Although sunny skies still prevail across the Caribbean, like much of the world this region is undergoing stormy times thanks to global economic woes.

Most islands were impacted by a downturn in arrivals in 2008  and preliminary tourism numbers coming in for this year also show a decline in travelers.

There were bright spots in the region such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic which saw visitor increases in spite of the economic slowdown.

Even those healthy tourism economies were affected in the meetings and incentives market, however. “2009 is gone for the group market,” noted Marcia Bullock. “There is no new business coming in for 2009. We are lucky in that we have never had massive cancellations. We are seeing an increase in requests for 2010 and beyond, however.” Bullock predicts that the diversity of accommodation price points, the large number of new and upcoming resorts, and the convention center scheduled to open late next year will boost group numbers once again.

While numerous resorts will be unveiled in the coming year throughout the Caribbean, work on several luxury properties has been stopped either in the planning or in the construction stage as the effects of this economic hurricane remain to be seen.

Along with economic difficulties, other challenges have impacted the region. Airlift, a longtime problem for many islands, continues to be a challenge although help has come in the form of increased service from low fare carriers such as JetBlue, AirTran, Spirit and WestJet. Isolated security issues including strikes and protests in Guadeloupe and Martinique and a travel alert for Mexico including the Mexican Caribbean also plague the area.

Anguilla

Scheduled to open in 2012, Fairmont Anguilla will offer 140 guest rooms, 15,000 square feet of meeting space, a 15,000-square-foot Willow Stream Spa, and a Jack Nicklaus Golf Club.

Antigua

The Inn at English Harbor has completed a $1.5 million renovation, upgrading its 28 guestrooms and suites as well the dining venues and grounds. The resort has also added a spa facility. Located near the entrance of this historic harbor, the resort offers 16 Junior Suites and eight deluxe junior suites decorated with antiques and including flat screen televisions, iPod docking stations, and Wi-Fi internet access.

Aruba

The 411-room Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino has opened the Tradewinds Club as the second part of a $50 million renovation. The upscale, 59-room “hotel within a hotel” is located on the top floor of the resort and provides personalized service and privileges including access to the Tradewinds Club Executive Lounge, a private 1900-square-foot lounge area with a terrace. The resort also includes a 6,500-square-foot spa, and four meeting rooms as well as a 1,541-square-foot ballroom.

Bahamas

The British Colonial Hilton Nassau is undergoing a $15 million renovation of its 288 guestrooms, public areas, and banquet space.   All guestrooms, including 47 executive floor rooms and 23 suites, will be transformed. An additional 3,000 square feet of meeting space will be part of the renovation. Dining options will also be upgraded, and guests will enjoy a new executive lounge. , The project is expected to be complete by June 2009.

Baha Mar Resorts has signed a formal agreement with China State Construction Engineering Corporation to construct the multi-billion-dollar Baha Mar Resort on Cable Beach. The $3.6 billion project will be constructed over a two- to three-year timeline for phase one. The project includes the already-opened 694-room Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort with 25,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space and the 559-room Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace Casino which underwent a $30 million renovation last year and includes 30,000 square feet of meeting space. The master plan calls for the project to encompass 3,000+ rooms to include a W Baha Mar; the St. Regis Baha Mar, and the Westin at Baha Mar. The total resort plan calls for 200,000 square feet of meeting space as well as a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course; future phases include the addition of a second golf course.

Barbados

Four Seasons Resort Barbados will feature approximately 115 rooms and suites, in addition to approximately 45 residential villas on 32 acres of beachfront property. The resort will include restaurants and bars, a spa and fitness center, recreational facilities, and meeting space when it opens in 2011.

Bermuda

The 94-suite Pink Beach Club has completed a redesign of its meeting facility which now features three meeting spaces, each accommodating 12 to 40 attendees.The resort offers in-room spa treatments; fitness center; two tennis courts; library; business center; wireless service throughout the property and more.

Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa is scheduled to open in April 2009 as Bermuda’s first new luxury resort in almost 40 years.  The 88-room resort includes a 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, a championship 18-hole Roger Rulewich designed golf course, a dive Shop and watersports center and the 5,000 square-foot Tucker’s Point Conference Centre which offers satellite conferencing. The facility’s Camden Ballroom can accommodate groups of up to 270. The resort also offers a 100-foot yacht with the capabilities of hosting cocktail receptions for 50 or sit-down dinners for up to 25 people ˆ at sea

Bonaire

Hilton has announced that is has entered into a franchise license agreement for the Hilton Bonaire Resort & Spa, a new and upscale property being developed in collaboration with Azul Management Bonaire, Inc. The 144-room upscale resort is expected to open in 2010.

British Virgin Islands

A 2009 opening is planned for Scrub Island, a $100 million private island development with 66 accommodations ranging from rooms and suites to two- to five-bedroom villas. The resort will also offer a spa, 60-slip marina, four restaurants and bars, natural stone amphitheater, and an astronomy observatory as well as a 2,145-square-foot ballroom, the largest in the BVI.

A 2011 opening is planned for Raffles Tortola, British Virgin Islands, a 100-room resort with 250 villas, casitas, and condominiums. The resort will offer four restaurants, three swimming pools, a fitness center, two beach clubs, and 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The resort will be located 10 minutes from Beef Island Airport.

Cayman Islands

The Reef Resort, located on Grand Cayman’s East End, has undergone an expansion and now offers 152 beachfront one- and two-bedroom suites as well as meeting space for up to 90 attendees. The resort includes a spa and the largest beachfront on the island.

Mandarin Oriental, Grand Cayman is scheduled to open in 2011 on a 10-acre site. The 114-room property will be located on Barefoot Beach, and all guest rooms will feature outdoor terraces with ocean views.

The former Grand Caymanian Resort has reopened as the 170-room Ramada Grand Caymanian Beach Club and Resort adjacent to the North Sound Club golf course. The resort offers studios as well as one- and two-bedroom suites with Wi-Fi.

In late 2011, the Wyndham Grand Bay Waterford-Cayman Islands is scheduled to open. The 130-room resort will include a 5,000-square-foot spa as well as 24-hour room and concierge service.

Curaçao

The 196-room Hilton Curaçao has upgraded its exterior, lobby, and meetings facilities including the renovated Willemstad Meeting Room. The hotel includes over 4,000 square feet of meeting space.

The 237-room Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino opened in February, the first branded hotel to open on the island in 15 years. The resort, which is connected to the 19^th century Rif Fort, features a 15,000-square-foot casino, and will include a mall with six theaters and 50 shops, a spa, and 8,600 square feet of meeting space.

Dominican Republic

The $200 million, 138-suite Palmera de Cabarete Resort and Spa is scheduled to open in 2011. The facility will be the first five-star resort in Cabarete, a destination known for adventure sports including kite boarding, surfing, laser sailing, mountain biking, hiking and canyoning. The resort will feature three infinity pools, a 22,000 square foot spa and wellness facility, tennis, gourmet dining, room service, shops, conference center and 24-hour concierge program. 

Groundbreaking has been held for $2.5 billion Punta Perla Tourist Complex on the island’s east coast. The beachfront development will include four boutique hotels, 8,800 residential units, three golf courses, an inland marina, a beach club, an amphitheater, sports installations, commercial units, a shopping mall, a museum and more. The project, which is a 15-minute drive from the Punta Cana International Airport, is s expected to be completed within a 10- to12-year period.

The Barceló Bavaro Palace has been reopened in Punta Cana following a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation including the addition of 488 new junior suites as well as the renovation of all existing guest rooms, suites and public spaces.  The all-inclusive resort now features 1,046 deluxe guest rooms and junior suites; all junior suites offer a private balcony or terrace with whirlpool, 32” LCD televisions, high-speed wireless Internet access, environmentally-friendly light systems and water control and a large, spa-style bathroom.  The resort features an 18-hole golf course; a casino; spa; three theaters; 14 restaurants, and more.  The property is adjacent to the Barceló Bavaro Convention Center which can accommodate up to 5,000 attendees.

Moon Palace Casino, Golf & Spa Resort, located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, has opened. The resort features a 65,500-square-foot convention center divisible into 32 sections and also includes an 18-hole championship course designed by Jack Nicklaus.

A fourth quarter 2008 opening is planned for the 497-unit Green Village at Cap Cana, A Wyndham Grand Bay Resort. The property will include one-bedroom bungalows, two-bedroom villas, and four- to six-bedroom residences plus an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course, 5,000 square feet of meeting space with access to an adjacent convention center, a 3,550-square-foot Wyndham Blue Harmony spa, fitness center, two restaurants, tennis, and more.

Development is under way on the Roco Ki resort community in Punta Cana where plans include several hotels and a Nick Faldo-designed golf course, while future phases will include the addition of a marina, an additional hotel, and shopping areas. The project will include the Westin Roco Ki Beach and Golf Resort, scheduled to open in 2010. The 337-room resort will include 56 condominium hotel suites and 20 bungalows, an 18,000-square-foot spa, and 20,000 square feet of meeting space. The Fairmont Roco Ki, set to debut in 2012, will include a 255-room hotel, a collection of condominiums, villas and estate homes, restaurants and bars, 17,500 square feet of meeting space, a 15,000-square-foot Willow Stream Spa and fitness area and pool, and beach facilities.

Jamaica

The 430-room Sunset Beach Resort & Spa completed a $7 million renovation in 2008 with special focus on the resort’s restaurants, lounges, public areas and landscaping. In January 2009, the resort introduced a new entertainment pavilion.

The $140 million Riu Montego Bay has opened with 681 rooms, three specialty-themed restaurants, and a conference room.

Sandals Resorts plans a 2010 opening for the 130-unit Royal Plantation Dragon Bay in Port Antonio. The $100 million expansion and redevelopment program of the former Dragon Bay hotel and villa site will include a spa and accommodations ranging from one-bedroom suites to five-star tree houses. The villas may be designated as an adults-only site, although Dragon Bay will accept children.  [NOTE: No word on meeting space at this property yet.]

Rose Hall Resort is now Rose Hall Resort & Spa—A Hilton Resort. The 488-unit resort, which recently underwent a $40 million renovation, includes 14,000 square feet of meeting space and 30,000 square feet of outdoor function space. The resort is home to the Caribbean’s largest resort water complex, spa, and the onsite 18-hole championship Cinnamon Hill Ocean Course  designed by Robert VonHagge, as well as access to 54 holes of championship golf in the Rose Hall area.

Grand Lido Negril and Grand Lido Braco are both being rebranded.

Construction is underway on the Montego Bay Convention Centre, located east of the city between the Half Moon Golf Course and Rose Hall Great House. The facility will offer over 50,000 square feet of exhibition space, over 20,000 square feet for banquets, and over 11,000 square feet of meeting space. Completion is planned for late 2010.

Mexico

With 365 guest rooms and over 27,000 square feet of meeting space that, The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun has recently opened a new 17,000 square foot beach club available for group use. Available for as many as 700 attendees, the club includes 700 attendees, it includes ten private cabanas, 17 palapas and a fully equipped bar and dining area.

The 96-suite Aura Cozumel Resort Wyndham Grand Bay has opened in Cozumel. The adults-only, all-inclusive resort includes a lazy river pool, two restaurants, a business center, and a meeting room for up to 40 attendees; all guests rooms feature high-definition plasma TVs, wireless high speed Internet connection, Bose audio system, and DVD/CD or iPod player.

Edenh Luxury Riviera Cancun is under construction on the Riviera Maya by NH Hoteles; the 375-room all-inclusive is set to open in November 2008. The resort will include 394 junior suites, 156 Paradise Club master suites, and four presidential suites with private plunge pools.

Unik Island Resort & Spa is scheduled to open in Summer 2009 on Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun. The property will offer 84 suites with flat screen televisions, CD/DVD players, iPod docking stations, high-speed wireless Internet, laptop-sized safes, fully stocked mini-bars and more. The resort will feature six restaurants and bars, a spa including Mayan treatments, and meeting space for up to 210 attendees.

