were more trusting and receptive to the potential of sharing economy services than those who attended a similar discussion at IMEX in Frankfurt earlier this year. Reservations still revolve around trusting these new service providers and issues of risk, compliance and individual safety. Also sharing their stories and advocating for a shift in thinking and, potentially, buying behavior among meeting professionals were Nancy Branka, chief content officer at Bizly and Gary Schirmacher, senior vice president of Maritz Global Events.

IMEX America 2016

Health & Wellness

The Be Well program carried on the success of last year’s health and wellness initiatives at IMEX America. Bauer emphasized that wellness should not take a back seat to business on the tradeshow floor. A series of wellbeing and CSR activities included the second edition of the IMEXrun; around 800 planners and exhibitors took part in a fully booked run along the Las Vegas Strip.

Also back by popular demand is the Be Well Lounge, sponsored by Hilton, a relaxing retreat led by the inspirational Lee Papa. Each day begins with yoga and continues with meditation and relaxation classes, all designed to ensure attendees stay fresh. Well being is explored further through the comprehensive education program on the show floor with sessions showcasing both new and proven health and well being concepts—inspiring meetings and events planners with ideas they can include in their own events.

imex-america-updates from #imex16

Smart Meetings is on the scene at IMEX America 2016 in Las Vegas! The meetings and events industry’s biggest trade show in North America runs Oct. 18-20 at Las Vegas’ Sands Expo and Convention Center. From the latest in hospitality trends to spectacular innovations in event technology, IMEX America is the place to be for planners looking to stay on the cutting edge of meetings and events.

Stay tuned for Smart Meetings’ coverage of the event live from Las Vegas.

Last Updated October 19, 2016 – 6:13 PM

2016 dma west education summitBest Idea Program Achievement Award winners at the 2016 DMA West Education Summit

Destination management organizations celebrated their best ideas of the year during the annual Destination Marketing Association of the West (DMA West) Education Summit, held Sept. 21-23 in Mesa, Arizona. Out of more than 145 destinations in the western United States and western provinces of Canada represented by the association, four organizations were recognized for outstanding marketing campaigns and innovative projects with high impact, uniqueness and creativity.  During the Best Idea Program showcases, Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau, Travel Lane County, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism and Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau were awarded for their achievements.

Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau, Arizona

The 90th Anniversary of Route 66 – 66 Kicks on Route 66

The Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with its stakeholders and partners, created and implemented year-long strategic marketing activity supporting the most historic and celebrated road in America–Route 66, the Mother Road–in preparation of its 90th anniversary.

Route 66 runs through Flagstaff and continues to serve as the town’s major corridor. Capitalizing on the adventure seeker and historian, the program’s objective was to provide a time-sensitive need to travel and authentic reason to visit Flagstaff.

Sixty-six partners offered visitors kicks on or near Route 66 including adventurous once-in-a-lifetime and hands-on experiences such as renting a Harley and touring Route 66, to novelty eating and drinking a Route 66 mocha or Mother Road draft beer, to being in a place in time with accommodations on the Mother Road. Each 66 Kicks partner displayed a window cling year-round to promote the campaign and to signify their establishment as a featured location. flagstaffarizona.org

Travel Lane County, Oregon

The Go Campaign

The goal was to create a campaign that would inspire visits to Eugene, Cascades and Coast region from nearby markets with an emphasis on Portland, Oregon’s largest population center. In order to stand out from the crowd, Travel Lane County staff identified four travel motivators strong enough to pull people more than 160 miles from Portland for an overnight stay: dune buggy rides on the Oregon Coast; cycling in the Mountain Bike Capital of the Northwest; hiking uncrowded trails to magnificent waterfalls; and riding the popular Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway.

Each motivator stands on its own as a destination visit and has its own set of ad assets and webpage. The campaign is held together with a consistent look and tone. The primary call to action leads a potential visitor to a single landing page at eugenecascadescoast.org/go. The landing page shows a tile for each of the four motivators for ease of messaging, but also to inspire people to consider additional activities.

For some of the digital ads, it links directly from the motivational commercial to the relevant webpage. The campaign launched with a broad range of placements to help increase brand awareness, including bus and train ads; Comcast cable commercials with a digital buy; digital radio spots played through Pandora; digital ads placed through Facebook; digital Pay-Per-Click targeted by demographic and behavioral attributes for each motivator; and stories told on the campaign webpages. eugenecascadescoast.org

Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, California

Partnership with Witchery to Promote Santa Monica as the Ultimate Escape Destination

Santa Monica Travel & Tourism engaged in an opportunity to partner with Witchery, one of Australia’s leading fashion labels, lifestyle brands and retailers within Australia and New Zealand. The focus of this project was to promote Santa Monica as a stylish and aspirational travel destination to reach Australian and New Zealand consumers—one of Santa Monica’s top international feeder markets—through the use of an integrated consumer and trade marketing campaign that ran within a three-week period during summer 2015.

