Meeting News - March 9, 2009 - (Page 12)

Special Report: Value Meetings By William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com Meets CHEAP Hotels • Resorts • Centers • Destinations Today, nearly every single hotel and resort is offering value meetings, as planners are being challenged to provide unprecedented ROI. Following are just a few of the many bang-for-the-buck deals available. Northeast NEW YORK: NYC: The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park offers a complete meeting package of 10% commissionable rates to third-party or as a credit to the master bill, additional 5% room discount for Sunday arrivals and comp meeting space on Monday’s general session room. Friday-night arrivals receive additional 5% room discount and a comp ticket for the ferry and entrance to the Statue of Liberty for each guest; planner upgrades, 10% F&B discount on all published menu pricing, five comp VIP Welcome Amenities, $50 credit towards Rise Bar, 2 West Restaurant, in-room dining, Prada Spa. Offer runs through Dec. 31. N Book before June 15 and the Carlton on Madison Avenue will offer comp meeting room, standard AV, gourmet lunch, and breaks. Starting at $165 per person (min. 10). Through December, 10 % off best available rate on guest room.Long Island: Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina “Recession Buster” starts at $199 per person from April to October. It includes transportation from Manhattan, arrival dinner, meeting room and conference amenities, standard AV, a.m./p.m. breaks, complimentary intown shuttle. Extras include group discounts at resort spa, deep sea fishing on charter boat, wine dinners featuring vineyards such as Wolffer Estate and Bedell Cellars, golf at Montauk Downs, Long Island clam bake, more. N Glen Cove Mansion Hotel and Conference Center offers all-inclusive Mansion Meetings Package with rates from $199, including comp reception, meals in restaurant, standard AV, personal conference planner. Based on per person double. Must book and consume by June 30. MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: Greater Boston CVB has launched short-term meetings initiative: Partners of the “Revolutionary Meetings Initiative” are offering a minimum of 3% off the master bill, discount cards at two shopping gallerias, a complimentary public transportation card, and discounts on American Airlines and Amtrak. In addition, participating hotels are including additional offers such as chain reward points, complimentary high-speed Internet access, upgrades to suites, meeting room discounts, no attrition, and more. The program is valid for all business booked and actualized through March 31, 2010. PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: CVB has website for complete meeting packages at partner hotels. Planners can visit www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel/CMP and www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel/serious for more. N Poconos: The Lodge at Woodloch’s Executive Meeting Package (10+ rooms/two nights) starts at $490 per person double per night, and includes comp Fireside Meeting Room, three meals, two breaks through June 30. N Skytop Lodge’s $299 per night group package offers three meals, all meeting and breakout space, daily beverage break, standard AV.Add $1,000 Pit Stop Challenge teambuilding, which recreates action of a NASCAR pit stop. Includes transportation, setup fees, and show car, plus all tire-change equipment and staff help. $50 fee for uniforms per person for the first 20 participants (uniform, helmet, gloves, eyewear, etc). Minimum 20 attendees or $35 for 20+ attendees. Southeast GEORGIA: The Atlanta Marriott and Renaissance hotels are offering up to one million Marriott rewards points or $6,000 in cash toward the master bill for meetings booked on value dates by June 1 and actualized by December 31. More on the deals at www.atlantameeting.com website. FLORIDA: Northeast FL: St. Augustine’s Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village offers new groups with minimum 25 room nights during 2009 value dates one comp meeting room or a comp coffee break for up to 100 people. Value dates include March 1-17, April 3-18, May 18-26, June 26-30, July 26-31, August 5-31, and Sept. 11-30. In addition, planners can receive double Marriott rewards points for all meetings held during value dates. The resort also will pay third-party planners who book a meeting the same number of points as their counterparts: up to 50,000 per event. N Daytona Shores’ Shores Resort & Spa’s Stimulating Meeting Package offers planners booking groups of 25 rooms or more a preferred room rate and oceanfront upgrades for three VIP guests, 10% discount on all AV and F&B with planned menus, one comp room for every 25 rooms, and comp meeting space. South Florida: Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB is offering Greater Fort LauderDEALs, listed at www.sunny. org/meetings/hotels/lauderdeals. Free Broward County Convention Center space with minimum 600 rooms in August and September. The CVB also offers in-house hotel reservation service, plus attendance builders, a convention center concierge for registration, and off-site excursions. Seasonal deals include Dine Out Lauderdale (Oct. to Nov. 15), Lauderdale Spa Chic (Aug. to Sept.). N Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa’s Sunsational Beachfront Offer is for those who book a meeting with 40 or more peak rooms through Dec. 31. Includes customized company logo, painted larger-than-life on the private beach, up to three comp breakout meetings, 10% discount on published catering menus and AV needs, and specialty welcome refreshment upon arrival for all attendees. N Viceroy Miami’s Under the Radar package starts from $225 Sundays through Thursdays and includes one comp room per 40 rooms utilized, one comp upgrade per 25 rooms utilized, comp Internet access in guest rooms, comp meeting room, and 10% discount on AV. N Doral Golf Resort & Spa offers Perfect Kickoff Package between June 1 and Oct. 31 for 2009 and 2010 (min. 100 nights required) on meetings booked by May 31. Package includes comp opening reception, 10% 12 MeetingNews March 9, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel/CMP http://www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel/serious http://www.sunny.org/meetings/hotels/lauderdeals http://www.sunny.org/meetings/hotels/lauderdeals http://www.atlantameeting.com http://www.atlantameeting.com http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - March 9, 2009

Meeting News- March 9, 2009
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Live from the Forum
Inside the Industry
People Making News
Value Meetings
Convention Centers
Transportation
Green Beat
Planners Guide to Florida
Destinations: Tennessee
Destinations: Boston
Destinations: Dallas-Fort Worth
Ad Index
Passport

Meeting News - March 9, 2009