< Previousfor online and hybrid events are common considerations for event budgets today. “After hosting over 25,000 events and more than 10 mil- lion attendees, we’re reasonably confident that an all-in-one event-management software platform is vital for event plan- ners,” McTaw says. “While there are lots of options in this space, our users tell us that ease of use is a crucial feature of any package. We also hear that event planners want a platform that’s equally easy to buy, without the headache of sales meet- ings and configuration decisions.” Julie Haddix, Cvent senior director, solutions marketing, says for event planners, incorporating technol- ogy into the event-plan- ning process is crucial for three main reasons: driving efficiency, prov- ing/growing event ROI and ensuring there is consistency. The right technology makes the planning process easier — not more complex. “By automating man- ual processes and mak- ing complex tasks, like budget tracking, vendor sourcing, floor-plan design and payment pro- cessing more seamless and simplified, technol- ogy enables greater effi- ciency and time savings,” Haddix says. She notes that embracing technology during the planning process can drive more efficiencies and help planners drive success at each stage of planning process. For example, the right event technology can support a more effective market- ing strategy pre-event, track deep attendee insights during the event, and organize data points to enable faster, more personalized sales follow-ups post-event. These tools also can collect and organize event information — such as spend, audience engagement and overall impact — which helps plan- ners demonstrate ROI to executives and other stakeholders. This consideration is more critical than ever in an uncertain economic environment where proving ROI is crucial. “It’s also important to consider the fact that event pro- grams can be hosted in multiple formats, adding some com- plexity to the planning process,” Haddix says. “Technology can bring consistency to the planning process regard- less of whether the event will be held virtually, in a hybrid format or in person. This makes planners’ lives easier because they don’t have to learn how to navigate multiple systems depending on the specific event format.” Haddix recommends planners consider orga- nizing event-planning tech tools in four distinct areas. “Insurance and financial organizations, in particular, are managing complex programs with multiple event formats and audiences,” Haddix says. “Leveraging event technology is critical to creating engag- ing event experience for customers to interact with their brands in unique ways. Ultimately, marketers and event plan- ners must scale their event programs and be agile enough to manage multiple event formats easily.” The four event planning technology categories include: • Venue Sourcing Technology: Using software that helps planners narrow down the perfect location for an event can serve a broad range of planning functions, including building RFPs, receiving bids and sharing bid information with key decision-makers. This can save time, simplify logistics and, ultimately, speed up the decision-making process. • Event Budget Technology: Relying on formula-heavy Excel sheets or other manual tools to keep track of expenses can be time-consuming and lead to human error and siloed data. Instead, apps such as Expensify can remedy this process by generat- ing a quick summary view that displays cur- rent spending compared to projected spend. This helps planners visualize where they stand and clearly understand how they’re tracking alongside their budget. Planners can also use information from these kinds of event budget tools to negotiate better prices with ven- dors or determine if they may qualify for certain promotions. • Event Marketing & Registration Technology: A primary goal before an event begins is for as many people as possible to register to attend. In today’s digital-first environment, market- ing the event to the right audience can be difficult, especially for planners in more targeted industries such as finance and insurance, which is why event marketing technology that enables a more strategic, personalized marketing approach should be part of a planner’s arsenal. In addition, having a well-organized website where prospective attendees can eas- ily gather information that speaks to them is critical to driving registration. Finally, offering a seamless registration and travel, and accommodations booking process will ensure you maxi- mize attendance. • Attendee Engagement Technology: Keeping attendees engaged becomes easy when there are apps available that can themeetingmagazines.com 20 FEBRUARY 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Martha Keele Meeting Planner and COO Toast of the Town LLC Our team has templated systems for various project types that we further customize when we get started on a new conference. This helps make sure everything is up to date. DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM While software tools are incredibly powerful, it is crucial to ensure that they are not overused to avoid overwhelming both the event planner and the audience. give in-person and virtual attendees access to con- tent, the option to engage with other attendees and important event information. These apps and software make it so the event extends beyond the physical space or streaming