The golden ticket question to beginning to plan an incentive retreat: where to go?
We’ve got you covered.
These new and renovated hotels each stand in sought-after destinations, but those which are not so overly trendy that you’ll have to battle with crowds who all want do experience the same things as you. Instead, you and your group will get to enjoy that sweet spot where true, luxurious serenity meets a heart-stopping destination.
To the Austrian Alps
Rosewood Schloss Fuschl
Rosewood Schloss Fuschl opens its doors to reveal a luxurious and restorative alpine getaway on the shores of Lake Fuschl in Austria. The space originally opened in 1461 as a grand hunting lodge and summer residence for the Archbishop of Salzburg. Today, it has become a premier, serene resort destination as part of the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts brand.
98 elegant guest rooms, including 42 suites and six chalets, transport visitors into a historic, castle-like environment. In addition, guests can enjoy world class dining venues and Rosewood’s integrative Asaya Spa, with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, eight treatment rooms and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
Whether visiting during winter or summer, guests have access to a wide range of activities—it only depends on whether you seek a cozy, snowy retreat, glowing autumn colors or the vibrant greenery of summertime. The property offers four event spaces: a ballroom and ballroom foyer, the divisible Glas, Rosa and Grüner Salons, the Remise + Patio and the See Club Event Deck, as well as a wine cellar.
The property stands in Foshan’s key cultural and commercial hub, Lingnan Tiandi, in the city’s Chancheng district. Surroundings provide a holistic destination experience, with access to everything from historic temples to upscale office complexes. The hotel offers 390 guest rooms and suites, all featuring private balconies. Onsite, guests can take advantage of a 28-meter indoor pool plus jacuzzi and sauna offerings. Dining facilities include two onsite restaurants: for classic Cantonese dining, head to Lingnan Garden, and for a barbeque buffet bistro, visit The Deck. The two story Club Lounge will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As for meeting space, the hotel offers an over 13,500-square-foot ballroom, eight multi-function rooms and a large ceremonial hall. Future renovation plans include the addition of more meeting and event space.
Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection unveils a renovation and expansion. The upscale resort stands on the island of Ambergris Caye in San Pedro Town, Belize, only 600 yards from the Belize Barrier Reef. The renovation includes the debut of its brand new Sea Grape Hall Event Center, in celebration of the property’s third anniversary.
Spanning over 20 acres, the property offers 155 guest rooms and suites. During their stay, guests can enjoy the serene Belizean coast as well as the newly expanded K’In Spa, now including three new treatment rooms and a menu of Belizian-inspired treatments, from massages to body wraps and more.
The newly constructed Sea Grape Hall Event Center offers a grand total of 3,100 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, suitable for small and large events alike with versatile spaces. This new space is in addition to the resort’s existing meeting and event space, including the Vista Rooftop Lounge, which offers Belize’s only rooftop suspended pool and lounge with 360-degree views of the incredible natural surroundings. In the upcoming year, the resort plans future renovations, including the construction of a sea wall to expand the beach to over 1,000 feet of ocean frontage.
Day takes on the role of general manager at JW Marriott Nashville. Most recently, Day served as general manager at the Startling in Atlanta, where she oversaw the successful rebranding of the property to a Curio Collection by Hilton and ample growth. She looks forward to overseeing the daily business operations and elevating the visitor experience in her new role at JW Marriott Nashville.
Bridgette O’Neil
Bridgette O’Neil, Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel
Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel welcomes O’Neil as the new marketing director. With proven success in growth marketing through her past experiences, such as her role as marketing director at White Oak Hospitality, as well as a robust understanding of creative strategy, digital marketing, business process improvement and branding, O’Neil will bring a fresh perspective and energy to this Marriott Autograph Collection property.
Ashley Ochse
Ashley Ochse, Waldorf Astoria Chicago
Ochse is appointed as director of sales & marketing at Waldorf Astoria Chicago. She brings over two decades of hospitality experience and is celebrated for her commitment to client satisfaction and revenue maximization. She will lead the sales team to drive revenue and enhance the hotel’s reputation as a luxury Chicago destination.
Daniela Victoria
Daniela Victoria, Malliouhana Resort
Malliouhana Resort, in Anguilla, promotes Victoria to the role of director of sales, from her previous role as group sales manager. She will now manage the sales teams for the entire resort and continue her work of building and maintaining relationships with key corporate accounts. She brings over 12 years of luxury hotel experience with knowledge in catering and events as well as sales, having worked with brands such as Rosewood, Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton.
Betsy Mujica
Betsy Mujica, Condado Ocean Club
Condado Ocean Club promotes Mujica to the role of general manager. The first female general manager within The Condado Collection portfolio, she is a critical asset to the resort’s team, previously serving as director of sales for the resort. A native to Puerto Rico, Mujica began her career working in sales and marketing for a number of prestigious hotels on the island in 1995. She joined Condado Ocean Club in 2017 and has witnessed and participated in its growth and transformation over the past years.
Sherry Althouse
Sherry Althouse, Hilton Waikoloa Village
Althouse is appointed as director of finance at Hilton Waikoloa Village. With over 17 years of experience in finance, most recently serving as director of finance at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville, she brings extensive experience leading accounting divisions, developing corrective action plans and streamlining capital purchases and cash flow. She will now oversee all financial operations and the financial health and integrity of the Hawai’i resort.
Ernesto Luna
Ernesto Luna, Paradero Todos Santos
Luna takes on the role of general manager at Paradero Todos Santos. Throughout his career, he has developed esteemed skill and experience in the hospitality world, having worked with a variety of luxury properties, including Me By Meliá and Intercontinental Dominica, leading both small and large teams to provide guests with the ultimate luxury experience.
