Held at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) broke its attendance record in 2025. Courtesy of Joe Sorrentino

Looking to add some fun and sun to your next association event? If so, Florida’s got you covered. From the beautiful beaches of Miami to Orlando’s ever-evolving playland to the quaint and elegant environs of Palm Beach, the Sunshine State offers plenty of options to keep attendees both engaged and energized.

Orlando

Orlando has shown tremendous growth over the last few years, giving planners more and more reasons to host their events in the city.

“Orlando has been an ideal Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Show destination since 1985 and continues to grow its value by offering additional services and amenities to our guests each and every year,” says Marc Simon, vice president of PGA Golf Exhibitions. “The destination — combined with the unique offerings of our venues — creates assets and facilities that we would be hard-pressed to match anywhere else.”

Over 33,000 golf industry professionals — from 94 countries and all 50 U.S. states — assembled to meet with more than 1,100 participating brands at this year’s PGA Show, which is a cornerstone of the PGA’s annual event schedule. In fact, the event reached its largest size since 2009 and was a great launching point for the $102 billion golf industry in 2025.

For the 39th year, the 2025 PGA Show was held at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), which provides an impressive 1.1 million sf of space. With growth in categories such as number of attendees and exhibitors, as well as net booth and total event space, this was the largest PGA Show in 15 years.

Among the tens of thousands of attendees, over 7,300 PGA and LPGA professionals (from both the U.S. and abroad) were there to represent the entire global golf industry for millions of fans worldwide, while driving grassroots participation in the game.

“The valued relationships and outreach by our venue partners and Visit Orlando build a special partnership that helps drive the success of the PGA Show in Orlando,” Simon says. “When you add easy access to reasonably priced flights into Orlando International Airport, the wealth of hotel options at all price points, plentiful golf, dining and entertainment options and the likelihood of warm weather — for these reasons and more, Orlando appeals tremendously to us and our PGA Show guests.”

Other organizations feel the same way about Orlando. The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) recently hosted its 2025 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) at the OCCC as well. The event offered more than 1,300 hours of continuing education for veterinary professionals and featured a record 735 exhibits — by presenters ranging from multinational organizations to veterinary startups — showcasing the latest in diagnostic technologies and medical advances. With nearly 30,000 people from 86 countries, this year’s VMX broke the record for attendance, and as the world’s largest veterinary education conference — and the first veterinary conference of the year — each year the gathering continues to set the tone for the $60 billion global animal health industry.

As the 11th largest annual conference in Orlando, VMX 2025 had an estimated local economic impact of more than $70 million, and over the last 10 years, the conference has contributed more than $472 million to the local economy — more than half a billion dollars.

According to Joe Sorrentino, chief events officer for NAVC, the organization has hosted its annual meeting in Orlando every year since its inception in 1984, when it was known as the Eastern States Veterinary Conference. In 1992, the event was renamed the North American Veterinary Conference before being relaunched as the inaugural VMX in 2018.

“One of the top tourist destinations in the world, there is no place like Orlando for this event that includes work and play,” Sorrentino says. “VMX is a professional meeting and event, but it’s also very much a family event. Many of our speakers, attendees and sponsors bring their families and tack on vacation time, so it’s truly a destination event everyone looks forward to each year.”

Event and meeting venues in Orlando are constantly being refreshed with new and updated offerings. The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort recently announced a $275 million renovation and expansion — the largest in the property’s history — that will add 120,000 sf to its existing event space. Taking place over the next few years, the project will include upgrades to existing meeting spaces, guestrooms and technology throughout the entire complex (which comprises the Walt Disney Swan, Walt Disney Dolphin and Walt Disney Swan Reserve).

The expansion will raise the total amount of meeting space at the resort to a combined 469,000 sf — and with 2,619 guestrooms, that will make it one of the largest convention properties on the East Coast. The upgrade will also expand the property’s largest contiguous event space to 175,000 sf, ranking it among the biggest hotel spaces in the country.

Specifically, the Dolphin’s new space will connect to the hotel’s existing convention area and feature 41,000 sf of multipurpose space and 24,000 sf of additional pre-function space on the first floor. The second floor will house an elegant ballroom with 41,000 sf of divisible event space and 14,000 sf of pre-function foyer space.

The existing 333,000 sf of meeting space at the Swan and Dolphin will also be getting an all-new modern look as well as upgraded event technology. The entire project is slated to be finished by summer 2026. While the recent upgrade of the Dolphin included a revamp of ballrooms and breakout spaces, similar enhancements to the Swan are expected to be completed by this summer.

Disney Meetings & Events is also unveiling new products and resources, including signature team building and networking sessions, as well as general-session openers. The organization also recently launched a creative studio on the Walt Disney World property in Orlando. Unique in the industry, the new facility will provide an inspired setting in which planners can collaborate with Disney Meetings & Events experts and discover products and services to help them deliver on their experience objectives.

For events at the OCCC, the Rosen Centre Hotel is another great option for planners requiring an additional nearby gathering space. With its three large ballrooms and 35 meeting rooms, the hotel can offer more than 160,000 sf of flexible space to meet any needs. Then there’s the Rosen Plaza Hotel, which also offers fast, easy access to the convention center via the covered Gary Sain Memorial Skybridge, as well as more than 60,000 sf of event space, including a 26,000-sf grand ballroom and 22 meeting rooms.