site where participants are viewing the event. They give the option to par- ticipate in chats, Q&As and polls, to build personal agendas and to network via the power of artificial intelligence. Incorporating these tools into your event will enrich the attendee experience and make them feel connected to a community well before the event begins. CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION While software tools are incredibly powerful, it is crucial to ensure that they are not overused to avoid overwhelming both the event planner and the audience. McTaw points out that if there’s one mistake meeting planners make as it relates to the use of technology for meeting and event planning, it’s relying too heavily on technology. “Event technology doesn’t solve what’s most important about an event. Our research suggests that attendees really want planners to consider things such as: How do attendees learn best? How important is a speaker’s bio? Is my session syllabus a driving factor for event attendance? How much physical space do attendees need to feel comfortable? What kind of food will be served? “Technology makes us all look good, but technology alone doesn’t make great events,” McTaw says. “There is a ton of technology that makes today’s events exceptional, includ- ing video production, push notifications, A/V, post-event content hosting, phone app and browser flexibility, the abil- ity to easily register and a schedule that is easy to use and updated frequently.” He also points to a few technologies that may not be as crit- ical as they once were, such as badge printing, which can be a major expense. “It can be important, but a ‘Hello My Name Is’ sticker and a Sharpie are nearly as effective,” McTaw says. “If it means better food options, it might be something worth thinking about.” He also suggests that livestreaming brings a level of risk to any event. “Every professional event planner has a story about what can go wrong. While livestreaming is great, the truth is, that if you are holding a hybrid meeting, you are prob- ably better off de-synchronizing the two and using recorded sessions,” McTaw says. “Lower risk, less stress and probably better for both segments. The key technology that makes great events is the experience of understanding what’s important to attendees. It’s these listening skills that are today’s ‘critical technology’ that improves attendee reviews.” Keele points out that the overuse of various platforms and apps can also be problematic on the part of some meet- ing and event planners. “Everything should be integrated for a seamless attendee experience,” she says. “Otherwise, the digital experience can be clunky, and attendees will not take advantage of the tools offered because they are too confusing to navigate. Sometimes, less is more.” Keele says registration technology will continue to evolve with a focus on security and privacy for attendees. She also sees this as likely to advance in the events industry overall as digital options for attending, viewing, networking, etc., con- tinues with more people sharing information online. “We are excited for advancements in fast tracking regis- tration from an event app as well. In addition, how attend- ees interact with technology at events will grow,” Keele says. “We will see new ways to use the Metaverse — or virtual real- ity/augmented reality — in keynote talks, exhibit halls and attendee networking over the next few years. Finally, what we do with event and attendee information will be more con- trolled in the future. Gone are the days of giving away impor- tant attendee demographic information. We will see more limitations on who we allow to see attendee data.” Haddix agrees that leveraging technology frees planners from time-consuming, manual tasks so they can focus on building relationships with vendors and other key players, while also driving deeper attendee engagement and greater business impact. “These trends will likely continue as new tools emerge. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality, for example, are quickly becoming more ubiquitous in everyday life, and there are certainly ways to implement this emerging technology more into event planning,” Haddix says. Instead of costly site visits, it is possible to take a 3D tour of venues to pick the one that fits a planner’s needs, saving time and money when it comes to choosing how to organize the layout of an event. “For the financial and insurance industry in particular, technology will increasingly be relied on to track sustainabil- ity efforts from meetings and events programs,” Haddix says. “Meanwhile, data privacy and security will remain a top prior- ity, as legacy insurance and financial organizations continue their digital transformation to compete with industry disrup- tors. Overall, planners will have to prioritize the customer experience and continuing change in demand for meetings and events.” I & FMM INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | FEBRUARY 2023themeetingmagazines.com 21 DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM Leveraging technology frees planners from time-consuming, manual tasks so they can focus on building relationships with vendors and driving deeper attendee engagement and greater business impact.GET NOTICED There is No Mistaking Social Media’s Role in Meetings BY MAURA KELLER S ocial media is everywhere. The efficiency and access it affords financial