Puerto Rico

El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa and El San Juan Hotel & Casino have joined the Waldorf Astoria Collection and the Condado Plaza Hotel & Casino is part of Conrad Hotels & Resorts, the Caribbean debut of each of these brands. Each hotel has undergone extensive renovations recently; the El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa completed a $120 million renovation in 2008 and offers over 100,000 square feet of meeting and function space including the 21,090-square-foot Grand Atlantic Ballroom. The 382-room El San Juan Hotel & Casino underwent a $52 million renovation completed in 2007 and offers 35,000 square feet of event space. The 570-room Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza completed a $70 million dollar redesign last year and offers 40,000 square feet of meeting space.

The W Retreat and Spa—Vieques Island is scheduled to open in October 2009. The former Martineau Bay property has received $30 million in renovations and will now include 157 guest rooms and four meeting rooms totaling 3,548 square feet; a golf course is planned within two years.

Construction continues at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. The fully-restored property is scheduled to open in December 2011 and will feature 305 guest rooms, including 80 Commodore Suites and 40 Biltmore Suites in two, 11-story adjacent towers.  The property will offer 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and four restaurants.

The Bahía Beach, St. Regis Resort is under construction 16 miles from the San Juan airport. The 139-room resort is set on a private beach and scheduled for a November 2010 opening. The resort will feature beachfront pool facilities, a 120-seat restaurant, Trent Jones Jr. Golf Course , a Remède Spa and a St. Regis Restaurant located at the Bahía Village.

The JW Marriott Hotel & Resort at Coco Beach will break ground by the end of 2008 in Rio Grande. The $250 million hotel will feature 197 guest rooms and a 174-room condo-hotel with 11 restaurants. The property will include a 12,000-square-foot ballroom, a 6,000-square-foot junior ballroom and nine additional boardrooms for a total of 20,000 square feet of meeting space.

Groundbreaking took place in October 2008 on the $172 million Regent Puerto Rico Beach Resort & Spa within the Palmas Del Mar community in Humacao. The 148-room property will include 96 guest rooms, 52 condo-hotel suites and five spa suites as well as a 16,000-square-foot spa, three restaurants, three pools and small group meeting space.

The Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, A Wyndham Grand Resort is undergoing a $40 million capital improvement project over the next two years which will include upgrades to the guest rooms, public areas, restaurants, and golf courses. The resort offers 48,000 square feet of function space, a 7,000-square-foot casino; two 18-hole golf courses designed by Tom and George Fazio and Greg Norman, a 7,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, 11 restaurants, an international tennis center and more.

Construction will begin later this year on the Marriott Courtyard Convention District Hotel. The 300-room property is scheduled to open in late 2012.

The 503-room, $209 million Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel is scheduled to open in by the end of 2009 as the anchor hotel for the convention center. Along with a casino and entertainment complex, the hotel offer 35,000 square feet of function space including the 16,300-square foot San Juan Grand Ballroom, the largest hotel ballroom in San Juan, a smaller, 7,700-square ballroom plus seven other meeting rooms.

A $70 million Aloft Hotel will begin construction in May. Planned for completion in Spring 2012, the 252-room property will be an extension to the Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel.

St. Kitts & Nevis

The Four Seasons Resort Nevis is planned to reopen in November following renovations necessitated by Hurricane Omar. www.fourseasons.com/nevis

The new Christophe Harbour development is a 2,400-acre project including a marina village offering docking spaces for private yachts, numerous restaurants and boutiques, and an 18-hole Tom Fazio championship golf course. Scheduled to open at Christophe Harbour in 2011, the 125-room Mandarin Oriental, St. Kitts will offer Lagoon Suites designed as over-water bungalows and a 4,800-square-foot beachfront Presidential Suite. The property will also include a 225-seat ballroom and three additional meeting rooms as well as a 15,000-square-foot spa.

St. Lucia

The Landings St. Lucia, A RockResort has opened 60 new villa suites, bringing the resort’s total to 122. The resort also debuted an 812-square-foot meeting facility joining a beachside outdoor space available for receptions of up to 200 attendees. Additional new meeting space is planned for later in the year. Each of The Landings’ one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites includes a kitchen and two balconies or landscaped terraces, many with heated, jetted plunge pools. The resort offers a private yacht harbor, two tennis courts, three pools, and a 7,000-square-foot RockResorts Spa. When completed in 2010, the resort will offer a total of 231 suites.

Raffles St. Lucia is set to open in 2011. The 200-room resort will offer a 10,000-square-foot spa, Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, and five pools.

The Westin Le Paradis Beach & Golf Resort, St. Lucia is scheduled to open in 2010. The 192-room resort will include over 23,000 square feet of function space encompassing two ballrooms. six conference rooms, and two outdoor pavilions. The resort sits on 554 acres with a one-mile coastline and will include a Greg Norman-designed golf course; future plans call for the addition of a marina.

The Jalousie Plantation will be rebranded The Tides Sugar Beach in 2010. After closing in early summer 2009 for a $100 million renovation, the 192-acre resort will reopen with 150 villas and guestrooms with private pools, four restaurants, and spa.

St. Martin

Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa has opened on the French side of St. Martin. Formerly operated as L’Habitation de Lonvilliers, the resort underwent an $80 million renovation and now includes 63 suites and 189 guest rooms, a 150-slip marina, full service spa and more. The resort features over 7500 square feet of meeting and event space.

Turks and Caicos

Gansevoort Turks + Caicos, A Wymara Resort has opened in Providenciales on Grace Bay Beach. Offering 91 oversized guest rooms including four penthouse suites, the resort is centered around a 7,0000-square-foot infinity-edge pool. Other features include Exhale, the first Caribbean location for the spa brand; Bagatelle Bistrot and Bagatelle Beach Club overseen by restaurant and nightlife operators, The ONE Group; a full fitness center; and 600 square feet of meeting space.

The 251-unit Wyndham Cacique Royal on Pirate’s Bay on Grand Turk is scheduled to open in early 2009.

A 2010 opening is scheduled for the Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay, Turks and Caicos. The 197-room beachfront resort will include a 22,000-square-foot spa.

Third Turtle Club & Spa, a RockResort, is scheduled to open in 2011. The Providenciales resort will offer one- to four-bedroom residences and suites; the property will include a spa, numerous restaurants, beach club, and yacht harbor.

U.S. Virgin Islands

Scheduled for a 2010 opening, the 400-room Wyndham St. Croix Golf Resort and Casino is part of a $250 million complex that includes a new 43,000-square foot conference center. The 294-acre property will feature a 25,000 square-foot casino, 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, 17,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, four restaurants, and more.

The 180-room The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas has added a second private catamaran. Kekoa is used as a private guest shuttle to St. John and is also available for available for private charters and cocktail cruises for up to 60 guests.  Last year, the resort completed a $47 million renovation, adding the Caribbean’s first Prada Spa. The property includes over 10,000 square feet of meeting space.

On St. Thomas, Jumeirah Botany Bay Resort is scheduled to open in 2011 with 84 rooms just 15 minutes from the airport.

On St. Croix, Carambola Beach Resort has announced that it will join the Renaissance Hotels & Resorts family. The 151-room resort will undergo a $20 million renovation and expansion of its accommodations, 19,000 square feet of meeting and event space, restaurants and lounges and public spaces.

SIDEBARS

Tax Benefits

Meetings held on islands with Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA) with the U.S. are tax-deductible including: Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius), St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Mexico also offers a “Taso Cero” or no-tax policy for meetings, conventions, or expositions, making lodging, food and drink, venue rental, airport transfers, and other items free of the Value Added Tax. Also, due to the “Preferred Nation Agreement” between the United States and Mexico, qualifying expenses are treated the same as if groups had a program in the continental U.S.

Meetings held in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are tax-deductible due to their U.S. status.

Trip Tips

In February, the CDC changed its vaccination recommendations for travelers to Trinidad; today the CDC recommends a Yellow Fever vaccine for travelers whose itinerary includes Trinidad. CDC notes that there is a lower risk of transmission in Port of Spain.

The State Department issued a travel alert for the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique following widespread labor strikes. The present alert expires May 13, 2009. A travel alert for Mexico remains in effect until August 20, 2009. Although the alert specifically warns of increased violence along the US border, it notes, “U.S. citizens traveling throughout Mexico should exercise caution in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times.”

Passports are not required of US citizens returning from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Many travelers to the USVI take a day trip to the nearby British Virgin Islands and a passport is required for that visit.

Venues

Just east of Montego Bay, Jamaica, the Johnny Cash Estate was home to the country music legend for three decades. Today the historic home on Cinnamon Hill is available for group functions. Offering a view of the Caribbean as well as waterfalls and tropical gardens, the home can accommodate receptions of up to 350 guests.

Puerto Rico’s La Princesa was once a penitentiary in the heart of Old San Juan. Today the venue is popular for its promenade along San Juan Bay. The building is backed by “muralla,” an 18^th century 20-foot-thick stone wall which once surrounded the city. The restored site is today home to an art gallery and the headquarters for the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Evening functions at the site, which is includes a bronze sculpture depicting the island’s cultural roots, can be arranged for up to 500 attendees.

Aruba is now the home of the largest water park in the Caribbean and Latin America. The $14 million Morgan’s Island opened in December and spans 28,000 square feet. The park is home to the second tallest free-fall waterslide in the world and can accommodate up to 3,000 attendees. 297-587-8788;  www.arubamorgansisland.com.

On Mexico’s Riviera Maya, Xcaret has opened a new wine cellar available for small group functions. Vino de México, a $1 million facility, is designed to share the history of Mexican wine and is the only wine cellar in the world that stocks Mexican wines exclusively. The Sommelier’s office, stocked with the most exclusive vintages, is available for groups of 10 while the tasting room can accommodate groups of 25 persons. A third room is filled with exhibits on winemaking. +52 (998) 8830470; www.xcaret.com.

Additional Captions

Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa is scheduled to open in April 2009 as Bermuda’s first new luxury resort in almost 40 years. The 88-room resort includes a 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, a championship 18-hole Roger Rulewich designed golf course, a dive Shop and watersports center and the 5,000 square-foot Tucker’s Point Conference Centre which offers satellite conferencing. The facility’s Camden Ballroom can accommodate groups of up to 270. The resort also offers a 100-foot yacht available for cocktail receptions for 50 or seated dinners for up to 25 guests.

Scheduled for a September 2009 opening, The Palmyra, A Solís Resort & Spa will be located in the Rose Hall area near Montego Bay with 299 units including 11 three-story villas and eight beachfront cabanas. The resort will offer two oceanview pools, four restaurants, a full business center as well as Wi-Fi access in public areas, and 23,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space including a 5,500 square-foot ballroom. The resort will also be home to the Caribbean’s first ESPA spa, a 30,000-square-foot, two-story standalone facility.

Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort Riviera Maya has opened in Mexico with 493 suites, each more than 1,000 square-feet. The all-inclusive, adults-only resort offers 91,457 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space that can be converted into 30 breakout rooms and two ballrooms with an additional six meeting rooms and two offices. The resort features seven restaurants, a 76,000-square-foot spa specializing in treatments inspired by ancient cultures from around the world; and dedicated butler service for each guest.

Unik Island Resort & Spa is scheduled to open this summer on Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun. The property offers 84 suites with flat screen televisions, CD/DVD players, iPod docking stations, high-speed wireless Internet, laptop-sized safes, fully stocked mini-bars and more. The resort features six restaurants and bars, a spa including Mayan treatments, and meeting space for up to 210 attendees.

A year made difficult by recession has been complicated in Mexico by violence and the H1N1 virus. However, Mexico is presently undergoing a comprehensive campaign to emphasize the many assets available for group meetings south of the border. Extensive promotion and marketing efforts—plus exceptional packages and concessions—are refocusing the attention of meeting executives on the diverse destinations offered by Mexico.

