Group Travel Scoop - Groople.com

Los Angeles Group Travel Guide

Los Angeles is a really exciting, vibrant, and unique destination for group travel. Like many cities, Los Angeles has a lot to offer in terms of museums, dining, attractions, shopping, live entertainment, and cultural events. Los Angeles has world-class conference, conventions, and meeting facilities and stands out as one of the busiest cities for all kinds of business travel. L.A. has a lot of company in this regard from other large cities. However, L.A. stands out from other cities because of its beautiful year-round weather and some of its unique charms: Hollywood, the home of American cinema; proximity to great Southern California attractions and neighboring cities, such as San Diego and Orange County. Here are ten of my favorite Los Angeles attractions that I think are perfect for group travelers.

1) Farmers Market - Located on the corner of Fairfax and Wilshire, the Farmers Market has its origins back in the Great Depression. Today it is a booming market with fresh fruit and vegetable vendors, restaurants, specialty shops, and more. Thousands of people come to the Farmers Market every day. Definitely check this out because it offers a little something for everyone.

2) The Music Center - At the top of Bunker Hill is The Music Center, which includes the Ahmanson Theater, the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, the Mark Taper Forum, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. If you have the opportunity to get theater or concert tickets, Los Angeles offers some world-class performances.

3) Griffith Park - This 4,000 acre park is home to the Los Angeles Zoo and the Griffith Park Observatory. The Park also features a Greek theater, golf, tennis, and an equestrian riding center. This is a great place to walk or ride a bike, and has the added appeal as having a prominent part in "A Rebel Without A Cause" with James Dean.

4) The J. Paul Getty Museum - This is perhaps one of the best museums in California, and the museum's art collection features masterpieces from Roman And Greek antiquities to modern works. The museum collections feature sculpture, painting, drawings, photographs and also an incredible institution devoted to the study of the humanities.

5) Museum of Contemporary Art - The Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art is an eclectic, growing, and changing venue for important and interesting contemporary art. It is definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in art.

6) Beverly Hills - This posh neighborhood is a very popular destination. Beverly Hills has some fantastic shopping opportunities, even if you only want to stroll past the upscale shops. Dine at the Hotel Bel-Air, go shopping at the Century City Shopping Center, or stroll on Rodeo Drive.

7) Venice Beach - Venice is known for an eclectic mix of street performers, great opportunities for people watching, and for bodybuilders working out right along the boardwalk in a designated beach front gym.

8) Hollywood Walk of Fame - On Hollywood Boulevard is the Walk of Fame, featuring the hand and footprints of over two thousand actors and actresses from television and the big screen. Check out the names on the famous stars, and also  be sure to check out such favorites as Mann's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard.

9) Mission San Gabriel - About 8 miles east of Los Angeles is the city of San Gabriel, where you can visit the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. The mission was constructed in 1806 and is an important example of California mission architecture and the Moorish influence on Spanish mission building.

10) Santa Monica Beach - This three mile stretch of beach is one of the nicest in the Los Angeles area. There are some beautiful views of the Pacific, and Santa Monica Beach is also known for its exceptional gardens.

Group Travel is Easier with Online Collaboration

Group travel brings with it some unique considerations, especially for the trip organizer. With all the excitement generated by Web 2.0 sites and the ability of people to increasingly come together online in creative ways, group travel is a natural fit with this increasingly popular genre of websites.

When you travel as a group, the adventure begins with the planning stage. Group travel is about participation, coming together, a collective experience. What better way to excite your group of friends, colleagues, or family members than to include them in the planning process.

We designed our website with collaboration and communication in mind. Our hope is that you can come to Groople with a basic idea of what you would like to do with your group of travelers. Once you search for hotels on our site, you can quickly identify a short list of hotels you like best. You can save the hotels under your trip name and send a link to your fellow travelers to come vote and comment on your hotel selections.

People appreciate being included in the organizing and planning, but as the trip organizer you will make the final decision of what hotel to book for your group. You still make the decisions for payment options and the other final details of the trip.

Give your group a voice, and people will remember the way you included them. Take responsibility for the final decisions, and your group will also remember how you helped create a memorable experience for everyone involved.

We aimed high with our website redesign. Please let us know what you think of it. We are proud of the new site, but we will not be satisfied unless you love it, too. Help us make Groople better by giving us your comments and suggestions. If you see a feature you love, let us know we did something right. If you expected something that you could not find, give us the opportunity to learn and improve.

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

Group Travel Video Contest

Announcing Groople.com's "Best Group Travel Video Contest". We expect this to be a lot of fun, and the more the people that participate, the better. We are running a contest on Youtube for the best group travel video. Submit a video from a recent group trip. It can be from a family reunion, destination wedding, sports team trip, corporate meeting, incentive trip, or any trip with a group of fellow travelers. The contest runs from January 25 through March 31, 2007. Be sure to submit something compelling, amusing, and entertaining because the most viewed video wins the contest. The Grand Prize is a free trip for up to five people, including hotel accommodations and airfare. The hotel prize is provided by Wyndham Hotel Group, and the airfare provided by Frontier airlines:

Post Your Best Group Travel Video Now - CLICK HERE

To see official contest rules, CLICK HERE

Religious Travel and Religious Meeting Planning Tips

Religious travel is a growing market. In fact, religious travel is comprised of several distinct types of travel. There are religious tours, including trips to European pilgrimage sites and the Holy Land. Most Christian denominations hold regular meetings and annual conventions. Some of these church conventions have thousands of delegates and considerable hotel space requirements. Religious conventions often resemble the corporate meetings and conventions market in terms of logistics even though the purpose of each is much different. Other religious communities organize trips for their congregations: everything from just-for-fun trips in Orlando to urban mission/service trips to help out in communities in the U.S. and around the world. In a nutshell, "religious travel" can mean a lot of things.

Here are a few things I have learned about the planning and booking side of religious travel to help you with your own planning.

1) Plan Ahead - You may have volunteered to organize that trip to Orlando for your church's summer youth program, so make the experience as stress-free as possible. Be a hero in the end when you help provide great memories for everyone involved. By planning ahead, you can ensure that you find the group hotel rates you need, in the location you want, on the dates the work for your group trip. In my experience, the larger your group the more you need to plan ahead. It may sound like a lot of time, but I would recommend making your group hotel booking at least sixty to ninety days in advance. If you are making arrangements for a group of 60 people or more, you probably want to book three to four months in advance if at all possible.

2) Remember Your Group Members - When you plan travel for your church group or other religious organization, both the purpose of the trip and the people traveling matter. As the group travel organizer, obviously want to plan the best trip possible. One of the easiest ways to do that is to keep your trip and your travelers top of mind during the planning. Senior travelers may have requirements that other groups do not. You may also need to consider the number of adult chaperones you need for that group of 30 kids you are taking on a long weekend trip. For a couples retreat, where the purpose may be more for personal growth and learning, find the perfect facility to accommodate comfort, openness, and relaxation.

One of the easiest ways to ensure a successful group trip for your religious group is to enlist the assistance of an expert group travel planner.

Search now for hotels that meet the needs of religious travel groups.

Group Travel Planning for Denver

Denver is home for me and my kids, and it is a great city that has a lot to offer both locals and visitors. We get a lot of sunshine here in Denver year-round, and the mountains to the west get world-class snow for skiing and other winter sports. Here at Groople, Denver is one of our top ten destinations for group travel. It is an ideal location for corporate meetings, retreats, family trips, friends getaways, group ski trips, and small group travel of any kind.

I've lived in Colorado since 1992, so here are a few of my top picks when you come to Denver, whether it is for student group travel or a just for fun, group trip with your friends.

1) Invesco Field at Mile High - Home of the Denver Broncos and some of the best sports fans anywhere, if you come to down during a Broncos home game see if you can get your hands on some tickets, and have a blast.

2) U.S. Mint - Denver is home to one of the three U.S. Mints. Take an interesting tour of the mint, and learn how money is made. Also, visit the onsite museum on the history of coins.

3) Coors Field - This is a great baseball stadium, and if you are in Denver during baseball season it is worth a visit. If you plan ahead, you can get some great tickets for a Rockies game at Coors Field, and you can usually get a reasonably priced ticket on game day sitting out .

4) Denver Center for the Performing Arts - This multi-theater complex is one of the best performing arts centers in the Western States. Here you can see Broadway productions, seasonal favorites, and even Shakespeare in the round.

5) The Downtown Aquarium - Formerly called Ocean Journey, the Aquarium is a great place if you are traveling with children. There are two sections of the aquarium that trace major river systems from their headwaters to the ocean: the Colorado River and the Kampar River in Indonesia. My own children love the Downtown Aquarium.

