Oct. 27-31, 2007
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
Sandestin, Fla.
The 27th annual Florida Encounter went where it’s never gone before, descending on the state’s northwest region for the first time ever and treating delegates to an experience at one of the area’s largest leisure and convention venues: Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
In between plotting how they were going to soak in the atmosphere of this sprawling resort town amid miles of other incredible, postcard-perfect resort locales, nearly 150 delegates met to transact convention business into the Sunshine State during an appointment trade show that paired top corporate, association, government, and independent planners with Florida hotels, resorts, destination marketing organizations, and other industry suppliers of goods and services.
“Florida Encounter matches the planner with the partner,” said Karen Hamilton, CMP, vice president of client services for Chicago-based Minding Your Business during a roundtable discussion between meeting planners and industry journalists. “Instead of saying ‘hi’ to everyone, my contacts are targeted.”
“One-on-one appointments are an efficient way of conducting business,” echoed Bud Nocera, CEO of Visit Florida, the state’s official source for travel planning and host of Florida Encounter. “We like to think we’re visionaries planning the way for tourism.”
The only show of its kind in the state, Florida Encounter continues to be a catalyst for economic development. Following the 2006 Encounter, 81 percent of attendees said they would place three or more meetings in the ensuing three years, according to Visit Florida; in 2005 that number was 71 percent. Additionally, the average economic benefit of the business represented by each planner for the state increased from $287,656 in 2005 to $331,111 in 2006.
Other numbers are impressively high as well, according to figures released during the show: 83.9 million visitors to Florida in 2006, spending $65 billion. Of that total influx, 19 percent were domestic travelers coming to Florida for business purposes, and 18 percent were international business travelers.
Virtual visitors, meanwhile, are arriving in droves. The state’s newly launched planner website, www.meetings.visitflorida.com, had logged 370,310 total page views by show time, reported Eileen Forrow, Visit Florida’s vice president of sales.
“We’re extremely pleased with it,” Forrow said. “It was designed with feedback from planners. It’s been so well received.”
The site was recognized by the Web Marketing Association with a 2007 Standard of Excellence Award.
