Successful Meetings - February 2010 - (Page 58)

FLORIDA’S EAST COAST > FLORIDA WANTS YOU FLORIDA Y O U I f there’s a single theme running through the meetings and convention business along Florida’s East Coast, it is that 2010 will likely be a little bit better than 2009, in large part because of aggressive deal making and incentives offered by the convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs). In short, it is a buyer’s market, and the CVBs, convention facilities, and their hospitality partners are still pulling out all the stops to provide value and to attract planners and attendees to Florida. That remains true whether you’re looking at smaller, more traditional value destinations like Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, or luxury resort cities like West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Wants … TO BRING A MEETING OR CONVENTION TO THE SUNSHINE STATE’S EAST COAST By Leo Jakobson Fort Lauderdale “We are going to astound the forecasters,” predicts Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB). For a decade, the GFLCVB has focused on the meetings and convention industry as the key to Fort Lauderdale’s growth, and she is seeing some good signs. Among them, the world’s newest and largest cruise liner, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, which will call Fort Lauderdale home. The ship has already attracted interest from a number of large groups considering adding a meeting in Fort Lauderdale before or after a cruise. By continuing to focus on meetings and conventions, notably in the medical, pharmaceutical, military, sports, and religious sectors, Grossman believes that even in this economy, the city will see its group business grow from 26 percent to 35 percent of its total tourism in the coming years. Initiatives to achieve this include the Summer Savings program, offering free rental space, a reception, and 10 percent off a variety of services at the Broward County Convention Center (BCCC), along with a 2.5 percent commission or credit on the hotel master account; Fly Free, in which the CVB will pay airfare for up to three decision makers considering booking at least 200 rooms for two nights in South Florida, as long as they include two Fort Lauderdale properties in their site Sunrise in Fort Lauderdale I SM I February 2010 I SuccessfulMeetings.com http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - February 2010

Successful Meetings - February 2010
Contents
Shift Happens
Leaders Forcast Future
Education
Personal Success
Incentive Insights
Food & Beverage
Visionaries
Industry Awards
CVBS
Places & Spaces
Florida's East Coast
Atlantic City
Maui
Aruba

Successful Meetings - February 2010