The American Academy of Otolaryngology held their President’s Reception at Loews Miami Beach. Courtesy of Beth Burchill

From Miami to Jacksonville and everywhere in between, Florida offers planners an enticing variety of meeting destinations to meet every need.

South Florida

With its rich and diverse culture, Miami offers a uniquely international vibe. That’s where Beth Burchill, CMP, senior director of meetings and corporate development, American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, booked the organization’s 2024 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO.

The October event, headquartered at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, drew more than 7,500 attendees. “Miami attracted our international attendees in a big way, giving us record international attendance this year, and the Miami Beach Convention Center gave us the room we needed to grow.”

Warm weather, proximity to the beach and popularity as a vacation destination all make Miami the right choice. “The opportunity for attendees to extend their trip beyond the meeting was a factor in our high attendance numbers,” Burchill says.

The group’s primary venue for functions was Miami Beach Convention Center, and Burchill also worked closely with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). “I cannot say enough about the GMCVB team. From site visits to onsite, they were there at every turn. They were extremely collaborative when it came to finding solutions to challenges and were able to assist us in coordinating logistics in a way that made sense for the city.”

The convention center’s appeal was its inherent versatility.  “The Miami Beach Convention Center is a blank slate where you can make any vision come alive,” Burchill says. “With a great amount of brandable space in the lobby and a generous number of rooms, the convention center is versatile enough to accommodate groups of many different sizes. The variety of spaces allowed us to conduct business, host receptions and have a massive exhibit space.”

Burchill encourages planners to talk with GMCVB.  “Use the CVB as your greatest resource. They know the city, the right players and what can help you provide a high-quality experience for your attendees.”

A few miles up the road from the glitz and glamour of South Beach is the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. With its signature 638-room guitar-shaped hotel and 120,000 sf of meeting and event space, the Seminole Hard Rock offers just about everything for meeting planners and attendees. The 87-acre property contains 1,271 total rooms, 18 F&B options and has very flexible meeting space that can accommodate up to 5,000 attendees in state-of-the-art, contemporary ballrooms and breakout spaces. The property also offers in-house audio/visual capabilities and complimentary resort-wide Wi-Fi.

Located just 15 minutes from the very accessible Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Seminole Hard Rock is a great opportunity for attendees to bring families along. With its 18 acres of recreational waterscape and lagoon, 26,000 sf of boutique shops, multiple night clubs and a 42,000 sf spa and salon, it’s easy to find entertainment, relaxation and dining options for young families or that significant other tagging along.

After a long day of networking and learning, attendees can unwind in the 150,000 sf casino, offering over 2,800 slot machines and 200 table games. If you’re fortunate, there may even be a headline musician or comedian performing on property at the 7,000-seat Hard Rock Live venue, where icons like Billy Joel and Jerry Seinfeld have frequently taken the stage.

Centrally located in the heart of Broward County, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has something for everyone and is a can’t-miss venue for any business or convention gathering.

Orlando

In May of 2024, The Plastics Industry Association held its NPE 2024 meeting in Orlando with 55,000 attendees. “Orlando is a terrific location for our show,” says Daniele Fresca, senior director of NPE services & operations. “Not only is air travel easy, the distance between the airport and convention center is easy and accessible by ride share, cabs or rental cars. With an abundance of hotels in and around the city, we know we’ll have enough rooms for our exhibitors, partners and visitors.”

Among Orlando’s multitude of assets are some of the world’s most famous theme parks. “People with and without families enjoy proximity to the theme parks,” Fresca says. “It is a wonderful way for families to be together while one parent is working on the show. Several of our own team members regularly come in early or stay longer so they can take some downtime at the theme parks. We have a five-day show with significant move-in and move-out,” she adds. “We find that many people who come to work on the show are excited to enjoy daytime activities around the city, and many adults can be found at the theme parks at night, too. It is a great option for having fun after a long day.”

With about 70,000 room nights throughout the show’s duration, the group needed multiple hotels. The four that served as primary bases were Rosen Centre Hotel, Rosen Plaza Hotel, Hyatt Regency Orlando and Hilton Orlando. “These hotels have the best proximity to the convention center,” Fresca says. “Each one is either connected or within walking distance to at least one of the two buildings we use. Their amenities are top notch, and they offer a range of price points that appeal to a variety of attendees. For those looking to have meetings or dinners after our show closes, these hotels also have great meeting space as well as onsite restaurants.”

Although the association itself did not host many events within hotels, Fresca says the properties’ sales teams “have been exceptional working with our exhibitors and attendees on their events,” adding, “The sales team is quick to communicate with me anything that’s needed to help make the events at the locations the best they can be.”

Fresca notes that her group uses the entire Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). “We use all halls, meeting rooms, theaters, etc. Our show is one of the largest and heaviest shows in the U.S. Not only do we utilize both expo-hall floors, but we use all of the meeting space,” she says. “It works exceptionally well to have everything under one roof, from exhibits to education events, to lounges to ancillary events such as a welcome party.”

