Already a haven for cultural and film pursuits, Los Angeles is adding sports mecca to its list of top-shelf specialties.

There’s more to Los Angeles’ star status than its resident lineup of celebrities. The Downtown, Mid-City and Miracle Mile areas, along with nearby West Hollywood, boast an ever expanding list of arts and culture off-site venues that prove the depth of talent endemic to this SoCal centerpiece.

As all-inclusive properties in Mexico, the Caribbean and beyond trend toward luxury experiences, meeting groups are taking advantage of the added amenities in addition to the convenience and cost-savings.

AccorHotels signed an agreement to acquire 85 percent of 21c Museum Hotels, an award-winning hospitality management company that melds the hotel world with a museum experience. The 21c company features a multi-venue contemporary art museum, boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants, with 11 properties currently open and under development across the U.S.

Meetings Today Destinations Content Director Marlene Goldman sat down with Destinations International President & CEO Don Welsh during its 2018 Annual Convention in Anaheim in July 2018 to find out how the organization is helping DMOs adapt to the next generation of meeting planners, and the challenges DMOs face in areas such as destination boycotts and the “weaponization of travel.”

It didn’t take long for Las Vegas to turn 2017 legalization of adult-use cannabis in Nevada into a glitzy new attraction. Planet 13 Holdings, which currently runs an off-Strip dispensary, is building a 40,000-square-foot cannabis superstore and entertainment space slated to open in phases starting in November 2018. No event space is planned for the facility yet, but it’s a possibility for Phase 2.

Yes, cageless shark diving is a thing. As is moonlight ziplining and skateboarding on water, aka flyboarding. All around North America, the variety of coastal adventures available to groups offers intriguing diversions from the confines of a meeting room.

Destinations International’s 2018 Annual Convention continued Thursday, July 12, 2018, on a dramatic but uplifting note. A morning keynote address focused on how Visit California and prominent leaders in the community worked to overcome a spate of natural disasters over the past year.

Destinations International kicked off its 2018 Annual Convention earlier this week with over 1,500 attendees from over 16 countries, according to Don Welsh, president and CEO of the association for destination marketing organizations, as well as 65 education sessions and five general keynotes.

The accolades are building. Dubbed by Thrillist earlier this year as “One of the Coolest Cities in America that Doesn’t Even Know It Yet” and “The best surprise in the Midwest,” by ESPN writer Myron Medcalf, Wichita, Kansas, is making its presence known.