Senior Vice President of Meetings, Education and Member Services
American Bus Association
Lexington, Ky.
Describe your event.
The American Bus Marketplace is the premier business event for the group travel industry. The appointments are the core of the show, which allow buyers and sellers to meet face-to-face in prescheduled, seven-minute appointments. In addition to the quality appointments, Marketplace offers more than 50 professional education seminars and dozens of social functions and networking opportunities.
Why did you decide to host the meeting in Grapevine?
Marketplace brings more than 3,000 travel industry professionals to the host city and state. The professionals plan tours and bring millions of dollars of future business back into the host community. Because of this, cities, states and regions bid on hosting Marketplace. Grapevine was chosen because of their commitment to the group tour market, their exceptional hotel properties, easy access into the city, and their numerous partners in the region.
What surprised you the most about Grapevine?
The way the community came together and welcomed our group. Everyone from the shop and hotel owners to the sales people couldn’t have been more welcoming to us.
What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
Our delegates enjoyed the sightseeing tours and the evening events the most. Every event was first-class, different from the others, showcased the venue and the region, and most of all was fun!
Was anybody particularly helpful?
The Grapevine CVB staff and the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center staff were phenomenal. Our every need was met, and our expectations were exceeded under every circumstance. We were never once told “no.” It was always, “We’ll find a way to do that.”
What were some of the challenges you experienced?
Our attendance was higher than expected, and our hotel block filled up very quickly. The CVB staff and the local hotels stepped up to the plate and worked with us on all of our needs in short order.
What other types of groups would fit well with the property?
The Gaylord Texan can host large groups such as ours, but it also has the ability to host small, intimate groups such as board meetings. We have been partners with Gaylord for many years and use their properties as often as possible.
How does Grapevine compare to other cities where you have hosted meetings?
In Grapevine, we became a part of the local community. We were not just another convention and not just visitors coming in for the week, but locals who were greeted with open arms and warm smiles. The American Bus Association staff and the delegates made many friends in Grapevine.
Would you return?
Absolutely!