Attendees at Orlando meetings often extend their business trips into a vacation, making Orlando a good option for ‘bleisure’ travel. Courtesy of Visit Orlando

The Sunshine State is very much about business in real life (IRL) — the new buzz acronym to distinguish between virtual interactions and those in person.

While virtual interactions have become more prevalent, Florida destinations still place a strong emphasis on in-person networking and relationship-building. There are numerous opportunities for attendees to connect and collaborate face-to-face for insurance and financial meeting planners.

No matter where meetings take place in Florida, there’s so much in play for planners: fantastic weather, theme parks and beaches, among many others.

Orlando

Emily Fletcher, director of sales & events with Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, says she and other planners like the city for its wide range of attractions, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld Orlando. Then there’s the easy airlift, with several international airports throughout the state, making it a convenient destination from different parts of the world.

Fletcher brought a group of 3,800 incentive qualifiers in two separate waves to both Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort, as well as its Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

“When you sign on with Disney, you expect the magic and great customer service,” Fletcher says. “I can’t brag enough on how Disney delivered on that, but so much more; they go all out. … They really listened to our concerns. To start, we didn’t want something that anyone else had seen before. …We gave them a budget, said what we wanted, and they absolutely went beyond that. As far as the service they provide, you simply can’t say enough about them.”

Disney Park Reservations Require App

One snag, which could have become an issue but did not, involved attendees having to reserve their park times through a phone app.

Fletcher explains how the system works: Attendees receive their tickets, then load the information into the My Disney Experience app, so tickets get linked into the system. Also, attendees have to link their tickets with their profile, then select the month, day and specific park to enter for each day. This way, Disney World is able to track how many people are scheduled in a park at any given time. “Everything has to be planned and you can’t make a lot of changes,” she says. “Everyday we were there, multiple parks were sold out.”

Fletcher admits that attendees having to make their own park reservations was “a technology hurdle across all age groups. But we walked everyone step-by-step through each part of the process, and my team was there to help if qualifiers had any issues. Honestly, it was a lot of man hours to do this, but Disney provided all the content we needed to give to attendees.”

Fletcher’s group booked multiple indoor and outdoor spaces, including the World Showcase at EPCOT to put together a Broadway-like show, the Animal Kingdom Theme Park, which they bought out, as well as late-night dessert parties. Then, attendees had breakfast with Disney characters, such as Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck, all dressed in their beach gear.

There have been industry rumbles about service being inadequate at some destinations, but Fletcher had only great things to say about Disney’s staff.

“They answered a lot of the questions my attendees had,” she says. “I didn’t have to be around every minute of every day because I knew Disney was handling things. Disney made my life easy during this trip.”

Photo by Matt Stroshane / Disney

Some Pandemic Protocols Remain: Outdoor Event Spaces

“We definitely work closer with our hotel events team and are still looking for more outside-event spaces,” Fletcher says. “In the past, we booked space that was just enough for our group size. Now, the goal is beyond that — more than the typical space for a group of our size. For that reason, we rented out pretty much everything at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort to ensure enough space. It wasn’t a full buyout, but I’d estimate it was 90%.”

Registration is already at or above previous incentive trips, which Fletcher notes are back to IRL since attendees are ready to travel. “We had more qualifiers this year than ever before,” she says. “For the July family incentive trip, we usually have 700 to 750 qualifiers, but this year we had 1,040 — and less than 15% attrition. That created the necessity for changes to our program.”

Walt Disney World, she continues, handled it all. “Our contest doesn’t close until April, so I didn’t even have the final numbers until then for the July program,” Fletcher says. “We contacted Kelly and within 30 days the Disney team had reworked our whole program to accommodate the added qualifiers. We had to add an overflow hotel — Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had to change the venues for certain functions, and transportation had to be increased and adjusted. … The Disney team helped us rework our welcome dinner without losing the main event — the full Broadway-caliber show at EPCOT and access for our attendees to the fireworks. The dinner was moved to a ballroom at our hotel, and then the Disney events team walked our attendees over to EPCOT for the show.”