“Before the meetings industry in Mexico took this path, their efforts were only targeting leisure travelers,” points out Eduardo Chaillo, Director for the U.S. at the Mexican Tourism Board. Today, however, meeting executives are finding a revitalized Mexico with a more extensive selection of venues than ever before. “Different states are expanding their convention facilities; more beach resorts are able to host greater events as well as smaller destinations that have developed more capacity for meetings or incentive groups.” Presently convention centers and exhibition venues in 12 Mexican cities are under construction, renovation or expansion. Along with expanded accommodation and meeting facilities, today Mexico is home to 59 international airports and good airlift to the US and Canada remains a top draw.

Although the present economic situation has slowed travel, Mexico sees promise. “The current economy gives us the opportunity to get the North American events that were planned for Europe, Asia or even South America,” notes Chaillo. “Due to the recession, Mexico is a good option for the industry since planners will get more value when holding a meeting event or bringing an incentive group to México.”

Chaillo points to Mexico’s stable economy, diverse product, good exchange rate and proximity to the US as top draws for meeting groups. Chaillo also notes “fiscal incentives such as the zero VAT for international meetings or the deductibility on the IRS as part of NAFTA” as further enticements.

Efforts have paid off. The most recent statistics from ICCA show that Mexico ranks ninth worldwide (rising from 11^th position in 2007) in terms of the number of attendees at international meetings.

Watch for Mexico’s continued efforts to grow its meeting business even more. According to Chaillo, “The meetings industry is very important to Mexico. We strive to position ourselves as the ultimate destination for meetings and conventions, because of our proximity to the US as well as the variety of attractions that we  have to offer.”

Hotel Updates

Acapulco

The Hyatt Regency Acapulco is now the Grand Hotel Acapulco and Convention Center. The 632-room hotel features 14 meeting rooms, as well as ballroom and banquet services.

The 1,011-room Fairmont Acapulco Princess recently introduced Pearl. Located on the Fairmont Acapulco Princess property, this hotel within a hotel offers luxury accommodations and private pools following a $30 million renovation. The Fairmont Acapulco Princess recently opened a 20,000–square-foot exhibition center.

The Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués is scheduled to open in late 2009. Featuring 46 villas, each with its own pool, the resort will offer a spa complex, banquet hall, and four meeting rooms.

The new Mundo Imperial development includes the 805-room The Resort at Mundo Imperial, a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts. The new hotel includes a spa, six restaurants, and four meeting rooms. The Mundo Imperial development also includes the Forum, a theater that can seat up to 4,000 attendees.

Cancún and Riviera Maya

The 426-room Hilton Cancún Golf and Spa Resort has opened the  $2 million Isla Jr. Ballroom, part of the newly-renamed Peninsula Convention Center at the Hilton Cancún. The property now offers 110,000 square feet of combined indoor and outdoor meetings space.

The 290-room all-inclusive, adults-only Secrets Capri Riviera Cancún has opened a spa spanning more than 13,000-square-foot space with 10 treatment rooms. The resort includes 6,714 square feet of meeting space.

Marriott International has announced that in the next five years it will nearly triple its presence in Mexico, including the Riviera Maya, with an investment of over $1 billion.

With 365 guest rooms and over 27,000 square feet of meeting space, The Ritz-Carlton, Cancún has recently opened a new 17,000-square-foot beach club available for group use. Available for as many as 700 attendees, the club includes ten private cabanas, 17 palapas and a fully equipped bar and dining area.

Aventura Spa Palace has been divided into two properties: the 777-room, adults-only Aventura Spa Palace and the 489-room Aventura Cove Palace for families. The all-inclusive resorts are home to the Harmony Center with 55,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

Unik Island Resort & Spa is scheduled to open in Fall 2009 on Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancún. The property will offer 84 suites with flat screen televisions, CD/DVD players, iPod docking stations, high-speed wireless Internet, laptop-sized safes, fully stocked mini-bars and more. The resort will feature six restaurants and bars, a spa including Mayan treatments, and meeting space for up to 210 attendees.

The all-villa Banyan Tree Mayakoba Hotel & Spa Resort has opened and includes a full-service spa and health club.

The 497-room Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya has opened,  offering 91,547 square feet of meeting space.

The 86-suite Capella Bahia Maroma is expected to open in late 2009. The resort will feature a private, championship 18-hole Rees Jones golf course, a spa, beach club, gourmet restaurants and more.

Plans are underway for the 561-acre master planned community Grand Coral Riviera Maya. A $2.5 billion investment, the facility will include hotels, an 18-hole Nick Price golf course, entertainment and sports facilities, and more near downtown Playa del Carmen.

Los Cabos

The Puerto Los Cabos development northeast of San José del Cabo has opened an 18-hole golf course with nine holes designed by Jack Nicklaus and nine designed by Greg Norman.

The Barceló Los Cabos Palace Deluxe will be opening in December. The 649-room all-inclusive will offer 35,000 square feet of meeting space including a 10,225-square-foot dividable ballroom and five additional breakout rooms and a reception/lounge area.

The 32-suite Zoetry Casa del Mar is set for a December opening. Stays include private direct chauffeured airport transfers, 24-hour in-room dining, complimentary 24-hour laundry service, and a 20-minute massage per guest. Guests will receive access to all restaurants, facilities and services at the adjacent Dreams Los Cabos Suite Golf Resort & Spa.

Groundbreaking has taken place at Cabo Riviera, a development on a three-mile-long beach. The development includes a Pete Dye signature 18-hole links course, five-star hotel, spa, marina, artists’ village, and more, all set for completion in the third quarter of 2011.

The 66-room Capella Pedregal has opened along the Cabo San Lucas Marina. The resort features three restaurants, a 12,000-square-foot spa, and a personal assistant assigned to every guest.

A private golf, beach and marina community, Chileno Bay will feature two 18-hole Tom Fazio golf courses, a private beach club, spa and shopping boutique.

A 2010 opening is planned for Montage Los Cabos on the site of the former Twin Dolphins Hotel. It will feature 24-hour room service and a full service spa.

The planned community Quivira Los Cabos will feature two Jack Nicklaus-designed courses scheduled to open for play in early 2010. Also under development is the Ritz-Carlton Los Cabos, Quivira, set for a 2011 opening. Plans call for a 6,000-square-foot ballroom, 2,400 square-foot junior ballroom, three meeting rooms and a boardroom.

Mazatlán

Mazatlán International Center is scheduled to open in October with over 80,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space.

The 716-room, all-inclusive Hotel Riu Emerald Bay has opened. The beachside resort offers four restaurants and three conference rooms.

Mexico City

The 189-room St. Regis Mexico City has opened on Paseo de la Reforma. The hotel offers three restaurants, spa, indoor pool, four meeting rooms and two ballrooms with over 12,000 square feet for group functions.

Puerto Vallarta

The $43 million Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center has opened and offers 105,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space.

Trip Tips

Mexico’s Taso Cero or Zero Tax policy gives rebates for VAT expenditures for meetings (not incentives) held in Mexico. Meetings must be coordinated by a Mexican organizer at a venue or hotel certified by the Mexican Government and must be paid with a credit agency headquartered outside of Mexico. Also, attendees must state they are in Mexico to attend a congress, convention or trade show in their immigration documents upon entering the country.

For over half a century, cliff divers have climbed the cliffs at La Quebrada, one of the best-known attractions in Acapulco. Each times his dive in order to strike the water at the moment when the surf is deep enough. Crowds gather several times throughout the day to watch the dives from vantage points on the cliffs as well as from boats.

Cozumel’s development as an international destination began when diver and documentary film producer Jacques Cousteau introduced the world to this island’s clear waters.  He produced a film on the “Cave of the Sleeping Sharks,” a formation where sharks, which usually must continue swimming to force oxygen-bearing water past their gills, come to rest. Today Cozumel remains a top diving destination due to the Palancar Reef that extends southward to Belize.

Special Venue

The Riviera Maya’s Xcaret recently completed a new wine cellar available for small group functions. Vino de México, a $1 million facility, is designed to share the history of Mexican wine and is the only wine cellar in the world that stocks Mexican wines exclusively. The Sommelier’s office, stocked with the most exclusive vintages, is available for groups of 10 while the tasting room can accommodate groups of 25 persons. A third room is filled with exhibits on winemaking. Xcaret also recently opened the first phase of Hacienda Henequenera, styled like a authentic henequen plantation, that will be able to accommodate groups of up to 1,000 attendees when completed in December 2010. Other facilities at Xcaret include a 6,000-person theater. 52 (998) 883-0470; www.xcaretgrupos.com/home_en.html

Looking for a way to bring the meeting to the masses? Or to bring a headline speaker to the meeting? Distance learning may just be the answer. Through traditional technologies such as videocassette, CD-Rom, audiotape, videoconferencing, and audioconferencing, as well as state of the art technologies such as Internet-based programming, you can choose the best way to deliver information to your group.

But wait a minute! Won’t these technologies make meetings obsolete? Why travel to a central meeting when the virtual view is just a mouse click or a remote control click away?

“You’ll never replace face to face meetings,” explains Tom Maguire, CMP, Director, EventCom Technologies by Marriott (888.833.3572). Marriott’s newly launched EventCom Technologies offers meeting planners the ability to plan a meeting with satellite sessions in cities throughout the world, all connected to the central location via satellite broadcast or other technology. Marriott provides the meeting planner with a single bill for rooms, catering, and technology. “We are currently the only lodging company with a department devoted to interactive technologies for meeting planners.”

Other experts in the field agree. “It’s a myth that distance learning can replace meetings,” explains Eric Porterfield, president of the Distance Learning Network (800.326.9166). “The reality is you wouldn’t just have a virtual meeting. You need a real event to make the virtual meeting affordable.” DC-based Porterfield, an industry expert, believes distance learning can increase meeting attendance in the long run. “You are introducing the larger market to what they’re missing. It’s almost a teaser or a trailer. They’re not getting the full event. Most people don’t go just for the education — they go for the social aspect. The virtual meeting is almost a sampler. You create a window into the experience which is the live event. When done, people say, ‘That’s exciting and I want to be a part of it next year.’”

Distance learning offers meeting planners yet another option in their event toolbox. “People have to reach large audiences in various places and these technologies are another way for them to do so,” explains Maguire, who sees several scenarios that make distance learning a viable option for meeting planners. “We see satellite as being able to enhance meetings by being able to get a concise message to a group that may not be able to attend. Another use is when a meeting cannot get a keynote speaker. We have the ability to bring in people who couldn’t otherwise attend. If your keynote speaker is in Hong Kong and can’t make it to your Atlanta meeting, don’t think that you need to look for another speaker.”

A third attractive feature of distance learning is timeliness. “It’s very timely: if a drug is approved and you need to get the entire sales force up to speed, you can easily do that with satellite technology,” points out Maguire.

Many groups use distance learning for classroom training. “Meeting planners can save these courses and make them available for their clients to use later on demand,” says Jennifer Lund, spokesperson for VirtuaLINC (877.876.5462, www.virtualinc.com), a leading provider of high speed Internet, videoconferencing and data services for the hospitality and corporate marketplace. “Distance
learning can enhance a company culture across locations and reduce the time and expense of traveling. Overall, distance learning and meetings provide a more efficient solution.”

Similarly, the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) recently debuted its E-learning Center, providing members the opportunity to experience live, interactive presentations over the Internet. Each session incorporates a presenter, a PowerPoint or software presentation, polling, and the ability to interact with the instructor and other participants. “Our goal is to empower travel professionals to work more efficiently and productively with each other as well as with their customers through enhancing their own skills without sacrificing their time,” says ICTA president, Jack E. Mannix, CTC.

