Attendees enjoying a sunset at Destination Hawaii 2024. Photo Credit: Ketara Gadahn, Studio Alani Photo
The summer season is always busy, as attested by Northstar Meetings Group's calendar. Over the next few months, hosted-buyer events are taking place all across North America, from Rhode Island to the islands of Maui and Aruba. Register now.
Luxury & Wellness Meetings
The second Luxury & Wellness Meetings event of the year will be held July 28-30 at the new Opal Sol in Clearwater, Fla. Focused on the well-being of attendees, the agenda features morning yoga and other wellness activities. Kara Hardin, founder and CEO of The Practice Lab, will lead a session on balancing high performance and mental health, while hospitality expert Mary Delia Allen will speak about customer service in the digital age.
Destination Southeast
Destination Southeast returns to Florida this summer at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens on Aug. 3-5. Education sessions will be led by Jennifer Layman, president of Forward Thinking Marketing Consulting, on "Think Like a Pro: Using Golf Strategies to Drive Your Business"; and by Audrey Padgett, vice president of marketing and public relations for Loggerhead Marinelife Center, on "Conserving Local Treasures: LMC's Sea Turtle Preservation." During their free time, attendees can relax by the pool, take an indoor yoga or Pilates class, or tee off on the the resort's renowned golf course.
Destination Midwest
The hosted-buyer event for planners sourcing venues in the Midwest will take place Aug. 18-20 in Toledo, Ohio's Glass City Center. Buyers will meet one-on-one with hotels, CVBs and venues from across the region, including Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and the Dakotas. The agenda consists of two education sessions and activities for experiencing the city.
Destination Caribbean & Islands
One happy island, Aruba, will play host to Destination Caribbean & Islands on Sept. 3-6. The 358-room Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, which will accommodate the event, features two pools with private cabanas, five dining outlets, and 60,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. A post-fam trip to Curaçao on Sept. 6-8 is available to planners, sponsored by ECO Destination Management Services.
Destination California
It's always 5 o'clock at Destination California, happening Sept. 7-9 at the Margaritaville Hotel San Diego. The three-day event includes a welcome reception sponsored by the host hotel, the Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, Pinnacle Live and Terramar DMC, as well as lunches courtesy of Greater Ontario-GOCAL and Meet Long Beach.
Destination East
On the other coast, Destination East also will be held Sept. 7-9. Suppliers from Maine to Florida will convene with planners looking to book business in the region at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Graduate by Hilton Providence.
Destination Hawaii
Rounding out the season, Destination Hawaii is scheduled for Sept. 10-12 at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott in Maui. In attendance will be highly qualified meeting and incentive buyers, plus top hotels and resorts, cruise lines, tourism offices, and more from the islands of Hawaii. Mahalo to our sponsors: Meet Hawaii, the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa, the Westin Maui Resort and Spa Ka'anapali, the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, PC/Nametag, and Madison Avenue.