The event was so successful that within a week of getting back to the office, Fletcher says, she started a contract for 2027. “The No. 1 comment on our survey was that this was the best All Star Summer Family Program, ever — even from longtime qualifiers,” she says. “We’ve increased our room block for 2027 and want to get everyone in one hotel. At least that’s the hope.”

Bleisure Destinations Attract Attendees 

JC, who only wanted her initials used, a travel, meetings & events operations leader with a professional services firm in the financial industry, enjoys meeting in Orlando.

“Orlando as a destination is a favorite of ours due to the easy lift, large convention hotels and plethora of things to do,” she says. “We often have our attendees extend their business trips into vacation, making Orlando a good option for ‘bleisure’ travel. …From the number of rooms to the size and flexibility of the space to the outdoor function areas, it’s a perfect fit from a logistical standpoint. That coupled with the number of high-end bars and restaurants for our attendees to unwind in, as well as the proximity to the Disney parks, makes it the perfect location for our event.”

She says her group of 2,200 liked the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, two upscale sister resorts, located within walking distance of each other. The hotels offers a combined 330,000 sf of meeting space and 2,270 rooms.

The group used the majority of the hotel’s space for the general session, meals and breakout rooms. Attendees were on their own to use whichever of the resort’s restaurants they chose. They also loved the restaurants, especially Blue Zoo and Il Mulino. Additionally, they bought out one of the Universal Orlando parks for a function.

Plan for Illnesses Prior and During Events

This group is back to IRL meetings in the U.S., but there are slight changes to the way meetings are planned, JC says.

“During the planning and registration phase, there’s a lot of communication surrounding what to do if you feel ill prior to traveling — don’t travel — and then what to do if you feel sick onsite, which varies depending on the type of meeting,” JC says. “We now recognize that we’ll have a larger percentage of attrition for those who are sick or have been exposed to COVID. We’re also clear that masks are a personal preference and there’s no judgement. Other than that, our meetings are similar to pre-pandemic. We’re no longer socially distancing per CDC guidelines, and we no longer see the need for individual or pre-packaged meals, as that does not align with our sustainability goals.”

JC says registration has mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels, other than the attrition due to illnesses.

“I think most people are no longer interested in attending a meeting virtually if given the choice of attending in person,” she says, adding that the Swan and Dolphin are “topnotch in both space and service.”

New in Orlando 

Orlando has a lot of new attractions, especially as theme parks expand. As large groups often buyout one of the parks during a meeting, new attractions can make it a must-do event and improve registration.  This year, there’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, new things at EPCOT and new nighttime shows.

At Universal Orlando, roller coaster fans can check out Jurassic World Velocicoaster, and also Jurassic-inspired is Universal’s Great Movie Escape. Harry Potter fans can discover Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

SeaWorld and Legoland have new attractions. SeaWorld announced a first-of-its-kind roller coaster in each of its parks this spring,  including the world’s first surf-coaster in Orlando. Legoland Florida recently opened its Pirate River Quest ride. And Orlando’s Tank America is the only place to drive an actual tank — outside the military.

Tampa’s walkability is a popular reason many planners choose the city to host their meetings. Courtesy of Visit Tampa Bay

Tampa

The revitalization of Tampa’s downtown Water Street area, which includes the convention center, is underway. There’s the Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile pedestrian trail and open space along the Hillsborough River, with access from multiple hotels, including Tampa Marriott Water Street, JW Marriott Tampa Water Street and Hotel Tampa Riverwalk.

Tampa added 2,500 new hotel rooms in the past two years, perhaps most notably Tampa EDITION, the city’s first five-star hotel. Voted one of the world’s best hotels by Travel + Leisure magazine, the hotel features more than 11,200 sf of meeting space, 172 rooms, including a 2,200 sf penthouse suite, an expansive spa and modern fitness center. The cuisine here is guided by MICHELIN-starred chef John Fraser and multiple restaurants and bars are available, including a rooftop bar with panoramic views of the city. It has convenient access to popular attractions, such as the Tampa Riverwalk, Amalie Arena and the Florida Aquarium. It’s also within close proximity to the Tampa Convention Center.

The historic Floridan Palace Hotel, which originally opened in 1926, begins a $25-million renovation this year. The hotel boasts more than 10,000 sf of meeting space.

