Successful Meetings - September 2009 - (Page 84)

CARIBBEAN > IF YOU BUILD IT THE RECESSION HAS HIT THE CARIBBEAN HARD, BUT CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ALL AROUND THE REGION IF YOU BUILD IT… By Kinley Levack, kinley.levack@nielsen.com D ESSENTIAL Tool Box CONVENTION CENTERS & FACILITIES Puerto Rico Convention Center (580,000 sf) DAILY BUSINESS COSTS* Kingston, Jamaica: Hotel $215, F&B $48 Nassau, Bahamas: Hotel $297, F&B $105 San Juan, Puerto Rico: Hotel $276, F&B $83 *Business Travel News 2009 Corporate Travel Index espite its reputation for blue skies, glittering waters, and sunshine-filled days, the Caribbean has had a stormy last year or so. According to a PKF Hospitality Research report that came out in August, the region saw average hotel profits decline by 16 percent in 2008 and the trend is expected to continue in 2009; visitation was down 4 percent. But all is not gloomand-doom here in the beautiful Caribbean. Properties have developed deals to entice planners and renovations and new constructions are underway throughout the area. The Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino is on track to open in November, with 503 guest rooms and more than 35,000 sf of meeting and event space. Also in Puerto Rico, the St. Regis Bahia Beach is scheduled to open in October 2010, with 139 guest rooms and seven meeting spaces totaling 6,000 sf. New group space is available at Puerto Rico’s Wyndham Rio Mar, where the Aqualuna Restaurant is becoming a reception room. The ocean-view space includes an 880-sf foyer 84 I SM I September 2009 I SuccessfulMeetings.com Barbados’ Sandy Lane recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation project http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - September 2009

Successful Meeting - September 2009
Table of Contents
Incentive Travel Report
Convention Centers
Shiny & New
Social Agenda
Meetings Merchandise
Rocky Mountain Resorts
Greater LA
Phoenix/Scottsdale
Caribbean
Monaco
Hawaii: Incentive Planner's Handbook
Hawaii Table of Contents
Paradise Found
No Task Too Big
Golf, Hawaii-Style
Nevada
Nevada Table of Contents
Las Vegas: New and Now
Meet Me in Las Vegas
That's Entertainment
Suburban Sancuaries
Meet Me in Reno-Lake Tahoe

Successful Meetings - September 2009