Through this campaign, the destination management organization also aimed to emphasize its key message points of Santa Monica as the beachfront of Los Angeles and that it is the ideal base for a vacation to the area. Witchery is one of Australia’s leading fashion labels with 180 retail stores across Australia and New Zealand and more than one million highly engaged loyalty subscribers.

To highlight Santa Monica as a top travel destination to Witchery consumers, the clothing brand hosted a three-week competition on witchery.com.au, where online visitors entered for a chance to win the ultimate escape to “Summer’s Hottest Destination” —Santa Monica. This competition was part of an overarching campaign that consisted of a multi-layered approach to ensure that the partnership was leveraged to its fullest potential. santamonica.com

Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau, California

Celebrity Dogs of Instagram Familiarization (FAM) Trip

In the world of Instagram influencers, the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau sought to stand out from the crowd by hosting influencers of the four-legged type. Visit Ventura invited six dogs for a familiarization (FAM) trip targeting furry friends who have become Instagram celebrities. Together, the dogs have more than 300,000 followers.

They came to Ventura and enjoyed lunch from The Parlor’s special PAWlor doggie menu, an ice cream stop at Coastal Cone, a ride on Ventura’s Downtown Harbor Trolley, a downtown stroll along Main Street, play time on the beach and a cockTAIL hour at The Greek Mediterranean Steak & Seafood.

While asked for only two Instagram posts per dog, the group posted 26 photos from their time in Ventura, tagging Visit Ventura and the local businesses that hosted them and praising Ventura as the most pet-friendly destination they knew. Together, the posts earned more than 40,000 likes on Instagram, and Visit Ventura earned exposure to thousands of new followers. The Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau team also acquired 84 new pet-friendly images to add to their image library. The FAM was a great way to promote Ventura as a fun, pet-friendly destination. visitventuraca.com

During the conference, elected officers and directors were announced for the 2016-17 program year. Julie Saupe, president and CEO of Visit Anchorage, Alaska officially took office as board president of DMA West. Other officers included president-elect Kim Bennet, president and CEO of Visit Vancouver, Washington; Marc Garcia, president and CEO of Visit Mesa, Arizona; and Sarah Toliver, president and CEO of Visit Ogden, Utah, who is the past president of the association.

The following board directors were elected to two-year terms:

–Brent DeRaad, president and CEO of Visit Tucson in Arizona

–Bonnie Quill, executive director of Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau in Palmer, Alaska

The following board directors were appointed to one-year director terms to complete unexpired terms:

–Terry Selk, executive director of Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau in California

–Barbara Steinfeld, president of Visit Tri-Valley in Pleasanton, California

Board members continuing their terms as directors include:

–Debbie Braun, president and CEO of the Aspen Chamber Resort Association in Colorado

–Danielle Cowan, executive director of Mt. Hood Territory/Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs in Oregon

–Anand Patel, president and CEO, Fairfield Conference & Visitors Bureau in California

whitney-peak-hotel-meeting-roomsMeet in casual luxury and boutique style at the Whitney Peak Hotel – a new, landmark property in Downtown Reno that caters to the free spirit in all of us! Whitney Peak is Reno’s first and only non-smoking, non-gaming full service independent hotel! Located only three blocks from the Truckee River and only a 45-minute drive to Lake Tahoe, Whitney Peak brings a new standard of urban elegance and energy to the Reno meeting scene.

Whitney Peak Hotel has 11 meeting rooms and more than 20,000 total sq. ft. of meeting space, including the chic Whitney Peak Ballroom located on The Third Floor. The easily customizable Ballroom’s urban style is second to none in Reno and will be an exceptional & unique backdrop for any meeting. Other options include creating a memorable event on one of our outdoor balconies that overlook the iconic Reno Arch; or, take your meeting to the next level in CARGO, our 5,000-square-foot, world-class live music venue!

Each of the 310 guest rooms offer panoramic views of the Sierra’s and feature either two queen or one king bed. Eighteen suites boast over 600 sq. ft. and proved access to our exclusive Club Lounge on the 15th floor. All rooms feature signature guest beds, a sitting area, in-room safes, work desks and complimentary coffee, tea and Wi-Fi.

Whitney Peak has the best team-building venue in the industry at our gym, Basecamp. Basecamp features the world’s tallest exterior climbing wall (16 stories tall!) as well as a 7,000-square-foot bouldering park. Additional amenities include Roundabout Grill, our restaurant, and CARGO Concert Hall, one of the finest rooms for live music in the country.