Daniel Texeira
Daniel Texeira, Romer House Waikīkī
Romer House Waikīkī appoints Texeira as general manager. He brings over 15 years of hospitality industry experience, most recently leading the opening AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu. Earlier, he served as director of operations at ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. He will now lead all operations for the newly-opened, adults-only Oahu hotel.
Hayato Nogaki
Hayota Nogaki, AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu
Nogaki is appointed as general manager for AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu. He most recently served as general manager for Omni Charlotte Hotel, and earlier held management roles at Hotel Bennett, The Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Carmel Valley Ranch and more. A Cornell University alum, Nogaki holds honors from the General Managers Program, Business Administration and Management. He will now oversee all operations and management for this newest AC by Marriott portfolio hotel.
Dave Muraca
Dave Muraca, MGME
Muraga takes on the role of head of creative at global events agency MGME. In this role, he will build a team of freelance creatives while interfacing with internal and external stakeholders and overseeing communications efforts across the event planning process, pre-, during and post-event. Overall, he will lead creative efforts for the agency, maintaining its commitment to delivering experiences that amplify human connection.
Growing up, Allyson Gee, CMP Fellow, told everyone she would be an artist one day. “Then,” she says, “I realized traditional art, like drawing or painting, wasn’t my gift.” Her gift, she would later discover, lay elsewhere.
Fast forward to the present day, and you’ll find her working as event venue manager at Hines@Airbnb. “I may not have grown up to be a professional artist in a traditional sense,” Gee says, “but I can confidently say events are now my canvas and the details have the greatest impact on how an event is received.”
Gee was born and raised in San Francisco, and still lives there today. Raised by parents who were both purchasing managers in their respective fields—her mother for a clothing manufacturer, and her father for a Bay Area hotel—Gee says, “I could spot a thread out of place or a lightbulb out in a hallway from a mile away.
“Unbeknownst to the younger me, my mother’s passion for the smallest of details, and my father’s hospitality background inevitably influenced who I am today.”
Becoming a CMP
While she was in college, working as an intern in hotels, Gee noticed that many catering managers and conference service managers had the designation “CMP” following their names. When she asked her father what it meant, all he really knew was that it was “a prestigious accolade that signified they knew what they were doing.”
Upon landing her first job after graduating from college, Gee’s manager was a CMP. “She was young, really understood the industry, encouraged me to get connected to others in the industry and showed me the ropes. I really looked up to her,” Gee says. “I knew I looked young and sounded even younger on the phone. In my mind, in order to have more clout so people would take me seriously, I had to get my CMP. I wanted people to see my name and for them to know I knew what I was doing.
“I set a goal to attain my CMP as soon as I was eligible.”
And achieve this goal she did. Right before her 26th birthday, Gee was notified that she had passed the CMP exam.
Studying for the Exam
All CMPs—and future CMPs—know the exam is no walk in the park. Preparing can be a months-long process, but those who have been through it know that the time spent studying was a worthwhile investment of their energy.
The first piece of advice Gee offers is, “Get the books and read the books. The test is based solely on the material from the books and is less about what you may have learned on the job.” She also, like many CMPs, recommends joining a study group or having a study partner and taking practice exams. “I forced myself to read a chapter from each book each night before going to bed. Then I took the practice questions over and over until I was able to get them all correct. [It was] a lot of drills, memorization and note taking.”
Maintaining a regular study plan is key—and so is the willingness to dedicate yourself. “Consider giving yourself a deadline to take the test so you can’t keep pushing it out,” Gee says. “[In the] week leading up to the test, I decided to take a week off from work to really cram.” And it paid off. She passed on her first attempt.
The CMP’s Impact
“When I first earned my CMP, it gave me more confidence to be a planning partner. I felt like I belonged in the same room with folks who had been in the industry for years,” Gee says.
After becoming a CMP, she was asked to present and teach classes for MPI Northern California Chapter’s CMP University, and later was invited to serve as a co-chair for the committee. “I’ve met so many wonderful people through teaching the class and organizing the sessions,” she says. “It warms my heart to be connected with so many smart people from all areas of the industry.”
The CMP Fellow accreditation is another step up. “With the CMP Fellow program, CMPs who have given back to the industry, as well as continue to keep up with their CMP accreditation, are being recognized,” she says.
Gee also considers herself fortunate to have attended CMP Advance twice, an annual conference where CMPs gather to learn and connect. “I left thinking it was one of the best educational conferences I’ve ever attended. The speakers were knowledgeable, the sessions were well thought out, and the level of education was perfect for those in attendance,” she says.
Looking Forward
As Gee looks toward the future, she is excited to see how the trends of hybrid meetings and technological developments will evolve. She feels a growing desire among all people who touch the events world to gather in person. “As our industry continues to recover in a post-pandemic world, our challenges continue to evolve,” she says. “Requests now seem to be a mix of what’s possible and what’s less possible, expectations of planners have shifted, and even more apparent is that people are relearning what it’s like to interact in-person with each other again.
“Hybrid meetings are here to stay. Instead of trying to push back on these developments, I find this all to be exciting.”
Gee concluded: “As people continue to try to gather in person as much as possible, our challenge is to do this in meaningful ways, providing space and ideas to foster these connections. Then once business travel starts to pick back up, the overall industry will continue to rebound.”
When you bring people together for a meeting or event, there is always a reason. You may want to educate, create raving fans, increase sales or network with colleagues and clients. Often, it’s a combination of these goals.