6) The 16th Street Mall - This outdoor, pedestrian mall is in the heart of downtown Denver, and it is a fun place to shop and people watch. It also offers some great dining options as well as the Denver Pavillions. At the Pavillions, you can catch a movie, play some pool, or bowl, so there are lots of options for groups.

7) Denver Botanic Gardens - This world-class, outdoor garden exhibit features native Colorado plants as well as exotic species. There is also an indoor tropical area. This is a really beautiful place, well-suited to events and gatherings of all kinds.

8) City Park - City Park offers both the Denver Zoo and the Museum of Nature and Science. The Denver Zoo is a great way to go for a stroll, and their animal collection is impressive. Over the years, the Zoo has improved the animal exhibits greatly to provide more space and a more natural environment for the animals. The Zoo is an exceptional educational experience as well. The Museum of Nature and Science has fantastic permanent exhibits, including a Space Exhibit, a Hall of Life, dioramas of real wildlife specimens from the forest to the arctic ice, and much more. Don't miss this one. The Museum also has an IMAX theater.

9) Denver Art Museum - With a world-class Asian collection and an impressive collection of Western American art, the Denver Art museum is highly recommended. The new Hamilton Building is a nice addition to the museum, and it houses a great collection of contemporary art and sculpture.

10) Forney Museum of Transportation - This museum is devoted to the history of transportation and offers over 500 exhibits ranging from antique cars and wagons to train locomotives. I would recommend this to any train buff or for families traveling with little ones.

Heading to Denver for a corporate meeting, a reunion, sports tournament or any other group trip? Don't miss out on these great attractions while you are here.

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

Virginia Beach Group Travel Guide

Virginia Beach is one of our most popular destinations. We book group travel for church groups, sports teams, family vacations, girlfriend getaways, and small corporate meetings in Virginia Beach, and every month this fantastic destination is near the top of our list of places people travel in groups. Virginia Beach is a very popular resort destination, and the official tourist season runs from March through September. This area has lots of visitors during this peak time, but make no mistake that Virginia Beach is a year-round destination. Find out more about Virginia Beach events by clicking here - Virginia Beach Event Calendar Here is my top 10 list of things to do and see in and around Virginia Beach. I am sure a few shining stars that would be great for group travel didn't make it on my list. Be sure to comment with your own favorities, too:

1) Virginia Beach Boardwalk - The three-mile long boardwalk is a great place to stroll with your friends or family. Here you can shop, dine, and just enjoy the fresh air. There are three oceanfront stages along the Boardwalk that offer nightly entertainment for visitors and locals alike.

2) Sandbridge Beach - This great beach area offers beach rentals and a laid back atmosphere, great for family vacations, reunions, friends getaways, and low-key beach vacations.

3) First Landing State Park - This 2,700 acre park has hiking and biking trails, swamp areas, and bird nesting grounds. This is a really great location for the nature lovers in your group.

4) The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel - The 20 mile long bridge tunnel connects Norfolk, Virginia with the eastern shore. This toll way is an impressive work of engineering.

5) The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse - Built in 1791, the old lighthouse was crucial to the safe navigation of Chesapeake Bay, which makes it an integral part of the rich seafaring heritage of the East Coast.

6) Motor World - This would be a great place to take the kids in your group. With eight go-kart tracks and fourteen different styles of karts, Motor World in Virginia Beach can bring out the competitive spirit in you and your group travelers. Take a few laps around the track, and see who can make the fastest time. Motor World also offers 2 18-hole miniature golf courses.

7) Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum - This museum is distinct and is popular with both birdwatchers and wildfowl hunters alike. Rich in information on irginia coast wildfowl, the museum also features a great collection of decoys, which are beautiful works of art in their own right.

8) Ocean Breeze Water Park - This is another great attractions if you are traveling with kids or teenagers. The Park offers refreshing and exciting water rides. This is a great spot for a hot summer day.

9) Contemporary Art Center of Virginia - This noncollecting institution prides itself on featuring regularly changing exhibitions of relevant art of our own times. They offer great public events, outdoor art shows, and feature both local and nationally relevant art works. There is almost always something new to see at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia in Virginia Beach.

10) Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center - Formerly the Virginia Marine Science Museum, this is one of the premier aquariums in the U.S. The Marine Science Center has 700,000 gallons of aquariums and over 300 hands-on exhibits, which makes it a lot more fun for the kids and the grown-ups. This aquarium features the marine wildlife local to Virginia and the neighboring areas. Take advantage of this learning opportunity while you are in Virginia Beach.