Distance learning can be achieved through a variety of media. Let’s take a look at your choices:

*Satellite Conferencing

Video conferencing, with satellite broadcasting whereby attendees can view a speaker but the speaker cannot see or hear the audience, is one of the most popular options for distance learning. “Satellite broadcasting is a one way transmission, much like watching a TV. The benefit is real time transmission,” says Marriott’s Maguire.

*ISDN Videoconferencing

Need more interactivity? Look to ISDN videoconferencing, with transmission via ISDN telephone lines. Attendees watch and listen to the speaker then ask questions in real time. “The benefit is that both parties can see and hear each other for interactivity,” says Maguire.

*Web Broadcasting

With web broadcasting, you’ve got two options: synchronous (streaming) and asynchronous (on-demand) access. “Web streaming simultaneously over the Internet is especially useful for remote locations,” notes Maguire. “Collaborative web-based conferences allow large groups to view at their laptops while listening to the event and they’re also able to give feedback over their computers.”

Asynchronous or on-demand access is ideal for situations where live access isn’t necessary. Perhaps you’d like members to be able to view tapes of the broadcast a week, a month or even a year later. “One of the beauties of web streaming is the ability to archive for later viewing,” says Maguire. “It’s available on the Internet as a password protected site. The level of interactivity can continue after the event through question and answer boxes which allow viewers to give input on a presentation.” Another benefit of the password-protected site is that it provides a record of all access to the site so you’ll know how often the material was viewed by members (and by which members).

Web broadcasting doesn’t just mean video streaming; audio broadcasting requires lower bandwidth.

*Multimedia

Traditional multimedia can also be used to capture a presentation and offer it for viewing at a later date. “Distance learning is a growing industry but growing in more traditional areas of broadcast, CD-Roms developed from the conference, videotapes, and audiotapes,” says Distance Learning Network’s Porterfield. “We are seeing more combination use with the old and new technologies than with a standalone technology. We are coming back to the tried and true technologies because they work. People are passive learners in a meeting. That’s what some of the old technologies do. Those older technologies succeed because they fit the paradigm of passive learning.”

CD-Roms, videotapes, and audiotapes have the benefit of easy use but have the disadvantage of check-in, check-out responsibilities as compared to on-demand web broadcasting. Even so, the cost is lower than newer technologies and for many companies these options remain important. “Audio is huge. You can access it from anywhere. We’re seeing more on-demand audiocassettes. We’re also seeing TeleTopics where viewers request video and engage online,” says Porterfield.

So where do you start? First, by realizing that you do not need to select a single technology — or any technology at all. “Sometimes people embrace technology for technology’s sake,” says the Distance Learning Network’s Porterfield. “We tend to talk more people out of using distance learning than using distance learning. You need to engage with a company who can provide direction in which technology should be used. In many cases, you shouldn’t be using the technology at all.”

If you do opt for distance meeting, get some basic knowledge. “Meeting planners need to know they don’t have to be an expert in satellite transmission or ISDN. They just need an understanding of the technologies available,” says Marriott’s Maguire. “Meeting planners are intimidated by the technology because they’re not familiar with it. Meeting planners should shop around to get educated on products then study and attend technological events. They have to use the resources.”

Once you’ve acquired a layman’s knowledge of what’s available, experts emphasize that it’s important to seek professional advice. However, not just any professional advice will do. “You’re not looking for a vendor but a partner,” advises Porterfield. “Meeting planners need to find a multifaceted company that doesn’t just offer one technology or you get a pitch for that one technology.”

Experts agree that seeking a vendor who offers more than one technology is critical. “A satellite company would steer the meeting planner to a satellite broadcast. We’re not aligned to one technology,” says Marriott’s Maguire. “We talk through the content and the message they are transmitting then we talk about the best technology. They’re not locked into one technology. For a small audience they might stream to individuals then do an audio conferencing for the most remote members of the group.”

Distance Learning Network’s Porterfield also advises meeting planners not to be lured by the Internet unless it fulfills a specific need. “The Internet is a sex appeal technology and it hasn’t matured into a profitable industry yet. The good news is you don’t have to go into an expensive exploration of the Internet. The Internet is probably the least used [of the distance learning mediums]. I’m not against it; we do it all. But when I advise a client, I look at the purpose in mind.”

Porterfield also advises planners to poll their market about the possible use of distance learning, but then to take those results as guidelines, not as gospel. “It’s a very difficult market to figure out. There are standard accessing tools such as surveys: ‘Would you like to see more online programming?’ Actually planners should ask attendees if they would like to see more online programming and, if so, would they use it? There’s a disconnect between reality of accessing and use of the media.”

Marriott’s Tom Maguire sums it up. “Most importantly, meeting planners have got to think out of the box. Things that were once not available, now are.”

SIDEBAR

HIGH-TECH VENUES

The various media options — both online and offline — are now offered by a growing number of venues, from conference hotels to convention centers to university facilities. Existing hotels are jumping on the high-tech bandwagon and undergoing major renovations. The Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa in the Walt Disney World® Resort recently completed a $12 million renovation to assist in high-tech meetings. According to Greg Hauenstein, general manager of the Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa. “Meeting planners will certainly appreciate the resort’s technology additions which will efficiently enable them to produce appealing high-tech presentations.” A broadband fiber optic network has been added to the rooms and will ultimately be connected to all meeting and function spaces in the hotel so attendees can watch presentations from their rooms.

Similarly, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel offer extensive high-tech facilities, attracting Lotus Development Corporation’s 5,000-attendee meeting. During the conference, the hotel provided Lotus with video conferencing with 56 switch circuits and ISDN.

Omni Hotels have recently added high-speed Internet access, provided by VirtuaLINC Corporation and CAIS Internet, both in guest rooms and meeting spaces. Video conferencing was added to meeting rooms to offer video multicast, point-to-point video, multipoint video and Internet videostreaming. Similarly, Hyatt Regency Dallas just completed a $72 million renovation, now offering full video broadcast capabilities, in-house video channels, and more.

Distance learning facilities are also available at a growing number of convention centers across the south. The Arlington Convention Center’s Grand Hall recently hosted the Fourth Annual Worldwide Lessons in Leadership Series Teleconference, in conjunction with the University of Texas at Arlington’s Division of Continuing Education. This teleconference was broadcast live from the Arlington Convention Center to 215 cities across the United States and 38 countries. The signal was downlinked into numerous headquarters around the United States, South America and Europe.

Association planners might worry about the possibility of hurricanes during a September meeting in the islands but last year the Society of American Travel Writers faced not only a storm but disruptions caused by September 11th. “The amazing job the Bermudians did was incredible,” notes Michigan-based Cynthia Boal Janssens, past president of the association who served as program chair. “We had a very elaborate convention planned and then had to change everything because of the weather. We moved a dine around with one day’s notice.”

Although the hurricane caused rescheduling of most evening events, day activities went on as scheduled with both seminars and tours for delegates. “Bermuda really is well suited to a convention because attendees can stay in a compact area but have so much to do. There’s great golf, good beaches, and the buses and ferry system provide safe transportation.” The Fairmont Southampton Princess served as the conference hotel, and the 450 attendees stayed at the property as well as several others on the island.

“People who hadn’t been to Bermuda before are always surprised how upscale it is and how much British influence there is on the island,” says Janssens.

Weather –good weather — was also a factor in the planning of the February meeting of the Pennsylvania Veterinarian Medical Association. The group has enjoyed many Caribbean destinations for its February conference; St. Thomas was selected for the 2002 convention. The group met at the Renaissance Grand Beach Resort for five days of lectures. Ted Robinson of the Unique Seminar Vacations for the Veterinary Medical Profession division of Frost and Robinson selected St. Thomas following an extensive site inspection and planned the meeting for 90 veterinarians. Although this was a working meeting, Robinson built free time into the middle of the day so attendees could enjoy the island’s attractions. “People went touring, shopping, fishing, golfing, snorkeling, and took trips over to nearby St. John,” said the Richboro, Pennsylvania-based planner. “It’s an expensive island. That’s the only drawback.” One factor that attracted the group to St. Thomas was the ability to deduct the meeting as if it were held on the mainland.

The sand and surf which are an added bonus for many Caribbean meetings were the chief draw for the DAN Festival, an annual event of the Divers Alert Network (DAN), the world’s largest association of recreational divers. The conference, planned by executive vice president Dan Orr, was held at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa in September 2000 and is scheduled again for the same property in September 2001. The Durham, North Carolina-based group hosts the annual conference to promote safe recreational diving.

Along with the excellent dive conditions off the island of Providenciales, another factor in selection of the venue was its all-inclusive offerings. “The diving and the all inclusive package were very attractive. With the all inclusive package, it makes your decisions very easy: just have a good time,” says Orr. Along with diving, attendees had the opportunity to meet with industry experts and underwater photographers. Participants could take part in an underwater photo contest and enjoy a film festival in the evening hours. Many groups looking to really get away from it all are turning to smaller islands, once more difficult to reach. The Carbonated Beverage Institute, an association of independent Coca-Cola bottlers, met at Carenage Bay on Canouan, an island in the Grenadines. American Airlines recently instituted service to this island, making access far easier than in previous years.

The January meeting of the group of 30 participants, some with family members, was planned by Jacqueline Hoyt, president of Hoyt and Associates in Woodstock, Vermont. For the past 50 years, the private organization has met twice a year, and Hoyt’s challenge was to find a location that lived up to group expectations. “The group is very particular, but they loved this. The location is great.”

Along with enjoying golf at the resort, participants took part in several watersports activities. “The group did a sunset cruise and a one-day catamaran sail to Tobago Cays,” says Hoyt. “Both were wonderful.”

The weather also received rave reviews. “In January, everyone’s cold and wants to get away.” With the combination of excellent weather, a luxurious venue, and free time activities, Hoyt notes that the group gave the destination the true vote of approval. “They want to go back again.”

ADDITIONAL HOTEL NEWS

British Virgin Islands

Renovated*Peter Island is undergoing a $3.2 million renovation. The project includes a redo of each of the 20 beachfront rooms with new layout, decor, furniture, and fixtures. The project is scheduled for competion in mid-November.

Cayman Islands

Expanded*This fall, the Westin Casuarina Resort will open the $3 million Hibiscus Spa. The 7,000-square-foot, European-style spa will include 12 treatment rooms, men’s and ladies’ steam rooms and whirlpools, seaside massage cabanas, manicure, pedicure, and facial treatment areas, and more.

Puerto Rico

Renovated *The Wyndham El Conquistador Resort and Country Club will be underoing $20 million in improvements over the next five years. The project includes additional casitas at Las Casitas Village, nine additional holes for the championship golf course, and a new infinity pool. Over $500,000 will be spent upgrading the Arthur Hills-designed golf course with renovations completed in Fall 2001. The 918 guest rooms have undergone a $1 million upgrade of soft goods as well as two-line cordless telephones.

USVI

Expanded*The 300-room, all-inclusive Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Club and Resort in St. Thomas is constructing a $1 million, 10,000-square-foot spa. Scheduled for completion in December 2001, the facility will include treatment rooms and a fitness center as well as a full-service beauty salon. The addition of the spa is the final phase of a $7.5 million renovation.

When George Meeker looked for a site for his group of 75 attendees to take Harvard continuing medical education courses, he turned to Bermuda for several reasons. “The main reason is the proximity to the East Coast and the fact that it is simple for Canadians to get in and out,” explained the New Hampshire-based meeting executive of Meeker Marketing Services. “I also had attendees from the English radiological society, and there are flights five days a week to Bermuda from the UK. It worked out rather well.”

Bermuda, explained Meeker, “fits a lot of people. You can take a bus right down into Hamilton and shop. Golf is great.”

For the May 2000 meeting at the Sonesta Bermuda, the group met for four days in morning class sessions, with afternoons free to enjoy the island.

“Bermuda really has a lot to offer,” says Meeker. “Within 1-1/2 to 2 hours, you are in a different world. There’s no crime, and it’s a beautiful place. What’s not to like about Bermuda?”

