Corporate Travel Destinations

The time has come for high tech travel to look to the past for answers: the train. While aviation engineers have repeatedly tried to create economically viable forms of supersonic travel, the train has plugged along its merry way back into our hearts. Why? Not just because of the romantic ideas that the train has always stood for, but because it’s becoming an economically viable way to travel while making a minimal impact on the environment.

The romance of the train has helped, though. Once the only mode of high speed travel, it was the way most people made long trips. They had time to enjoy the landscape and get to know other passengers while they traveled. They were more civil days in some ways. These days we’re lucky to have our seatmates on the airplanes nod a greeting to us.

If you are looking for ways to get groups together, consider having them travel together when possible. That way they can enjoy the countryside views and enjoy their travel together, then participate in a conference, meeting, or group activity when they arrive at their destination–they will already know each other, and this could offer a great boost for meeting results. Continue reading »

The tanked economy may be old news–and news we’re all tired of listening to–but has turned out to be a boon for meeting planners and those booking incentive travel. Ovation Travel Group predicts that the recent tears-long trend of increased rates will be reversed in 2009, and rates might drop. Ovation recently polled hundreds of hotels through the world, and found that some have already lowered their rates, so the trend may be starting.

With over 400 hotels responding to a survey, Ovation reports that this year hotels have already lowered their 2008 rates by 4.31 percent. The company says that overseas, 35.6 percent of the properties report their rates are down by 11 percent, and another 27 percent have held steady. This makes a total average drop in rates of 4.67 percent.

Here in the United States 37.1 percent of our hotels report reducing their rates by 10.2 percent, which mirrors properties worldwide. However, more of our hotels have maintained the 2008 rates–38 percent of domestic properties did not raise prices in 2009. This makes “Buy American” much easier for the domestic planner who is looking to book incentive groups locally.

Even though financially things are tough around the world, that doesn’t mean that you can’t send people on worldwide travel. If you have properties with which you have great relationships already, they may be willing to reduce rates for especially large bookings. These days everyone is fighting for business, so you might as well take advantage of it–find the hotels that have lowered their rates and reward their good sense with your business.

If you are looking for a top-notch group travel choice that is both easy and affordable, look no farther than the As in your phone book–Aruba. Prized for the accommodations, food, nightlife, and local customs, there is another reason seasoned meeting professionals keep coming back to Aruba for their incentive travel needs. The tiny island paradise is so friendly that the hotels and other businesses help each other help the visitor. If one hotel can’t help you make arrangements, they will send you to someone who can, even if it is a competitor.

This makes Aruba the perfect choice not only for incentive groups, but also for meetings, conventions, continuing education conferences, and many other groups that meeting planners encounter in their daily lives. Here are some other advantages to booking events in Aruba.

Accessibility. Aruba is located in the Caribbean, so it’s a short flight from the southeast United States airports. Aruba is also a popular port of call for cruise lines, so if you are considering a cruise meeting, you could include a stop in Aruba as part of the plans. Continue reading »

It’s been some months since we found out our economy is not only breakable, but quite cracked. This has placed an enormous burden on the backs of meeting and even planners who have been entrusted with creating reasonably priced but effective incentive programs. Well, here’s one solution: the cruise.

While many of us know someone who has taken a cruise, most of us have never set foot on deck. This could change, however, when the truth is revealed that cruises are often much more affordable than many vacations one could choose, and booking groups for incentive travel can save thousands and thousands of dollars for professional planners. Continue reading »

Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans

Guess what is common between Elvis Presley, Huey P. Long, Kennedy and Sinatra? It’s The Roosevelt New Orleans – that had for over a century served as a milieu for many historic events. It played host to presidents, foreign leaders and the heads of global business as well as some well known names in showbiz.

Now as a part of the hotels and resorts of the illustrious Waldorf-Astoria Collection, the Roosevelt has come back to its historic landmark position with a $145 million restoration job. With a mix of legendary background and modern facilities the hotel is gearing up to offer the best of both the worlds to its patrons.

