Smart Meetings

DoubleDutch, the San Francisco-based event app developer, has named Danielle Puceta as senior director of its global channel partnerships, adding an experienced meetings professional to its staff. Puceta formerly served as director of American Express Meetings and Events, Asia Pacific.

“Hiring Danielle was a double win for us,” said Lawrence Coburn, CEO of DoubleDutch. “Not only does she bring with her an impressive track record of growing and scaling global strategy, but she also possesses a unique insider’s understanding of our target audience.”

DoubleDutch apps capture data from live events, giving planners unique insights into attendee participation. DoubleDutch customers include Cisco, UBM, Lowe’s, PwC,

Novartis and Estee Lauder.

Puceta is a great fit on the DoubleDutch staff. She led meetings initiatives for American Express Meetings and Events, helping develop strategy in the Asia Pacific region. She will be responsible for a similar push, responsible for expanding the DoubleDutch channel strategy internationally.

“I am thrilled to join DoubleDutch, a company that is transforming the way meetings and events professionals do business,” Puceta said. “We have a huge opportunity to add a new, innovative digital dimension to events at a global scale, and I can’t wait to get things moving.”

For meeting planners looking to be at hotels that practice green initiatives, Mandalay Bay and Delano Las Vegas are great options for any group size. Many companies that hold meetings don’t realize the commitment that large resorts in Las Vegas have to environmental sustainability.

Mandalay Bay is about to be home to the country’s largest contiguous solar photovoltaic array panel covering approximately 20 acres of the convention center roof. At peak production, the array is expected to produce nearly 20 percent of the resort’s power demand while helping to alleviate demand on the southern Nevada energy grid. It is important for a group to tell the hotel that that environmental practices are important. Aside from the things that the hotel does automatically such as recycling 81% of all material back of house, or having motion sensitive and water saving faucets, both Mandalay Bay and Delano offer 100 percent sustainable/organic banquet menus and we will serve water at meal functions only upon request. We can also partner with a group on team building ideas for attendees in helping the community.

It is important to partner with a venue that has the same belief and values as your company practices. Not only is it the “right” thing to do, but it feels good too!

For more information please visit mandalaybay.com/conventions.

international-associations-meetings — Vancouver Convention Centre

Paris is No. 1 for the second consecutive year in rankings compiled by the International Congress and Convention Association based on the number of rotating international association meetings in 2014.

Also among the top-five cities are Vienna, Madrid, Berlin and Barcelona. Hong Kong had one of the biggest improvements in the rankings, jumping up seven spots to No. 16. Amsterdam also showed improvement, climbing four positions to No. 8.

Although the United States did not land a city among the Top 20, it was the leading country for international association meetings followed by Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and France.

Vancouver, Canada, ranked as the leading association destination in North America at No. 38. The top U.S. association meeting cities based on the ICCA rankings were New York City (47), Washington (49) and Boston (63).

“This prestigious ranking truly underscores Vancouver’s strong reputation as a global meetings destination and the appeal of the award-winning Vancouver Convention Centre,” says Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “The meetings and conventions business is a vital economic driver for British Columbia’s economy. Congratulations to the Convention Centre, Tourism Vancouver and the entire hospitality community for their continued efforts to attract major international conventions that further propel Vancouver and our province on the world stage.”

Golf Town, USA makes sense. Most people know South Carolina is dotted with golf courses and that Myrtle Beach, located in the northeast part of the state, features close to 100 courses, thus earning the well-deserved nickname of Golf Town, USA.

But there are many attributes that make Myrtle Beach a very popular meeting and vacation destination. On a trip last week sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, I had a blast experiencing cool features I had no idea about. This is despite the impact of Tropical Storm Ana, which just goes to prove that this beach town has personality and variety perfect for meetings and conventions regardless of the weather.

Here are five surprises I uncovered in the Myrtle Beach area:

It’s a Region, Not a City

One thing I learned is that Myrtle Beach is a region, not just a coastal town. It features 60 miles of oceanfront extending well beyond the city borders. It even has its own nickname, referred to as the Grand Strand.

The CVB made sure I got to experience all that the area has to offer, from Barefoot Landing on the Intracoastal Waterway in North Myrtle Beach to Brookgreen Gardens south of the city in Murrells Inlet near Pawleys Island. Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark, with a collection of more than 1,700 works by more than 400 sculptors. Who knew?