and insurance meet- ing planners and attendees is unparalleled. Key components of social media include every- thing from being able to excite participants about the agenda at a particular event or conven- tion to the basic usefulness of offering needed resources such as event date, time and location. “Your guests and attendees are watching you,” says Amy Grace Collins, certified event designer and venue owner/speaker & author, Amy Grace Events & The Collins Collective. “They want to get excited about the event they are attending. Using social media to tease ideas of what’s coming, dif- ferent kinds of offered entertainment, menus for meals and speaker bios are a great way to engage attendees before they come.” According to Jenna Grochow, marketing and media specialist at The LaClare Group Inc., the use of social media has become one of the biggest ways to promote today’s meetings and interact | INDUSTRY INSIGHT | themeetingmagazines.com 22 FEBRUARY 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Social media increases engagement, especially when showing fun event moments. NORTHERN HONEY PHOTOwith potential attendees. There are many different social media platforms, and by knowing your audience, insurance and financial meeting planners can meet them where they are. Within the many platforms, there are different strategies that can be utilized to be successful in regard to social media for meetings and events. Caytie Pohlen-LaClare, founder/president of The LaClare Group Inc., is seeing social media being used by most clients now. Some companies have an intentional approach and use social media to promote their events, especially if the tar- get audience is customers/clients/vendor partners of the organization. “When the meeting is for internal staff, the decision to use social media is mixed. Obviously, there are privacy and confi- dentiality issues to be considered,” Pohlen-LeClare says. “To that point, companies usually have policies about the use of social media by employees.” In one of the company’s social media marketing strategies for an annual conference, The LeClare Group was figuring out a way to get more traction online. They noticed a huge increase in engagement when posting videos of speakers talk- ing about their presentations at the conference and inviting people to register. “Speakers can also share the same video to get extra traction,” Grochow says. Amy-Marie Lemanski, owner & senior meeting & event manager at AML Events LLC, says social media within meet- ings and events is growing, and is a trend that isn’t going away. “I would say that most of my clients have a social media com- munication plan using Facebook and/or LinkedIn,” Lemanski says. “So many people use social media since they carry around these little pocket-sized computers [smart phones]. I don’t know if I would call it vital, but it has become an integral part of any event marketing plan.” Kastina Morrison, event & meeting planner, and owner, Kastina & Co., says social media is where many of us share some of the most exciting aspects of our lives, and going to a great event is part of what everyone shares. “Within corporate event planning, attendees assume the hosting company will be posting updates before, during and after the event,” she says. Dana Ellis, president of Ellis International, sees a wide vari- ety of client preferences and styles when she does events. Ellis says the use of social media in events depends on the client and what industry they are in. “We’ve done events for companies who have dedicated staff to create social media posts and who really focus on making social media posts,” Ellis says. “Other industries or events that are for internal staff rarely use social media at all for marketing the events. They do have attendees who post on their own social during the event.” For companies that are selling products or services, Ellis says it’s beneficial to them to use and promote the event to the public via social media or for organizations trying to raise funds for a cause as it’s great to help build awareness of the need and request donations. “But for internal company sales meetings, for example, it’s just not that important to them, or is sometimes prohibited as they don’t want the internal company information that they share with the staff to be publicly shared,” Ellis says. AN IMPORTANT ROLE Using social media pre-event through post- event is a vital component as meeting planners want to take the potential attendees and custom- ers through the whole journey. As Grochow explains, COURTESY OF DANA ELLIS Dana Ellis, president of Ellis International, second from right, says using social media to promote events is vitally important, especially for organizations or companies that are selling products or services. Amy-Marie Lemanski Owner & Senior Meeting & Event Manager AML Events LLC So many people use social media since they carry around these little pocket-sized computers [smart phones]. It has become an integral part of any event marketing plan. INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | FEBRUARY 2023themeetingmagazines.com 23pre-event is important because this is the time to promote the meeting and event. During the meeting, planners can use social media to interact with their attendees by providing any information or updates throughout the day. “Lastly, post-event you want to follow up with your attend- ees by showing appreciation and promoting