< Previousplanner. “I also think places that have scheduled activities you can sign up for can be helpful as well, as the planners have less to worry about,” she says. “Not that planning for the family is the plan- ner’s job, but it’s inevitable they will ask what there is to do.” Magellan Management recently held a meeting at Naples Grande Beach Resort on Florida’s Paradise Coast on the Gulf of Mexico, and found the venue to be perfect for the families who came out. “Their pool and waterslide area are awesome, and their private beach could not be more pristine,” Hartstone says. “The spouses did not complain about the world-class spa, and snorkeling, fishing and shelling are only steps away.” Also, with many still concerned for their family’s safety with COVID-19 numbers fluctuating, finding spaces that have safety protocols in place is highly sought out when planning family friendly meetings today. Nilda Padgett, the South Carolina Association of Coun- ties’ director of administrative services, recently held the association’s 54th Annual Conference on family friendly Hilton Head Island. The island offers everything from dolphin spotting dur- ing a sunset cruise to getting up close and personal with reptiles and amphib- ians at the Coastal Discovery Museum. “Our conference is always around the time where kids are about to return to school, so we want to ensure that our participants can soak up the final days of summer vacation together with their families,” she says. “I’ve found that Hil- ton Head Island is the perfect venue to host families, as the island sits on 12 miles of pristine coastline in addition to offering a variety of activities from ten- nis, biking and golfing.” Any venue that has on-site activi- ties is ideal for family friendly meetings, whether it is an organized “camp” type experience or short classes such as cup- cake decorating. “Resort-style hotels are also very popular because they often include programming, such as movie nights, making s’mores, stargazing,” Everett says. “Swimming and water activities also seem to be a big draw, whether it is a pool, canoeing or boating.” Those that offer something like a lazy river at the pool, bikes to ride or other activities are also highly in demand. “Orlando is a big draw because the theme parks tend to be an expensive bucket-list trip for families, and the key there is to stay on property at one of the theme parks or at a hotel that has a con- venient shuttle,” Everett said. “Washing- ton, D.C. is another nice option because of the history and all of the important U.S. locations. It can be viewed as a learning opportunity for kids.” Banyan Tree Group prioritizes sus- tainability, and Gonzalez notes that many times families enjoy the sustain- able activities and initiatives. Examples include recycled paper workshops, tree-planting events and a wellness program, including self-care activities. Rebecca Baumwirt, director of sales for San Diego’s Catamaran Resort, notes when attendees are choosing whether or not to attend a conference, having the ability to combine business and plea- sure — especially with family — makes it much more enticing. “In addition to our memorable Polynesian-themed meeting space, the Catamaran offers unlimited activity options, both on land and water, for spouses and children of all ages,” she says. “The family remains together, and everyone leaves with a valuable and memorable experience.” Three great places to hold asso- ciation meetings in Southern California are the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Universal Studios Hollywood, and for smaller groups, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. All are family friendly and offer a plethora of activi- ties for attendees and their families. Jenkins notes a couple of meetings that were successful at these family friendly venues, including such things as deep-sea fishing; back stage tours of motion picture film lots and studio shows; water and beach activities, such as kayaking, water biking and ocean excursions; tour museum galleries and participation in interactive activities at a science center. “Some venues have arranged for sightseeing tours, tickets to sports games and other activities, as part of their concierge and meeting planning services,” he says. “Following the meet- ing, families can gather for dinner, come together for a movie at the theater or just stroll along the walk. It is an all-day fun and exciting affair for attendees and their families.” Venues that take into consideration factors that are specific to new moms, such as providing areas for breast feed- ing, pumps, etc., also tend to stand out as a perfect family friendly venue. Also keep in mind that with more people caring for their parents these days, more attendees are bringing them as well, so they are seek- ing destinations that not only provide activities and adventures for children, but those that can fulfill the needs of their retired or older immediate family as well. TIPS FOR SUCCESS When considering the dates for a meeting, if you want to pro- mote families coming, then you will need to plan the travel around the