Taking place three times this year, Small & Boutique Meetings was recently held in Louisville, Ky. Photo Credit: Matt Klinger, Mad Pix Pro
Had enough of summer's heat? Look ahead to autumn: Northstar has unveiled its fall calendar of hosted-buyer events, featuring a full lineup of diverse destinations and venues. The schedule includes well-established gatherings and a new event focused on luxury and wellness. Click here to view the full calendar.
Luxury & Wellness Meetings
Northstar's latest addition to the calendar highlights luxury and wellness-oriented venues. The inaugural Luxury & Wellness Meetings will be held Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 at the VEA Newport Beach, a Marriott Resort & Spa, in California. While connecting planners with properties that focus on well-being, the event also gives attendees the opportunity to participate in activities such as morning meditations, guided hikes and a sound-bath therapy experience. An education session will be led by Dami Kim, director of Body & Brain Wellness.
Destination East
Experience fall in Upstate New York at Destination East, taking place at the Sheraton Niagara Falls on Oct. 21-23. Buyers who are sourcing programs along the East Coast will meet with suppliers from the region, including Massachusetts, the Carolinas, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. On the agenda are two education sessions, optional activities in Niagara Falls and a site tour of the host hotel.
Small & Boutique Meetings
For the first time, Small & Boutique Meetings is being held three times in one year, showcasing the demand for events hosting fewer than 100 people. The third and final iteration is happening Oct. 27-29 at the Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe in California and the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Nevada. Exhibitors thus far include Hilton Tulum and Hilton Cancun, Visit Park City, and Cedar Rapids Tourism. Small & Boutique Meetings previously took place in April in Montgomery, Texas; and in June in Louisville, Ky.
Global Incentive Summit
Grab your passport and hop across the pond to Killarney, Ireland, for the Global Incentive Summit. Hosted Nov. 4-7 at the Europe Hotel & Resort, the global event for the incentive industry connects buyers with hotels and resorts, cruise lines and tourism offices from around the world. Surrounding GIS are pre- and post-fams in London, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Helsinki.
Destination Hawaii
Destination Hawaii moves to the island of Oahu this year at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. The hosted-buyer event will be held Nov. 6-8 for planners looking to book business throughout the islands. Participants will learn about how to live with "aloha" in business and life during an interactive session with Cat Sawai, regional director of Body & Brain Wellness, and practitioner of mind-body techniques for nurturing health and fulfillment.
Destination Southwest
North of Houston, The Woodlands, Texas, will host Destination Southwest on Dec. 4-6. Formerly Destination Texas, the event has been expanded to incorporate states like Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. The host property — The Woodlands Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel — features 402 rooms, 55,580 square feet of meeting space, a waterpark and two championship golf courses. The hotel is less than 2 miles from the Woodlands Waterway, Market Street and the Cynthia Woods Pavilion.
Destination Mexico + Latin America
Escape the December weather at Destination Mexico + Latin America, happening Dec. 8-11 at the Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort. The four-day event is designed for North American meeting and incentive professionals who are sourcing programs in the region. Attendees will participate in networking receptions, explore the Riviera Maya and gain insights from guest speakers.
Leadership Forum
Round out the year at Northstar's Leadership Forum on Dec. 11-15. The annual event returns to the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, Calif., for three days of networking, sharing best practices and, of course, golf. Leadership Forum is invitation-only; industry thought leaders can be invited through a supplier or through Northstar directly.