What will the future bring to the various regions of Florida and what are some of the trends regarding meetings in those areas? We spoke with the presidents, CEOs and directors of sales of Florida’s CVBs and DMOs to find out, and here is what they said.
Barry Moskowitz, Vice President of Sales, Miami CVB
There are some great opportunities for meeting planners to get some great values here. We are also excited about opening our new Miami Beach Convention Center in September 2018. We are doing a half-a-billion-dollar renovation with all the bells and whistles; it is going to be a showcase. It will have an additional ballroom and unique areas where people can meet. It’s what our customers are looking for.
We are still seeing a lot of short-term requests for meetings, which always keeps hotels on their feet. One trend we are seeing is that technology continues to be on the fast track. Social media is becoming an integral part of the destination and meetings. Once in the meeting, there is a lot more interaction.
Planners are looking for new and unique experiences for their attendees. They don’t want to see the typical tourist attraction. They want something more authentic, more real. Our neighborhoods are developing into tourist destinations. Little Havana has authentic Cuban restaurants and you can get a cafe con leche at the corner store. They are seeing the real deal. There is also the Wynwood Arts District where the artists paint on the sides of buildings. Combine a tour with some of the mom-and-pop restaurants and you’re absorbing some incredible culture. That is our new direction; hopefully we will be leaders in this trend.
Fred Shea, Senior Vice President, Sales and Services, Visit Orlando
Because the economy is better, we have seen larger conventions booking further out. Meeting professionals know that dates become less available when times are good. They want to secure the dates they need. We are still seeing shorter lead times for corporate planners, but they are far more flexible on rates.
We are finding that planners are looking for experiences. They are asking for unique, local venues for their attendees, and Orlando is a great place for that, which is great for meeting planners who are pre-promoting the conference to excite people to come to the destination.
We were not sure that Millennials would want to attend meetings. But the good news is they are attending the meetings, they are engaged and they want to experience the destination. They love the theme parks, but they also like other activities. They want to know what the locals do. They love going to bars with music and going to Topgolf and escape rooms for teambuilding. Teambuilding used to be set up in ballrooms…not anymore.
Stacy Ritter, CEO, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB
Greater Fort Lauderdale has had a strong start to 2017 with more total group rooms sold in the month of January 2017 than the year previously. Pre-sell for the remainder of the year for conventions and groups is ahead of pace with various short-term opportunities.
With the continued addition of new flight routes, both domestic and international, to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Greater Fort Lauderdale is fortunate to have new market areas from which to draw visitors.
Though we have anticipated the competition to continue to grow this year and into the next from new supply, the majority of our hotels are well poised after spending more than $900 million in reinvestment and product transformations in the summer and fall of 2016. That will give meeting planners and guests new reasons to come back and visit Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Santiago Corrada, President & CEO, Tampa CVB
We have had three straight years of growth with average room rates up 27 percent, occupancy up 22 percent and room revenue up 33 percent. We have been up at the convention center four years in a row and we have booked 480,000 room nights into the future. We have started to watch our booking window grow. We have groups booked as close as June 2017 and as far out as November 2023.
We had a record-setting past year with huge citywides, and in the coming year we’ll see the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the Department of Energy and Educational Testing Service. We are also seeing tremendous growth with seven new boutique hotels in development in the downtown area and great renovations to downtown Ybor City. All over the state, this means job creation in the tourism industry, for plumbers for electricians. It’s a boon to local economies.
Monica Smith, Vice President of Sales and Services, Visit Jacksonville
Jacksonville is already having a busy 2017.We are beginning to see a shift from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market, and as this happens, the market is getting more and more competitive. Another big trend is the increase in short-term bookings for groups and the need for more off-site dining options as attendees have more free time during conventions.
Both these trends have our entire hospitality community working together in a more efficient way so we can better attract the groups that best fit our destination and provide a level of local experiences and services that exceeds the expectations of both the planners and their attendees.
Suzanne Scully, CDME, Director of Meetings and Conventions, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
Meeting planners are looking for something unique, whether it’s an off-site teambuilding event or networking activity like an escape room or a trip on the St. Pete Craft Beer Trail. They want to get out and about, and they want camaraderie.
We do off-site dinners in some of our breweries; we have wonderful events in the unique venues like the Dali Museum or the Chihuly Collection at the Morean Arts Center (St. Pete). These events get people excited about the conference.
When meeting planners reach out to the CVB, we can offer suggestions according to the demographic of the group.
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Kerri L. Post, Executive Director, Visit Tallahassee/Leon County Tourism Development
Leon County tourism has grown steadily for eight years, and that trend is expected to continue this year. In the meetings sector, 92 percent of meeting planners report they were satisfied with their experiences here. Extensive redevelopment is transforming our urban districts, highlighted by the rapid growth of locally owned restaurants, live entertainment nightly and a brew district that produces award-winning beer.
The options for after-hours entertainment have increased tremendously and continue to grow. Ongoing development of urban parks and trails for biking, running and hiking are expanding our appeal to those interested in active pursuits or wellness activities during free time.
Also, spring 2018 presents a great opportunity for growth in bookings because the Florida Legislature will convene next year in January and February, rather than in March and April as they did this year.
Thanks to the spring color from red bud trees, azaleas, dogwoods and acres of flower beds, no place in Florida does springtime like Tallahassee.