For over 8,000 years wine has played a central role in fostering connection, business and culture. It can enhance almost any event, contributing to depth, delight and significance that are fundamental to almost every program we curate. Wine can serve as a pathway to meaningful conversations, creating an environment conducive to achieving our goals—be it teaching people, strategizing, selling or simply connecting.
Thoughtful wine selections can elevate our programs. While we often meticulously plan the culinary experiences at our events, beverages, particularly wine, are frequently chosen from a generic banquet menu.
Wine is deeply intertwined with culture and history. By bringing people together from diverse backgrounds, wine can serve as a gateway to exploring different cultures, helping us to connect with our colleagues in more profound and meaningful ways.
The wine industry itself leads in many areas crucial to us as event professionals, including hospitality, sustainability, and fostering diversity and belonging.
A well-thought-out wine program doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does need to be intentional. Consider the nature and location of the event, the menu, and the seasons. Having some basic knowledge about wine can also help in having meaningful conversations with your convention services manager or beverage director when planning your event.
One challenge with many hotels is their limited banquet wine lists, which often do not include high-quality wines due to distribution channels, cost and lack of demand. However, with sufficient planning and the right discussions with the hotel, you can often secure great selections without exceeding your budget. Alternatively, a wine professional can help you source excellent wines that, even with corkage fees, can be more cost-effective and infinitely better than standard menu options.
When selecting your wine program, consider these important and universal guidelines:
Plan in advance. This gives the hotel to have ample time to obtain the wines that you’d wish to serve.
Know who to talk to. Often, the Conference Services Manager may not have the necessary knowledge to guide you through the wine options. Request to meet with the beverage director or sommelier.
Taste the wines. This may seem obvious, but many people order a package without tasting the wines. While the package approach works well for bar brands and beer, it is different for wine due to the vast number of producers, varieties and styles. During menu tastings, ask to taste the wines to assess how they complement the food.
Side note: When tasting wines, don’t feel compelled to finish them. A dump bucket should be available for wine you no longer want. If requested, the hotel can provide a vessel for spitting wine, allowing you to taste without consuming alcohol.
While the specific wine styles and choices will vary, here are a few general guidelines.
Two reds, two whites, one sparkling.
For reds, choose a deeper, richer wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and a lighter option like Pinot Noir or Grenache.
For whites, include a Chardonnay (ensure it is not overly oaky if it is the only white) and a contrasting style like Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño.
For sparkling wine, choose one in the ‘Brut’ category for a dry style that suits most palates. Champagne is always fabulous but often outside the budget, so consider non-Champagne options like a dry American sparkling wine, Crémant, Cava or Prosecco.
In warmer seasons, add a dry rosé.
Don’t forget about blends, which can be beautiful wines.
Investing even a fraction of the time you spend planning your menu into your beverage selections can significantly enhance your event. It will elevate your program and contribute to the overall success of your event, making thought beverage selection a vital part of every event strategy.
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Gigi Gleason, CMP, is the chief experience officer at Cork Collective, focusing on elevating events through exceptional wine and beverage experiences. With over 30 years in the events industry, she has designed and executed hundreds of events and created multiple award-winning corporate event programs.
Gigi’s expertise includes a degree in computer science, studies in hotel and restaurant management, and advanced wine studies such as WSET Level 3, French Wine Scholar, and California Appellation Specialist. She has studied at prestigious institutions including Napa Valley Wine Academy, San Francisco Wine School, École du Vins de Bourgogne, and École du Vins de Bordeaux.
Passionate about the transformative power of wine, Gigi believes it blends art and science to enhance occasions with meaning and beauty. Her mission is to foster connection and purpose through curated wine experiences, making each event not just memorable, but truly magical.
No need to sacrifice serenity for ideal destination access
From vibrant green Florida to the Great Salt Lake to sunny California, new and renovated hotels offer up an enhanced experience and brilliantly refreshed meeting space. Thoughtfully designed spaces enhance a feel of serenity right in the middle of ideal locations where you’ll find easy access to each respective destination’s business hub.
Visit in the Vistas
Presidential suite, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Salt Lake City Downtown
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Salt Lake City Downtown completes an extensive renovation with a new aesthetic that celebrates the city’s vibrant modern character: that of a growing urban art epicenter surrounded by mountain vistas, with a charming positive atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from the color scheme of the natural surroundings, the property incorporates orange, gray and dusty blues among mixed metals, natural materials and rugged textures.
241 rooms and suites feature geometric carpeting and destination-inspired abstract artwork. Throughout the space, guests find plush dark blue and gray seating, mahogany desks and dressers and decorative pendant lighting. The heart of the hotel lies in the central atrium, redesigned to serve as an attractive social hub with decorative lighting and an array of seating options, rounded out with sleek gray, black and wood accents. The renovation also brings an expanded fitness center and a bright, airy public pool.
Debuted alongside the renovation is a new bar and 10-tap beer tower alongside an expansive mural at onsite lounge Red Beryl Bar. The onsite restaurant, Red Beryl Kitchen, debuts expanded seating areas and an upscale yet cozy design. Throughout the hotel, there is a grand total of 4,862 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. Planners will find 5 meeting rooms, ranging from boardrooms to pre-function areas to a 3,666 total-square-foot divisible ballroom.
Conference center at Delta Hotels Orlando Celebration
Delta Hotels Orlando Celebration wraps up a $35 million renovation, complete with a fully redesigned convention center. The hotel stands only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World, offering easy access to the famous theme park if visitors so choose, but also enough of a distance away that guests can enjoy a stay without its hustle and bustle. It is also only a 20-minute drive from Orlando International Airport, and offers easy access to golf, business hubs and major highways.