school year, so holidays and summer breaks are good times to jet off. Suc- cess in this segment starts with listen- ing to the attendees, Cartwright says. “The team needs to remain inquisitive and open to guest feedback, whether that’s coming from the parents or the children, and their input on activity options,” she says. “It’s a great way to stay ahead of the curve as the prod- uct offering continues evolving. Team brainstorm sessions to discuss new ideas and develop current guest expe- riences further are also a great way to ensure success.” Everett has found that negotiating a good rate with the host hotel is help- ful because it can encourage families to stay at the hotel pre- and post-event. “It is also important to think through the overall experience,” she says. “Is the main hotel within walking distance of the family friendly activities? Do they have activities on-site or is there a shuttle to the activities? If it is too hard for families to take advantage of the location, then they are less likely to join on the trip.” themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2021 Nilda Padgett Director of Administrative Services South Carolina Association of Counties We want to ensure that our participants can soak up the final days of summer vacation together with their families. 60When planning family friendly con- ventions, Padgett keeps experience at the forefront. For her event, which is somewhere around 500 to 700 attend- ees, she needs hotel accommodations and meeting facilities large enough to hold them and to entertain the chil- dren who tag along. “Home to several wildlife refuges and rich with Gullah culture, there is always something for attendees to immerse themselves in on Hilton Head Island, which is why we continue to go back,” she says. “It is also a gastronomic heaven, home to over 250 restaurants with diverse cuisine offerings and renowned for its locally sourced seafood. Of course, you can also find traditional chicken fingers and hamburgers in bustling restaurants, as well for the littles and picky eaters.” Choosing a place where the meet- ing space is separate from the family activities is also recommended. “If your group is in an important discussion, you don’t want to be able to hear the kids screaming at the pool,” Hartstone says. The Catamaran Resort recently hosted an engineering association, and they were encouraging both spouses and children to attend the meeting. “In addi- tion to the conference schedule, enter- taining daily activities were offered for the families, including spa treatments, beach games, standup paddle boarding, surf lessons, sushi-making classes, wine tastings, shopping excursions, bike rides and more,” Baumwirt says. The key is to offer accommodations and meeting space that cater to the business traveler, while also offering a variety of recre- ational options for family and those who are tagging along. The Catamaran’s spectacular beachfront location is the perfect postcard setting for an unforget- table family friendly meeting.” Linda Casey, senior sales manager for Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California, shares that meet- ing trends for indoor boardrooms have dropped significantly, and a rising 85% of meeting attendees will now consider a short drive to the destination with out- door venues, and strict sanitation proce- dures and safe outdoor activities. This is key when looking to attract families to the conferences. “Family friendly out- door activities include the Forest Walk in the lush Monterey pine forest that teaches guests about the ecology, where native plants and wildlife have adapted to a mild climate and sandy soils,” she says. “Other ranger-led tours include the Asilomar Ramble and the Living Dunes Tour. There are also bicycle rent- als, and miles and miles of coastal walking trails starting right from the hotel’s boardwalk.” Jenkins notes some of the feedback Bravo Productions has received from guests and their families attending family friendly meetings and venues deal with the activities, and that any attractions need to hold a kid’s attention span for almost the entire day, or at least a half-day. “Addi- tionally, allowing adequate time for the attendee to spend quality family time together is probably foremost in being successful in this segment,” he says. The envi- ronment should be safe and clean, and staff should be well trained, provide white-glove customer service, and have the ability to communicate well with kids. “Adequate, experienced and professional staff who can put together packages that appeal to family friendly groups is important,” Jenkins says. “They can make recommendations about what will appeal to different groups and audience demographics.” Another thing that brings positive feedback is when a venue allows fami- lies to socialize with others, as the abil- ity to meet other families has typically been an asset for these types of meet- ings — especially when people may already know each other from other business functions. “Venues that offer discounts for family vacations, attrac- tions and have special meeting pack- ages for family friendly