Top Spa Hotels for Your Girlfriend Getaway

According to Travelpost.com, women aged 31 - 45 rate the following hotels as the best hotels with onsite spa facilities. These are some fantastic spa hotels from all over the United States, and according to reviews by other women travelers these are the best spa hotels and resorts. I recommend giving one of these quality hotels a try for your next girlfriend getaway or ladies-only small group trip.

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa Kapolei, HI
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort and Casino (Incline Village, NV)
W New York (New York City, NY)
Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort (Phoenix, AZ)
Driskill Hotel (Austin, TX)
Hilton Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
MGM Grand (Las Vegas, NV)
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress (Orlando, FL)
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Marriott Marquis Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)

Try this itinerary on for size.

Thursday - Turn off your computer, shut off the lights, and say "Good evening" to your co-workers. Then jump in a cab with three of your girlfriends, and head for the airport. Catch your flight to Las Vegas. Take a short cab ride to your hotel, where you check in at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Friday Morning - Order breakfast in bed with your three lifelong friends. Catch up on the latest news, and then head to the on-site spa at Wynn for a massage, facial, body treatments, and more. Open from 9:00am until 7:00pm daily, the spa is here to pamper you and cater to your wishes.

Friday Afternoon - After your spa treatment, you are going to feel great. Gather your friends, get dressed to the nines, and then head out for a day of shopping on the Vegas Strip.

Friday Night - Of course you remembered to plan ahead, so you have tickets to a hot Las Vegas show, may La Reve at the Wynn. Enjoy the dream-like fantasy of a Las Vegas production, and then head out to the great night clubs in Vegas, where you can dance until morning.

Saturday Morning - Breakfast in bed, again! Then down to the spa for that treatment you missed yesterday.

Saturday Afternoon - Where to begin? Did you know you can drive a high-performance car on a race track in Las Vegas? Don't let the guys have all the fun. Go take a few laps around the track with the ladies. It will be a blast - I guarantee it!

Saturday Night - Dine at one of Wynn's fantastic restaurants. You can choose from steakhouse to Japanese and lots of options in between. Then head back out on the town for another night of dancing.

Sunday Morning - Head on over to the Strip, and stop by Paris Hotel's Creperie for a fantastic crepe breakfast. Then catch your cab for the airport, and head for home.

Consider Hawaii for Your Corporate Meeting or Incentive Travel

No doubt about it, Hawaii is a fantastic destination for your corporate group travel. Consider Hawaii for an offsite meeting, incentive travel, or a supplier expo. Your employees and attendees will appreciate an incredible island getaway. Consider one of the following properties we have selected from around the islands. We work closely with these hoteliers, and all of these hotels welcome your corporate group business and will provide you with excellent service and the facilities you need for meetings, breakout sessions, catering and more for you corporate group travel needs.

Oahu

Royal Hawaiian

Moana Surfrider

W Honolulu

Sheraton Waikiki

Sheraton Princess Kaiulani

Kauai

Princeville Resort

Sheraton Kauai

Maui

Sheraton Maui

Westin Maui

Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas

The Big Island

Sheraton Keauhou

Perfect Florida Hotels for Your Group Travel Needs

One important factor in our success is the great relationships we have with our hotel suppliers. In today's post, I want to tell you about some fantastic properties in both Miami and Orlando, Florida.

Miami and Surrounding Areas

Wyndham Miami Airport
Alexander Suites Miami Beach
Ramada Hollywood Beach
Crowne Plaza Miami Airport
Embassy Suites Miami Airport
Radisson Miami
Le Meridien Sunny Isles
Park Central Hotel
The Hotel of South Beach
Newport Beachside Resort

Orlando and Surrounding Areas

Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance To Universal Orlando
Floridays Orlando Resort
Holiday Inn Maingate West
Inn at Summer Bay
Lake Buena Vista Resort Spa
Radisson Resort World Gate Kissimmee
Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista North
Sheraton Vistana Resort
Wingate Inn

These hotels work well with groups and are excited for the opportunity to offer your school travel group, corporate meeting group, student group, or any group needing five rooms or more a great group hotel rate. Even more important, these hotels will help make your group trip a great success by providing the services and amenities you expect at a fair price.