anything that will be occurring in the future,” Grochow says. Morrison adds that social media before any event is used to build anticipation and boost attendance. During the event, it can be used for engagement and creating the buzz of all the great things happening at the event. For example, during awards, Morrison will live share the winners — and tag them if it’s appropriate — so those winners or supporters can share. “The goal is to get imagery to spread as far and as wide as possible. That can include not only the attendees, but all your vendor partners who may be proud to share what the event celebrated and how they were included,” Morrison says. “After an event, if we can’t share winners live, we will do that after.” During the event, attendees want to use their social media platforms to reach their audiences showing them fun activi- ties they are doing and how it will help or assist their client base. They want to use social media as a platform for relat- ability to their clients. Collins says trust is earned through these platforms by transparency, and she’s seeing participants use hashtags and stories to update their viewers on their lives — partic- ularly during fun events. “After events, it’s a great way to showcase photos of participants — which area always shared — and keeping your audience engaged until the next time,” Collins says. Morrison also uses post-event social media content to thank vendors. As Morrison explains, your vendors are your partners too, and sharing and tagging vendors post-event is an excellent way to build those relationships and have your content shared again. “Finally, we always make friends with our photogra- phers,” Morrison says. “Getting professional photos after an event is a whole other set of content you can get and share again even weeks later. And if the event is annual, you can use photos from this year to promote for next year when the time comes.” Whether or not social media is a vital component of a meeting or event really depends on the meeting’s purpose, content and audience. In addition, the individual company will dictate the use of social media. “With insurance and financial companies, they have to be careful to follow compli- ance requirements,” Pohlen-LeClare says. “At the same time, social media is a way to attract a younger demographic who may be potential customers or employees.” SOCIAL MEDIA MUST-HAVES One of the most important musts a social media initiative for a meeting should have is a clearly defined plan. Ellis says it’s important to know how many posts you will make, when they will be made and who is the team member dedicated to manage them. “You can do more, or ask people to add your event hashtag to their posts to show up in your stream, but in order to have success, you need to have a plan,” Ellis says. To make the most effective use of social media within the meetings and events environment, Grochow says specific hashtags for meetings or events on social media can be very helpful. It is a way for everyone to put their content in the same place and find information in regard to what is going on with the meeting. “You want to also utilize event advocates such as themeetingmagazines.com 24 FEBRUARY 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Kastina Morrison Event & Meeting Planner, Owner Kastina & Co. Getting professional photos after an event is ... content you can get and share again even weeks later. And ... you can use photos from this year to promote for next year. COURTESY OF DANA ELLIS Social media is also the best way to make sure meeting planners are reaching out to younger attendees.speakers, presenters, staff, etc.,” Grochow says. “Anyone who will be a part of your meeting can help promote interaction on social media.” Determining a hashtag for your event also is important, especially if it’s an annual event and attendees and guests get used to using it when they go to share their photos and videos. As Morrison explains, these days with video becoming more important, any event producer would want to have video clips taken during the event to capture everything from set-up to the end of the event. “You can later put this together in ‘reels’ on Instagram or TikTok,” Morrison says. “Video is only going to become more important in the future. So, a ‘must have’ is being able to recap your events in video format and share on your plat- form of choice.” If Morrison and her team are doing an event where the host company may not know everyone attending or coming because the event is intended to attract new clients or pros- pects, they have the host use their Instagram and go follow the attendees 24 hours in advance of the event. “They will get the notification of the following, the event will then be top of mind for them to get ready for, and it will be easy for the attendee to remember to tag the host in the content they put out,” Morrison says. “We see this be a huge success in follow- ing rates and engagement overall and in the future, so that the host company stays top of mind of the attendee and can see their other social posting about services after.” Morrison advises meeting planners be careful with post- ing close-up facial photos of attendees. Not everyone wants their face promoted on a company or firm’s own social media without permission. “Also, and this is very important: don’t forget to tag your vendor partners,” Morrison says. “They worked on the event alongside