activities also do well,” Jenkins says. “Venues that make events more inclusive for fami- lies, especially if attendees want to pair a family vacation with a conference trip is also extremely important. Hotels that have family suites are perfect for these sorts of meetings.” To keep the memory of the trip alive, associations should include a take-home element so attendees and their families leave the event with a gift that serves as a reminder about what a fun experience they had at the company event. That will keep them coming back, and future con- ferences will be well attended. | AC&F | SEPTEMBER 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Greg Jenkins Partner, Bravo Productions Allowing adequate time for the attendee to spend quality family time together is probably foremost in being successful in this segment. The Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association recently held their 50th annual Summer Conference in Sevierville, Tennessee. The family friendly event was a hit for attendees and their families. TENNESSEE SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION 61SMERF This Segment of the Industry Faces Unique Challenges By Maura Keller themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2021 H ere’s one thing we know: The Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal (SMERF) meetings and events environment is unique. Not only are the groups that fall within the SMERF realm often smaller entities with lower budgets, but their demographics range from young to old, with each group responding differently to the form and function of today’s meetings and events. Add in a global COVID-19 pandemic, and meeting planners are facing unique challenges in making SMERF gatherings a success. UNDERSTANDING THE AUDIENCE Jeff O’Hara, CMP, DMCP, president of PRA New Orleans, says SMERF meetings are an interesting meeting category as it relates to COVID-19. A high percentage of SMERF meetings have a demographic that skews older, and another segment has a demo- graphic that skews younger than the typical meeting attendee in other market segments. “Each brings its own challenge. The older group is more vulnerable, but is also highly vaccinated. The younger group, less so on both counts. What I have seen in the last six months is that planners have shifted from plan- ning the health and safety protocols of the event — trust me, we as an industry have that down pat — to the decisions about requiring vaccinations,” O’Hara says. “That, of course, is a sticky wicket and has been well covered in the media.” O’Hara sees this as an easier sell to the older demographic, as from a planner’s standpoint you stand to lose more attendees if vaccines are not required — because people not feeling safe won’t attend, than if vaccines are required — unvacci- nated members not attending. For the events that skew younger, it is a harder move because such a high percentage of that demographic is not vac- cinated. “For these events, an emphasis on the health and safety protocols is what will make people feel safe attending,” O’Hara says. The SMERF market has definitely been slower to come back than others, as there is not as much urgency from a business standpoint relative to the corporate/convention market. With that said, O’Hara is currently in the planning stages for an 18,000-attendee religious event for next summer. “We have been having all of the typical health and safety planning meetings, with plans that will adapt based on the current COVID situation. One contin- gency is — and the one we expect and hope for — is that COVID is a non-issue. The other, of course, is that we are still grappling with it,” O’Hara says. “If the latter, we have to do things like reduce capacity on shuttles [but stay on budget], create more space for loading and unloading, enforce health and safety on the transfers and in the venues, etc. We have a sliding scale of plans going from scenario A — all clear — to scenario worst case and beyond.” Jennifer Collins, CMP, DES, president & CEO of JDC Events LLC, says one of the biggest challenges when planning SMERF meetings is scaling back to accommodate any local restrictions. For some locations, capacity might have been a restriction or masking requirements, or other safety protocols. “Some SMERF meetings also host the 65+ popula- tion that faithfully quarantined over the past year,” she says. “With the vaccines coming online, this allowed them to move about more freely; however, with the rise of the Delta variant, this may cause some of those events to scale back.” Karma O’Neill, meeting planner and owner of KO Events, says the biggest challenge with today’s SMERF events is the constant state of not knowing. “Just when we think we are in the clear and go ahead with in-person plans, a new variant comes along,” O’Neill says. “Guests are hesitant to be around others, especially if others are flying in from all over the country.” STRIVING FOR SUCCESS There are key steps that meeting planners can take to make SMERF meetings during this time of uncertainty successful. As O’Hara explains, it is about making people feel comfortable