Patrick Soch, Groople.com Senior Marketing Manager

Shreveport-Bossier Mardi Gras - Great for Group Travel

Mardi Gras season is here again, and everybody knows what a part there is in New Orleans each year. You may not have considered another great Mardi Gras group travel destination: Shreveport, Louisiana. The Twelfth Night Party officially rang in the Mardi Gras season in the Shreveport-Bossier Area on January 6, and parades and parties put on by all the krewes in the area run all way until Fat Tuesday on February 20, 2007. From now until then, it is big party time and lots of fun in Shreveport. This year the Convention and Tourism Bureau has made a strong effort to welcome group travelers, including tour busses traveling to the area. They have coordinated several events to coincide with the two biggest Shreveport-Bossier Mardi Gras parades:

1) The Krewe of Centaur Parade on Saturday, February 10

2) The Krewe of Gemini Parade Saturday, February 17

Gather your fellow travelers, and find the perfect Shreveport hotel now. It's not too late!

Top 10 San Antonio Attractions for Group Travel

San Antonio, Texas is one of our most popular group travel destinations. We have booked corporate meetings, family reunions, weddings, and sports team travel to San Antonio and the surrounding area. No matter what kind of group travel you are planning to San Antonio, this city has a lot to offer. Here is a top ten selection of all that San Antonio offers for those planning group travel:

1) Remember the Alamo - This is probably the most famous building in all of Texas, and it is the most popular attraction in the San Antonio area. First established as a Franciscan mission in 1718, it was converted into a fort in 1836. We all learned the heroic tale of the small force that tried to defend the fort against a Mexican army. Among those killed at the fort were the famed frontiersmen, Davy Crockett and James Bowie.

2) The San Antonio Riverwalk - Also known as the Paseo del Rio, the San Antonio Riverwalk is a fantastic spot for group travelers. The Riverwalk runs along the San Antonio River, and it is set below street level making for safe, leisurely strolls in a beautiful setting. Shops, restaurants, and hotels line the Riverwalk, so it is a great place for dining, shopping, and you might decide it is the perfect location for the hotel for your gorup.

3) San Antonio Missions National Historical Park - South of the city center you can find four historic Spanish missions that were part of the Franciscan missions in what became Texas. These mission stations were founded between 1718 and 1740, and a visit to these places will take you back in time to the early settlement of this area.

4) Fredericksburg - Surrounding San Antonio in the "Hill Country" you can discover the roots of German settlements in Texas. The town of Fredericksburg is a great example of this German-Texas heritage. Here you can visit the National Museum of the Pacific War, dedicated to Admiral Nimitz. You can also see Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, a rock dome that rises over 400 feet above the surrounding area. The German settlers at Fredericksburg signed a treaty of friendship with the local Comanche bands, and this treaty is commemorated and honored to this day.

5) San Antonio Zoo - If you are traveling with kids, the San Antonio Zoo is a great place to spend an afternoon together. Zoos, in general are great destinations for group travelers because you can easily split up into pairs and make sure everyone gets the chance to see what they want.

6) SeaWorld San Antonio - This is a great park to see wildlife shows featuring amazing marine mammals. It is also a good opportunity for children to learn about ocean wildlife such as seals, sea lions, whales, and dolphins.

7) Six Flags Texas Fiesta - If amusement parks are top of mind, Six Flags San Antonio is the perfect stop for your group of travelers. Exciting rollercoasters and other attractions make this a popular destination, especially for small group travel.

8) Splashtown San Antonio - This water-themed amusement park features over 50 rides and attractions, a great place to spend a summer day.

9) San Antonio Museum of Art - Housed in the old Lone Star Brewery, this museum features masterpieces of Greek and Roman antiquity as well as other artworks from around the world, including American and Latin American works.

10) Spanish Governor's Palace - Built in 1749, the Spanish Governor's Palace is part of the central plaza area, and it offers an interesting and important slice of San Antonio's long history. The building materials were imported from Spain, and it is worth a stop while you are making your way about San Antonio.

Keep an Eye Out for Fare Sales for Air Travel

Have you seen all the recent airfare sales? This is a great change to find a very reasonable airfare for that trip you are planning. Or how about arranging a last-minute get together for a close circle of friends. Right now you can find some really great airfares to San Francisco, Cabo San Lucas, Denver, San Diego, Cancun and more. Remember to get that great group travel rate on your hotel booking as well. Hold a block of rooms for your small group travel arrangements. Search now for your hotel, and then take advantage of the incredible airfare offers that are available right now.