you, and vendor relationships are so important to have a well-oiled production. If we use the event photographer’s photos — you must always credit the photographer if/when using their work. Tagging all the vendors showcased in the images you choose to use is citing the work that it took to put on any event, including the caterer and A/V crew, etc.” Event-specific apps are always a great way to engage attendees if the budget allows. Having a single platform to have them jump on for conference details not only allows them to have the access at their fingertips, but it also allows for last-minute changes to room numbers, speaker bios and relevant data that would typically have to be published weeks before. “As planners, this can be an absolute godsend for venues that tend to be less than communicative beforehand,” Collins says. “It’s also an incredible way to aggregate data for people to reference, a way to put all participants’ contact details in and have a place for participants to connect post event.” Also make sure you don’t just create a hashtag for your event and throw it on your printed program and expect a wild amount of social media posts to just happen. “I’ve seen many clients who treat social media as an afterthought,” Ellis says. “They don’t put much time, effort or thought into it, and then are disappointed that they don’t get many posts.” LOOKING AHEAD Industry experts agree that more matters are moving to an online format, especially communication. “The future of social media will become — even more than it already is — a way for registrants to network and engage whether your meeting is virtual, hybrid, or in-person,” Grochow says. Social media’s role will continue to grow, especially as the workforce demographic continues to evolve, Pohlen-LaClare says. “It is a great way to interact with the meeting audience before/during/after the event by telling stories and making emotional connections.” Morrison adds that fewer people are going to websites for the most up-to-date information regarding an event. Any last- minute changes — times, venue, weather — or any important know-before-you-go information should at least be shared on the host company’s social media, even if it says “more information on our website.” “Expect that the attendees are going to social first for information, reminders or updates,” Morrison says. Collins says the biggest way social media will continue to be used in meetings and events is a form of marketing and creating FOMO — fear of missing out. “The more guests feel you are creating epic events they can’t miss out on, the higher participant numbers will turn out and be engaged,” Collins says. This can be an opportunity that leads to much larger sponsorship opportunities for hosting companies. “I think that social media will continue to play a role in many meetings and events since, when done well, it is an effective way to get the word out or to help build a brand or culture online, especially for companies that cater to the younger generations,” Ellis says. I & FMM INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | FEBRUARY 2023themeetingmagazines.com 25 COURTESY OF AMY GRACE COLLINS Amy Grace Collins, Certified Event Designer and Owner, Amy Grace Events & The Collins Collective, right, says using social media to tease what’s coming is a great way to engage attendees before the event.Inc., planned three events — a reception for 600 people, an enter- tainment event for 900 and a dinner for 200 — for an F&I group in San Francisco late last spring. She used the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture and City View at Metreon for the events. “The venues were a key factor for the events, and we custom created a theme and decor to enhance the venues and create one-of-a-kind experiences,” Bondar says. “The staff at each of these venues was very helpful and assisted us with local regulations, preferred vendors and advice related to the needs at their specific venue.” San Francisco has plenty of outstanding meeting venues, including two suitable for very large meetings: the Moscone Center, the city’s leading convention and exhibition facility, and the Chase Center, home of the National Basketball Asso- ciation’s Golden State Warriors During the pandemic, several new hotels opened, including Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SOMA, 1 Hotel San Francisco and the Beacon Grand. OAKLAND Across the bay from San Francisco, Oakland has been steadily adding more features to make it a very appealing des- tination for meetings and events. “’The Town’ has beautiful | DESTINATION REPORT | themeetingmagazines.com 26 FEBRUARY 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Offering Diversity, Great Weather and an Abundance of Outdoor Options BY DAN JOHNSON C alifornia offers a highly diverse and vibrant economy, fabulous resorts and hotels, an abundance of unique traditional and unconventional meeting spaces and an unparalleled variety of stunning landscapes. Janet Zaldua, CEO of the Marina del Rey Tourism Board, says the state’s idyllic weather helps lure groups. “Not only does the Golden State feature stunning backdrops, like our spectacular harbor here in Marina del Rey, but the nearly year-round sunny weather makes it easy and convenient to hold financial and insurance meetings and events in California, particularly Southern California, at any time of year,” she says. SAN FRANCISCO “For attendees, San