getting back into a group environment and traveling to do so. PLANNERTIPS 62MERF Success 63 SEPTEMBER 2021 ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESthemeetingmagazines.com DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMThat’s why the communication aspect of SMERF event planning is more important than ever, both in getting people on the road and in having an uneventful event once they are there. “One thing that has been very popular is using outdoor spaces for events and education. Fresh air and sunlight is better for you anyway,” O’Hara says. “It also puts people at ease due to less possibility of transmission and helps with health and safety.” Hotels and venues have also been creative at adapting underutilized outdoor spaces and converting them to event spaces. The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in particular, made a big investment during the downtime to create out- door event space that has a fantastic view of the area. O’Neill says the best thing meeting planners can do is make a plan, and then make a “Plan B” that includes a quick transition to a virtual meeting. Also, it’s important to be open and honest with vendors. “If there is a chance the event will be postponed or changed to only virtual, they should know that up front,” O’Neill says. “A couple of my clients are creating ‘swag’ bags and mailing them to participants so if they are virtual, they will have the ‘swag.’” O’Neill currently has two SMERF events com- ing up — one is very small, and she is planning to make it as smooth as possible but have the flexibility to quickly take it virtual. It is also outside unless there is rain, so if offers a bit of a relief to attendees. “The second event is larger, and has guests possibly traveling from Europe and Canada. They are in a quandary as to whether they should go fully virtual and lose money on contracts, or reduce the number of attendees,” O’Neill says. The dilemma is that they will still be charged for 75% of the larger number if they go virtual. Darryl Diamond, CMP, senior meet- ing manager at Talley Management Group Inc., which helps with associa- tion management and events, says it’s important to plan for both an in-person and a virtual experience for attendees. Then, if one option has to go away due to health concerns, you already have the other option ready to go and don’t have to start from scratch. “You also need to consider your audience. Some meetings can do better in a virtual world than others. If you have a hands- on trade show and just can’t be virtual, then think about alternative venues,” Diamond says. “Does your property have a covered parking structure? Can you convert that into an expo hall and use the fresh air coming in instead of an ample indoor space?” He adds: “There was a great story recently about a group that was supposed to meet at the San Diego Convention Center. Because it was still closed for government use, they had to find an alternate venue and ended up at Petco Park [where Major League Baseball’s Padres play]. It was a clever use of the venue, and allowed room for all attendees to meet and exhibit in the open air.” NUANCES TO CONSIDER There are specific traits within the SMERF meetings to consider when planning for an event. For instance, a higher percentage of attendees at SMERF meetings are not frequent trav- elers compared to a typical corporate/ convention market. So O’Hara says it is important to set the expecta- tions for them what the entire travel experience will be like, and what is happening in each area to keep them safe. This includes traveling to and from the airport, the experience in the airport and on the plane, traveling to the hotel, what happens at check in, and what the meeting experi- ence will be like. Also, many hotels are not offering full housekeeping service during the stay while the pandemic is ongoing, some outlets are perhaps not operating full hours and some not at all, etc. Helping attendees to under- stand that in advance — and the “why” of it — will make for a better experience on-site. Helpful travel hints to make their journey more comfortable should be provided. For example, Lyft requires all of their drivers to wear masks, even in areas where the local authorities don’t mandate it. Local taxi drivers generally are not required to wear masks. “Know- ing this may make someone more com- fortable in their airport to hotel journey and avoid a surprise,” O’Hara says. In addition, the current travel experience is a bit differ- ent even to road warriors, and there have been many news reports about how airplanes in particular have had a large uptick of in-flight disturbances. “Educating meeting attendees about what the full experience will be like is very impor- tant,” O’Hara says. Collins agrees, and stresses that, given our pub- lic health crisis, it’s impor- tant for planners of SMERF meetings to fully understand the risks and prepare their participants for navigating the event in a pandemic. “This means constant and continued communication outlining safety proto- cols and expectations, especially if the event will be held in a low vaccination