Frontier Airlines has some of the best prices I have seen in a while. Go find a low airfare to go along with your low group hotel rates you just found. Find an airfare now. Also be sure to check out this great site that can keep you informed of hot airfare deals:

Airfarewatchdog.com

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

The Type of Group Matters When it Comes to Group Travel

Group travel is a pretty expansive segment of the travel industry. The term can be applied to everything from a group of friends getting away for a weekend to offsite corporate meetings involving fifty or a hundred people, and more. Some conferences can involve thousands of travelers spread accross multiple hotels. When I write about group travel, I try to write to a specific slice of the group travel market. If you are responsible for planning group travel for your company, organization, family, team, or close circle of friends I strongly recommend that you consider the kind of group you are and the kind of trip you are planning.

When you plan travel for a group of people, you are not just responsible for your own experience. Your fellow travelers will also remember who planned the trip and made the various arrangements. That is a lot of responsibility, but it is also your moment to shine and to help create a memorable experience or a successful event. Here are some suggestions for things to think about depending on the type of group trip you are helping to arrange:

Travel Tips for Sports Teams for Smooth Travel

Here are some really great tips to ensure an easy and efficient check-in for your sports team's upcoming trip. Keep your focus on your away game or tournament by avoiding unnecessary group travel hassles for your team:

1 week prior to the cut off date to ensure a Great Team Trip:

Properties will always give you a cut off date by which your team has to make reservations in order to get the special group rate.  Contact the property prior to this date and request a rooming list. Either have a team meeting to discuss this, or email this to the team. By double checking this  list you ensure that everyone has their reservations, the reservations made are accurate, and this enables you to make any additional changes without fear of penalty from the property.  This also reduces the chance of hotels “not having you reservation” because they spelled your name Forbes instead of Vorbes!

What you can do the Day prior to check in to ensure a seamless check-in

Contact the hotel and tell them what time your group will be checking in. Advise them to turn off all incidentals and to Pre Key each room.  I don’t know if you have ever waited at a front desk trying to check in a whole team? It can take a LONG TIME if the property is not prepared for your group!  Pre Keying rooms speeds up checkin because it reduces the amount of time it takes to check in each individual room. By having the incidentals turned off prior to arrival you will avoid all those pesky movies kids tend to rent while your backs are turned! 

What you can do during your stay to make things flow easier

Nothing is worse than having a strict team schedule of events and being late because breakfast at the hotel took too long!  To avoid this call down to the restaurant when you arrive to the hotel and let them know what time you will be eating your meals. Many hotels will put together limited menus for your group with meals they can prepare rapidly. This way you can pre order your meals, and not miss any important games. It is also a good idea to call housekeeping and let them know your schedule so that they can make sure to clean your rooms while you are out.

Find the perfect hotel for your team now.

Warm Regards,

Olivia J. Thorpe, Platinum Desk Agent

Meeting Planning in a Seller's Market

I have written a post or two already about the fact that hotel occupancy in the top meetings and conventions markets is at record levels. It is a seller's market right now, and no significant increase in hotel rooms is expected in most markets until at least 2008. Many in-house meeting planners have complained about hotels turning away their meeting business for more lucrative prospects.

In this market, your best tool is knowledge. By taking advantage of careful planning and by positioning your meeting, conference, or expo as an attractive business prospect you can still secure the hotels and facilities you want in the destinations you choose.

Obviously, top-tier cities including Las Vegas are tough markets, especially during peak times. I will keep hammering these points home, so here are some tips for anyone who is responsible for planning an off-site meeting, convention, or corporate event. Professional planners are expensive, and you can still do this yourself if you give yourself plenty of time and plan accordingly:

1) I still encourage you to consider one of the many fine second or third tier cities that surround major metropolitan areas. You can find some real gems if you are flexible and open to fantastic surprises. This is especially true of your small to mid size corporate meetings. Just think of all the great towns not too far from San Francisco, for example: Napa Valley, Monterey, Santa Barbara (if you don't mind a little further south). You can find these destinations around every major metro area, and an experienced group travel expert would be happy to help you find what you need.

2) Avoid peak conference and convention times in major markets. In a market such as Las Vegas, one of the best times to go to avoid crowds and high occupancy is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. June and July are also considered slow seasons. The fall and spring months usually see some of the biggest conventions, which often create sold-out situations for a large radius around the Strip. Take a look at the Las Vegas Event Calendar for the coming year to get a good sense of what peak seasons look like.

Bottom line is there are many free services and tools you can take advantage of to plan your meeting hotel space and facilities. It is definitely possible to plan a successful meeting or event in-house. My recommendation is to keep planning and get help where you can.

Our group travel planners are happy to help find you a perfect hotel for your next meeting. Search now.