While residing in the hotel’s 718 newly redesigned guest rooms, guests enjoy a stay on the property’s 20 acres of lush tropical landscaping. Onsite amenities include four restaurants and bars offering both grab-and-go and full-service options, two tennis courts, a fitness area, two pools and even a waterfall and slide.
Now let’s get to the star of the show–the newly refreshed conference center offers 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. Two outdoor spaces, one of which is the 2,400-square-foot social lawn, offer ample opportunity to enjoy the Orlando sunshine. The grand centerpiece, the Preserve Ballroom, spans 5,800 sq. ft. and includes six breakout rooms. All space features new carpeting, lighting, stylish furniture and design details to create a fresh, modern feel.
Gather in the Garden
Terrace Patio, Palm Garden Hotel
Palm Garden Hotel, in Thousand Oaks, California, completes an expansive $3 million renovation. All 147 guest rooms and suites, the main entrance and lobby, meeting and banquet spaces and more have been transformed. The refreshed hotel displays a clean color palette that compliments the hotel’s contemporary aesthetic, and all spaces see the addition of technological advancements, including everything from High Definition Smart TVs and in-room tablets to fine linens and Moen fixtures.
The hotel offers over 12,000 sq. ft. of newly renovated meeting and event space, consisting of seven unique indoor and outdoor venues. During an event on the newly remodeled Terrace Patio, attendees can enjoy high-end, full-service catering in a serene lounge area around fire pits.
The garden-style destination creates a relaxing, intimate atmosphere for meetings, but offers easy access to ample opportunity in the destination. It is less than an hour’s drive from Malibu, Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and in Thousand Oaks itself, conveniently close by the city’s major corporations.
The $450 billion U.S. wellness industry (as measured by McKinsey & Company) could help meeting professionals design events that are more effective, accommodating and memorable. To demonstrate the power of integrating elements to nurture body and mind into agendas, Caesars Entertainment pulled from its Wellness Menu of activities, F&B options and speakers to immerse a group of 100 meeting professionals and industry watchers in the possibilities over three days at Nobu Las Vegas in Caesars Palace. Smart Meetings attended the Inaugural Global Wellness Summit and here are the takeaways.
Start With the Caregivers
Kelly Gleeson Smith
Caesars has long offered its staff complimentary fitness centers and access to trainers and nutritionists. The company now also makes a free counseling center available to all Las Vegas team members. Kelly Gleeson Smith, vice president of sales with Caesars Entertainment, explained that the company believes in taking care of employees so they can take care of customers. In turn, those customers who are meeting profs can take care of their attendees better when well rested and nourished.
In other words, wellness fosters a healthier, happier and more productive environment for everyone while strengthening important bonds.
That commitment to wellness included thoughtful meals focused on Mediterranean and scratch-made preparations with limited carbs and sugars. Even the to-go meals for the excursions featured yogurt, fruit and fresh-made granola bars in cute carriers. The final dinner was alcohol-free with refreshing beverage alternatives and an open bar after the closing.
While a variety of menu styles and options were demonstrated, Michele Polci, director of catering sales Las Vegas for Caesars, stressed the importance of knowing your group and picking what will work best and be most appreciated.
Since healthy employees and attendees have been shown to be more productive than their tired, less active or nurtured counterparts, Body & Brain Wellness Director Dami Kim suggested exercises that can help reduce stress and increase focus. Her first tip: “Expand the space between stressor and response by breathing mindfully, walking or tapping, instead of acting automatically with aggression and overthinking the problem.”
She added: “Everything looks different when we get out of our mind and into our bodies.”
Similarly, Kristine Iverson, founder of CROW Practice, explained her approach to creating an upward spiral by starting with a positive thought to change your energy. “You go from disempowering beliefs to positive ones in steps on the thought ladder,” said the mental wellness consultant. “That is how you create calm in chaos.”
She suggested incorporating designated relaxation zones at events, using virtual reality to bring calming experiences into ballrooms and integrating wellness from the beginning rather than adding it at the end.
Some down-to-earth suggestions came from former monk Pandit Dasa, who warned that if we don’t make time for wellness, we will be forced to make time for illness. “Peace comes when we live a life of simplicity, humility and service,” he said.
The best way to maximize the effectiveness of the brain is to think of it like a smartphone with too many tasks open, Dasa continued. “If you never close apps, the phone slows down and starts to act sluggish. We need to learn how to close the apps in our mind, or it will drain and deplete us. Closing out the worrisome apps you don’t need can make you more productive, boost emotional intelligence and enhance creativity.”
He continued: “The mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. When you start having negative thoughts about the past or future, ask yourself if they are serving you. If the answer is no, take a deep breath and move back to the present before you get taken on a ride.”
Nolan Nichols, founder of A Million Dreams, shared tips for creating more moments of wow by incorporating wellness strategies. “Wellness is not a trend; it is here to stay,” he declared. But he also defined wellness broadly. “It isn’t just physical. It is also emotional; learning new things and meeting new people is wellness. Don’t put wellness in a checkbox. It is a lifestyle. It is resilience.”
His approach revolved around planning moments of wellness. “Build more peaks in the day, so you and your attendees can live moment by moment rather than focusing on the problems.”
Vitality means different things to different people. That is why giving people agency to pick their level of effort in physical activities, accommodating dietary restrictions and offering a range of activations is the most effective way to have a meaningful impact.
At the opening reception at Nobu Villa, a 10,300-square-foot penthouse boasting Japanese-inspired design elements and panoramic views of The Strip from an expansive patio, activities ranged from aura readings and Scentex diffuser-making to rock crystal-gifting and a Tabl’eau water sommelier.