rate state,” Collins says. “I would also book as far in advance as possible. The leisure market started the comeback for hospitality, and many of the locations have booked up. With the challenges in staffing of venues, restaurants and other businesses, it would be in the best inter- est of the SMERF meeting planner to find out what’s most important for the themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2021 Jeff O’Hara, CMP, DMCP President, PRA New Orleans Planners have shifted from planning the health and safety protocols of the event ... to decisions about requiring vaccinations. PHOTO BY CINDY HAYES 64group, and find ways to bundle time- frame with location lower rates and offer more amenities.” Also, O’Neill says meeting planners need to have discussions about vacci- nation requirements, mask versus non- mask requirements, and whether it is appropriate to require proof of vaccina- tions. Planners also need to closely scru- tinize contracts, as vendors are changing requirements and adding clauses about cancellation that the industry has never seen before. “For instance, I work with a rental company that has never had minimums before, but instituted them this past spring. They were turning away clients and groups were cancel- ling events on certain days due to lack of available vendors/product,” O’Neill says. “The rental company now charges a fee if I cancel more than 25% of the rental items.” Indeed, one of the big unknowns, as the meeting business picks back up, is how many people will actually attend events. It is uncharted territory, and meeting history can’t be counted on as a good indicator. O’Hara says this is especially true in the SMERF market, where most of the attendees are there voluntarily and paying from their own pocket. That’s why contracts should have some flexibility built in that pro- tects not only the meeting planner, but also his or her suppliers and venues in the case numbers should drop. “Plan- ners have to think strategically around this issue and make it a partnership with their suppliers. It can’t be just an automatically allowed attrition,” O’Hara says. “There is a lot of work that goes into planning a successful event — you can’t just drop the revenue your supplier receives without giving them some compensation for the work that went into planning the larger event.” Diamond also stresses the impor- tance of being honest and transparent throughout the SMERF meeting plan- ning process. Be open with your attend- ees and stakeholders about your plans and specific decision dates. For example, if you are going to limit attendance to only vaccinated attendees, communicate that early and clearly. If you require masks at all times, put that in every email. Also, consider being more flexible with your cancellation policies. “The last thing you want is for somebody who’s not feeling well to come to your event because they weren’t going to be able to get a refund and didn’t want their investment to go unused,” Diamond says. Of course, meeting planners should not assume there will be an honor system or that people will be truth- ful as it relates to vaccination status. Should they require participants to be vaccinated, they should have a plan in place to verify the status and provide other protocols — such as masking — to ensure their participants are safe. “It’s the event organizer’s duty to develop clear communications on the protocols and procedures in establishing a safe environment,” Collins says. These pro- tocols should be well communicated throughout the planning process. This will not only provide assurances to the participants, but it could also assist in addressing any potential claims of neg- ligence should something occur.” It’s also important that these guidelines communicate the role of the participant to ensure a safe envi- ronment as well. This especially since masking and other public health guidance has unfortu- nately become a lightning rod for select individuals. “So if the event calls for masking or other pro- cedures, then those guidelines should be respected and fol- lowed,” Collins says. LOOKING AHEAD The meetings and events industry has learned how to transition a large group of people from in-person to virtual. As O’Neill points out, in many cases virtual saves time and money both for the host and the participant. “I think there will be a huge transition in the number of live events that take place in the future. On the flip side, we might be looking at shorter planning periods, groups want- ing to have an event in the relatively short ‘safe’ window,” O’Neill says. That said, O’Hara is a firm believer in the need for humans to congregate and interact. “I do not think there will be a long-term effect on SMERF meet- ings or meetings in general,” O’Hara says. “Particularly with the SMERF market, there isn’t as much in the way of education or corporate information to be shared, the main value attendees receive is seeing each other.” Similar to most meetings, Collins thinks SMERF events will have to incorporate a level of safety that they may not have factored in previously. Certain types of SMERF meetings