Convenience also played an important part in selection of the Bahamas as a meeting destination for David Maloney, executive director of the American Association of Oriental Medicine. Maloney’s group of 70 attendees were based at the Sheraton Grand Paradise Island for their medical education classes which allowed for some free time. “Most people enjoyed the Bahamas very much. We went out snorkeling and that was fun.”

Maloney’s group met in March 2000, and they soon learned that Nassau was a popular spring break destination. Although the event didn’t cause any problems with the hotel or activities, dining was difficult around the island. “Because of spring break, it was tough to get into some restaurants,” recalled the Pennsylvania-based meeting executive.

Location, location, location.

The common real estate axiom is no truer than when applied to airport hotels. This network of properties across North America, some located within airport terminals themselves and some within just a few miles of the facilities, offer meeting planners first-class convenience, business class technology, and, in many cases, coach class prices.

INCREASING AMENITIES

“I have used airport hotels numerous times,” notes Gary J. Rosenberg, CMP of Rosenberg and Risinger. The Culver City, Calif.-based meeting executive says, “Just because a hotel is near the airport does not mean one has to give up any of the amenities one usually expects from a hotel. Food is just as good as any other property. Service is equal and sometimes better because they have to try harder to overcome the stigma of meeting at an airport hotel.”

Amenities at airport hotels across the country are expanding to meet growing needs, whether those be for technological, food and beverage, or comfort demands. At the Miami International Airport Hotel (305.871.4100, www.miahotel.com), located within the airport terminal itself, attendees can leave conferences on the seventh floor to enjoy a running track, sauna, a rooftop heated swimming pool and racquetball courts. The Hyatt Regency DFW (800.233.1234, www.hyatt.com) offers resort-like amenities including tennis, 36-hole golf course as well as a team building course. Nearby, the 365-room Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center (817.481.8444, www.hilton.com), located 10 minutes from the DFW International Airport. The property, located on 40 acres by a private lake, includes indoor and outdoor swimming, tennis, racquetball, private trails, fishing, and nearby golf.

One of the most unique amenities offered by an airport hotel is found at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport (800.866.5577, www.fairmont.com), the first hotel in North America to offer an entire floor of hypoallergenic guestrooms. All rooms on the hotel’s 11th floor, 42 rooms in total, have been converted to hypoallergenic or low allergen content. ”

The airport has also opened what is called North America’s first on-site airport hotel spa. “By providing services and amenities that travelers do not expect to find at an airport hotel, we will undoubtedly change their perception about airport accommodation and exceed their expectations,” says Francis Parkinson, General Manager for The Fairmont Vancouver Airport. The spa offers fitness facilities as well as a variety of treatment options to relieve tired travelers including massage therapy, aromatherpy, and a line of treatments and products geared to conquering jet lag. The hotel was also the first in North America to introduce satellite lobbies in airport arrival halls.

The hotel also features an extensive art collection, a feature also seen at the new Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport (800.223.1234, 724.899.1234, www.hyatt.com). The new property features over 60 pieces of art work on a theme of travel, flight, and movement. The art collection is just one hotel feature that aims to differentiate the property from the old stereotype of airport hotels. “Being a brand new hotel, one of the biggest benefits is the boutique style of the hotel. It’s very unique and very eclectic,” says Patrick Sorge, Director of Sales. “We’re dispelling the myth that airport hotels are a box where you stay, meet, then fly out.”

Sorge also notes a rising demand for high tech capacities at airport hotels. “We offer Cyber Cafés with portable cables to hook laptops,” explains Sorge. Cyber Café is a group of high boy-style tables that can be set up at 24 locations throughout the hotel such as in the hallways outside meeting rooms. The facilities offer DSL access. “We can also provide a laptop. Planners can reserve these cafes for their group members so on a break attendees can plug in and check email.”

GOOD VALUE

For many planners, value constitutes a prime asset of the airport hotel. “The Hilton LAX has wonderful meeting space at a reasonable price,” says Gary J. Rosenberg, CMP. “One gets true value for their dollar. It is convenient for those flying into the meeting because of its close proximity and of course the fact that there is a free airport shuttle makes it attractive to groups’ attendees who are on a budget.”

Numerous LAX-area hotels are now in their second year of the Pacific Coast Hotels marketing partnership, designed to increase the exposure and awareness of the premium hotel properties located near the Los Angeles. According to Don Boyd, director of sales and marketing for the Sheraton Gateway Hotel and chairman of the Pacific Coast Hotels, Sales and Marketing Committee, the partnership has made it easy for meeting planners to provide their clients with a unique destination that provides cost-effectiveness, accessibility, entertainment and a variety of meetings and conference space. “Access is everything. It’s easy to fly to LAX from anywhere; flights are frequent and usually discounted,” said Boyd. “Once you’re here, our hotels are at the hub of Los Angeles.”

That location convenience also translates to savings. According to Cory Abke, director, Pacific Coast Hotels (PCH) sales for the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, “some of the finest hotels in Los Angeles are located within minutes of the airport, featuring excellent restaurants, all at attractive prices. It’s a very appealing package.”

Savings is seen in several aspects. “There’s the time and cost savings as well in terms of transportation,” says Sorge of the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport. ” We are directly connected to the airport so most attendees don’t have to factor in travel time to the airport. Also, a lot of our guests just rent a car for one day rather than renting a car for their entire stay.”

CONVENIENCES AND FACILITIES

As more hotels are built longer distances from the major metropolitan areas, airport hotels have become an important option for the planner looking to emphasize the ease of access. Attendees can be swept from the flight to the hotel by the hotel shuttle service (and sometimes, by a simple walk). That transportation ease isn’t just easier on the meeting pocketbook; it’s also welcome by those who have just endured a lengthy flight.

“On the other hand, there is not much to do within walking distance and some people have an erroneous perception that the area might not be as safe as a downtown hotel, for example,” says Rosenberg. “To compensate for the lack of nearby activities, many airport hotels have a shuttle service to nearby shopping and entertainment centers.”

At on-site airport hotels, the convenience is even more apparent. Says the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport’s director of sales, “The direct connection [of the hotel to the airport] is wonderful because it also connects the visitor to a lot of conveniences such as shops and inexpensive dining.”

When it’s time to get down to business, airport hotels can deliver extensive facilities. Recently the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center reopened following an extensive renovation and expansion project with 26 conference rooms and nearly 40,000 square feet of meeting space. The property is Seattle’s only accredited member of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). Facilities include the 11,000 square-foot Emerald Ballroom, which holds up to 1,200 people in a reception setting.

CHANGING TRENDS

Following the September 11th attacks, heightened security measures meant an end to one former convenience offered by many airport hotels: off-site check-in. All passengers are now required to check in with their luggage at the airport.

Even before these changes, however, airport hotels didn’t meet the needs of every meeting group. Some groups demand more nearby nightlife options; others seek more of a resort atmosphere than that found at many airport properties.

And day meetings, once a popular options, are not always seen as economical at some airport properties. “The problem with these locations is that prices have increased and if you have a short term meeting you have difficulty finding space,” says P. Denise Klos, CMP. The president of Belle Mead, New Jersey-based Events Direct notes “this becomes doubly difficult if they really want heads in beds and yours is just a day long meeting.”

The selection of an airport hotel for a future meeting is an option that depends on numerous factors. With the right combination of location, amenities, and meeting purpose, however, you may find that airport hotels may be the ticket for success.

HOTEL HAPPENINGS:

•The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel has added high-speed Internet access to each of its 392 guestrooms. The hotel also provides state of the art technology in its 14 meeting rooms including plasma screens, LCD projectors and videoconferencing capabilities. Call 800.866.5577 or see www.fairmont.com.

•Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center has completed a $56 million expansion and renovation. The 15-month project included a complete refurbishment as well as the addition of new guest rooms. Today the hotel offers 396 guest rooms along with a conference center with 26 conference rooms. The nearly 40,000 square feet of meeting space includes high-speed Internet access, and videoconferencing capabilities. Call 800.HILTONS or www.hilton.com.

•The 115-room Hilton Garden Inn Daytona Beach Airport and the 111-room Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville Airport have opened in Florida. Each property features two meeting rooms, a 24-hour complimentary business center, and high speed Internet access in guest rooms. Call 800.HILTONS or see www.hilton.com.

•The 1234-room Hilton Los Angeles Airport has added a new executive boardroom, completely renovated its chairman boardroom, and added a new meeting room. The second floor of the hotel is presently being redesigned and upgraded for meetings; the project will include the addition of a new ballroom and a marble staircase to the gardens available for outdoor functions. In 2002, a complete renovation of all guest rooms is scheduled. Call 310.410.4000 or see www.hilton.com.

•The 1010-room Los Angeles Airport Marriott is renovating the ballroom, guest rooms, and public areas. Call 310.337.8075.

•Acapulco’s Fairmont Acapulco Princess is adding a US$3 million full-service spa. The adjacent Fairmont Pierre Marques is undergoing a complete transformation, including guest rooms, public areas and meeting spaces. The US$7 million renovation will be completed in December. The ballroom will provide updated function space for up to 450 attendees. Call 800.441.1414 or see www.fairmont.com .

•The 804-room Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Airport has added 49 new suites. Call 310.642.1111 or see www.sheraton.com.

•The 263-room Hilton Austin Airport has opened. Located in the what was once the officers’ headquarters of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base, the building has been transformed to include over 20,000 square feet of meeting space with 18 meeting rooms. The hotel also offers a 24-hour business center and guest rooms with high-speed Internet access. Call 800.HILTONS or see www.hilton.com.

•Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport opened a year ago with 18,600 square feet of meeting and banquet space including 16 meeting rooms. The 331-room hotel also includes a health club with indoor pool. Call 800.223.1234 or see www.hyatt.com.

•The 199-room Austin Airport Marriott South has opened in Austin, Texas. The property offers 8,876 square feet of meeting space including a 5,280-square-foot ballroom and nine breakout rooms. The hotel also offers a business center. Call 800.228.9290 or see www.marriott.com.

•The 103-room Courtyard by Marriott has opened in West Palm Beach, Fla. The property includes two meeting rooms with 1,150 total square feet of meeting space for up to 75 attendees. Call 800.321.2211 or see www.courtyard.com.

by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

Remember those timeshare deals of the 70s and 80s? Free television sets just to drop by and talk with a salesperson? Free trips in return for endless property tours?

Well, times have changed. Today timeshares have gained not just respectability, but a considerable share of the hospitality market as well. You’ll find timeshares — from luxurious beachfront properties to cozy mountainside retreats — throughout the West, some offering  meeting space, convention services staffs, and hotel amenities.

Now a $3.5 billion industry in the US alone, the timeshare industry has grown at a rate of 10% annually for the past decade. The result? More and more timeshares that planners can utilize for all types of meeting functions, from small corporate retreats to large meetings to energetic incentives. “There are timesharing resorts in not less than 40 US states, four Canadian Provinces, and nearly 90 countries around the world,” notes industry expert Rod Hackman, president of  The Timeshare Beat (www.thetimesharebeat.com)

More and more members of the corporate world are becoming interested in the timeshare industry, according to industry experts. Chip Ballew of TimeShareBuddies.com notes that the interest of corporate America in timeshares for meetings and incentives has risen “most definitely, as plush lodging accommodations are available, as well as meeting facilities at most resorts. Weekend getaways, or week, for that matter, are certainly attractive incentives to employees.”

BRANDED PROPERTIES

One factor that has added to the respectability of timeshares is their acceptance by the top names of the hotel world. These timeshare or vacation ownership properties increasingly sport names like Ritz-Carlton, Radisson, Marriott, and Four Seasons.

