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Big Island VB Says Tsunami Impact Minimal

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Meetings Focus - the Destination Experts
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MARCH 15, 2011
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Industry News
Big Island VB Says Tsunami Impact Minimal
While hotels and tourism infrastructure on the Kohala-Kona coast of Hawaii's Big Island sustained some damage from the tsunami generated by the earthquake near Japan, the impact on visitors is minimal, according to officials from the Big Island Visitors Bureau.
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Hilton Reaches Union Agreements
Hilton hotels in Chicago, Hawaii and San Francisco have reached tentative contract agreements with the hotel employees' union Unite Here, ending labor disputes that have stretched out for over 18 months.
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Westin Opens in Downtown Phoenix
The Westin Downtown Phoenix is up and running in downtown Phoenix, a block from the Phoenix Civic Plaza convention center.
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Historic Vegas Casino Resort to Close
The owner of the Sahara hotel-casino, a fixture on the Las Vegas Strip since 1952, announced the property will close on March 16.
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Big Sky Resort
Visit our Sponsor The Yellowstone Conference Center at Big Sky Resort offers meeting facilities, experienced staff, plus lodging and dining options. With more than 55,000 square feet of meeting space and 750 rooms, suites, condominiums and cabins, Big Sky routinely accommodates retreats, meetings and conventions for 25 to 750 guests. Our walkable Mountain Village featuring restaurants and recreation encourages networking and makes for efficient scheduling. Our Mountain setting and proximity to Yellowstone Park, make our region like no other on the planet.

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Featured Story
Summer Mountain Meetings  

Summer Mountain Meetings

Mountain Toppers

By RUTH A. HILL

Summertime bookings for meetings in Western mountain resort areas are on the rise, coming at a time when high-altitude destinations continue to add high-end facilities, innovative activities and customized services for groups.

While the upturn in business is welcome news for mountain resorts, it does a have a flip side for planners. In some locations, preferred dates are getting hard to obtain and the days of deep discounting are coming to a close.

Read more about Summer Mountain Meetings...

 
Vote now for your favorite properties in the West!
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Select the top 15 hotels and resorts that went that extra mile...the ones that offered the best in rooms, value, service, F&B, amenities and activities. All registered voters will be entered into a drawing where we will give away four $100 Visa Gift Cards.Your fellow planners value your input and so do we, so give your favorite properties some love!  

Voting takes just a minute…what are you waiting for?!? Vote now!

 
Site Scene

Close-Up: Tucson

By TYLER DAVIDSON

While to the untrained eye Southern Arizona may conjure up visions of a relatively homogenous expanse of desert and giant cacti, the city of Tucson boasts a diverse selection of cultures, natural lures and hotel and resort variety that suits a variety of price ranges.

Read more Close-Up: Tucson »

4 Spectacular Off-Sites - Tucson

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

Offering a zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum has solidified its reputation in the scientific community because of its more than half-century mission of education, research and preservation of the Sonoran Desert. Featured animals include mountain lions, prairie dogs and Gila monsters—more than 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants, in total. The museum offers two miles of walking paths snaking through 21 acres. The Desert Garden, Ironwood Complex and Taylor Complex can be kept open for events after the museum closing time of 5 p.m. On-site catering is available.

Read more Spectacular Off-Sites - Tucson »

MeetingsFocusForum.com
Click here Log on now and get in on the conversation with Joan Eisenstodt, industry education leader, and your fellow meeting planners. Talk about planning issues, destination dilemmas, issues with contracts, ROI, CSR and more. Just join in, post your question and we know you'll find the answer!

MeetingsFocusForum.com is live!

 
Past Issues
Team San Jose Names CEO - 3/08/11
Convention Industry CEOs to Collaborate - 3/01/11
Amex Study Shows Biz Travel ROI - 2/22/11
Ravella at Lake Las Vegas Debuts - 2/15/11
Five Major Resorts Declare Bankruptcy - 2/08/11
Calif. Hotel Foreclosures Soaring - 2/01/11
U.S. Travel Partners with IMEX America - 1/25/11
New CVB Planned for Escondido, Calif. - 1/18/11
 
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LATEST VIDEOS
Meetings: On Location!

David Fine
What are some of the recent trends with group meetings and golfing getaways? Zachary Chouteau checked in with the PGA National Resort & Spa's VP of Sales, Marketing and Revenue Development—David Fine—while visiting the resort for the recent Honda Classic PGA tournament. Here's the scoop from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
 
Meetings Focus Poll
How has your view of planning for contingencies changed in the last year?
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Negotiating: The Numbers Game
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Join Meetings Focus and negotiation expert Bill Reed, senior vice president for Experient, one of the meetings industry's leading meeting management companies, to learn the latest negotiation strategies in these changing times. With the hospitality industry waking up after a long slumber in a cash-strapped buyer's market, now is the time to sharpen your negotiating skills.

Sponsored by: Cedar Rapids Area CVB, Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation, Lago Mar Resort Hotel & Club, MassMutal Center, Sonesta Hotel & Suites Coconut Grove, Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Lied Logde & Conference Center, Chesapeake Conventions & Tourism, Las Vegas Hilton, Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, Marriott Eastern Regional Office, Utah Valley CVB, Loews New Orleans Hotel, Eldorado Hotel and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort,

Visit our webinar page to register or learn more.

 

Meetings West
Hot Deals

Koloa, HI
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
$240
5/10/2011 - 6/18/2011
 
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