Debbie Motz
Executive Director; Eastern Outdoor Reps Association; Asheville, N.C.
Describe your event. Eastern Outdoor Reps Association (EORA) is a regional trade show for the specialty outdoor market. Our event is for trade only and is a buy event for retailers. We have close to 750 people attend the show. It was held at the Connecticut Convention Center.
Why did you decide to host the meeting in Hartford? It’s centrally located between the mid-Atlantic and Northeast territories.
What surprised you the most about Hartford? We were surprised by the walkability of the city. It’s easy to walk to so many restaurants from the convention center and around downtown.
Was anybody particularly helpful? The front staff at the Hartford Marriott Downtown is absolutely wonderful; they have remembered who we are year after year. They are very friendly and helpful. The staff at the Connecticut Convention Center is very professional and very excited to make our event a success. I can’t say enough about the Greater Hartford CVB. They are very helpful, full of good suggestions and always available.
Is there anything you wish you had known beforehand? I wish I’d known how well the CVB provided service.
Did you incorporate any interesting activities into the agenda? Since we are in the outdoor business we were able to team up with Riverfront Recapture Park and host a paddle demo for the canoes and kayaks. It was a great success. The park is close and very convenient.
What local suppliers did you utilize? We used Double A Charter Services to shuttle attendees between Riverfront Recapture Park and the convention center. They were great and very easy to work with.
How does Hartford compare to other places where you have hosted meetings? We travel the entire East Coast and find Hartford is exceptionally easy to travel to and get around in. The Connecticut Convention Center is a new facility, so it provides state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.
Would you return? We are returning in 2009. This year is our third continuous year in Hartford.
Do you have any advice for other planners who might bring a meeting to Hartford? Work with the Greater Hartford CVB. They can really help put an event together and always provide great suggestions. They are committed to making your event a success.