The Power of Discovery
While many have a preconceived notion of what Las Vegas offers, surprising attendees with outdoor educational experiences only a bus ride away expanded perceptions and brought people together with extreme experiences.
Attendees grouped into rafting teams and learned about the building of a modern miracle, the Hoover Dam. The shock and delight of plunging into icy waters on a warm day was a shared experience that will be memorable after the sunscreen has washed away.
Similarly, a trip to cool Spring Mountains National Recreation Area opened attendees’ eyes to the possibilities of group yin yoga and forest bathing an hour from the largest pillarless ballroom in the country, CAESARS FORUM. Guided ranger tours of the area around Mt. Charleston revealed the integration with nature that is both powerful and ancient.
Another adventurous way to get a fresh perspective on the No. 1 convention city is a group copter tour at night over The Strip with Maverick Helicopters. The comfortable, fun excursion offers a bird’s eye view over the dazzling lights and nonstop action.
Seal the Deal
Sound bath at Caesars Palace’s Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis
What better way to seal in the education and connections than with a sound bath ceremony at Caesars Palace’s Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis under a new moon? Rose petal-strewn yoga mats faced a stage where local breathwork experts struck vibrations with specialized bowls, while sage burned and attendees verbalized their feeling of oneness. It was a beautiful thing.
Stuart Levy
Stuart Levy, The Singer Oceanfront Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton
Levy takes on the role of general manager at The Singer Oceanfront Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton. With decades of experience leading full-service properties and a passion for fostering meaningful relationship and driving growth in the hospitality industry, Levy will take the helm at the resort and lead it through its upcoming multi-million-dollar renovation.
Tim Smith and Ava Wells
Tim Smith (left) and Ava Wells (right), Destinations International
As vice president of communications, Smith will draw on his over two decades of experience in strategic communications and corporate affairs to lead the organization’s global communications strategy, enhance its brand and extend its reach and impact across the tourism industry. He most recently served as vice president, enterprise communications at Delaware North.
Wells takes on the role of social inclusion manager. She brings with her a decade of expertise driving member and partnership engagement to process strategic priorities and influence core social inclusion values. In her new role, she will support the chief inclusion officer to enhance global inclusion across all organizational verticals with a focus on DEI research and data analysis, committee management, membership and partner engagement, content development and facilitation.
Kim Kopetz
Kim Kopetz, The Opus Group
The Opus Group promotes Kopetz to the role of president and CEO. She brings over 25 years of experience, much of it in leadership roles, in the experiential brand marketing industry. She first joined Opus in 1998 and, throughout her time with the company, has gone above and beyond in numerous roles across many different aspects of the business. Her work has played a critical role in its present-day success.
Jacob Kipping
Jacob Kipping, Enchantment Resort
Enchantment Resort appoints Kipping as general manager. An industry veteran bringing several years of experience in leadership roles, such as general manager at Curio Collection by Hilton in Saranac Lake, New York and assistant general manager at the Point Resort. He brings a strong background in operational excellence, and will work to continue to drive the resort’s dedication to guest experience while overseeing cross-departmental collaboration.
Laura Orfield
Laura Orfield, The Junto
Orfield is appointed as director of commercial strategy for The Junto, an independent lifestyle brand hotel, in Columbus, Ohio. With 22 years of robust expertise across marketing, sales and revenue management at distinguished properties, she will work to spearhead the brand’s revenue management, digital marketing, advertising and social media efforts.
Jon Benson
Jon Benson, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa appoints Benson to the role of general manager. He formerly served as the resort’s director of food & beverage, and most recently served as general manager at Hana-Maui Resort, a Destination by Hyatt property. He has worked with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts for over 35 years, across 13 hotels and spent five years in its corporate offices.
Susie Klein
Susie Klein, Miraval Resorts & Spas
Klein is Miraval Resorts & Spas’ first-ever director of business development. An experienced leader with over three decades in hospitality and a passion for wellbeing, she will work to expand Miraval Resorts & Spas’ transformational Wellbeing Retreats in reach and engagement as well as drive overall business for the company. She looks forward to reaching new audiences and helping companies to reimagine how they support workplace and personal wellbeing for their employees.
Kieran Twomey
Kieran Twomey, Shangri-La Group
Shangri-La Group appoints Twomey as regional head of operations for the Middle East, India, Indian Ocean, Europe and the Americas (MEIA). Twomey is celebrated for his exceptional achievements in the hospitality industry and has held various leadership roles in hospitality all over the world, including in China, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.
Olumide Yerokun
Olumide Yerokun, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB)
The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) welcomes Yerokun as director of marketing. He brings over a decade of experience to this new role, in which he will manage a variety of promotional strategies and activities aimed to boost tourism in Little Rock. He most recently served as a client account manager for Bayard Advertising, and earlier led social media strategies of Hendrix College, GWL Advertising and Albright Ideas and has served as social media director for African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA).
Tom Counts
Tom Counts, Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall Boston
Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hill Boston appoints Counts to the role of director of sales. Counts brings extensive experience across numerous hospitality industry sectors, in roles from line cook to executive-level sales. He has a proven track record of sales success and a deep knowledge of hotel operations. He has worked at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk and Westin Chicago River North.
How planners can take part culture of conservation, environmental sustainability and positive impact at a sought-after destination
June 8 is World Ocean Day. The annual commemorative date was established following a 1992 proposal by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development and the Ocean Institute of Canada at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Each year, the date marks a moment to recognize lasting collective action for a healthy ocean and stable climate.
Atlantis Bahamas stands out as not only an esteemed hospitality destination, but a pioneer in environmental and ocean conservation—and its example is one that can inspire us all. As a resort that stands right on the Caribbean waters, ocean conservation is a top priority.
