Director
Christian Meetings & Conventions Association (CMCA)
Westminster, Colo.
Describe your event.
Christian Meetings & Conventions Association (CMCA) is an association of Christian meeting planners and various suppliers that service our meetings. Just over 200 gathered in Myrtle Beach at the beautiful Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel and the Myrtle Beach Convention Center last year. Our purpose was to build relationships with each other, uplift the Gospel, learn from each other, have a trade show, and of course, have fun!
Why did you decide to host the meeting in Myrtle Beach?
Myrtle Beach is a great destination for meetings. It has good appeal for attendees, which boosts attendance. The folks in Myrtle Beach really work well together.
What surprised you the most about Myrtle Beach?
The amount of shows Myrtle Beach had to offer was a surprise to me. We went to The Carolina Opry on our closing night and for many attendees, that was a highlight. I knew Myrtle Beach would offer beach activities, but the number of non-beach family attractions was a surprise.
What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
The Carolina Opry was definitely a hit with the group. Because we offered such a variety of activities, there really was something for everyone. The Carolina Opry was special not only because of the quality of the performers but because of the personality of the performers. The group became acquainted with a few of them during our time there, which made it feel like we were watching family perform.
Was anybody particularly helpful?
Two people especially made our event special: Danna Lilly with the Myrtle Beach Area CVB and Ursula Witherspoon with the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. These two ladies took an incredible interest in our group and really were indispensable in putting together a quality program for us. It was a pleasure to work with them!
What other types of groups would fit well with the hotel and convention center?
I don’t know of any groups that wouldn’t work well in that hotel or convention center. The hotel and convention center are connected in such a way that they seem like one venue. They have great lighting and a comfortable feel to them. I did not hear any complaints from vendors or attendees on anything related to the hotel or convention center.
Did you incorporate any interesting outdoor activities into the agenda?
We definitely incorporated outdoor activities; that is what Myrtle Beach is known for. We included time at the famous beach, miniature golf, shopping, Brookgreen Gardens, Pine Lakes International Country Club, and boat charters for ocean sightseeing.
What were some of the unique off-site venues that you used?
Our program included several unique off-site venues. One morning we had breakfast at the Ripley’s Aquarium. It was a great venue for a private function, with the added benefit of seeing the aquarium. We also enjoyed a dinner at a private banquet facility at Inlet Affairs. This was a unique facility in a good location. There are several boat charters in that area. Capt. Dick’s Marina in Murrells Inlet was wonderful to work with and offered a quality cruise. Because Inlet Affairs was right by the marina, it made an ideal choice for a private dinner. One night we enjoyed the city like a tourist and ate dinner at East Side of Chicago Pizza Company, which offered a good-size private dining room. After a fun dinner there, we went to Dragon’s Lair Fantasy Golf for a relaxing team-building evening of miniature golf. The Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort was our sight for a luncheon one day. Our tasty lunch was in a room that’s located high over Myrtle Beach. Following the lunch, we gave attendees time to walk the famous beach and test their Frisbee-throwing skills. Our program opened at the Pine Lake International Country Club. We ate in the original antebellum-style clubhouse and enjoyed a trick golf demonstration on the famous course by Buddy Shelton. For folks who arrived early, we offered tours of Brookgreen Gardens. Several attendees visited the sculpture gardens and exhibits at this national historic landmark. On the way to the gardens, we used a tour guide from Lighthouse Ministry Tour and Travel, Sharon Mills. She was an excellent guide. What was surprising to me was how well each venue worked with each other. They worked as a team to make it a success for our group’s visit, as if we were the most important group to them.
Would you return?
There is only one Myrtle Beach and we enjoyed our time there. We’d love to return. It feels like working with friends.
Do you have any advice for other planners who might bring a meeting to Myrtle Beach?
My advice to anyone wanting to go to Myrtle Beach is to start with the CVB. These folks can help sort through the many choices you have there. They can help guide your decisions with logistics and timing to make your meeting flow easily. Going to Myrtle Beach is an easy choice—great working partners, good facilities, lots of choices, and good attendance at your meetings!