Francisco is one of the most welcoming cities in the world, and it’s an incredible place to meet,” says Nicole Rogers, executive vice president and chief sales officer for the San Francisco Travel Association. Sarah Bondar, chief operating officer for The Charles Group Sunset in Monterey Bay Harbor SEEMONTEREY.COM CALIFORNIA traditional venues, industrial warehouse space, lush, park-like settings, outdoor options and attractions,” says Peter Gamez, president & CEO of Visit Oakland. “Offering an award-winning culinary scene, an artistic vibe and numerous places for cre- ative, interactive off-site events, Oakland has it all.” Oakland has seen a recent rebound in business and leisure travel. “Planners are asking for indoor and outdoor options, and Oakland has many, ranging from traditional garden set- tings to industrial vibe venues,” Gamez says. SACRAMENTO Sacramento has been one of the quickest markets to recover in California. “Our core businesses are the California state association and national association markets,” says Jeff Dougherty, director, California state association sales with Visit Sacramento. “Being the state capital, we are fortunate that many of these association groups have been eager to return to in-person meetings.” Sacramento is a very walkable city, with downtown hotels surrounded by dining, shopping and entertainment venues, all within easy walking distance. The enlarged SAFE Credit Union Convention Center allows two large conferences to take place in the building at the same time. The Golden 1 Center, situated in the heart of Sacramento at the Downtown Com- mons, is the first-ever indoor/outdoor arena. Hyatt Regency Sacramento is a luxury hotel featuring 505 guest rooms, while Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel fea- tures 503 guest rooms. New to the city are The Hyatt Centric Downtown Sacramento, a luxury hotel with 172 guest rooms and Clayton Club, a rooftop bar serving lite bites, extensive cocktail offerings and occasional live music. SAN JOSE One big advantage San Jose has in attracting financial and insurance meetings is its easy accessibility to cutting-edge mod- ern technology. “Financial and insurance meetings require the latest in technology, and as the capital of Silicon Valley, we are well-equipped to provide the most up-to-date capabilities,” says Frances Wong, director of communications for Visit San Jose. “Plus, our walkable meeting campus that includes four perform- ing arts theaters and our numerous downtown restaurants, bars and breweries allows for business connections to be continued off-site for an authentic meetings experience.” Perhaps the most exciting news for planners is the 805-room Signia by Hilton San Jose, which debuted last spring, taking over the space formerly occupied by Fairmont San Jose. Silicon Val- ley’s largest hotel, the property is located downtown, just steps away from McEnery Convention Center, which offers 520,000 sf of meeting and event space. Two hotels are connected to the convention center — San Jose Marriott and Hilton San Jose. MONTEREY Monterey County has seen a gradual increase in meetings and events during the past several months, and is well-posi- tioned to offer planners an abundance of choices, including versatile indoor spaces as well as outdoor areas such as beaches, vineyards, redwood groves and historic, Spanish-style court- yards. “Monterey offers a treasure trove of swoon-worthy and highly sought-after towns to inspire your meeting attendees, including Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey and Pebble Beach,” says Teresa Savage, vice president of business develop- ment for the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Considered Monterey’s largest meetings hotel, Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation that included redesigns of the lobby, guest rooms and suites. Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay also recently com- pleted a multimillion-dollar renovation. The property offers outdoor meeting space and is connected to the Monterey Conference Center, as is the Monterey Marriott, which also recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation. The three properties provide 80,000 sf of meeting space and 700 hotel rooms. Another hotel, Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, recently completed a renovation of its 290 guest rooms as well. LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Convention Center, located downtown, is not only an integral component of the Southern California area, but also is an enduring symbol of environmental sustain- ability and social responsibility. The facility offers 720,000 sf of exhibit space and 147,000 sf of meeting space, including 64 column-free rooms. Meeting spots for large groups include JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live, with 878 guest rooms; The Westin Bonaven- ture Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles, with 1,358 guest rooms; The Biltmore Los Angeles, with 683 guest rooms; and The Ritz- Carlton, Los Angeles, with 123 guest rooms. COURTESY OF CAROLINA VIAZCAN The Greater Palm Springs area — which includes Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella — has remained popular among groups. INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | FEBRUARY 2023themeetingmagazines.com 27 Big Sur; Bixby Bridge SEEMONTEREY.COMLONG BEACH Touting itself as a city that blends the excitement