Successful Meetings - March 2008 - (Page 48E)

of the modern Hawaiian nation who oversaw the opening of Hawaii to the outside world, is an especially influential king. The legends and lore of the volcanoes and historical figures comprise an integral part of the culture. It’s both easy and entertaining to incorporate these tales into events. While a luau is pretty much par for the course for a Hawaii meeting, planners should focus on dances and entertainment unique to the Big Island, such as those honoring volcano and fire goddess Pele, snow goddess Poliahu, and King Kamehameha. Wendy Ottinger, vice president of sales and marketing for TradeWinds, a DMC headquartered in Waikoloa, likes to include vignette entertainment about local legends between courses. Venues throughout the island have their own performances honoring important myths and characters. The Fairmont Orchid has a show that takes the audience back through history to learn about the different kings and their impact on the current Big Island culture, while Hilton Waikoloa Village’s new Myths and Hidden Legends of Hawaii show features colorful costumes, award-winning choreography, chanting, hula, original music, and a menu of Hawaiian delights. The recently opened The Shops at Mauna Lani features a series of mythology shows called Ho’oilina–The Legacy that give shoppers and diners a dose of culture and history between purchases. THE SKY’S THE LIMIT Wendy Ottinger prefers to open the meetings she organizes with a night of stargazing and learning about the pristine dark skies over the Big Island. Because of the cost and distance, it’s not always practical to take large groups to the Mauna Kea Observatory—where 90 percent of all stars visible from the earth can be seen—so Ottinger brings the stars directly to the opening receptions. She works with local astronomy clubs to to give demonstrations, discuss constellations and planets, and let attendees see it all for themselves via powerful telescopes. The stars are not just a novelty in the Big Island, but an important part of its history. The new ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo, which accommodates group tours, features interactive exhibits and performances that show how the early Polynesians ventured from the South Pacific into the unknown and found the Big Island and the rest of the Hawaiian archipelago by following the stars. Planners can also stage conferences in the Moanahoku (“Ocean of the Stars”) Hall. Along with guiding early settlers to the island, the stars also played a big part in the way they worked and played. The agricultural season was said to go along with constellations, and when it was time to rest, the people often played games to celebrate. Island Partners often tells this Big Island story and recreates these Makahiki Games as a teambuilding activity that takes the place of traditional beach Olympics or field days. “It’s educational and people are having fun while they learn about the island’s past,” says Jenkins. NATURE’S BEST Hawaii’s Big Island spans 4,038 square miles, making it twice as large as all of the other Hawaiian islands combined, but since the land is so sparsely populated, much of the island remains undeveloped. This natural state makes for very authentic and unique tours. “Many of the Big Island’s attractions are not places that have been built,” says Jenkins. Island Partners sends small groups on driving safaris through out-of-the-way sites—including Puako Petroglyph Park, home to more than 3,000 petroglyphs—that allow visitors to interact with both nature and the local people. Because the Big Island features 11 of the world’s 13 climates, the driving safaris go from verdant rainforests to hardened lava to show participants the different zones. Another company, Hawaii Forest & Trail, works with landowners to get permits for special hikes and ecotours through lush land and waterfalls. Another popular option for groups is finding ways to give back to the island. Jenkins works with Parker Ranch on a reforestation effort that teaches groups that “today affects the future.” Teams are given seeds to plant three or four acres of koa wood, and those acres take on the name of the company who helped populate them, like “Xerox acres” or “Ford Acres.” Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii’s only World BIG ISLAND GOURMET Many groups visiting the Big Island long for a traditional meal created from local products. James Babian, exectutive chef at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, suggests choosing from this menu to give attendees a true taste of what the Big Island has to offer. • POKE, the Hawaiian version of marinated fish, usually using marlin or ahi • LOCAL SEAFOOD, including lobster, Dungeness crab, abalone, and moi • SALAD MADE FROM LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE, such as baby bok choy, warabi (fern shoots), hearts of palm, hamakua mushrooms, fennel, heirloom tomatoes, and beets • LAMB FROM KAHUA RANCH cooked in the Imu (an underground oven) • NAMASU salad (pickled raw vegetables) • POI (cooked and pounded taro root) • UMU (breadfruit) • HAUPIA, a coconut-flavored dessert MEET.BIGISLAND.ORG 3 http://MEET.BIGISLAND.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - March 2008

Successful Meetings - March 2008 Contents Editor's Note Suppliers On the Record Research Associations Planner's Spotlight Management Matters Mouth for Sale Meetings Law Pre-Event Pre-Event Tools of the Trade On Site Quick Tip Critical Conditions A Family Affair Conference Centers We Love CSM of the Year Places & Spaces Luxury Las Vegas New York CIty Houston New Orleans Quebec Bahamas Oahu & Big Island Florida Keys Gurus

Successful Meetings - March 2008

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