Michelle Liu, senior vice president of marine and waterpark operations at Atlantis Bahamas Paradise Island, has a first-hand look at The Bahamas’ surrounding ocean environment. She spends her days working to preserve and protect this environment through a wealth of initiatives, dedicated research and partnerships and robust programming.
Smart Meetings spoke to Liu to learn more about Atlantis Bahamas’ environmental stewardship, ocean preservation and conservation initiatives and how planners can get involved when meeting there.
The Bahamas is known for its crystal blue water and life-filled coral reefs. Having grown up there, though, Liu has seen it change throughout her lifetime.
Michelle Liu, vice president of marine and water park operations, Atlantis Bahamas
Liu spent summers at her grandmother’s family home, right on the beach, in the island of Eleuthera. “I spent most of my time there in the water,” she remembers.
“That’s where my love for the ocean started. I always knew that whatever career path I was going to take, it had to involve the ocean,” says Liu. At that time, the threat of global warming and concern about ocean conservation and environmental stewardship were nowhere near as prevalent as they are today. It wasn’t until the start of her career that Liu saw firsthand just how dire an issue global warming really was.
“Back then…I can’t even describe it to you,” she says. “[The reefs were] like something out of a movie set. Everything was pristine—teeming with fish and turtles. Everything, everywhere you went was just so beautiful.”
After earning a degree in biology in Florida, Liu returned to The Bahamas and worked at an aquarium. Throughout her seven and a half years there, she watched this environment change before her eyes.
“It just wasn’t the same anymore, one day,” she says. “The world started to become aware of the effects of humans, because we started to see our effect on the oceans and in the environment.”
It was around that time she received a call from Atlantis, recruiting her to work there. As the senior vice president of marine and water park operations, she has oversight of the entire Aquaventure Water Park as well as the two departments responsible for the resort’s marine life, habitats and all the animals in the resort’s care.
Environmental Stewardship at Atlantis
Coral planting program at Atlantis Bahamas
Liu’s team’s conservation work spans far beyond Atlantis Bahamas, with involvement in nonprofit conservation and research programs throughout the Bahamas. Atlantis Bahamas as a whole is dedicated to ongoing efforts towards conservation through a four pillar approach: sustainable living, ecosystem conservation, wildlife protection and education and awareness.
The resort maintains partnerships with sustainable fisheries that support its food and beverage program, a robust recycling program and a strong team member culture around recycling and plastic reduction. Planners should know, balloons of any type are prohibited on the property to reduce plastic waste. The resort has replaced single-use plastic water bottles with reusable metal bottles. “It’s going to cost us a little bit more. But at the end of the day, it benefits our environment.” Refillable water stations are prevalent across the property; its stores carry reef-safe sunscreen; its entire food and beverage program uses biodegradable straws and to-go containers.
Atlantis Bahamas installed the first Seabin in The Bahamas, which skims floating debris, macro and microplastics and even microfibers, helping to create a cleaner ocean environment.
The resort participates in environmental monitoring to assist Bahamian national parks. Wildlife conservation is a major pillar for a resort such as this one, which operates numerous marine interaction programs, including strong rescue and release program. Many endangered species that have been rescued and are unable to be released back into the wild reside at the resort either in veterinary care or, once healthy enough, in holistic well-being-focused in the resort’s many lagoons or its aquarium. Just one example of its success on this end is Atlantis aquarium’s achievement as the world’s only aquarium to have seen successful reproduction of the smalltooth sawfish, a critically endangered species.
The Blue Project Foundation
Trainer for a Day program at Atlantis Bahamas
The Blue Project Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded by Atlantis Bahamas in 2005, is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of marine life and ecosystems in the Bahamas and throughout the surrounding Caribbean seas, working in partnership with The Bahamas National Trust and The Nature Conservancy. The Blue Project Foundation supports research and conservation initiatives through funding, largely gathered from the resort’s programming.
This programming includes any of Atlantis Bahamas’ marine programs, such as a visit to Dolphin Cay. Just recently, the resort has launched three environmental stewardship programs for groups. The first, launched in May 2024, is the roots and shoots program, in which groups take part in mangrove planting at The Bahamas National Trust protected wetlands. These programs can be booked through the group sales team upon request.
Funds are also gathered from donation boxes at Atlantis Casino, a portion of the proceeds from the Music Making Waves concert series and retail sales, as well as through direct donations.
All these funds go into a general pool, and at the end of each year, the Blue Project Foundation Board, on which Liu sits, votes on the projects they will fund for the following year. In 2023, the board voted to fund the coral gene bank, in addition to certain programming they have funded year after year, including The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization, which participates in rescue as well as research. It also funds the Sea Turtle Conservancy and Sea to Shore, which works to save the smalltooth sawfish. It doesn’t end there—The Blue Project Foundation engages in many more research and conservation programs as well as ample education programs around marine life, preservation and conservation.
What’s at Stake?
One of the most dire issues affecting the oceans surrounding The Bahamas is Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). Understood to be a bacterial pathogen, the disease has rapidly spread throughout over 20 species of hard corals in the Caribbean. Within weeks of exposure, it can kill off an entire coral colony.
What were once vibrant underwater jungles of pinks, reds and greens, brimming with schools of fish, sea turtles and anemone fade to white, coral skeletons, empty of the crowds of marine life that once made it home.
A healthy coral colony (left) and a coral colony affected by SCTLD (right)
Not only does SCTLD harm the ocean—it can hurt the community on land too. Coral reef tourism is one of the key draws for visitors to The Bahamas, so as SCTLD continues to harm the reefs, so too does it harm the tourism economy, one of the biggest industries in the country.