Fresca calls Visit Orlando a good partner, saying, “They were part of the team that presented a move to Orlando, and they continue to be a valuable resource. They’ve helped us when we needed to source a significant amount of local temporary labor and have helped connect us to local venues that offer our attendees discounts while in town. Visit Orlando was the first call I made when we learned that a large, private group within our event needed a venue at the last minute. Without hesitation, the Visit Orlando team presented several great options, and our exhibitor was very happy.”

Fresca advises planners to reach out to Visit Orlando. “They’re a tremendous resource, especially for out-of-town teams, and they have more first-hand knowledge than a Google search will yield.” As for hotels, she says, “As basic as it sounds, provide dates and needs as early as possible. The hotels are always happy to help but providing them the information with as much detail as you know and as early as you know it is key.  This might mean a year or more in advance and that’s perfectly normal.”

Jacksonville

Jacksonville and its beaches may not be as familiar to planners as the state’s mega vacation destinations, but it’s no less desirable or meeting friendly.

The Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses (CCJW) has multiple conventions each year. Jerry A. Bozeman, contract representative and convention coordinator, says the group held more than 690 conventions across the country in 2024. The convention in Jacksonville in early July drew more than 8,500 attendees per day for three days. “We’ve been having these conventions in Jacksonville since 1967 on an almost continual basis,” Bozeman says. “During that time, we’ve found the city to be very cooperative and inviting. We truly appreciate the display of hospitality.”

He says many CCJW attendees like to add on vacation time and Jacksonville works well for that. “Many of our delegates plan on a week’s worth of travel and visits to various attractions in Jacksonville as well as other areas in Florida. They primarily come for the convention, but they also enjoy time to spend with family and friends.”

Visit Jacksonville assisted with rooming arrangements and was instrumental in acquiring incentives from the city for the conventions. Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk, part of Marriott’s Delta collection, served as the base hotel. Bozeman cites convenience, location, competitive pricing and the Marriott brand as reasons for the choice. Additionally, he says, “Hotel staff were very courteous, the room rates were excellent and, yes, we will meet there again.”

The majority of convention functions were held at Vystar Veteran’s Memorial Arena, which is managed by ASM Global-Jacksonville. Bozeman calls the arena, “Pretty much perfect for our event. It’s very well maintained, and the staff is enjoyable to work with.”

To planners, he says, “I highly recommend Jacksonville and Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk. I’ve arranged these events in different parts of the country and particularly in Florida. You won’t find a better group of people to work with. Just follow the advice from the city’s experts, Visit Jacksonville and ASM, to have an outstanding experience.”

The Palm Beaches

The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) held its CTAA EXPO 2024 and Annual Member Meeting in Palm Beach in June with just over 1,000 attendees.  Loreal Lance, CMP, director member services, business development and events, names many reasons for meeting in West Palm Beach: “Our largest member base is in the southeast, yet it had been close to 20 years since we last hosted this event in Florida. We selected West Palm Beach over other Florida cities because it’s safe, accessible, has great walkability and has fantastic lodging and dining options at all price points. Walkability is key as we encourage attendees to go out into the community for meals, including a lengthy midday break for lunch. The number of dining options at all price points just along Okeechobee Boulevard makes the Palm Beach Convention Center and attached Hilton West Palm Beach a fantastic choice for large groups.”

As a transit-oriented group, Lance adds, “We felt that the region’s transportation options — Circuit shuttle, Palm Tran, Tri-Rail and Brightline — really made the destination shine!” Good airlift is another positive. Lance says attendees used all three area airports to get to the meeting.

Additionally, she says the area is a big draw for attendees. “A number of our attendees brought their families to our event.  We know that families were able to enjoy the beach while their loved one networked at our expo and annual meeting. A number of attendees extended their time in the area, either in West Palm Beach or took the Brightline down the coast to other beach towns. Some even went on a cruise together.”

While CTAA typically only uses one or two hotels, Lance notes that registration for this meeting was so strong they needed six. “We were thrilled with the increased attendance that led to our first city-wide event in the history of the association.”

Hilton West Palm Beach served as headquarters hotel. Lance says it met the group’s needs in multiple ways, including connection to the convention center. “We took every room they would give us, up to their group maximum. They offered very fair pricing for such a beautiful hotel, and we highly valued the accessibility lift between the two buildings.”

While the hotel is aimed at convention travel, Lance says it has “resort-like amenities” that appeal to attendees, especially those bringing family along. “We also tend to stick with Hiltons or Marriotts to capture point-savvy attendees within our hotel block,” she adds.