The Grand Strand features luxury resorts, mom and pop motels, a new 1.2-mile boardwalk, family restaurants, fine dining, sports complexes, and a great one-two meeting punch in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel. The major meeting resorts are clustered a short drive north of the convention center and include Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes, Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach─Oceanfront Resort, Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort and Marina Inn at Grande Dunes.

Sports groups and associations dominate the group meeting clientele, but Biker Week, which is happening now, is very popular in addition to regional medical meetings and statewide tourism and economic development gatherings.

Entertainment Mecca

Think of Branson, Missouri, on the ocean. OK─so Myrtle Beach doesn’t have quite the entertainment emphasis that Branson has, but the Grand Strand’s options are impressive and great for groups meeting there.

On Saturday, night I had an awesome entertainment experience at The Carolina Opry. The show features Broadway-esque performances by very talented singers and musicians. The performance I saw had a country bent, but also included pop, nostalgic disco and comedy.

The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk features live-music venues, including The Bowery, which used to host the Southern rock group Alabama as its house band. Today it serves warm, light beer and boxed wine, which totally suits this hole-in-the-wall establishment. (Warning: It takes two days to wash that damn stamp off the back of your hand. I’m sure people wear it as a badge of honor, however.)

There’s also the Alabama Theatre, located in North Myrtle Beach at Barefoot Landing, which offers live performances in a venue that can be rented for private events. Adorning the walls are replicas of all the Platinum and Gold albums and singles produced by Alabama. Southern rock is alive and well in Myrtle Beach, with the House of Blues walking distance from Alabama Theater.

Wildlife Experiences

Myrtle Beach State Park and Huntington Beach State Park are oceanfront hideaways that make for great camping and offsites. (There are many campgrounds up and down the coast, so meeting attendees looking to vacation before and after conferences will have lots of options if you pick Myrtle Beach for your next event.)

Besides the beach, and all the oceanfront has to offer, there’s a bevy of wildlife viewing opportunities. Check out my photo of a great blue heron flying away from an alligator taken at Huntington Beach State Park. Enough said.

Brookgreen Gardens, the first public sculpture garden in America, has a zoo with local wildlife and there are nesting eagles onsite. Ripley’s Aquarium, which features 3,000 species, has a 330-foot tunnel, where sharks swim overhead; it’s the longest aquarium tunnel in the United States.

LGBT Landmark

This may be a bit of a stretch, but the Gay Dolphin is certainly worthy of a photo op and the purchase of a T-shirt. The Gay Dolphin is actually a gift shop on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and features floors of knickknacks. It’s so big that you could get lost amid all the chotskies. There’s even a T-shirt that says “I got lost at the Gay Dolphin.”

The Gay Dolphin has been in existence since 1946, long before gay marriage or even Stonewall. The story goes that the owner saw dolphins frolicking in the Atlantic Ocean and they were having so much fun that he named his store after them. It’s the type of establishment that reminds you you’re in a vacation town, with every souvenir imaginable.

And, yes, I took lots of photos and bought a T-shirt.

Southern Cookin’

Myrtle Beach is known as Golf Town USA, but it could just as easily be called Pancake Proper. There seem to be more pancake and waffle houses than golf courses.

For those who are not breakfast people, the seafood is amazing. I ate at Wicked Tuna in Murrells Inlet, opting for the ahi tuna that rivaled anything I’ve sampled in San Francisco. I also enjoyed fried oysters at Second Avenue Pier on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk after having a few drinks in the open-air upstairs bar. It was just before the tropical storm hit and the breeze coming off the ocean and larger-than-normal surf were invigorating. The crab cakes at Thoroughbreds were served with a sweet potato puree. Yum!

As you can read, Myrtle Beach exceeded my expectations. This tourism and meeting region is much, much more than a beach town.

Omni Hotels & Resorts, a privately-held company with 60 unique, Four Diamond properties located across North America, is adding to its impressive portfolio. Predicting that Louisville, Kentucky will be the next hot market, it is breaking ground on a 600-guest-room hotel near the city’s newly renovated convention center. That property, expected to open in January 2016, will feature 60,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, a Whole Foods-type of market and a bowling alley.

