Meeting News - March 23, 2009 - (Page 30)

Destination Insider: Mississippi continued from page 28 “We’re going to see convention delegates traveling with families more frequently in the next few years, because of the opportunity that presents to get away,” in lieu of families paying for separate family vacations, said Forrester. To support the increased push for business, the CVB has added two convention salespeople— charged with promoting the Coliseum across the whole meetings market—and it will be moving its offices into the expanded Coliseum this fall. The bureau’s offices were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and it has been working in temporary facilities ever since. The expanded convention center is a logical home, according to Forester: “Our chief job is to promote the Coliseum. We’re just doing our best to position ourselves to deal with the economy.” H —Phillip Hennessey Travel Organization Brings Annual Convention to Highlight Recovery As Hurricane Katrina was becoming a distant memory in the Gulf Coast region—thanks to an array of new and reconstructed offerings, including hotels, restaurants, and casinos— Travel South USA decided last spring that it was time to show off the reborn area. “The area was so devastated by Hurricane Katrina that it was time to bring the opportunity back to Mississippi,” said Liz Bittner, executive director of Travel South USA, the South’s official destination marketing organization. The five-day Travel South Showcase brought tour operators, wholesalers, journalists, and tourism suppliers from the Southeast and across North America to Biloxi for an in-depth look at the destination. Offerings included familiarization tours and signature activities, like golf at the Preserve, the first resort-style golf course to open in the Mississippi Gulf Coast since the hurricane. “We wanted folks to see how far the area had come and dispel the bad PR and press that the whole area tends to get,” said Bittner, referring to the downtrodden image of the area after Katrina. The gathering drew about 550 people and was headquartered at the 1,740-room Beau Rivage Biloxi Hotel and Casino. A few events were held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, but the goal was to get attendees out, starting with a kickoff party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi and continuing through the weekend with a trip to nearby Gulfport, and Gulf Coast city tours. Included in the excursions were a trip to Ship Island, where visitors can see dolphins and Civil War history at Fort Massachusetts; a shrimping experience; and a visit to the nearby town of Ocean Springs, which features an art museum. Travel South also organized pre- and postmeeting familiarization tours, like the “Tastes and Tunes of Mississippi,” which took groups through neighboring towns to experience local music and Southern food. The group was able to inject some money into the local economy and found the destination easy to work with, Bittner said. “It was a very good program that generated about halfmillion dollars in revenue for the city using the local vendors,” she added. “The CVB did a really nice job coordinating all of the local community to be involved.”H —Phillip Hennessey located two miles west of downtown Gulfport and 10 miles from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center, offers 1,850 sf of meeting space, including a 1,600-sf ballroom. Each room includes a 32-inch flat-screen HDTV, a work desk, a mini-fridge, and a microwave. Guests can stay connected to the office with free high-speed wired and wireless Internet access. • The Motel 6 Biloxi Beach opened in January, the chain’s 1,000th Motel 6/Studio 6 property. The three-story, Interior Corridor property offers 86 standard rooms and 30 studio rooms. “The 1,000th property is a great milestone, and we’re proud to rebuild in Biloxi,” said Olivier Poirot, CEO of Accor North America, Motel 6 and Studio 6. The original location was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Harrison County Rolls Out the Incentives for Citywide Events The Harrison County Tourism Commission continues its commitment to growing Coast tourism by sponsoring three Mississippi Gulf Coast citywide events in early 2009, including one taking place this month. Smokin’ the Sound—the first race of the year for the Offshore Super Series Powerboat Racing Association, taking place March 25-29 and April 4-5 in Biloxi—was approved in January to receive $25,000 in sponsorships. Two other events, The Coastwide Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration and the Mardi Gras Mambo-Cue, received $12,500 and $3,000 in January and February, respectively. The incentives were aimed at events that bring out-of-town visitors who stay in Coast hotels and contribute to the local economy. “It is important for us to support our local, non-profit events that consistently bring in visitors from out of town,” said Richard Forester, executive director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, in a statement. “Research tells us our visitors plan their stays around favorite events and our sponsorship helps ensure these events will happen.” —PH Briefs • On May 28, the 195-room Four Points by Sheraton Biloxi Beach Boulevard is scheduled to open; it will be the first-ever Four Points by Sheraton hotel on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Across the street from the Gulf Coast’s restored beaches, five miles from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center and 1.5 miles from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, the property will have 1,000 sf of meeting space—including a 600-sf meeting room and a 400-sf boardroom. Amenities will include free wireless highspeed Internet access and free Internet-based printing service in all guest rooms. • The 143-room Holiday Inn Gulfport-Airport hosted its grand opening this month. The property, 30 MeetingNews March 23, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 23, 2009 Contents What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com Meetings Mean Business As 'Meeting Matter' Marriott Unveils Promo Columbus, OH, Addresses Convention Hotel Issues People Making News Orlando Strives for Cost Transparency Is Biz-Class Air Travel Dead? Greenest Planner Awards Mid America Insider Report: Conference Centers Destination Insider: Mississippi Gulf Coast Las Vegas Destination Insider: Cleveland Ad Index Live from the Forum

Meeting News - March 23, 2009

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