might also consider hybrid as part of their events. “Not only from a safety standpoint, but also to extend the reach of the program,” Collins says. “They may also be impacted by cost issues which, hopefully, will not be long term, but most certainly could be a factor in the short term.” | AC&F | SEPTEMBER 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Jennifer Collins, CMP, DES President & CEO JDC Events LLC It’s the event organizer’s duty to develop clear communications on the protocols and procedures in establishing a safe environment. PHOTO BY CINDY HAYES Jeff O’Hara, president of PRA New Orleans, says SMERF events like the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod National Youth Gathering, right and facing page, have different rules and protocols than the typical corporate gathering. 65CAREERTRACK 66 Visit Wichita has hired Mindy Lallier as their new vice president of sales. Lallier has more than three decades of experience. Before joining Visit Wichita, she worked with TS2 Hospitality, InterContinental Kansas City At The Plaza and Visit Overland Park. In her new role, she will lead the sales and services team to help showcase the city. Ali Murray has been chosen as the Waldorf Asto- ria Las Vegas’ new director of sales & marketing. With more than 18 years of experience in the industry, Mur- ray brings extensive knowledge of the destination from her previous roles at Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas and Treasure Island – TI Hotel & Casino. Erin Keedy has joined the VISIT Milwaukee sales team as a national account executive representing VISIT Milwaukee in the Washington, D.C. market. With 20 years of experience under her belt, she will work to grow strategic partnerships and showcase Milwaukee as an emerging city for meetings and major events. Keedy comes to the CVB from Marriott International. VisitPITTSBURGH has named Andrew Ortale as chief sales officer. Ortale has more than 20 years experience. He previously served with VisitPITTSBURGH as the national sales director from 2000-2003 before taking on a senior sales position with Visit Orlando. He also has worked with ASIS International, American Gam- ing Association, National Trade Productions, The Expo Group and Spargo & Associates. Meet Chicago Northwest has selected Gus Martinez as their director of sales. An 18-year veteran of the hos- pitality industry, he most recently worked with Maritz Global Events as national account manager. His experi- ence in the convention and visitor bureau world began as a regional director of sales for Cincinnati USA and then on to Visit Milwaukee. The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has announced two new members have joined their sales and marketing team. Nina Shokrian joins the team as senior marketing manager and Molly Horton as associate director of group sales. Shokrian has more than 20 years of marketing experience, with expertise in helping businesses strengthen their branding and marketing portfolios. Horton joins the resort sales team as a 21-year veteran of Marriott International. She is a Marriott expert, having previously served as the sales director for the Coralville Marriott Hotel and held executive positions in property, area and account sales. Choose Chicago has announced that Eric Kincaid will handle the entire large-scale convention market out of the Mid-Atlantic region. He will be represent- ing and selling Chicago’s convention package with a primary focus on conventions meeting at McCormick Place. Before this market sales position, he served as the national account director for citywide sales. He also worked for Marriott International. | AC&F | themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2021 The Pima County Health Department is dedicated to protecting the public health. As businesses reopen or resume more normal operations, it is imperative that they take measures to protect employees and the public from the spread of COVID-19. The County has adopted a set of minimum protective health and safety measures for restaurants, bars, fitness centers, and hotel and resort pools to follow. Participating businesses have pledged to adhere to these guidelines and are certified for compliance by the Pima County Health Department. Our shared responsibility to protect public health FIND OUT MORETucsonOnUs.com LALLIERMURRAY MARTINEZSHOKRIAN KEEDYORTALE HORTONKINCAIDThe Pima County Health Department is dedicated to protecting the public health. As businesses reopen or resume more normal operations, it is imperative that they take measures to protect employees and the public from the spread of COVID-19. The County has adopted a set of minimum protective health and safety measures for restaurants, bars, fitness centers, and hotel and resort pools to follow. Participating businesses have pledged to adhere to these guidelines and are certified for compliance by the Pima County Health Department. Our shared responsibility to protect public health FIND OUT MORETucsonOnUs.comFOR SAFETY INFORMATION VISIT UOMEETINGSANDEVENTS . COM Meetings & Events Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. Next >