Omni is keenly focused on meetings and conventions. According to Linda Rogers Woo, director, global accounts for Omni Hotels & Resorts, Omni Dallas Hotel is the flagship property “that put us on the map.” Connected via skywalk to the 1 million-square-foot Dallas Convention Center downtown, the modern facility has 1,001 guest rooms and 110,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The brand’s Convention Collection of properties are all located near convention centers and boast grand ballrooms, multiple breakout rooms, advanced A/V and exceptional culinary options. In addition to Dallas, planners will find them in Atlanta, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rhode Island and Washington, DC. Omni San Diego Hotel is particularly unique because in addition to being adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center, it is the only hotel in the nation connected to a baseball stadium (Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.) Another standout convention collection property is Omni Nashville Hotel, which is connected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and adjacent to the new 1.2 million-square-foot Music City Convention Center. Unveiled in October 2013, it has 800 guest rooms and 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. According to Woo, it has been a hit since the day it opened.

“Nashville is a really hot destination right now; it’s like a mini Vegas. We could have 80 more rooms there and it would still be fully booked,” Woo says.

Omni’s Resort Collection features golf courses and spas, in addition to meeting space. Included in this collection are stunning properties in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona, and Carlsbad and Rancho Mirage, California. Particularly noteworthy is Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, located on a barrier island in northeast Florida. It just underwent a $90 million renovation. The property features 404 guest rooms, 335 villas and 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Omni’s final category, its Core Collection, features one-of-a-kind properties in key destinations such as Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Boston, Chicago and New Orleans. All of these landmark hotels boast unique features and award-winning restaurants. In addition to its U.S. properties, Omni has two resorts in Canada (Montreal and Toronto) and two in Mexico (Cancun and Puerto Adventuras).

Learn More

Omni wants to educate planners about its unique collection of properties. To that end, it has launched two exciting promotions:

Omni Meetings University (OMU)

Planners who take the company’s accredited online course and successfully complete the final exam will receive a certificate valid for a free night’s stay at any Omni Hotel & Resort. In addition, Omni will offer OMU grads a 5% discount off their first confirmed meeting. For further details, visit omnihotels.com/meetings/omu

Summer of Music

Planners who book and consume a qualified group meeting at an Omni property before September 27, 2015 can choose one of three prizes valued at $500, and will automatically be entered in a contest to win a New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival package for April 22-24, 2016. The minimum room spend must be $15,000, and participating planners must have successfully completed the OMU course in order to participate.

Prizes include the choice of a GoPro HERO4 Black Edition Camera, a master account credit of $500 or a charitable donation of $500. The grand prize is a choice between airfare, two tickets to New Orleans Jazz Fest and a two-night stay at Omni Royal Orleans, or a $1,000 cash prize. For more information, visit omnihotels.com/summerofmusic.

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (L.A. Tourism) reports that the city welcomed 44.2 million visitors in 2014, a 4.8% increase over 2013 levels. Total domestic visitation was 37.7 million visitors; total international visitation, an increasingly important segment of the market, was 6.5 million visitors, a 5.6% percent increase over 2013.

Visitor spending increased 6.8% from the previous year, generating $30.2 billion in total economic impact. International visitors, who tend to stay longer and spend more during their stays, accounted for nearly 33% of all visitor spending.

L.A.’s hotel occupancy and hotel room nights sold both set all-time highs in 2014. Hotel occupancy for the year reached 78.9%, surpassing the 2013 total of 76.8%. L.A. County’s hotels sold a record 28.1 million room nights in 2014, an increase of 3.2% percent over 2013.

L.A.’s tourism industry supports 464,600 jobs and employs 1 in every 9 workers in L.A. County. Tourism contributed to the addition of 25,300 new jobs in the sector last year, making it the County’s leading job growth sector.

“This remarkable growth for the local tourism industry elevates L.A.’s status as a leading global tourist destination to new heights,” says Ernest Wooden Jr., president and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. “These achievements, along with L.A. Tourism’s accelerated marketing efforts, firmly position Los Angeles towards reaching our goal of 50 million visitors by 2020.”