Tampa Bay

With its sunny weather, beautiful beaches, cultural attractions and vibrant downtown, it’s no surprise that Tampa Bay has enticed so many association meeting attendees to book pre- and post-stays. That alone says a lot about the city’s popularity among association planners, and there’s good reason for it.

Renovated in 2023, the Tampa Convention Center, a two-time Stella Award winner for being the best convention center in the Southeast U.S. — hosts hundreds of thousands of attendees annually. Many of them love staying at the JW Marriott Water Street, the area’s first true luxury meeting destination, which opened in 2020. The 27-story hotel is steps away from the convention center and Amalie Arena and features 45 event rooms, as well as 122,000 sf of total meeting and event space. It also boasts the highest rooftop bar in Tampa Bay (the second-highest in Florida), offering an intimate venue for receptions and smaller gatherings with stunning views for attendees to enjoy.

With its famous 23-mile-long coastline, Daytona Beach is always a favorite event destination of both planners and attendees. Photo via Daytona Beach CVB

Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is another ideal destination for your next association convention, offering a unique blend of business and leisure. Its prime location, just 60 miles from Orlando, provides easy access via car or air, with Daytona Beach International Airport offering direct flights to major cities.

The Ocean Center, a state-of-the-art convention venue, spans over 200,000 sf, offering flexible spaces, advanced technology and expert event staff to ensure a seamless experience. Taking advantage of the city’s famous 23-mile-long coastline, event attendees can unwind on the beach after a day of meetings. For offsites, they can also explore local attractions like the Daytona International Speedway or the Museum of Arts & Sciences.

In addition, Daytona Beach offers unique event opportunities, such as beachside bonfires, yacht cruises and team-building activities that can transform networking into a genuinely memorable experience. Plus, with a variety of accommodation options, from luxury resorts to more budget-friendly hotels, you can find the perfect place for your attendees to stay.

Whether you’re drawn by its modern facilities or stunning beaches, Daytona Beach has it all. It’s a destination that both facilitates productivity and provides plenty of opportunities for relaxation, making it a perfect choice for your next association convention.

Miami

Miami Beach and Miami are iconic cities that attract millions of visitors every year with wonderful weather, amazing beaches, vibrant entertainment and vast cultural diversity.

With more than 66,000 hotel rooms in the area, you’ll also find plentiful nonstop domestic and international flights and state-of-the-art meeting spaces for groups of any size, as well as year-round outdoor dining, vibrant arts and cultural offerings and, of course, world-famous beaches. All this makes Miami Beach and Greater Miami a prime destination for any planner of meetings, tradeshows and conventions.

Following a $640 million renovation from 2015 to 2020, the expanded Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) and campus includes a new 60,000-sf grand ballroom, four junior ballrooms, almost 500,000 sf of exhibition space and an expanded grand lobby. The venue also now features pre-function areas bathed in natural light, up to 84 breakout rooms and approximately 800 roof deck parking spaces, with almost 2,100 miles of cabling to support all IT communications. Visitors will also enjoy $10.2 million worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program, as well as six-acre (Pride Park) and three-acre (Collins Canal Park) public green spaces that can also serve as incremental event space.

The MBCC campus also includes two new event spaces: Venu, for elegant private gatherings and upscale meetings, and Rum Room, a 1920s-style restaurant featuring an enticing tapas-style menu, local South Florida rums and outdoor terraces.

Other hotel projects include the 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel (which is connected to the MBCC). Slated to open in late 2027, it will have 52 suites, a signature restaurant, a lobby lounge and bar and a resort-style pool deck with panoramic view.

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association held its annual summit at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. It was the group’s fourth year hosting at the property. Courtesy of Ashley Gholston

About 20 miles from Miami, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood boasts 120,000 sf of meeting space, including a 38,000-sf carpeted exhibition hall that can host trade shows, conventions, large association groups and social fundraisers. The hotel’s flexible meeting area can be reconfigured into 32 different rooms to accommodate anywhere from 15 to 5,000 attendees. In their free time, attendees can enjoy plenty of water recreation, ranging from 18 acres of private pools to white-sand beaches. There are also plenty of opportunities for live entertainment with the Hard Rock Live (7,000-person capacity), 20 bars and lounges, a variety of dining options and the 42,000-sf Rock Spa & Salon.

Ashley Gholston, director of industry relations and events at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA), recently planned the 12th annual FRLA Summit, which was held at the Hard Rock. It was the group’s fourth year hosting the event there.

“The FRLA Summit is our largest corporate event put on each year, with upward of 750 attendees in the hospitality industry. In years past, we moved this event across the state annually, until we found this property and its excellent team in 2021,” Gholston says. “Since then, FRLA has continued to return our business due to the success of the event and execution of the Hard Rock team year after year.” The FRLA Summit is attended by Florida’s most influential hospitality professionals and top-level executives. It’s a two-day event featuring multiple keynote speakers and over 20 breakout sessions highlighting leading industry trends and best practices while providing unparalleled networking opportunities.

“From the pre-planning stage to the onsite event organization, immaculate meeting spaces and superior food-and-beverage team, the resort excels at a high level providing a great experience to all who attend,” Gholston says. “In addition to our meetings, we have found that our attendees really enjoy the extent of what the property offers, with multiple five-star dining options, enjoyment of the casino and shops, and serenity of the spa or relaxation by their beautiful pools and Bora Bora cabanas. We truly believe that the success of this event is dedicated to the atmosphere and attention their team provides our attendees from the moment we arrive until we depart. FRLA will continue to support the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as our premier location for our most prestigious event we offer our industry leaders in hospitality.” | AC&F |