Northstar's 2024 Destination East brought together 130 meeting planners and suppliers for three days of education, networking and activities against the scenic backdrop of Niagara Falls, N.Y. The event, held Oct. 21-23, was hosted in partnership with Niagara Falls USA, the Niagara Falls Convention Center and the Sheraton Niagara Falls hotel.
Attendees were welcomed to the destination with a block-party style reception on Old Falls Street, complete with pierogies, sliders and s'mores. Afterward, a guided tour took the group to see Niagara Falls at night, when the iconic landmark is illuminated with a kaleidoscope of LED lights.
The following day, Destination East attendees got a closer look at the nation's oldest national park. The Cave of the Winds tour features an observation deck that stands just feet away from where the falls crash, while the Maid of the Mist boat ride gave the group a front-row seat from the base of the falls of the 600,000 gallons of water that rush past each second. Meeting planners and suppliers mingled during the activities, meals and in one-on-one appointments, where they discussed future business opportunities.
Other highlights from the event include the inspiring education sessions. Dahlia El Gazzar, an event technology expert and founder of the DAHLIA+ Agency, led a masterclass on how to use AI tools to maximize event planning and everyday efficiencies. She walked through a dozen different tools, ranging from using AirTable to organize event details and vendor contracts, to collaborating on documents and team plans in NotebookLM. Other platforms, such as Gamma and Suno, can be used to create quick, eye-catching content for event marketing and engagement.
On the final day, Saladin Allah of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center discussed the important role this region played in the abolitionist movement, and shared stories of some of the locals who helped slaves escape and seek freedom across the border in Canada. He also shared his personal connection to this history, as the third-great grandson Josiah Henson, an underground railroad freedom seeker whom Harriet Beecher Stowe used as the primary narrative of her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Allah weaved lessons from the past into modern takeaways on the value of cultural heritage tourism and DEI initiatives.
Destination East was made possible by our generous sponsors: Niagara Falls USA; Niagara Falls Convention Center; Sheraton Niagara Falls; Awesome Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau; Go Providence, R.I.; Kalahari Resorts & Conventions; Meet Boston; Ocean City, Md.; Ocean Properties/OPAL Collection; Visit Rochester, N.Y.; Stova; pc/nametag; and Madison Avenue Inc.
Mark your calendar: Destination East 2025 will be held Sept. 7-9 in Providence, R.I. Northstar's full calendar of upcoming events is available here.
Following are some photo highlights from the event. All images were made by Matt Klinger / Mad Pix Pro.