While these timeshares as part of a branded luxury property are gaining more and more attention, it’s not a new move in the timeshare industry. “This is not a recent trend and in fact  ‘branded’ hospitality corporations have been around this industry [in the US market] beginning with  Westin hotels as early as 1983,” explains     Hackman. “Westin Hotels introduced their first property in  the State of Hawaii, the Ilikai Hotel and Resort (Harbor Tower) on the  island of Oahu during the fall of 1983. Although the project was selling,  Westin decided to sell that specific building to a group of investors within the first year of operation and thus ended their first entry into this industry. Today of course, Westin has a significant presence in our industry. Over the last ten years the major brands have been entering the industry at a rather rapid pace (by corporate America standards) and in Europe branded companies such as  Hapimag have been involved in the industry since the 1960s.”

CONTINUED GROWTH

Meeting planners will see numerous new timeshare properties on the horizon throughout the West. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has plans to open two new  Western timeshare properties. The new  210-room Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale, Arizona includes a 126-unit vacation ownership development.

“Four Seasons Resort Club Scottsdale at Troon North unites the rich design of the Southwest with Four Seasons luxury and service excellence. Our goal is to provide Four Seasons Resort Club owners with a private desert vacation home blended with the luxury and amenities of a five-star hotel,” explains Duffy Keys, senior vice president, Four Seasons Vacation Ownership. The Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, located north of Puerto Vallarta, will have a 96-unit timeshare division along with 100 guest rooms. This property will have 3,700 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center and spa, and access to an adjacent Jack Nicklaus-designed, 18-hole golf course managed by Four Seasons.

A new vacation ownership brand called Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club  specializing in the moderate tier of the timeshare market has also been started by Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI). “Our goal is to revolutionize the industry with a brand of resorts to deliver great on-site fun, flexibility, quality, and affordability,” explained Stephen P. Weisz, president, Marriott Vacation Club International.  Currently Marriott Vacation Club International is the world’s largest vacation ownership company with 38 resorts.

This increase in the construction of timeshares at branded hotels is one that Hackman believes will continue, thanks to the earnings potential. “The industry is not just a profit center originating from the sale to a consumer, but  timeshare resorts also have a much higher occupancy ratio compared to standard  hotel properties/accommodations,” notes the timeshare expert. “This allows the hotel/resort operator to both  project and control current and future operating costs, increase revenues from  added value services as well as guarantee a maintenance fund that protects the quality of the resort property.”

LUXURIOUS FACILITIES

More and more timeshares are now targeting the luxury market. Royal Resorts (888-373-5959, www.royalresorts.com), with five timeshare resorts in Cancun, recently opened Royal Sands, which offers guests everything from on-site gourmet restaurants to a travel counselor to book day tours to watersports. “Whether it’s tennis, sailing from a private marina or lounging on a beach or poolside, our quest is to offer unequaled amenities to our members and guests,” explains Richard Sutton, Royal Resorts general director. The timeshares recently signed a five-year contract with Pok-ta-Pok golf course to give guests unlimited greens fees for a membership fee at the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed course. “Member satisfaction is the key to our success, and this golf package is just one more unique benefit we are able to offer,” said Sutton.              Sutton notes that one difference in Royal Resorts’ timeshares and others is that it is a full-service resort. “We are a full property, A to Z.  In the industry, I don’t know of many others that do this. Most build the timeshare next to a hotel and the facilities are at the hotel.”

Use of the timeshares by corporations has been two-fold. Some small groups use the resort for intimate meetings, often using villas for catering and meetings. “Many also purchase these as incentives for their employees,” says Sutton.

TIMESHARE OR HOTEL?

Sometimes the line between timeshare and hotel is all but invisible to attendees, as is the case with Park City, Utah’s Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Conference Center at The Canyons (www.thecanyons.com). With 15,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space in the hotel’s central area as well as 510 guest rooms, full service health club, fine dining, and other facilities, meeting participants might think this 510-room property was a luxury hotel.

“Grand Summit is a unique brand–when you arrive it is very much a traditional hotel with bellmen, a concierge, and other hotel services,” explains Dave Stevenson, vice president of sales. “The rooms look very much like condominiums. You get the best of both worlds–a full service hotel and a kitchen, a sitting area, and a fireplace. We have a lot of groups come in. Often the CEO or VP comes in and wants a private meeting for the senior managers. We have central suites they can use for a small meeting then go back to the general conference center and rejoin the main group. It’s very casual and comfortable.”

This July, Utah’s Grand Summit will have a new cousin in Colorado. Also operated by American Skiing Company, Steamboat Grand (877-269-2628, www.steamboatgrand.com) will offer groups a $100 million facility with 327 guest rooms, 29,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and function space including a 250-seat amphitheater for outdoor events, and amenities like a valet who greets guests and takes ski equipment straight to the ski room.             “We’re building these hotels to serve many different markets,” notes Stevenson. “Conference space can drive spring, summer and fall when the mountain is closed.”

And, although the hotel may be a timeshare, meeting planners find that their share of the work is the same as at a hotel. “There is no difference for a meeting planner to work with us,” explains Stevenson. “We have a conference team that functions like a hotel but with more flexibility in room types and room accommodations.”

USING TIMESHARE PROPERTIES

So how does the timeshare fit into the meetings equation? Just like any other hotel, according to most.

Some corporations have purchased timeshares as an incentive to offer  their employees. Chip Ballew says, “There are tax benefits to ownership.  Someone who understands how timeshare works can purchase one week, yet have virtually unlimited time available through bonus weeks.  This is mid to off-season time at resorts.  Weekends can be very reasonable…as low as $99 and entire weeks can be found for as little as $199.  This bonus time can be purchased and given to employees.”

Properties are also seeing companies purchasing timeshares for employee incentives. The Canyon’s Stevenson says, “We saw a lot of small businesses purchasing a unit to use one week out of the year for corporate retreats.”

Nevertheless, meetings remain a primary corporate use for these vacation ownership properties. “Due to the complexity of the  various corporate structures, I feel that the major appeal for a  corporation would be more along the lines of an ‘executive retreat’ for  specific officers and other VIP’s of the corporation including corporate  clients,” says Hackman.

With its soaring Rocky Mountains, miles of rugged coastline, and untamed wilderness, Western Canada boasts some of North America’s most breathtaking scenery as well as picturesque cities. British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon offer a full menu of activities, no matter what your group’s interests.

Gold once lured travelers to this western portion of Canada but today the treasure for groups lies in the opportunities to experience Western Canada in a wealth of ways. Clients can hike mountain trails or stroll beautiful gardens. Adventurous travelers can experience helihiking to explore the most remote reaches of the region or try helisightseeing for a visual adventure. Jet boating, kayaking, and fishing attract summer visitors while winter travelers enjoy dogsledding, ice fishing, and wildlife viewing.

“British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon are really gearing up for the new traveler. They are challenging tour operators to provide a product to inspire and enrich travelers to discover people and the land around them,” explains Cathryn Holler, VP Marketing for Vancouver-based SNV International, one of Canada’s largest receptive tour operators.

(b)Vancouver: Home Base(b)

For many groups, the perfect base for discovering the cultural bounty of western Canada is Vancouver. Boasting a temperate climate, the waterfront city is filled with greenery in Stanley Park and Queen Elizabeth Park, with its towering evergreens and Bloedel Conservatory. Travelers can shop for fine art at Granville Island, enjoy a panoramic view of the city with a skyride up Grouse Mountain, or learn more about the marine life of this region at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre. This sophisticated city is also infused with an international air, thanks partly to the strong business ties with the Pacific Rim.

That international flavor is seen at the city’s expansive Chinatown as well as at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the first classical Chinese garden created outside China. Visitors can “see the craftsmanship and ancient traditions, hear the peace and quiet within this urban oasis, touch the hand carved woods, extraordinary rocks and horticulture delights as well as being immersed in another time and place,” explains spokesperson Erika Korstrom. Regularly scheduled tours by local residents offer groups the opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture. Soon a $1.5 million expansion will offer groups an education center, meeting room, a seven-story pagoda, and a Penjing Greenhouse for the garden’s rare and antique Penjing collections.

(b)Victoria and Vancouver Island(b)

How about a quick trip to jolly old England? Watch a game of cricket. Dine on fish and chips. Shop for tartans. Sip tea and nibble on scones.
Groups can have a peek at Great Britain without ever leaving the continent thanks to Victoria, British Columbia, known as Canada’s most British city. Just a ferry ride away from Seattle or Vancouver, Victoria is a British vacation with a bonus: an average of 2,183 hours of sunshine a year, making this Canada’s sunniest city.

Victoria lies at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Georgia. The city began in 1842 as a trading post for the Hudson Bay Company. With the Fraser Gold Rush, the post boomed in 1858 and four years later Victoria was incorporated, making it one of the oldest cities on the west coast.

Those early colonists may have been located in the middle of the rugged Pacific Northwest, but they weren’t about to abandon their British traditions. They filled their homes with fine china and linens and their lawns with beautiful gardens that thrived in the congenial climate. Even today, Victoria is distinctly British, from its Parliament Building watched over by a statue of Queen Victoria to its double decker tour buses to its shops selling the finest merchandise from the British Isles. Groups can board those buses or horse-drawn carriages for a look at Chinatown and its Fan Tan Alley (the narrowest street in North America).

Downtown stands one of Canada’s finest museums, the Royal British Columbia Museum, a compendium of exhibits including everything from natural history to totem poles to a reconstruction of Captain Vancouver’s ship, the H.M.S. Discovery. “Our new 20th Century Hall is a decade-by-decade reconstruction of British Columbia’s history over the past 100 years and includes hands-on computer stations that will take you back through voluminous historical records,” notes the museum’s spokesperson John Matters.

Garden lovers shouldn’t miss the city’s Butchart Gardens, often cited as one of the world’s finest. These formal gardens began in 1904 as a one-woman effort but today the sprawling attraction includes a rose garden, Italian garden, Japanese garden, sunken garden, elaborate fountains, and greenhouse displays.
Outside the city, groups find a myriad of outdoor adventures on Vancouver Island, including sea kayaking, whale watching, salmon fishing, scuba diving, sailing, and more in the Gulf Islands.

(b)Beyond the City Lights(b)

Beyond the major communities of Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia reveals an array of recreational opportunities. “The trend is to more experiential travel, and British Columbia is exceptional for providing that type of product. This region is a staging point for discovery, not just of the countryside but of culture and cuisine as well,” says Vancouver-based Cathryn Holler.

Just 10 minutes outside Vancouver stands the 230-foot-high Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park. Although much of the park’s attraction is its natural beauty, groups also find that the park teaches visitors about the rich history and culture of this region. “The park’s focus for the 2001 season will be pioneer entertainment,” explains spokesperson Francine Shefley. “The park will be filled with tour guides playing instruments and entertaining guests with turn-of the century music and stories.” Another important part of the park is its emphasis on native culture; at the Big House Carving Center, First Nations carvers exhibit their skills and artwork.

Groups looking to venture further into British Columbia have the option of train travel, thanks to BC Rail, on a route that follows Howe Sound past coastal communities and seaside parks to the Coastal Mountains.

Beyond the city, the landscape turns rugged, with jagged mountain peaks and verdant valleys where wildlife outnumber human residents. An excellent spot for wildlife viewing is Hell’s Gate Airtram, where groups can watch salmon on their journey back to their homeland. “The salmon are unable to make it through here on their own so they use these International Fishways to make it through Hell’s Gate and on to their spawning grounds,” says spokesperson Debbie McKinney.

(b)Yukon (b)

Just the name “Yukon” stirs up pictures of rugged mountains, adventurous explorers, and gold rush fever. Today travelers can still try panning for gold or opt for whitewater river rafting, kayaking, or soaking in the Takhini Hot Springs. Wildlife enthusiasts have plenty of opportunities to spot some of the province’s many residents: Dall sheep, moose, Arctic swans, and black bears.
Although traditionally the Yukon was offered to groups as an extension of an Alaska trip, today tour operators are seeing the province as a destination in itself. “The Yukon is starting to stand on its own,” points out SNV International’s Holler. “We are seeing more infrastructure to meet the growing demand. Exploring the whole gold rush phenomena in itself becomes a nice seven-night, eight-day itinerary. There’s a cultural side there both with the Inuit and the gold rush aspects. Also it allows travelers to experience nature in secure groups.”