Liu is on a mission to save these reefs, though. Atlantis Bahamas built The Bahamas’ first coral gene bank, directly funded by The Blue Project Foundation. This controlled environment for coral rescue, propagation and replanting is managed in partnership with several other organizations, including the Perry Institute, the University of The Bahamas and the Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources & Family Island Affairs. Upon eradication of SCTLD, the healthy corals grown in this gene bank will be planted to re-populate the coral reefs and return them to the life-filled ecosystem they once were.
How Planners Can Get Involved
We know that meetings can be wasteful. And in an environment that is struggling, such as the Caribbean coral reefs, planners may think the best they can do is stay away. But Liu says, this should in no way discourage groups from traveling to Atlantis.
“We’re doing a lot here, as a company,” she says. “We have policies in place. Sustainability and conservation are part of our culture.” From refillable water stations to the balloon ban, sustainability is part of every aspect of the resort, small and large, day to day.
“When groups think about planning big meetings, and part of their decision involves the desire to not contribute to a large carbon footprint, they should be looking at resorts that have some sort of environmental policy in place,” says Liu.
When groups meet at Atlantis Bahamas, they know that not only are they meeting in a space where environmental policies work to reduce their carbon footprint, and where they can participate in truly impactful environmental stewardship programs. Tourism dollars matter, especially when we know they are funding conservation, and contributing to both a healthy environment and a healthy local community.
Planners heading to Atlantis know that every dollar spent, across the resort, whether it is towards resort programming, marine interactions, a visit to the waterpark, a night at the casino, even one attendee’s retail purchase, goes towards an all-encompassing, thoughtfully organized and highly impactful conservation program rooted in environmental stewardship that, before our very eyes, is building a healthier ocean environment and planet.
When I worked in downtown Detroit, I went to Toronto or Chicago to get an urban buzz. But no more. The Motor City, especially downtown and its nearby neighborhoods, is reborn. In 2023, 30 million people visited this bustling cityscape, where PCMA EduCon will take place June 23-26, right across from Canada on the Detroit River.
If you’re going to EduCon, what you should know is that even in its worst days, Detroit saw itself as somewhere special. There is its automotive history, of course, that made it known worldwide—what Silicon Valley is to tech, Detroit is to the car—but there’s also the Motown Sound, its fabled pro sports teams, and, most of all, the proud spirit of Detroiters. The ones who stayed the course, turned acres of abandoned city lots into urban farms and never gave up, and now are watching the city they love soar, Phoenix-like, from the ashes.
So, how can you make the best of your between-session hours while in town? Here are some suggestions from someone who can’t wait to go back.
What to See
GM Renaissance Center
PCMA EduCon is based at Huntington Place on the riverfront, which used to be known as Cobo Hall and Cobo Arena (later Joe Louis Arena). Jimi Hendrix performed there. So did Kiss and The Doors. On June 23, 1963, two months before the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. repeatedly told 25,000 people in Cobo Hall “I have a dream this afternoon,” and talked about making “the American Dream a reality.” In 1994, in a Cobo corridor, Nancy Kerrigan was assaulted with a club, an action masterminded by the husband of her closest rival for the U.S. figure skating championship, Tonya Harding.
You may be staying at Detroit Marriott in GM Renaissance Center, the most identifiable edifice of the Detroit skyline, with its seven connected skyscrapers overlooking the river. RenCen, as it’s called by locals. The main tower is 73 stories and has been the tallest building in Michigan since 1977. General Motors is headquartered in another tower—though the auto giant recently announced it will be moving in 2025 to a brand-new downtown development on the site of the former J.L. Hudson Department Store.
RenCen is fun to prowl around in, with its dozens of stores and services, some of the city’s hottest restaurants and a 1,100-seat cafe.
But venture just outside. There you’ll find Detroit International RiverWalk, which spans more than 3 miles to Belle Isle Bridge, leading to a beautifully renovated city park on an island. Along the way you’ll find fountains, nature areas and play areas for kids, as well as RiverWalk Cafe for refueling—not to mention nice views of Canada and Detroit.
Greektown is another downtown must. The compact entertainment district is home to bars, restaurants and casinos, and still retains its Greek personality from being settled by arrivals from Greece in the early 1900s. It’s opa! time as the saganaki is flamed tableside and the ouzu flows.
Comerica Park
Also downtown, near the grand Fox Theater, is Comerica Park, home of MLB’s Detroit Tigers. They’ll be playing the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies while you’re in town. This neighborhood also boasts Ford Field, where NFL’s Detroit Lions play, and Little Caesars Arena, home to NHL’s Detroit Redwings.
Another iconic experience can be found near New Center, which is a few minutes north on Woodward Avenue, which, incidentally, had the first traffic light in the country. It’s Motown Museum, where you can take an hour-long guided tour through Hitsville U.S.A., the original headquarters and music recording studio for Motown Records. It’s now home to a treasure trove of company artifacts, photos, costumes and other memorabilia of that magic time when Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and so many more rose from the street corners of the city to international stardom.
Speaking of Diana Ross, she will join Jack White, Big Sean and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on June 6 to celebrate the reopening of Michigan Central Station in the Corktown neighborhood just outside of downtown. Ford Motor Company spent $950 million to meticulously restore the historic structure, which laid in ruins for decades. Ford plans to use the depot as the hub of a “mobility tech campus” that envisions 5,000 workers, from Ford technology teams to startups. Meantime, if you’re a fan of classic train station architecture, public tours run Fridays and Saturdays this summer.