“Our hospitality community should be very proud of these stellar results since hoteliers play an important role in achieving these economic impacts as our city’s ambassadors,” says Javier Cano, chairman of Los Angeles Tourism Marketing District Board; and vice president and market general manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. “While the spotlight showcases our Leisure & Hospitality community during National Travel and Tourism Week, it’s their everyday passion and dedication for the guest experience that contributes to making L.A. such a welcoming, inspiring destination for our visitors.”

We got our mojo on in a major way at the Smart Meeting New Orleans. The three-day event drew a stellar cast of planners and suppliers who networked in 25 one-on-one appointments and during multiple delectable meals and breaks. Attendees were welcomed to the Big Easy by a brass band, courtesy New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Our host was the newly renovated Le Meridien New Orleans; its modern, 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space amply accommodated our group. We feasted on local fare from Le Meridien’s kitchens, including jambalaya, gumbo and Bananas Foster. The hotel, steps from the French Quarter, boasts 410 guest rooms and a striking rooftop swimming pool area where our opening reception took place.

Educational sessions were outstanding. Some attendees came early for the pre-conference workshop on event experience mapping by Jeannie Power. The opening keynote on Sunday by Jeff Havens—a Smart Meetings contributor—on tyranny and generational differences in the workplace was hysterically funny and simultaneously motivating.

The next day Wendy Ida, gorgeous, ripped and about to turn 63, told us how to be fit and fabulous and overcome seemingly insurmountable personal obstacles. Gary Hernbroth explained to the lunchtime audience thoroughly modern methods of retaining customers and increasing sales. And Debi Silber, “the mojo coach,” urged mental, physical and spiritual transformation through positive health and lifestyle choices.

On Monday afternoon, it was hard to choose which tour to take: Mardi Gras World, to see how the magic comes together; the National World War II Museum; or an historical exploration of the French Quarter (and voodoo!).

The piece de resistance: A second line band led the group from Le Meridien to the stylish W French Quarter by way of Canal Street on Monday night. Our parade of meeting pros sashayed to the sassy music, twirling parasols and waving handkerchiefs.

Our final day included more networking appointments, plus a fun scavenger hunt that sent participants searching city corners. Then it was time to say goodbye to new and old friends.

Don’t miss out on the best—the original!—events for business connections and professional growth. The next Smart Meeting takes place where you want to be. Register now at smartmeetings.com/events.

“This was my very first experience with Smart Meetings and I am not only impressed but walked away from the conference feeling extremely empowered and inspired! After being in the event planning business for over 15 years, I have never participated in an experience that has touched me as this one did.”

—Donielle Smith Flynn, Event Planner, Broker Sales Operations, Aflac Broker Channel

“Thank you for the opportunity to visit so many vendors in such a short amount of time. I’m excited to be working with a few of your vendors. I must say it’s very different being on the attendee side of a meeting, vs. the planner side of things. You certainly made this a fun event, as well as educational— and memorable. Job well done!”

—Amy Amend, Event Planner, Tops Software

“I made a lot of valuable connections, learned from the speakers, and had a great time. What a great event. Kudos to your team!”

—Joanna Oliver, Manager of Business Travel and Conference Planning, EmCare

“I really enjoyed meeting hotels in destinations that I’m not familiar with, but look forward to booking in the near future.”

—Richi Wang, Chief Chi Officer, Avery Murphy LLC

Dana Point, California, boasts seven miles of coastal bluffs and rolling hills along the Pacific Ocean. The city is known worldwide for its beaches and water sports, particularly surfing at Doheny Beach, Dana Strands and Salt Creek.

The Dana Point area is popular among meeting groups, which have discovered that it also offers outstanding hotels and meeting spaces. The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Nigel, where I stayed during a visit last spring, opened in 1984 and has gone through several renovations, mainly to give it a more modern and more spacious feel. It’s right on the ocean, with incredible views. The property has 396 guest rooms and some 80,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

During my visit, I also toured Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa (378 guest rooms, 50,000 sq. ft.), a Marriott property located along magnificent cliffs that is just a short walk to Dana Point Harbor’s quaint restaurants, shops and 2,500-yacht slip. I also visited St. Regis Monarch Beach (400 guest rooms, 90,000 sq. ft.), which boasts all the wonderful features of the brand and fantastic dining. A lunch at the Monarch Club, an exclusive private beachfront spot with amazing ocean views, was particularly memorable.

