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In 2008, more than one million meeting & convention attendees came to Anaheim California, according to the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau (AOCVCB). “Meetings have a significant economic impact on our area’s hotels, restaurants, transportation and entertainment venues,” said Charles Ahlers, President of the AOCVCB. “We are very pleased that so many meeting and event planners reported record numbers in 2008 and had a positive experience here.”

Led by a city government that has taken a pro-active outreach campaign to promote the City of Brotherly Love as a major meetings destination, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau announced that, in spite of an economic downturn, the meetings industry in Philadelphia remains robust. According to the PCVB, 183 meetings and conventions are currently booked for 2009, estimated to generate more than 447,062 total room nights for Philadelphia and more than $681 million in economic impact.

 Salamander Resort & Spa, which is scheduled to open in spring 2010 in scenic Middleburg Virginia, will be part of the Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) portfolio.  ALHI, a national sales organization that specializes in meetings and incentive programs requiring from 10 to more than 5,000 rooms, will provide sales and marketing services for the luxurious resort, spa and conference center, targeting corporations, associations, independent planners, and incentive specialists wishing to conduct meetings, incentive programs, conventions, and exhibitions.  

That was a heck of a seminar—Hey, Bar Chef, please pour me another! The first decade of the 21st Century has seen dining at Conference Centers become as gourmet as the finest hotels and restaurants. Benchmark Hospitality International, a venue management company specializing in Conference Centers has released its annual five top dining trends. Both an observation of what is being served and a forecast of what will be served at Conference Centers, this year’s "Five Top" includes a supplementary Five Top Cocktail Trends (yes, Bar Chef is the new name for the artists formerly known as Bartender). The overall trend is that in the Food & Beverage Department at Conference Centers, quality, freshness and a return to basics are top of the menus. For more details, read on: