Are You Onboard?
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A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION FEBRUARY 2013 VOL. 31 NO. 2 $9.00 Are You Onboard? DMOs and Digital Catching a New Wave of Team Up to Enhance the Destination and Build Attendance Excitement for Cruise Meetings PAGE 18 and Incentives PAGE 12 F&B Grows Up Enriching the Meeting Experience With Taste and Style PAGE 22 The Celebrity Solstice, flagship of the Solstice fleet, cruises the Virgin Islands. Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises Arizona l Florida l Louisiana PAGE 26 PAGE 30 PAGE 42 ISSN 0739-1587 USPS 716-450 TABLEOFCONTENTS www.TheMeetingMagazines.com VOLUME 31 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2013 A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION COVER STORY Are You Onboard? Catching a New Wave of Excitement for Cruise Meetings and Incentives By Timothy Herrick Page 12 The flagship of Celebrity Cruises’ stylish Solstice Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises Class fleet is the 2,850-guest Celebrity Solstice. FEATURES DESTINATIONS DEPARTMENTS 18 <DMOs and Digital 26 <Arizona 4 <Publisher’s Message Team Up to Enhance Meeting Success in the By Harvey Grotsky the Destination and Spectacular Southwest Build Attendance By Karen Brost 6 <News & Notes By John Buchanan 6 <Events Calendar 30 <Viva Florida! 22 <F&B Grows Up Meet in the Sunshine 8 <Meeting Values Enriching the Meeting State as It Celebrates Experience the essence of Europe, 9 <Snapshots Experience With Its 500th Birthday Taste and Style By Karen Brost 10 < Perspective In the Heart of Scottsdale. By John Buchanan It’s Never Too Late to Set 42 <Louisiana Goals to Increase Your Explore sun-dappled courtyards reminiscent of glamorous Old World Spain, a labyrinth of A Magical Mix of Culture, Professional Development secluded gardens and a sense of sublime tranquility in the luxuriously-appointed meeting spaces Chad Light Cuisine, Music and More By Jeff Hurt officially portrays Keeps Groups Coming at Montelucia. Whether retreat, passion, romance or accomplishment is the goal, the breathtaking 50 <People on the Move Ponce Back Year After Year beauty and soul-stirring surroundings of the resort ensure perfect moments for meeting and event de Leon By Derek Reveron < throughout 50 Reader Services attendees. Flexible, idyllic meeting and event space evokes the mystery and passion of the Old the State World while serving every modern need. Explore locations for your perfect event. of Florida. A new entrance He has and The Great For more information or to book your next meeting, been very Hall, a 60,300- busy this sf, column-free please call 888-627-3150 or visit montelucia.com year as ballroom, debuted the state in January at celebrates the New Orleans Page 30 its 500th Page 42 Ernest N. Morial Photo courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com birthday. Convention Center. Photo courtesy of New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Corporate & Incentive Travel (USPS 716-450) is published monthly by Coastal Communications Corporation, 2700 North Military Trail — Suite 120, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6394; 561-989-0600. Single copies $9.00 U.S.A. only. Yearly subscription price is $90.00 in the U.S.A.; Canada and foreign is $150.00. Back copies $10.00 U.S.A. only. Distributed without charge to qualified personnel. Periodicals Postage Paid at Boca Raton, FL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Corporate & Incentive Travel, 2700 North Military Trail — Suite 120, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6394. Nothing contained in this publication shall constitute an endorsement by Coastal Communications Corporation (Corporate & Incentive Travel), and the publication disclaims any liability with respect to the use of or reliance on any such information. The information contained in this publication is in no way to be construed as a recommendation by C&IT of any industry standard, or as a recommendation of any kind to be adopted, by or to be binding upon, any corporate/incentive travel planner or agent. Reproduction of any portion of this publication by any means is strictly forbidden. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. However, the publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited photographs or manuscripts. Subscribers: Send subscription inquiries and address changes to: Circulation Department, Corporate & Incentive Travel, 2700 North Military Trail — Suite 120, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6394. Provide old and new addresses including zip codes. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. © 2013 TheMeetingMagazines.com • Corporate & Incentive Travel • February 2013 3 PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE Build It and They Will Come he phrase “build it and they will come,” spawned from the popular 1989 base- A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION ball movie “Field of Dreams,” is an apt way to describe how the meetings in- WEBSITE T dustry and the cruise lines have come together in recent times. Previously, www.themeetingmagazines.com planners selected a cruise mostly for an occasional incentive program because PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF onboard meeting facilities and services were few and far between. But that has Harvey Grotsky [email protected] changed. Cruise lines listened to planners, responded by adding meeting space, GROUP PUBLISHER new onboard amenities and services, innovative Arthur Hyman audio-visual, and business is certainly improving. [email protected] Moreover, many cruise companies are actively seek- CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mitch D. Miller ing meetings business and are building new ships [email protected] that fit the unique requirements of meetings. MANAGING EDITORS Susan Wyckoff Fell Christine Duffy, president of Cruise Lines In ter- [email protected] national Association, spearheaded these efforts by Susan S. Gregg creating a Meeting, Event and Incentive Taskforce [email protected] to increase the awareness of the value of cruising. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS “Planners are now realizing that a cruise can support John Buchanan Karen Brost their new meetings needs,” said Duffy. “The ships to- Timothy Herrick day have the meeting space, the technology, the Wi-Fi. Stella Johnson Derek Reveron People were assuming there was not enough variety, George Seli but the fact is that most corporate groups contain dif- PRESIDENT & CEO ferent demographics, and there are activities for people who are more sedentary to Harvey Grotsky full-blown spas, fitness centers, rock climbing and a range of options.” VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David A. Middlebrook The cruise companies, which have always been at the top of their game for host- [email protected] ing pure incentives, can now easily handle the newer hybrid events that merge an ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES incentive program with meeting components, too. Jo Kling, president of cruise [email protected] 2700 N. Military Trail, Suite 120 specialist Landry & Kling and CEO of the cruise meeting resource Seasite.com, says, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6394 “Cruising is becoming part of the rotation of more planners for incentive travel and 561-989-0600 · Fax: 561-989-9509 a meeting program. They are looking for something a little different. Programs NORTHEAST Jeff Posner can be customized to meet different needs of the planner, for whatever size group.” 516-594-2820 · Fax: 516-594-2826 And Shari Wallack, president of Plantation, FL-based Buy the Sea, adds, “Incentive [email protected] travel by ship has grown. The ‘build it they will come’ adage applies. Years ago, the FLORIDA/CARIBBEAN Arthur Hyman corporate decision-makers were not experienced cruisers. Today’s CEO is young, 561-989-0600, ext. 108 · Fax: 561-989-9509 TWO WORLD-CLASS DESTINATIONS well-traveled and likely cruise-savvy. This decision-maker’s understanding of the [email protected] OVER 150,000 SQ. FT. OF MEETING SPACE AND industry is vastly different, and he or she is more open to a new experience.” MIDWEST/SOUTHWEST 1,300 ROOMS & SUITES Read more about this positive win-win story in our insightful cover story “Are 561-989-0600, ext. 114 · Fax: 561-989-9509 [email protected] MINUTES FROM THE STRIP AND AIRPORT WITH You Onboard?” on page 12. SOUTHEAST COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLE SERVICE 561-989-0600, ext. 114 · Fax: 561-989-9509 [email protected] SCLV.COM/LUXURYMEETINGS | 866.617.1777 LOUISIANA/TEXAS Arthur Hyman 561-989-0600, ext. 108 · Fax: 561-989-9509 [email protected] Harvey Grotsky WEST Marshall Rubin CONDÉ NAST Publisher 818-888-2407 · Fax: 818-888-4907 TRAVELER [email protected] HAWAII 561-989-0600, ext. 114 · Fax: 561-989-9509 [email protected] RED ROCK RED ROCK & GVR RED ROCK & GVR RED ROCK © 2012 Station Casinos, LLC, Las Vegas, NV 4 February 2013 • Corporate & Incentive Travel • TheMeetingMagazines.com JOB #: STA 84303 Ad TITLE: GVR/RR Meetings PUBLICATION: Corporate & Incentive Travel INSERTION dATE: NOVEMBER 2012 COLOR INFO: 4C TRIM: 8.125” x 10.875” LIVE: 7.125” x 9.875” BLEEd: 8.375” x 11.125” Hyatt Regency Visit Orlando Names George Aguel as President and CEO ORLANDO, FL — Visit Orlando Chair Paul Mears III on nized as one of the “25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales NEWS&NOTES Chicago to Debut January 31 named George Armando Aguel president and and Marketing” by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association CEO of Visit Orlando. “George is an incredibly accomplished in- International. He received the Academy of Leaders Award Renovation in April dustry leader, with extensive experience from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Baha Mar Casino Hotel to Open in December 2014 CHICAGO, IL — The 2,019-room in both leisure and business travel,” said and was inducted into the Convention Industry Council NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Baha Mar, Hyatt Regency Chicago, the city’s larg- Mears. “His knowledge of the meetings Hall of Leaders. He’s also an ASAE Fellow and recipient the mega-resort development on the est hotel, is set to unveil a $168 million and conventions industry, as well as his of the Professional Convention Management Association Cable Beach area of Nassau, on New property-wide renovation.