(b)Northwest Territories(b)

In the northernmost reaches of Canada, where the land mass breaks up as it approaches the Arctic, lie the Northwest Territories. This area, continuously carved by ice and water, recently underwent political change as well. In April 1999, the Northwest Territories was divided into two sections: the Northwest Territories on the western region and Nunavut, the Inuit lands on the eastern side.

The capital city of the Northwest Territories is Yellowknife, which can be reached by road from Alberta and British Columbia or by air from Calgary and Vancouver. From Yellowknife, however, most travel takes place in chartered planes. “Anytime you go in the Northwest Territories, the program is more on nature and not so much coach touring,” says Holler. “You must incorporate charter flights so moving the group is more challenging.”

The Northwest Territories attract summer vacationers in search of the Aurora Borealis, the hauntingly beautiful Northern Lights. Although traditionally most groups have visited between June and September (last year 48,000 visitors), nearly one in six visitors chooses to vacation here during the winter months. Winter visitors celebrate the season with dogsled races and carnivals, ice fishing, and snowmobiling across the tundra.

FAST FACTS

Festivals and Events

April
Beluga Jamboree, Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories
June
Summer Solstice, Inuvik
July
Festival of the Midnight Sun, Yellowknife
August
Gold Panning Championship, Taylor, BC
September
Whistler Jazz and Blues Festival, Whistler, BC

Facts and Figures

Vancouver’s Chinatown is North America’s second largest after San Francisco.
Captain Vancouver first charted the west coast in 1792.
Gold was discovered on the Fraser River in 1857.
British Columbia is four times the size of Great Britain.
First Nations residents make up 5% of British Columbia’s population.

Outdoor Adventures

River rafting draws new paddlers to the Adams River; thrillseekers head to the Stikine River, considered one of the world’s best whitewater rivers.
Nimpo Lake is nicknamed the “Floatplane Capital of British Columbia” and is a favorite for trout fishing.
Murtle Lake is tops for canoeing–the nearest neighbors are over 100 grizzly bears and numerous bald eagles.
The 200 Gulf Islands attract sea kayakers and their calm waters are perfect for beginners.

Natural Wonders

The tallest tree in Canada is found on Vancouver Island; the 311-foot tree is the tallest Sitka spruce in the world.
The largest octopus species in the world is found in the waters of the Georgia Strait.
Wood bison, the largest North American land mammal, are seen in two preserves in the Northwest Territories.
British Columbia’s Della Falls in Strathcona Provincial Park are nearly 10 times higher than Niagara Falls.

Top Attractions

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
Butchart Gardens
Royal British Columbia Museum
Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Hell’s Gate Airtram

Did You Know?

An estimated 700,000 barren-ground caribou call the Northwest Territories home.
During the days of the “midnight sun,” you’ll find 20 hours of daylight.
Writer Jack London came north for the Klondike gold rush and later used the experience for Call of the Wild and White Fang.

Web Sites

Tourism Rockies
www.bcrockies.com
Northern British Columbia Tourism Association
www.nbctourism.com
Vancouver, Coast and Mountain Tourism Region
www.coastandmountains.bc.ca
Northwest Territories
www.gov.nt.ca
Tourism Yukon
www.touryukon.com/tn
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
www.vanaqua.org

Who to Call

Tourism Association of Vancouver Island
250-754-3500
Northwest Territories Arctic Tourism
800-661-0788
Tourism Yukon
867-667-3053
Tourism British Columbia
800-HELLO-BC
BC Ferries
888-BCFERRY
BC Rail
800-663-8238
Northern British Columbia
800-663-8843

WEST TEXAS
by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

Offering Texas’s only mountain range, the country’s second largest canyon, and views that span uninterrupted to the horizon, West Texas is a favorite with groups looking for a getaway that combines convenience and a unique setting. This expansive region–including the cities of El Paso, Odessa, Midland, Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, and Wichita Falls as well as the region of Big Bend–is home to numerous ecotourism activities and outdoor venues.

Many of those venues take advantage of the traditional symbols of Texas, features that groups may have difficulty locating in the state’s larger communities. Groups can enjoy a chuckwagon breakfast, tour a museum dedicated to the petroleum industry, or watch the story of Texas unfold in an outdoor amphitheater whose walls were formed by nature. The venues have been a proven hit with groups. “Many people like to go back in time and experience the Wild West atmosphere or the Oil Boom days, ” says SuJo McKee, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Midland Convention and Visitors Bureau. “With our cultural and historic ties, we can create socials or receptions or even educational activities that focus on a certain time period or culture.”

EL PASO

The largest city in West Texas is El Paso, located in the far western tip of Texas. The El Paso-Juárez, Mexico metropolis holds the title as the world’s largest border area. Business as well as cultural ties bind the two cities tightly together and many groups, whether their event takes them into Mexico for a portion of their meeting or not, opt to spend an evening in Juárez.

Juárez is a quick trolley ride from the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, which underwent a $23 million renovation last year and serves as the meeting site for all sizes of groups. The facility now offers over 200,000 square feet of function space including 80,000 square feet of column-free meeting space and a 2,500-seat theater.

Surrounding the city are the Franklin Mountains, the southernmost tip of the Rocky Mountains. This region is part of the Chihuhuan Desert; with altitudes that vary from 3,762 feet in El Paso to 7,200 feet in the mountains, climates around the city can vary.

The mountains and adjoining desert make the city a perfect home base for groups with an interest in outdoor venues. The city itself boasts Franklin Mountains State Park, the largest urban wilderness park in the country. With nearly 24,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert, the park is perfect for delegates looking for hiking and wildlife viewing. Along with desert plants such as sotol and ocotillo, the park is home to mule deer, numerous birds and an occasional mountain lion.

Scenic views of the Franklin Mountains can be enjoyed from Bowen Ranch, 20 minutes from downtown; the 88,000-acre cattle and buffalo ranch offers meal and entertainment packages. Rio Grande Valley Ranch, also 20 minutes from the city, is located along the Rio Grande and offers trail rides, rodeos, and a pavilion for outdoor functions.

One of the most unique outdoor venues is McKelligon Canyon, host of Shakespeare On-the-Rocks as well as Viva! El Paso, one of the country’s most popular outdoor dramas; along with the outdoor performances, dinner packages are available for groups.

The rough-and-tumble history that is recounted at the outdoor drama can be experienced firsthand at a recreation of an historic army post at Ft. Misery, located at Indian Cliffs Ranch. Up to 150 attendees can take part in an evening cookout reached by haywagon. Groups of up to 5,000 participants can enjoy an evening at Indian Cliffs Ranch and Cattleman’s Steakhouse, located just over half an hour from the city. The ranch includes movie sets, a maze, and a lake.

And for groups who want to try their hand at bullfighting, in a bloodless way, the private home of a former matador is available for group use. Solar de la Paloma, located outside the tourist area of Juárez, offers a large party room and private building with Mexican entertainment.

ODESSA

To many attendees, West Texas is synonymous with the oil industry and, in Odessa, that partnership is a reality. Odessa, along with nearby Midland, is best known for petroleum production but groups will find that the city also offers many other group options as well.

“We have been so fortunate. I’ve been here 15 1/2 years, and we have seen conventions reach a level and stay there,” notes Molly Thorn, convention sales specialist, Odessa Convention and Visitors Bureau. “After 9/11, I know many cities were hurt but we didn’t see a slow down. We aren’t tourism driven which has helped us.”

Although the city offers exposition facilities, the majority of the meeting space is found at local hotels. “We go after mostly state associations from 100-1000 people; that’s our niche,” says Thorn. “We compete with Midland and associations come out here every few years– sometimes in Midland and sometimes in Odessa.”

The most unique location in this plains city is the Odessa meteor crater. Formed over 20,000 years ago, this crater (the nation’s second largest) can be viewed by groups visiting the Odessa Meteor Crater Museum. Located west of town, the visitors center and museum tells a fascinating story of the crater’s origin. The center is available for group functions.

Another unique museum is The Presidential Museum and Leadership Library, the country’s only museum dedicated solely to the office of the US President. Group functions for up to 150 attendees can be arranged using the museum’s multifunction room, rotunda, and exhibit space.

On the campus of Odessa College, groups find an unusual venue in The Globe of the Great Southwest, a replica of England’s Globe Theatre. The theater recently underwent an extensive renovation and hosts both Shakespearean dramas and musical revues. On the grounds stands a replica of the renovated Anne Hathaway Cottage; both facilities are available for group use.

MIDLAND

Near Odessa stands the city of Midland, a favorite with meeting planners for its easy access via Midland International Airport and Interstate 20 and for “the friendly, personal attention from our staff which makes their job as meeting planners a lot simpler,” says SuJo McKee, Director of Sales & Marketing for the Midland Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Being a smaller market with a limited number of facility accommodations, we bend over backwards to make sure that the meeting planner’s event runs smoothly and efficiently and tend to think creatively in meeting their requests.”

McKee notes that the city aims to attract primarily association and SMERF markets. “We look for groups who range from 50 to 800 in attendance. We can accommodate 500 very easily. We look for regional meetings and annual conferences to host, and we always enjoy hosting board and district meetings as well.”

Groups attending meetings in Midland “want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities, and Midland is the perfect choice. We offer all the amenities of larger cities just without the traffic, congestion or higher prices. With our ability to create hospitality packages that differ from the norm based on our region and available recreation venues, we can offer unique experiences that a group may not get to experience in a large city. We create our services based on what the groups’ interests are.”

With its well-known reputation as a capital of the Texas oil industry, Midland is home to the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum; next year the facility is opening a new transportation wing featuring race cars. “The Petroleum Museum is a great place for receptions or after-hour socials,” says McKee.

The city has also launched a new Bush Driving Tour, a 15-mile tour of the city to former homes of the Bush family. “Being the Hometown of Presidents, we look forward to the opening of the George W. Bush Childhood Home and Visitor Center, scheduled for completion in late 2004,” says McKee. “The district will feature George W.’s childhood home restored to its original condition from 1952 to 1955, an interactive museum, a visitor center, gift shop and an educational learning center.”

ABILENE

Another capital in the Texas oil industry is the city of Abilene, located along the eastern edge of West Texas. A favorite for oil meetings as well as for small- and medium-sized groups of all kinds, the city offers two group facilities. The Abilene Civic Center offers a 2200-seat auditorium along with a 20,000-square-foot exhibit hall and a conference center that can be used for a 1,000-seat banquet or divided into four meeting rooms. The Taylor County Exposition Center is an equestrian facility with a 5,000 fixed seat coliseum and a multi-purpose pavilion.

Like many West Texas communities, the Abilene CVB continues to court regional associations although “we are also marketing more heavily toward sports and cultural heritage tourism,” says Nanci Liles, executive director of the Abilene CVB.

The history of the region will be the focus of a new attraction opening in Spring 2004. Frontier Texas “is an entertaining and educational interactive museum depicting life from 1780 to 1880,” says Liles. The expansive facility will include space for group functions and high-tech interactive theaters will allow visitors to experience “life on the range” including hailstorms and tornadoes.

Abilene is home to several ecotourism attractions available for group use. Cedar Gap Farm, located nine miles south of the city, offers a climate-controlled viewing house for watching hummingbirds, songbirds, and white tailed deer. Groups can reserve the house for meetings and meals; up to 35 people can be accommodated at a seated meal or 50 theater style.

Another popular outdoor option is Stasney’s Cook Ranch, located in nearby Albany. The 25,000-acre working cattle ranch offers mountain biking, bird watching, trail rides, wildlife tours, and more as well as meals and lodging. Finally, Abilene State Park is a popular getaway for groups looking for free time fun. The historic site, once used as a campsite by the Comanche, today has staff interpretive programs and delegates can view the park’s Texas Longhorn and buffalo herd. Two recreation halls are available as well as a game area.

LUBBOCK

Well known as the home of musician Buddy Holly and the heart of the growing Texas wine industry, Lubbock is located in the Texas Panhandle. Surrounded by miles of plains, the location was a natural setting for one of the most unusual museum venues in the region: the American Wind Power Center and Windmill Museum. Located in Mackenzie Park, the 28-acre museum showcases rare windmills, with information on the importance of harnessing this natural source of power. The museum can be rented for group functions; the commons area can host 300 comfortably while the indoor facility can accommodate up to 200 delegates.

Windmills were a dependable source of energy for the area’s ranches for many years; groups can learn more about the ranching history of this region at the National Ranching Heritage Center. This museum featuring historic ranch homes and outbuildings that have been moved to this site to depict the history of ranching and its importance on the Panhandle plains.

The museum is located on the grounds of Texas Tech University, home to several group venues including the Moody Planetarium and the Omnimax Theater and Science Spectrum Museum, available for groups of up to 180 persons. Meeting planners also find that the city is home to the 300,000-square-foot Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

AMARILLO

North of Lubbock, the city of Amarillo hosts West Texas’s most newly expanded meeting facility. Following an $11.4 million expansion, the Amarillo Civic Center opened April 22, highlighted by the addition of 70,000 square feet of meeting, exhibit, and banquet space. Now with nearly 340,000 square feet for group use, the center is able to accommodate larger meetings.

“Although we strive for business in all market segments, the expansion of the Civic Center has us focusing our efforts on associations and religious conferences,” notes Darlene Kee, Director of Convention Sales for the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Council. “The expansion of the civic center to 340,000 square feet has opened doors for hosting associations and organizations with larger attendance, tradeshows and numerous breakout sessions. The Retired Teachers Association of Texas and Texas D.E.C.A. signed contracts with Amarillo due to the expansion. Our expansion will be the highlight of many site tours this year to familiarize meeting planners with our outstanding facilities.”

The increased demand for Amarillo meeting space stems partly from its central location. “Located in the center of the United States, planners find Amarillo very accessible,” says Kee. “Amarillo is within 500 miles of the state capitals of Kansas, Oklahoma , Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming , making Amarillo a great regional conference destination.”

Kee also points to price as a factor for the city’s popularity. “Amarillo is still one of the best values in the state of Texas and the US,” notes Kee. “Currently hotel group rates are under $100 per night and catering and area restaurants are affordable. Catering is at the planner’s discretion as the Civic Center is not under contract with one company. This keeps costs flexible.”

Although it offers state of the art meeting facilities, the city is also home also to plenty of free time options. “Amarillo’s rich Western Heritage is surpassed by none, thus the slogan ‘step into the real Texas.’ Real working cowboys can be seen at the Working Ranch Cowboy’s Rodeo in November, the Cowboy Round-up and Coor’s Ranch Rodeo and Chuck Wagon Cook-off in June, and numerous other events and attractions such as Cowboy Morning, Quarter Horse Museum and Heritage Center, Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, and of course the outdoor drama Texas Legacies, premiering in June.” Texas Legacies replaces the long-running drama TEXAS! at Palo Duro Canyon.

WICHITA FALLS

Just a few miles from the Oklahoma border stands the city of Wichita Falls, located on the Wichita River. This community recently underwent an expansion of its MPEC or Multi-Purpose Events Center, adding a 10,500-seat coliseum. The facility also includes expansive exhibit areas, 12 meeting rooms, and a lecture hall as well as the J.S. Bridwell Agricultural Center, used for rodeos and special events.

The center, as well as meeting space in area hotels, are in demand for all types of industry meetings. Wichita Falls is home to over 200 manufacturing firms, many which service the area’s oil industry.

Although the modern oil industry of West Texas is a far cry from its Spindletop boomtown days, reminders of early petroleum business are found throughout the city. Abandoned steel oil derricks remain at Lake Arrowhead State Park as a reminder of those boomtown days. Today the park is a favorite with ecotourists as well; groups can utilize new hiking and equestrian trail.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS

Amarillo

*Construction is underway on a 116-room Hampton Inn & Suites (806.372.1425, www.hamptoninn.com); the project is scheduled for completion in early June.

*Ashmore Inn & Suites (800.692.1338) is under construction and scheduled for completion by June. The 128-room hotel will include meeting space for 200 people as well as an indoor pool and Jacuzzi, and complimentary breakfast and hospitality hour.

*A Courtyard By Marriott (800.321.2211, www.courtyard.com) is under construction with completion scheduled for later this summer; the facility will offer 90 guest rooms.

Big Bend

*At Lajitas Resort (877.424.3525, www.lajitas.com), renovations have been completed on 50 of the 72 guest rooms; the remainder will be completed in July. This summer, the resort will also add tennis courts. The resort includes 6500 square feet of meeting space, an 18 hole PGA championship golf course, spa, private airport with jet capability, equestrian center, and hunting lodge that accommodates up to 40 attendees banquet style.

El Paso

*The 96-room Residence Inn by Marriott (701.235.1060) is under construction and is scheduled for completion in late October.

Odessa

*The MCM Elegante (866.368.5885, www.mcmelegante.com) underwent a renovation and reopened on September 1. Formerly a Radisson, the full-service property has added a spa and renovated 8,000 square feet of meeting space.

FAST FACTS

Abilene

Number of Hotels: 31
Hotel Rooms: 2,448
Average Room Rate: $47.56
Taxes: Room tax: 7%
Sales tax: 8.25%
Maximum Group Size: 5,000
Value season: winter
Getting There: Abilene Regional Airport is served by American Eagle. Abilene is located on I-20, US 277, and US 83.

Amarillo

Number of Hotels: 44
Hotel Rooms: 4293
Average Room Rate: $53.72
Taxes: Room tax: 6.75%
Sales tax: 8.25%
Maximum Group Size: 7,000
Value Season: spring, fall
Getting There: The Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is served by American Eagle, Continental Express, Delta Connection, Southwest Airlines, and Great Lakes Aviation (code share with United and Frontier Airlines). Amarillo is located on I-40, I-27, and US 87.

El Paso
Number of Hotels: 80
Hotel Rooms: 7600
Average Room Rate: $57
Taxes: Room tax: 15.5%
Sales tax: 8.25%
Maximum Group Size: 10,000
Value Season: winter
Getting There: El Paso International Airport is served by American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Continental Airlines, and America West Airlines. El Paso is located on I-10.

Lubbock

Number of Hotels: 40
Hotel Rooms: 3380
Average Room Rate: $60
Taxes: Room tax: 5%
Sales tax: 8%
Maximum Group Size: 3,000
Value season: winter
Getting There: Lubbock International Airport is served by American Eagle, Delta Connection, Continental, and Southwest Airlines. Lubbock is located on I-27, US 87, and US 84.

Midland

Number of Hotels: 20
Number of Hotel Rooms: 2000
Average Room Rate: $60
Taxes: Room tax: 7%
Sales tax: 6%
Maximum Group Size: 1,000
Value Season: January, February
Getting There: Midland International Airport is served by American, Southwest Airlines, and Continental. Midland is located on I-20.

Wichita Falls

Number of Hotels: 28
Number of Hotel Rooms: 2,200
Average Room Rate: $51
Taxes: Room tax: 13%
Sales tax: 8.25%
Maximum Group Size: 6,500
Value Season: December, January, February
Getting There: Wichita Falls is served by American Eagle. The city is accessible by highways 281, I-44 and 287.

PLANNER ACCESS

Abilene CVB
800.727.7704
www.abilene.com

Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council
800.692.1338
www.amarillo-cvb.org

El Paso CVB
800.351.6024
www.visitelpaso.com

Lubbock CVB
800.692.4035
www.lubbocklegends.org

Midland Convention and Visitors Bureau
800.624.6435
www.visitmidlandtx.com

Odessa Convention & Visitors Bureau
800.780.4678
www.odessacvb.com

Wichita Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau
940.716.5500
www.wichitafalls.org

SIDEBAR
The Wild, Wild West

Although many ecotourism venues are located directly around the cities of West Texas, groups that venture deeper into West Texas find a rugged region that offers a variety of experiences ranging from rafting to star gazing to mountain climbing.

Just over the New Mexico border, groups find several nearby ecotourism attractions. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 140 miles east of El Paso, offers traditional guided tours as well as rugged adventure tours through the New Cave. Summer visitors can experience a bat flight as thousands of bats depart the caverns at sunset until mid-October. And 80 miles northeast of El Paso, White Sands National Monument invites groups to hike among miles of white gypsum sand dunes, a favorite excursion for softball players and sand surfers.

Within the Lone Star state, Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to the only true mountains in Texas. Rising to a height of 8,749 feet, the park’s highest point is Guadalupe Peak. Over 80 miles of trails wind along these slopes; one of the most popular hikes is to El Capitan limestone formation and McKittrick Canyon, known for its fall color.

Hiking shares the spotlight with rafting in Big Bend, a canyon-filled remote area in the Chisos Mountains and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. Groups can book rafting trips down the waters of the Rio Grande, hike the national park itself, or visit some of the regional attractions. Several outfitters located just outside the park offer Rio Grande float trips through the rugged canyons. Guided nature walks led by naturalists are offered year around (several per day in the peak months from November through April).

The gateway to Big Bend is the community of Fort Davis, located in the Davis Mountains. Built as a US military post in the mid-19th century, today Fort Davis National Historic Site is considered one of the Southwest’s best examples of a frontier military post. Groups can tour renovated buildings and ruins; costumed docent tours can be arranged.

Sixteen miles northwest of Fort Davis, the University of Texas McDonald Observatory is a favorite with starry-eyed groups. Considered one of the world’s best astronomy research facilities, the observatory is located far from city lights, enhancing its viewing abilities. Groups can obtain a guided tour of the 107-inch Harlan J. Smith Telescope, used by NASA, and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), the third largest telescope in the world. Star parties and public viewings are scheduled throughout the year.

PLANNER PROFILE

Dr. Kate Asbill, an independent meeting planner specializing in educational meetings, helped plan a reunion in Odessa in September 2002. Dr. Asbill, based in Carlsbad, New Mexico, is the author of a guide for planning special gatherings titled A Rainbow of Ideas for Conference Planning With a Plus.

*Briefly describe your event/meeting, number of attendees, its purpose and where it was held in Odessa.

I am the self-appointed reunion planner for the Jal High School Class of 1965. In 2000 we had a large reunion in our home town of Jal, New Mexico. Everyone who had ever attended school in Jal was welcome. Over 1500 exes and others were fed at the large catered barbeque that weekend. Two dances, a golf tournament, and other activities were planned. Many people met and made plans for several years in order to arrange that successful event. Another big bash is scheduled in 2005, but because some of wanted to see our friends again before five years passed, we decided to have a mini-reunion. It was decided by the reunion lovers that this one would be a simplified production – purely for the purpose of visitation and keeping in touch.

*Why did you decide to host the event/meeting in Odessa?

Odessa is a West Texas town about 80 miles from our hometown. It is located nearer the airport, has more motels, restaurants and golf courses. Our choice for this particular reunion was based on simplicity.

*What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most about the event and/or the city?

Our group wanted a party where we could just show up, eat, drink, reminesce and relax. That is how the Odessa, Texas Holiday Inn Convention was chosen. They had a good restaurant with reasonable prices, clean, affordable accomodations, and a large meeting room where we could gather for fun and fellowship. The location was easily accessible and centrally located for many who would be attending. There were golf courses close by for those who wanted to visit on the greens.

*Would you return?

Yes, We are already talking about plans for the 2005 party, but we will miss the simple arrangements of the 2002 mini-reunion. Approximately 100 Jal Gals and Guys gathered in Odessa in 2002 and we had a wonderful time. The simplicity of the event is what we party planners loved about the Odessa venue.