Jorge Pesquera, President and CEO, Discover The Palm Beaches
We are very bullish about the prospects for increased meetings and conventions bookings throughout The Palm Beaches. This is supported by the increasingly effective sales and marketing efforts by the Discover The Palm Beaches team, but also the expanding product of meetings facilities and hotels.
The opening of the Hilton West Palm Beach in 2016 has suddenly catapulted the City of West Palm Beach into a true contender for citywide events requiring 500 to 700 hotel rooms on peak night.
The opening of the Hyatt Place Boca Raton/Downtown has brought the grand total to 1,300 upscale rooms within walking distance of the Boca Raton Resort and Club, which gives us another opportunity to host citywide events in The Palm Beaches.
Pamela Johnson, CDME, Deputy Director, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
We are definitely seeing meetings with shorter lead times, especially smaller corporate groups. Unlike Miami and Orlando, we don’t own our own convention center so we do a lot of smaller meetings. We continue to add properties, one in downtown Ft. Myers connected to Harborside Event Center, which has 32,000 square feet of meeting space. It is projected to open in 2018 as part of Marriott’s Autograph collection, and it’s the first hotel of this size, with 225 rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space. The Westin in Cape Coral is building its own conference facility, which is just shy of 40,000 square feet, scheduled to open in 2018.
One trend we are seeing is planners want locally sourced food and they are increasingly into wellness. Our destination lends itself to that because there are so many recreational opportunities, from stand-up yoga on paddleboards to traditional spa treatments.
Debi DeBenedetto, Group Sales Manager, Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB
What I’m seeing is a lot of short-term, pop-up meetings. I’m not sure if now that the election is over people are letting loose. Meetings that might have been on hold seem to be back. We are seeing more groups asking for pre and post rates, so attendees can bring their families. With the Everglades, golf, boating, airboat tours, dinner cruises, our beaches and our weather, they want to bring their families and stay a few extra days. It’s a nice way for groups to grow attendance.
We have 10,000 islands off the coast of Naples and Marco Island, so we are also great for fishing and bird watching. We have two five-star Ritz-Carltons and the Marriott Marco Island is rebranding to a four-star JW Marriott, so we’re seeing growth in incentives to the area.
We are seeing attendees looking for healthy food and craft cocktails—everyone’s a foodie. Naples even has more than 10 restaurants certified by the Blue Zones Project (a program by Healthways to encourage healthier options in communities).
Shelby Connett, Meetings Sales Manager, Visit Sarasota County
A few significant meeting planning trends that we have seen here in Sarasota include shortened lead times and the need for access to advanced technology. Due to the many factors of uncertainty that exist today, more organizations are waiting until the last minute to decide the status of their meeting program. This accelerates the entire planning process, especially site selection. Responses are now needed within one to two days of receiving RFPs, which is one reason that access to advanced technology is becoming so critical.
Hotels and DMOs are becoming accustomed to using email and software technology, such as Cvent, to communicate with planners and submit proposals as soon as possible. Likewise, the need for Internet and Wi-Fi accessibility is becoming more important than ever. Even when extensive AV is not required for a program, attendees still want to be well-connected and would prefer not to be charged for it.
Carley McMillian, CMP, Lead Sales Coordinator, Visit South Walton
One of the things we’re seeing is planners really want unique teambuilding activities. For example, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort’s 2,400 lush acres has an impressive list of activities for groups: Four championship golf courses are perfect for hosting company tourneys featuring tee prizes and 19th hole cocktails and catering.
There is also charter boat fishing from Baytowne Marina, beach bonfires with live entertainment and a diverse menu of dining and nightlife options in the lively Village of Baytowne Wharf. Baytowne Adventure Zone challenges groups with everything from ropes courses and ziplining to paddleboarding on the Choctawhatchee Bay. Other teambuilding activities in South Walton include Fun Runs, beach Olympics, scavenger hunts, beach relay races, bay fishing and stand-up paddle relays on a coastal dune lake.
William McBroom, Director of Conference Sales, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau
Overall, Florida’s Historic Coast offers excellent value compared to more compressed Florida and national markets, especially considering all we offer. We continue to see high group demand, including both short- and long-term, up to 18 months out. There is excellent opportunity for groups looking to book two years or more into the future, as our larger properties will typically offer more favorable terms to layer in a solid base.
Another sweet spot for groups is any hole the property may have within the current year. Date flexibility continues to be the key to getting the best deals.
Jack Meier, Group Sales Manager, Monroe County Tourist Development Council
The Florida Keys & Key West are not your typical meeting destination. Meeting planners interested in the destination are drawn to the Keys’ water-based environment, which factors for relaxing respites from meetings while providing a base for unique teambuilding activities.
Additionally, The Keys offer a variety of facilities for small and midsize groups. Whether it’s full-service resorts or boutique properties, there are options that can suit planners’ needs with ease. With so much to offer, it’s simply about finding the right fit for your group.
DT Minich, President & CEO, Experience Kissimmee
Meeting planners will seek facilities and partners that have the ability to incorporate technology into all aspects of the event. There will also be high expectations for personalization and authentic experiences on all levels.
Kissimmee was built around hospitality, and over-the-top service is in our DNA. The ability to create individualized programs while remaining genuinely hospitable will be the game-changer.