Finally, two more tips for when you’re in town. On Monday, June 24, from 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m., join the regulars at City Glow Yoga in Campus Martius Park. Using three-channel LED headphones, you’ll be guided through this city-inspired yoga experience. It’s $5. On Tuesday, June 25, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Summer Markets at Cadillac Square brings artisans, entrepreneurs, and food and beverage vendors to tempt you.
This part of Michigan is undeniably a pizza zone. Little Caesars was born in a Detroit suburb, and Domino’s Pizza began in Ypsilanti some 35 miles to the west. But there’s another pepperoni-studded game in town, and that’s what has become known the nation over as Detroit-style ‘za. In 1946, a restaurant called Buddy’s began baking these unique pizzas with a robust sauce in a square steel pan. Instead of triangular slices, you get squares.
If you want to really get into it, there’s been raging debate for decades over where to find the best Detroit-style pizza. Many still say Buddy’s. Others mention Shields or Loui’s. The good news for downtown visitors is, Buddy’s has a branch there, in the Madison Building on Broadway. And they also deliver.
Speaking of rivalries, the other Detroit food staple sounds like it’s from Brooklyn. The Coney Island hotdog. What distinguishes it from ordinary dogs is its topping of all-meat chili, diced onion and yellow mustard. The two standard-bearers—Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island—are right next to each other on Lafayette Boulevard, and each has its diehard addicts.
Among the other 700-plus eateries in downtown, a sampling:
Caucus Club—timeless, clubby spot for cocktails and live music
Highlands Steakhouse—on the 72nd and 73rd floors of GM RenCen, to be seen and see for miles
Downtown Detroit is eminently walkable. Other options:
Detroit People Mover is an elevated train on a 13-stop route through the downtown business district, including GM RenCen and Greektown. Tickets cost 75 cents per ride.
The Q-Line streetcar covers a dozen stops along Woodward Avenue, connecting an array of Detroit destinations, activities and landmarks. It’s free.
Cassetta shared life and leadership lessons during a virtual Smart Woman session
Smart Woman members all across America tuned in for a Smart Woman virtual session to hear martial artist and keynote speaker Jenn Cassetta speak about her journey toward “badassery.” Cassetta will be speaking at Smart Woman Summit on Aug. 16th at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, and this session offered a teaser for what is sure to be an inspirational and motivating keynote presentation for Smart Woman Summit 2024 & Awards Gala.
The parallel between her passion for martial arts and the lessons she learned from it can translate into valuable leadership practices and empowerment in both a personal and professional capacity.
Inviting You to the Dojo
After some devastating life events, Cassetta found Hapkido, a Korean form of martial arts, as an activity to help her focus physically, mentally and emotionally.
After inviting us into the dojo—the name for the sacred space for learning martial arts and meditation—Cassetta led the group of Smart Women through an exercise she learned through her martial arts training. She instructed the group to close their eyes, connect their mind, body, heart and spirit, walking everyone through lessons that have helped her and can help others. Organizing her talk by the different colors of martial arts belts, below are some key quotes taken away from each belt’s lessons.
Cassetta said the first thing a Hapkido student needs to learn is to accept the hard hits life gives you. “Embrace the suck,” she said, “which translates to ‘accept,’ and maybe even appreciate things that are extremely difficult, yet unavoidable, in order to move forward.”
Yellow Belt: Bouncing Back
What do we do to bounce back from the suck? Cassetta encouraged the Smart Woman group to learn from the tough obstacles in life and form strategies to “bounce back with more velocity and ease each time.”
Orange Belt: Setting Boundaries
After accepting your struggles and figuring out boundaries to move forward, Cassetta emphasized the importance of “blocking”—protecting yourself from burnout because you are not putting your own well-being first.
Green Belt: Power of Communication
“How are we showing up?” Cassetta asked. “How are we moving through this world through our body language, through the tone and through the words that we use?” She also encouraged the group to examine the way in which we speak to the most important person—ourselves.
One of the more elusive ideas of the belts is the blue belt idea of “Qi.” An Eastern philosophy, it is the life force energy that “keeps us alive and vibrant” according to Cassetta. “How are you feeling?” Cassetta asked the group. “On a scale of burnout to badass…where is your energy level?”
“It’s about sustainability, being able to tap into that level, whenever necessary.”
Red Belt: Mindfulness, Meditation and Intuition
“At the red belt level, we start to look within and we start to do some meditation. Mindfulness helps us connect to our intuition.”
Black Belt: Becoming a Leader
Cassetta asked the group to guess what the lesson of the ultimate goal, a black belt, would be. With several great responses, Cassetta revealed her own takeaway from her black belt achievement.
“What I originally thought a black belt was about was really the physicality and all the things I was going to learn and the strength to take people down. It was really about becoming a leader, a leader who helps others rise through the ranks. And that’s why I love groups like this. I love Smart Woman. I love groups that help other women rise.”
See Jenn Cassetta Live at Smart Woman Summit 2024!
Please join us at Smart Woman Summit on Friday, Aug. 16th, 2024, at Caesars Palace Las Vegas to hear more about Jennifer Cassetta’s amazing journey about recovery, vitality and leadership. Join the community to feel empowered and inspired!
Gigi Gleason, CMP, is the chief experience officer at 
Vitality means different things to different people. That is why giving people agency to pick their level of effort in physical activities, accommodating dietary restrictions and offering a range of activations is the most effective way to have a meaningful impact.
While many have a preconceived notion of what Las Vegas offers, surprising attendees with outdoor educational experiences only a bus ride away expanded perceptions and brought people together with extreme experiences.
“When groups think about planning big meetings, and part of their decision involves the desire to not contribute to a large carbon footprint, they should be looking at resorts that have some sort of environmental policy in place,” says Liu.
