Embrace Silicon Valley’s spirit of innovation Belongs to San Jose The Future of Meetings From pioneering green initiatives to (truly) cutting-edge technology, San Jose redefines what it means to be a leader in meetings and conventions. A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION APRIL 2024 VOL. 42 NO. 4 $20.000.125” BLEED 0.125” BLEED Inspiration San Jose by the Numbers Meets innovation Silicon Valley is home to the world’s largest concentration of tech expertise, and San Jose’s premier event venue, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, boasts over 360,000 sq. ft. of convention space in the heart of it all. Add our adjacent historic theaters, and that is 520,000 sq. ft. of space in a beautiful, walkable downtown campus. Just beyond these walls, explore museums, galleries, culinary start-ups, comedy, music, craft cocktails, performance art, and three hundred days of sunshine every year. Imagine the possibilities. Meet in San Jose sanjose.org/meetings • 3.9 miles from downtown to SJC, our international airport • 1,500 downtown committable hotel rooms • 2,500 city-wide committable hotel rooms • Over 360,000 sq. ft. total Convention Center space • Over 520,000 sq. ft. combined meeting & event space • Over 200,000 sq. ft. total exhibit space in Convention Center: • 1,000 large foot exhibit booth spaces IN THIS ISSUE INNOVATIVE DESTINATIONS PLANNERS’ LEGAL ISSUES CYBER SAFETY HOW PLANNERS PLAN FOR RETIREMENT MEXICO MIAMI TEXAS Page 24 UNIQUE INCENTIVES Photo by Marcelo Murillo A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION APRIL 2024 VOL. 42 NO. 4 $20.00© 2023 New Orleans & Company All Rights Reserved. NewOrleans.com/meetings | @neworleansandco From grand banquets with colleagues to casual bites and intimate conversations with peers, the cuisine of New Orleans is what makes us Built To Host. Our food starts a conversation and creates lasting memories, delivering successful experiences no matter the size or scale of your event. Call the New Orleans & Company Convention Sales Team at 877.393.5836, email at cnvsales@neworleans.com or visit NewOrleans.com/meetings to make a lasting connection over a delicious meal. BOOK YOUR MEETING WITH NEW ORLEANSVOLUME 42 NO. 4 | APRIL 2024 | ISSN 0739-1587 | USPS 716-450 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 56 62 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 10 Perspective Centering Conferences Around Well-being BY KIMBERLY LEWIS 14 Perspective Why Vulnerability is the Key to Authenticity BY RYAN JOSEPH KOPYAR 66 People on the Move departments destinations features Mexico North America’s Southern Neighbor Wows Planners with its Rich Culture BY DAVID SWANSON Miami A City on the Move BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS Texas A Gem for Planners Who Think Big BY DAN JOHNSON TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April 2024 3 Redefining Extraordinary Driving Brand Loyalty with Incentive Travel Programs BY MAURA KELLER Legal-Ease Understanding Your Legal Obligations Makes Planning Easier BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS Aiming for the ‘It’ Factor The Rise of Innovative Meeting Destinations BY MAURA KELLER Cyber Safety Being Secure in an Insecure World BY CHLOE LABELLE Budgeting for Life Planners Planning for Retirement BY MARLENE GOLDMAN Certifications How an Alphabet Soup of CMP, CSEP, CPCE, CGMP . . . Can Propel Your Career in Event Planning BY MAURA KELLER Continuous Connections Must-Have Mobile Apps BY CHLOE LABELLE Relax & Recharge Incorporating Wellness into Meetings BY RAYNA KATZ IN THIS ISSUE 16 48 24Corporate & Incentive Travel (USPS 716-450) is published bimonthly by Coastal Communications Corporation, 2500 North Military Trail — Suite 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322; 561- 989-0600. Single copies $20.00 U.S.A. only. Yearly subscription price is $140.00 in the U.S.A.; Canada and foreign is $175.00. Back copies $17.00 U.S.A. only. Distributed without charge to qualified personnel. Periodicals Postage Paid at Boca Raton, FL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Corporate & Incentive Travel, 2500 North Military Trail — Suite 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322. Nothing contained in this publication shall constitute an endorsement by Coastal Communications Corporation (Corporate & Incentive Travel), and the publication disclaims any liability with respect to the use of or reliance on any such information. The information contained in this publication is in no way to be construed as a recommendation by C&IT of any industry standard, or as a recommendation of any kind to be adopted, by or to be binding upon, any corporate/ incentive travel planner or agent. Reproduction of any portion of this publication by any means is strictly forbidden. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. However, the publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited photographs or manuscripts. Subscribers: Send subscription inquiries and address changes to: Circulation Department, Corporate & Incentive Travel, 2500 North Military Trail — Suite 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431- 6322. Provide old and new addresses including zip codes. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. © 2024 How Safe Are Your Attendees? When planning a program or choosing a destination for your event, you no doubt have dozens of details to consider — accommodations, transporta- tion, transfers, etc. How often do you consider the safety of your attendees? Too often we take safety and security for granted until something oc- curs to rock our world. With daily reports on national media of crime on the upswing in some destinations or when something happens as a devast- ing mass shooting, we need to ask ourselves “What if?” What if I was planning a meet- ing in that locale? While obviously nobody can anticipate and prepare for a shooting or bomb scare, there are precautions you can, and should take, when planning an event both here and abroad. Safety sometimes is taken for granted and often overlooked. There is as yet a second dimension to meetings’ security that is becoming increas- ingly important — confidentiality. Access to information is access to power. More and more organizations want to ensure that the contents of their meetings remain private. Another planning detail that falls squarely on your shoulders. When staying at a luxury hotel or resort, you may be more apt to let your guard down. This is not to say that the facility’s security practices are inadequate, far from it, but you should make sure your attendees are always aware of their surroundings. Simple safety procedures like locat- ing fire exits and life saving equipment near guest rooms, as well as meet- ing areas. Last, but not least, and often overlooked, attendees should never leave valuables and classified documents in their room or give their daily itinerary to hotel staff. All this may be basic procedure for seasoned planners; however, a reminder never hurts! PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE // A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harvey Grotsky harvey.grotsky @ themeetingmagazines.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kristin Bjornsen kristin.bjornsen @ themeetingmagazines.com MANAGING EDITOR Maritza Cosano maritza.cosano@themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Alana Castillas Cynthia Dial Marlene Goldman Dan Johnson Maura Keller Christine Loomis Kathy Monte David Swanson PRESIDENT & CEO Harvey Grotsky VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Middlebrook david.middlebrook @ themeetingmagazines.com ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES 2500 N. Military Trail, Suite 283 Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322 561-989-0600 Fax: 561-989-9509 advertising@themeetingmagazines.com REGIONAL MANAGERS Bob Mitchell 630-541-3388 bob.mitchell@themeetingmagazines.com Lisa Turner 941-400-7419 lisa.turner@themeetingmagazines.com DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Michael Caffin 914-629-5860 michael.caffin@themeetingmagazines.com 4 April 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Harvey Grotsky Publisher FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA linkedin.com/company/ CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel facebook.com/ CorpIncTravelTake center stage on your next event and escape the everyday in a truly extraordinary getaway with limitless possibilities. Contact our Sales Team today to learn more and book your group. 800.937.0156 | HardRockHolly.com | #GuitarHotel DISCOVER YOUR RHYTHM. © 2023 . If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-888-ADMIT.IT. FINE-TUNE YOUR NEXT MEETING.NEWS + NOTES // 6 April 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com VISIT ANAHEIM APPOINTS MIKE WATERMAN AS PRESIDENT & CEO ANAHEIM, CA — Visit Anaheim, the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Anaheim, announced that Mike Waterman has been appointed the President and CEO of the organization. Waterman, a hospitality veteran with more than 30 years of leadership and sales experience, previously served as Chief Sales Officer at Visit Orlando. Prior to Visit Orlando, Waterman was the President & CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Houston. Waterman started his career at Marriott International, where he last served as Vice President of Sales for the Western region overseeing 100 properties, including a grouping of Marriott hotels in Los Angeles’ convention district known as L.A. Live. As President and CEO, Waterman will be the strategic and visionary leader responsible for developing, directing and overseeing Visit Anaheim. He will lead Visit Anaheim’s efforts to draw conventions and visitors to the Anaheim area to bring economic growth to the community. For more information on Visit Anaheim, go to visitanaheim.org. ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa has announced the completion of its multi-use events venue on the 32nd floor of the MGM Tower, The Overlook. Formerly Immersion Spa, the space has transformed into a versatile area with tailor-made event capabilities. The 9,060 sf floorplan, with 28- foot floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Atlantic City’s Marina District and the Atlantic Ocean, has been turned into a memorable and visually appealing space. “This venue’s luxury and sophistication will appeal to those seeking an upscale atmosphere for their special occasions. With its size and natural beauty, The Overlook will exceed all expectations for any upcoming weddings, events and corporate meetings,” said Anthony Caratozzolo, Vice President of Hospitality at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. For more information, visit borgata.mgmresorts.com. ORLANDO, FL — Universal Orlando Resort revealed inspiring details about its two newest shining stars, Universal Stella Nova Resort, opening January 21, 2025, and Universal Terra Luna Resort, opening February 25, 2025. Brought to life by the award-win- ning Universal Creative team and co- owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co, the alluring hotels place guests in the center of marvelous galaxies and diverse planetary elements for an experience unlike anywhere else in the universe — complete with tran- quil sleeping accommodations, en- tertaining amenities, various cosmic- inspired dining options and more. Boasting a combined total of 1,500 guest rooms, Stella Nova Re- sort and Terra Luna Resort provide more options for guests to experi- ence all the thrills of Universal Or- lando. For more information, visit universalorlando.com. Courtesy Photo BORGATA HOTEL CASINO & SPA COMPLETES REMODEL OF THE OVERLOOK, OFFERING EVENT SPACE Waterman UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT REVEALS DETAILS ABOUT TWO NEW HOTELS Courtesy PhotoSCOTTSDALE, AZ — Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch introduces new well- being-focused group experiences for 2024. The resort offers eight newly resurfaced pickleball courts and two tennis courts ideal for group tournaments and teambuilding. It has also debuted new group fitness classes, including all-levels yoga and movement meditation; a “Core & More” Pilates-based class; a cross- training boot camp designed to provide a total body workout; and deep stretch and mobility sessions designed to increase flexibility and release muscular tension. The resort features multiple outdoor spaces and more than 35,000 sf of indoor space including two grand ballrooms, the Vaquero and Arroyo Ballrooms, and 14 mid-sized and small meeting spaces to fit the size of any event. For more information, visit hyatt.com/ hyatt-regency/en-US/scott-hyatt- regency-scottsdale-resort-and-spa. AMEX GBT TO ACQUIRE CWT NEW YORK, NY — American Express Global Business Travel, which is operated by Global Business Travel Group, Inc., a leading B2B software and services company for travel and expense, has announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CWT, a global business travel and meetings solutions provider. After the acquisition closes, CWT customers would have access to Amex GBT’s proprietary software and services for travel and expense, including Neo1, Neo and Egencia, in addition to Select. Customers would have access to the broadest portfolio of professional services, including meetings and events, consulting and sustainability solutions, and access to the most comprehensive and competitive content in the industry. Courtesy Photo HYATT REGENCY SCOTTSDALE RESORT & SPA ANNOUNCES WELLBEING-FOCUSED GROUP ACTIVITIES WHERE BUSINESS MEETS PLEASURE. A world-class convention facility with an oceanfront setting. 45,000 square feet of meeting facilities enhanced by an expansive oceanfront patio, pool with water slide, European spa and endless tropical breezes. Located at Grande Dunes, a luxurious plantation-style development. MARRIOTT MYRTLE BEACH RESORT & SPA AT GRAND DUNES 8400 COSTA VERDE DRIVE, MYRTLE BEACH, SC 29572 843.449.8880 MARRIOTT.COM/MYRGD TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April 2024 7Next >