When groups aren’t hitting the beaches to surf, swim, play volleyball or explore tide pools, they often opt for less active ocean activities. I went on a whale-watching excursion (along with about 25 other people) led by Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari. We didn’t see any whales, but spotted hundreds of dolphins. We were out on the water for nearly three hours, and the whole time I was thinking about what a great change of pace these excursions must be for groups that meet in the area.

Another popular attraction in Dana Point is the Ocean Institute, which features old ships and marine life. A big focus is on educating groups of young students about the marine life, but the institute also is appropriate for adult groups.

While Dana Point already has plenty to offer, it’s encouraging that many of its businesses and organizations are pulling together to make it an even more enticing destination for meeting groups.

Whether it’s high quality bathroom pods or entirely pre-fabricated guest rooms, hotels are incorporating more modular construction in new projects. Hotel News Now reports that modular construction could be a game-changer that redefines future hotel development.

Dave Walsh, senior director of new-build project management for Marriott International, told Hotel News Now that the technology and design of modular pieces has improved, especially for bathrooms, which can be assembled in factories as self-contained pods complete with plumbing connections and fixtures, and then shipped to hotel sites.

“The bathroom is where the majority of the trade work takes place,” Walsh says, adding that pre-assembled modular units solve many building-related problems, especially in regions with a scarcity of materials and a lack of skilled labor. He points out crafting modular units offsite positively impacts the bottom line because properties can get to market faster. “That speed to market turns into cost savings on the back end,” Walsh says.

According to Hotel News Now, Hilton Worldwide Holdings partnered with modular provider CIMC to build a Hampton by Hilton at Bristol Airport in the U.K. Hilton foresees more factory-assembled modular guestrooms shipping to new Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn properties around the world, especially in emerging markets in Europe, Africa and Asia. The modular guest rooms are being manufactured to fit into standard steel shipping containers so they can easily be hoisted onto cargo vessels and transported overseas. These pieces are then connected to public spaces such as lobbies, which are built more traditionally.

Modular construction is also growing in North America, most notably when a company wants to open a property quickly, or when weather conditions impair construction efforts for long periods of time. As an example, Hotel News Now points to the new Fairfield Inn and Suites in Moncton, in New Brunswick, Canada. Developer Joey Saulnier began building in late October; the pre-assembled modules arrived in mid-December. “This avoided the problem of building in the middle of winter with the abundance of snow we get here. Each module was weather-tight at the time of installation; not having the framing exposed to the weather meant a better quality end product with less movement as the wood frame dries and less cracking of the finished product,” Saulnier says. An added benefit was that the hotel was completed several months ahead of schedule.

Walsh points out that the cost of modular construction is comparable to traditional building methods. “We believe modular should be at least cost neutral, with the savings on speed to market determined over time,” he says.

In modular construction, furniture and finishes can be installed at the factory, lending consistency to the finished product. Experts point out that even luxury rooms are going modular, especially in remote destinations. “It really comes down to the size of the box,” Walsh says. “If you’re trying to build a resort location in the middle of the ocean somewhere, that’s going to be a struggle. Modular oftentimes is a good way to get that accomplished.”

PrivateFly, an international private jet booking service, polled international travel experts to determine the most scenic airport landing spot. Based on its spectacular views on approach, Queenstown Airport (ZQN) in Frankton, New Zealand was voted No. 1. The airport serves as a direct gateway to some of New Zealand’s most renowned scenery and visitor experiences.

Other airports that made this year’s Top 10 List included McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas; Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport (NCE) in Nice, France; and Bidvest Bank–Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town, South Africa.

Bill Prince, deputy editor of GQ magazine and a member of the judging panel, believes Queenstown Airport is a worthy winner as “a world class approach to a world class destination.” Adam Twidell, CEO of PrivateFly and an experienced pilot, says, “New Zealand’s South Island has some of the most jaw dropping natural scenery available anywhere in the world, and Queenstown Airport’s landing offers the perfect airside introduction.”

Queenstown Airport Chief Executive Scott Paterson was flying high after learning that the airport was named the world’s most scenic landing. “We’ve been in the Top 10 for the past few years, so it’s very exciting to take the No. 1 spot,” he says. “The approach to Queenstown is truly spectacular and we’re delighted that so many travelers around the world think so, too.”