Besides offering a wealth of historic properties and the botanical extravagance of Moody Gardens, Galveston Island also offers the efficiency, in many cases, of working with one point of contact for a citywide event, according to Karena White, director of meetings for the Austin, Texas-based Texas Association of Assessing Officers.
Last August White took a group of approximately 600 to Galveston for a three-and-a-half-day meeting.
The group used the Galveston Island Convention Center at the San Luis Resort, the Hilton Galveston Island Resort and the Holiday Inn Resort Galveston-on-the-Beach, and because all of the properties are owned by the Hospitality division of Landry’s Restaurants, White found coordinating the components of her meeting efficient in a variety of ways.
“Normally, splitting our group into three hotels and a fourth meeting facility is not always attractive, but we dealt with one convention services manager so there was only one contact,” White says. “The hotels provided the vast majority of transportation, and all the shuttle transportation was on a complimentary basis. They’ve built some excellent relationships with local companies, so they could get us some great deals with local transportation companies, as well as with photographers—the whole nine yards.”
White, who called nearby Houston home for 10 years, says Galveston has come a long way.
“It’s unique in its history, and Galveston has really had a renaissance,” she says. “Ten years ago there was just not a whole lot to do there, and it wasn’t the cleanest city—it was kind of a sleepy beach community. Landry’s Restaurants really came in a revitalized the area—made it a destination.”
White also says that taxes, service charges and the basic cost of food and beverage are less expensive in Galveston than in many other major Texas destinations.
Besides the convenience, leverage and cost-savings White realized by using one hotel company, she recommends that meeting planners check out other facilities, if only for the sake of variety.
“While the San Luis convention properties are a good solution, there are several other facilities on the island that are good,” she says, “including Moody Gardens and Tremont House, depending on the size and nature of the group.”
White’s group also used Fisherman’s Wharf and the Balinese Room for functions, and the next time she heads back to Galveston she might utilize The Strand District or the Rainforest Cafe.
It seems that the Texas Association of Assessing Officers were happy with White’s choices, however, given the positive response she received from delegates.
“This was probably the most successful conference we’ve ever had—our satisfaction rates were off the charts,” she says. “In fact, we didn’t have one single negative comment about the hotels, facilities or services.”