For decades, The Roosevelt has been known for its immaculate service and eternal style. With the reopening of the illustrious Blue Room and Sazerac Bar, and the 505 guest rooms, including 135 elegant suites this legendary hotel is all set to recapture its past grandeur. Continue reading »

The last Conference Center Spotlight blog was an overview of the new popularity of conference and convention centers. Getting people who have common interests and goals together in one place is now easier than it was ten years ago, thanks to these flexible, high tech facilities. 

As an event or meeting planner, you might already know about the highly popular places like the Las Vegas Convention Center or one of the many centers in larger cities in the United States. However, did you know that Latin America is becoming a hot spot for conventioneers?

One of the most popular convention centers is expected to be Benchmark’s property The Orchid (Panama City), scheduled for a late 2009 completion. The Orchid is a combination hotel and meeting space, with 170 rooms planned. It will be 17 stories high and will offer a business complex with high tech meeting rooms. There will also be boardrooms and a conference concierge. Continue reading »

There is no doubt that conferences and conventions are becoming more and more common worldwide. From science fiction and fly fishing to automobile manufacturers and writers, gathering in one place for camaraderie and technical exchange is not “the next big thing,” it’s the “now” thing.

Almost everyone in the United States has heard of the larger conference and convention centers. Las Vegas, for instance, is home to the enormous and beautiful Las Vegas Convention Center. Located within walking distance to hotels, restaurants, and the casinos and nightlife, the website (www.lvcva.com) says it has “In addition to more than two million square feet of exhibit space, 144 meeting rooms (more than 241,000 square feet) handle seating capacities ranging from 20 to 2,500.”

And that’s just one convention center in one U.S. city. Convention centers have begun to spring up worldwide, even in unexpected places like Panama creating meeting places like The Orchid, which will be available sometime near the end of 2009. Other countries seem to be following suit, and the International Association of Conference Center North America chapter president, Neil Pompan, hopes that the international chapters of his organization expand into places like China and South Africa. Continue reading »

If you are looking for a venue to organize your next corporate or social event, the Tulalip Resort Casino at Washington State is the place to be in. Having won the No. 1 spot in the entertainment category, this resort is one of the leading meeting and vacation destinations in the locality.

The 30,000 sq. ft. event center has all facilities from ballrooms to conference rooms to meet your customized requirements. The resort has 9 conference rooms with 24 types of configurations.

The Orca Ballroom on the first floor is 15,000 sq. ft. and can accommodate a sit down dinner for 1,000 people. It is flexible enough to arrange 2 meetings of 500 heads. The décor, ceiling projectors, and 16 ft. drop down video screens makes this an ideal venue for grand social events to significant conferences.

Also in the same floor is the flexible Chinook Room that can be used as four different function rooms, or as one big Jr. Ballroom complete with sound proof air walls, high-tech audio visual projectors and screens. Continue reading »

Located in downtown Chicago Illinois, the Swissôtel Chicago is situated at the meeting point of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Conveniently located 20 miles from the O’Hare and Midway International Airports, this hotel is the perfect meeting venue for all kinds of business and social gatherings.

After the ongoing renovation, the spanking new 30,000 sq. ft. event area is slated to be unveiled in the spring of 2009.

In contrast to the run of the mill meeting and conference centers of the city, the Swissôtel Chicago commands class and sophistication. The total 50,000 sq. ft. of flexible event area, is well equipped for any kind of business agenda. After the renovation, the magnificent Zürich Ballroom can entertain a gathering of 15,000 people in a theatre-style convention. For social events like wedding, the dance floor and a cocktail reception room is also available. Continue reading »

The Resort at Pelican Hill

The Resort at Pelican Hill boasts of being the ultimate in luxury for its location, design and the service concepts.

The sprawling 504 acres of the Resort is situated on the coast of Newport Beach in Southern California. The Palladian architecture of the 128 villas and 204 bungalow suites is complete with antiqued roof tiles, beautiful entrance, and varied colors and textures of the walls.

The “travel designers” create a customized luxurious service for guests – catering to minute requirements like preferred music to the breakfast cereals and morning news papers. The motto undeniably is to create an ultimate luxurious home-away-from home. All these facilities at the Pelican Hill are available on a daily rental basis sans the usual timeshare or vacation club agreements.

Location – The Resort is about 45 miles south of LA International Airport and 15 minutes from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport. Continue reading »