Is a destination really a great value if it only has budget-priced hotel accommodations and facilities and not much else?
Of course not, if you want a well-rounded meeting or incentive experience.
“It’s important to thoroughly evaluate the destination from a variety of angles,” says Donna Jarvis-Miller, associate director of meetings and trade shows for McLean, Va.-based Meetings Management group.
Valuable Questions
Jarvis-Miller suggests asking these questions before making a recommendation on a value destination:
- What will be the overall experience for the attendee?
- Will they appreciate the value destination in exchange for money saved on the hotel rate?
- Does the destination provide all the quality services needed to give a good experience for the attendees?
- Will the lower rates help to increase registration, thus adding to the bottom line for the conference?
- Does the property (hotel and/or convention center) meet the quality standards to provide a productive meeting environment?
- Will the city and convention and visitors bureau/authority be true partners with the client to provide a quality experience?
For groups with specific interests, the choices are wide-ranging. PageBreak
Academic Alternatives
If you’re seeking a value destination with an academia ambience, there are some excellent choices in the Southeast.
In Gainesville, Fla., home to the University of Florida, groups can utilize several impressive campus facilities, such as the Harn Museum of Art, one of the largest campus art museums in the Southeast, and the University of Florida Performing Arts Center.
“We have a good selection of value-oriented hotels with negotiable rates,” says Roland Loog, director of Visit Gainesville. “As long as groups don’t try to schedule on football weekends during the Gator Nationals drag race, there’s ample inventory with competitive rates.”
A college football competitor in the Southeastern Conference, the University of Tennessee, located in Knoxville, offers groups on-campus meeting opportunities, as well. Among the more popular facilities are the University of Tennessee Conference Center and Thompson-Boling Arena.
Kim Bumpas, the president of Visit Knoxville, says attractive room rates at more than 40 hotels are just part of the city’s value appeal.
“Many of our entertainment, shopping and dining choices in downtown and the University of Tennessee are within walking distance or a short trolley ride so transportation costs are kept to a minimum,” Bumpas says.
Golf-Centric Options
“A value golf destination requires a selection of affordably priced courses and a variety of hotel, condo and villa offerings,” says Dave Turley, operations manager for Golfpac Travel, a 35-year-old Orlando-based firm specializing in custom golf packages to more than 40 destinations.
He cites Myrtle Beach, S.C., which has more than 100 golf courses and 89,000 hotel rooms, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, an area encompassing Biloxi and Gulfport with 20 courses and nearly 13,000 hotel rooms, as value golf destinations that are especially appealing to meeting and incentive groups.
“For groups that want even more savings in Biloxi and Gulfport, there are some fantastic rates from late October through January, especially on Sunday through Thursday meetings,” says Crystal Johnson, director of sales. “Our golf courses are open year-round.”
“A couple of emerging value golf destinations are Cocoa Beach, on Florida’s east coast, and the Sarasota/Bradenton area on the state’s west coast,” Turley says. “Both of them have lots of golf course choices and hotels in all price ranges, plus there are a variety of off-the-course activities like water sports and dining.”
Other golf-happy value destinations, according to Turley, include Orlando, home to more than 110 golf courses within a 45-mile radius of downtown with an ample selection of economically priced hotels and villa accommodations and St. Augustine, Fla., which has easy access to the World Golf Village, home to the World Golf Hall of Fame and to Palm Coast, a sprawling resort community with three golf courses. PageBreak
Budget Beaches
If the beach beckons, you can find value in Gulf Shores, Ala., where 32 miles of white sands and a varied accommodations menu are the draw.
“Our busiest tourist months are June, July and August, but the rest of the year groups can take advantage of excellent hotel and condo rates,” says Beth Gendler, vice president of sales for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “One of the unique aspects about Gulf Shores is our major condominiums have meeting space. It’s a great cost-saving option when you can put several people in a multi-bedroom condo.”
Other popular summertime beach destinations with highly competitive offseason rates for groups include Panama City Beach, Fla., which has a good selection of affordably priced hotels and upscale condominiums, and Jekyll Island, Ga., a seven-mile-long island on the Atlantic Ocean coast where a variety of smaller properties and a 128,000-square-foot convention center are the magnets for value-searching groups.
Suburban Selections
What if you want access to a major urban area but also desire a more sedate environment?
For those considering the Orlando area, Seminole County, encompassing towns like Lake Mary, Sanford, Altamonte Springs and Longwood, is a value possibility with easy access via Interstate 4 to downtown Orlando and the Walt Disney World tourism corridor.
Seminole County is located about a 20-minute drive north of downtown Orlando.
“We’re close to everything but you can still get away from it all,” says Sharon Sears, executive director of the Seminole County CVB. “Adding to our appeal is our hotel rooms are one-third less expensive than our neighbors.”
Sears says groups meeting in Seminole County can de-stress after meetings with a variety of inexpensive activities, such as the Central Florida Zoo, a world-class rock climbing center, airboat rides, zip lining and canoeing.
Near Atlanta, Lisa Anders, executive director of the Gwinett County CVB, touts her destination as a place “with small town appeal and big city accessibility.”
Located about a 30-minute drive northeast of downtown Atlanta, Gwinett County’s main towns include Buford, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Norcross and Suwanee.
All of the towns have easy access to Interstate 85, the main artery to Atlanta.
“Our hotel room rates are about 35 percent lower than those found inside the perimeter of Atlanta,” Anders says. “For larger groups, the parking is free at the Gwinett Center convention facility.
“Beyond direct costs,” she continues, “our value lies in the fact that we have a variety of entertainment, recreation and dining choices within a short driving distance such as Stone Mountain Park, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, and the huge Mall of Georgia.”
Edward Schmidt Jr. is a freelance writer who always peruses the value meal menu before ordering.