A great staff also makes a difference. “Claudette Fox, senior sales manager, made sure that our needs were not just met but exceeded expectations as our event evolved throughout the sales process,” Lance says. “Maria, our convention services manager, is a gem. She was able to bring to life my vision for our closing party. We ended up needing to pivot at the last second due to weather, and Plan B ended up being epic! The use of both ballrooms and the creation of a hedge-wall tunnel between the two rooms allowed for two unique yet paired experiences. Unfortunately, that now means I have to figure out how to recreate this magic for years to come!”

The Palm Beaches, the area CVB, also earned Lance’s praise. She says, “Dori Jensen, senior director of sales was a delight to work with from the initial site visit to site selection and any snafus that popped up along the planning and implementation journey. It’s clear that relationship-building is her superpower. While the location sells itself, Dori is ‘the closer’ as she radiates the essence of The Palm Beaches. And Yvonne Williams is a fantastic destination services executive and ambassador for The Palm Beaches. We had multiple planning visits, and she was always there to greet me with a smile. She crafted a fantastic transportation plan for our event once we grew to six hotels, and I can’t thank her enough for the seamless transfers she provided to our attendees. By the time our event was held, I knew all of the best restaurants to share with attendees, how to take the Circuit and I could even detail the perfect running route to my executive director for his pre-conference runs.”

As for the Palm Beach Convention Center, Lance calls it perfect for a group this size. “We used just about all of the space, including both exhibit halls. Over the years, we’ve been in markets where the host hotel wasn’t close to the convention center and walkability was an issue once inside the convention center. None of these issues exist in West Palm Beach,” she says, “In addition to the Hilton connector, which includes an accessibility lift, the registration lobby is close to essentially every external door. We couldn’t have asked for a more compact and accessibility friendly space.”

Lee County

Known for its sugar sand beaches, fishing, golfing and other outdoor activities, Lee County is a perfect destination for planners looking to enjoy tremendous recreation opportunities while conducting their meeting. Located on the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida, the county includes Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Sanibel. When it comes to meeting facilities, there are plenty of options available depending on where you want to stay, starting with the Lee Civic Center in Fort Myers. It includes a 65,000-sf arena suitable for trade shows, seating 7,800 for concerts, as well as the 15,000-sf Whaley Hall and a 17,000-sf Pavilion. For an even larger facility, the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa boasts 82,500 sf of meeting space in Bonita Springs. These are just two of the numerous options available. To really embrace the “laid back” vibe for your next event, opt for Margaritaville Beach Resort at Fort Myers Beach with more than 20,000 sf of indoor / outdoor space for meetings and events.

Daytona Beach

The National Guard Association of Florida & Enlisted Association National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) will hold its annual conference in Daytona in 2026 at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort with an expected 1,200 attendees.

Carolyn Smith, executive director and event planner for the National Guard Association of Florida, says Daytona Beach is a good fit. She likes “the quaintness of Daytona Beach” and the fact that the city is very military friendly. Additionally, she points to the location of the convention center. “The convenience of having the convention center across from our host hotel eliminates the need for bus transportation, which saves us a lot of money and time,” says Smith, “The convention center itself has a great amount of space that fits our program perfectly, but it’s also not so big that you have to walk miles to get to the different meetings and events. And who doesn’t want to spend a few days right on the ocean?”

Smith has been working closely with the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitor Bureau. “They’ve been fantastic,” she says. “I brought my ideas of different events to Mara Robin, corporate sales manager, and she helped connect me with different venues so I could have conversations with them about our event. Mara helped with reaching out to hotels and getting me materials to help sell Daytona to the voting committee who make the final decision as to allow the National Guard Association of Florida to host the EANGUS 2026 Conference.”

Smith is also working with the convention center. “We’re working with Ocean Center to hold our exhibit show, business sessions and many other committee meetings,” she says. “Sales Manager Patrick Blankenship and his team have been great with walking us through and helping us visualize how to set up our exhibits and stage for the business sessions, giving us options for meals and other events.”

Smith calls Hilton’s Kristina Walters “fantastic” to work with and notes that the property’s entire team has the equipment and knowledge to meet their needs. “Kristina has helped us meet our room and pricing requirements, and has made it possible for us to hold meetings and events on property or in event spaces right outside, with the flexibility to have backup space inside the hotel. The locations are fantastic with the ease of getting to and from the airport, convention center, Jackie Robinson Ballpark, Pictona at Holly Hill (a pickleball center), Daytona International Speedway, LPGA International and, of course, the beach,” says Smith.

She believes planners who choose Daytona Beach will be pleasantly surprised. “Give them your requirements and watch what they can do to win your business,” she says. “If your event is as small as 50 people or as large as 3,000, Daytona Beach can handle you. The people are friendly, the weather is great and the hotels are nice.”

Five different destinations, five different vibes and a multitude of amenities, venues and services. That’s just the start of what Florida offers planners and groups. | AC&F |