article thumbnail

TWT: Travel Still Flocks to Florida

Smart Meetings

Florida Continues to Come Back Strong. Florida Tourism has released Quarter One (January to March) results for travel to the state in 2022. increase over Q1 2021. Florida airports saw an influx of visitors. Traffic at 19 Florida airports increased 70.1% Quarterly hotel demand in Florida exceeded pre?Covid

Travel 52
article thumbnail

Why Organizations Are Choosing to Meet in Controversial Destinations

PCMA Convene

Last year, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for the state of Florida after Gov. The inaugural Florida Out Coast Convention (FLOCC) last August featured several sessions sessions and discussions on LGBTQ travel. We love living in Florida, but we’re not happy with what’s happening politically.

Meetings 121
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

How Planners Are Celebrating GMID 2022

Smart Meetings

Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), a celebration of everything wonderful about the meetings industry, is kicking off its seventh year with the theme “Meet Safe,” a redux of GMID 2021’s theme. Read More : At MPI WEC 2021, Michael C. million convention attendees were hosted in Vegas since the return of trade shows in June 2021.

2022 119
article thumbnail

David Whitaker Named Greater Miami CVB President and CEO

Smart Meetings

Although Whitaker was most recently president and CEO for Choose Chicago, this marks his return to South Florida. Before Choose Chicago , Whitaker was president and CEO for Destination Toronto (formerly Tourism Toronto), during which the DMO was voted North America’s best CVB and convention center in a poll of more than 650 meeting planners.

article thumbnail

Smart Moves in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and More

Smart Meetings

He brings more than 19 years of experience to his new position, previously working as hotel manager for Conrad New York, which won the Connie Award in 2021 and Conrad Brighter Better recognition in Q1 of 2021 and 2022. Before this, she was the public relations manager for Sonoma County Tourism in Northern California.

article thumbnail

Steal These Destination Marketing Tactics: Seven Ideas for Event Profs

Event Marketer

And with an uptick in experiential programming hailing from the tourism industry, there are plenty of crossover lessons to be learned. Leading with a Fun Fact The Alabama Tourism Department set out to activate in NYC’s Times Square to educate New Yorkers on all that the state has to offer by making a splash.

article thumbnail

Three Professors Weigh in on How Experiential Marketing Degree Programs are Taking Shape

Event Marketer

As experiential marketing degree programs crop up, professors outline how the industry can better support students Florida International University recently added event-focused specializations and tracks. In the meantime, aspiring event marketers have turned to related established programs that offer transferable skills and experiences.