The food-focused Epicurean Hotel will add eight suites and a terrace space. It caters to food enthusiasts and offers a unique culinary-focused experience, including gourmet dining and a rooftop cocktail lounge. They also host cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and other culinary events that allow attendees to interact with local chefs and experts, learn about different cuisines, and hone their culinary skills. Even their spa has a culinary focus with their unique treatments.

Hotels are not alone in drawing groups. In Tampa’s historic Ybor City neighborhood, a designated National Historic Landmark District, newly renovated J.C. Newman Cigar Factory & Museum entices groups with tours of the nation’s oldest family-owned cigar factory — and perhaps even learn the art of hand-rolling cigars.

After meetings, enjoy the serenity of a sunset on a sandy beach. Pictured: Crandon Park in Miami. Courtesy of Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau

Miami

Multicultural Miami is a prime spot for meetings with its nearby beaches, golf resorts and vibrant diverse communities.

Looking for a place to take in the views? The Loews Coral Gables, which recently opened, has a ninth-floor deck, as well as a 9,000 sf ballroom and boasts 30,000 sf of meeting space, as well as 242 rooms.

At Trump International Beach Resort, which has 22,000 sf of function space, attendees can get great views of the ocean from their Ocean Ballroom and a panoramic view of Aventura to Bal Harbor from their Bay Ballroom. They also offer two pool decks for cocktail receptions and the beach with the open-air Gili’s Beach Club restaurant.

Trump National Doral Miami offers four championship golf courses and has more than 100,000 sf of reimagined meeting space, including more than 75,000 sf of outdoor space.

In nearby Aventura, the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa offers outdoor terraces and views of their recently renovated golf courses. They also have renovated their 16-story Orchid Tower and 325 rooms and suites. Their new conference center features more than 120,000 sf of flexible spaces, 40 flexible meeting rooms and two grand ballrooms. They also have added a new five-acre water park called Tidal Cove.

Ponte Vedra Beach

Ponte Vedra Beach is a seaside community and suburb that is southeast of Jacksonville. Susan Parsons is an event planning manager with a company that offers full-suite solutions to the financial services industry. She planned a partner meeting last year for 60 attendees at the Five Diamond Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, which has more than 25,000 sf of meeting space.

“[It was] a good fit for our group because the size of the property is manageable, walkable and not too big,” Parsons says. “We wanted a five-star property that would offer our partners exceptional comfort and service. We got what we paid for. The rooms provided people with a bit of privacy but remained walkable within the resort.”

Ponte Vedra ticked off a number of required boxes, some of them with roots in the pandemic but still applicable today.

“I still strive for key cities with direct flights and hotels no more than 45 minutes from the arriving airport,” she says.

As for changes in planning since the pandemic, she adds, “I’ve not changed the way I source meetings … but my team does pay particular attention to cancellation clauses.”

Parsons says the hotel-banquet staff were exceptional: “And the AV technicians bent over backwards to ensure a smooth and seamless meeting. They couldn’t do enough for us. The food was also exceptional; most of the attendees told me that it was the best meeting food they ever ate. The chef customized my three receptions.”

Parsons adds the destination is very popular, and therefore likely to fill up quickly, so she says, “I also strongly recommend a site visit since the property is laid out among several buildings.”

Jacksonville

Jacksonville has nearly a dozen new restaurants and bars opening this year. There is a plan for the overhaul of the The Jacksonville Shipyards, which will include the city’s first five-star hotel, a Four Seasons; a city-owned, modernized marina; and multipurpose buildings and spaces. An expansion of the historic Florida Theatre nearby will include a 3,000-sf VIP lounge, which will open in time for the theater’s centennial celebration in 2027.

Fort Myers

On the state’s west coast, the Fort Myers region had extensive damage after Hurricane Ian hit last year, but now nearly 70% of hotel rooms are available, as well as its beaches have reopened. Attendees looking to give back to the community have a variety of volunteer opportunities.

“While our destination might look a bit different from years past, there’s still a lot to see and do in Fort Myers as many local businesses have reopened,” says Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Our local community has shown extraordinary resilience during what has been one of the most challenging times of our lives.”

Whatever location you choose in the Sunshine State, there is sure to be something to meet your needs so you can get away from Zoom and meet IRL.   I&FMM