and amenities of a big urban city with the warm, welcoming atmosphere of a beach resort, Long Beach offers an array of meeting and convention venues suitable for any event. The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center offers more than 400,000 sf of meeting and exhibit space, with new wir- ing for the latest technology as well as wireless capability. The center’s four large ballrooms include the Grand Ballroom, at 20,456 sf; the Promenade Ballroom, at 13,200 sf; the Seaside Ballroom, at 6,317 sf; and the Pacific Room, at 46,000 sf. Convention hotels include Hyatt Regency Long Beach, which offers 531 guest rooms and more than 35,000 sf of meet- ing space, including the city’s only waterfront ballroom; The Westin Long Beach, which offers 469 guest rooms and 85,259 sf of meeting space; the Long Beach Marriott, which offers 309 guest rooms and 17,063 sf of meeting space; and the Hilton Long Beach, which offers 399 guest rooms and 30,905 sf of meeting space. MARINA DEL REY Situated in the heart of the Greater Los Angeles coastline, Marina del Rey is now experiencing a much shorter booking window for events. “Traditional meeting space takes a back seat here to creative waterside options, including many out- door venue options,” Zaldua says. Marina del Rey is appealing both to high-end corporate business groups as well as to tech industry giants that want a laid back but trendy meetings destination. Its largest property, Marina del Rey Marriott, recently completed a nearly $200 million renovation. Another top choice for planners bringing large groups is The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. ANAHEIM Jay Burress, president & CEO of Visit Anaheim, has noticed a new trend in groups visiting California. “Visitors now want to take time to step out of their meeting space to experience the sights, the sounds and the foods of a diverse destination like California,” he says. “Now, more than ever before, the boundaries between work and fun are blurred, making it a great time for travelers to reinvent the traditional business trip.” Planners frequently book the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) for their large meetings. The largest exhibit facility on the West Coast, the center recently underwent a $190 million expansion. The city also has two new AAA Four-Diamond hotels ideal for large meetings. The 466-room JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort at the Anaheim Gardenwalk features floor- to-ceiling windows. The other AAA Four-Diamond property, The Westin Ana- heim Resort, is on the ACC campus and offers 618 guest rooms. The campus is also home to three more hotels: Hilton Ana- heim, with 1,572 guest rooms; Anaheim Marriott, featuring 1,030 guest rooms; and Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort, which recently completed a $33 million renovation and offers 490 guest rooms. GREATER PALM SPRINGS This cluster of resort cities — which includes Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella — has remained popular among groups, largely because of its wide- open spaces and enduring allure. “Palm Springs promises an unforgettable meeting experience,” says Carolina Viazcan, vice president of sales for Visit Greater Palm Springs. The area offers a variety of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, including the Palm Springs Convention Center, which provides more than 180,000 sf of meeting space. Excellent options are Hilton Palm Springs; JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa; La Quinta Resort & Club, Curio Collection by Hilton; and The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa. Also, Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, Indian Wells; Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa; and Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa. SAN DIEGO The meetings business is steadily climbing toward pre- pandemic levels in San Diego. “San Diego has a wide assort- ment of hotels at different price points, so we can deliver the type of experience that planners are looking for, whether it be incentive-based meeting or more business-focused confer- ences,” says Kavin Schieferdecker, chief sales officer for the San Diego Tourism Authority. One of the most exciting recent developments is Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton, which recently com- pleted an ambitious $400 million master plan. All 757 guest rooms were updated and 75 new residences were added. Vista Terrace — formerly Vista Walk — which can house events for up to 300 people, has been transformed into an elevated event space offering views of the Pacific Ocean. The Del also recently opened the Southpointe Event Center, an all-new building. Other outstanding properties for large meetings are Loews Coronado Bay Resort and InterContinental San Diego. Another leading San Diego hotel, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, recently unveiled The Pointe, its newest waterfront event space. Situated on the ground floor of the hotel, the space features refined details with the picturesque backdrop of San Diego Bay, making it an outstanding space for a variety of events. I & FMM themeetingmagazines.com 28 FEBRUARY 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT COURTESY PHOTO Marina del Rey is appealing both to high-end corporate business groups as well as to tech industry giants that want a laid back, but trendy meetings destination.Next >