Back to the Future filmed in Utah.
Once upon a time, I was intensely involved in the Florida Film and TV industry. Back in those days, we mistakenly thought we would be Hollywood East and that the state’s tourism and economic development office would continue to do whatever was necessary to encourage that growth. They didn’t and other states have since capitalized on film and TV productions. I bring this up because I just learned that The Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission
Steven Spielberg filmed in Moab, UT.
(UT) holds the title of the longest-running film commission in the world. I had no idea that movies I’ve seen (Back to the Future, Thelma & Louise, Mission Impossible: II and Star Trek, as just a few examples, have been filmed in Professor Valley (also known as Castle Valley) for the past 75 years. Moab Adventure Center has decided to promote the state’s scenic locations by including them in new whitewater rafting, hiking, or horseback riding adventures. Kam Wixom, Marketing Director for Moab Adventure Center, said people “May have watched many a popular film that was filmed right here. They think it’s déjà vu, but visually they have been here before.” The Center’s signature Moab rafting trip, the Colorado River Full-Day Adventure, even comes complete with an exclusive BBQ lunch at Red Cliffs Lodge, home of the Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage.
(435) 259-7019; (866) 904-1163; www.moabadventurecenter.com
THEY SERVE UP DEALS! YOU SAVE!
Ibostar JOIA Aruba celebrates its December opening with a promo discount.
Iberostar’s JOIA Aruba opened in December, but it’s not too late to take advantage of a promotional discount of 20%. Offer valid for bookings until January 17 and for stays from now through October 31, 2025. Advertised discount already applied to price. Three restaurants: The Bucatini Market & Cucina buffet restaurant dishes up Italian. Caribbean dishes are on the menu at Bon Bini and Bone Fire specializes in grilled fish and meats.
https://www.iberostar.com/eu/hotels/eagle-beach/joia-aruba-by-iberostar
Tom’s Blueberry Muffins enhance any break!
OK, so maybe not the monetary discount you typically consider, but book an Opal Collection property for your group by June 30 and receive a complimentary blueberry muffin break. The break celebrates the legacy of the late founder of Opal Collection, Thomas Walsh. A favorite of his since the 1960s, Tom’s Blueberry Muffins are one of Opal Collection’s longest-running traditions.
Main lobby of the just-renovated Fairmont Breakers Long Beach.
The 185-room Fairmont Breakers Long Beach (Long Beach, CA) has finished its $150 million renovation and offers its exclusive Discover package to show up the property’s restaurants and spa. Receive 10% off lodging, breakfast for two in Nettuno, $150 dining credit, and 20% off two 60-minute spa treatments. Listen to live music in Alter Ego or dance at Halo on the rooftop.
https://www.fairmont-breakers.com/
Disney’s Aulani Resort (Ko Olina, Hawaii) has fun for families and groups.
Save up to 25% on select rooms and villas at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, HI from January 4 – April 10, 2025. Book five or more nights and receive 25% off. Stay up to four nights and receive 20% off. Bookings available by March 5 and travel must be completed by April 11. Advance rsvp required and must be consecutive-night stays. Limit two rooms per rsvp.
(866) 443-4763 or contact your travel agent to take advantage of this special offer.
Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe offers special educational classes.
Ready for some serious learning while having serious fun? You can with this offer from Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe (Houston, TX). Book a qualified meeting in any of these time periods to receive a cruise to the Bahamas for two aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise or a Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker. Partake in the “Serious Learning. Serious Fun. Serious Choices.” Program. Benefits depend on room spend. Book a meeting within the eligible dates listed here to enjoy $179 room rate and reduced $10 Guest Amenity Access. The dates for 2025 are March 2-6, 18-31 and 23-27. Also May 4-9 and May 18-23. August 3-8, 10-14, 17-22 and 24-29.
The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) offers incentives to book more than 40 hotels in multiple cities with its new “Now Playing” campaign. Planners are encouraged to book their groups through June 30, 2025 by first submitting new meeting or event requests to LA Tourism. They will be eligible for gift cards, rebates, and other financial rewards based on the number of booked rooms.
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/meetla
Aerial of Wyndham Alltra Samana’s main pool area. Photo courtesy of Playa Hotels & Resorts
Save up to 50% on bookings made now on stays through March 31, 2025 at the family-friendly, all-inclusive, and finally open Wyndham Alltra Samaná, managed by Playa Hotels & Resorts, in the charming town of Las Galeras in the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic. The 404-room resort marks Wyndham Alltra’s first resort in the Dominican Republic. It won’t be the last. Later this year it will be joined by Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana, also to be managed by Playa. The two resorts earmark Wyndham’s rapidly growing all-inclusive portfolio, which now spans about 40 resorts worldwide. “The Dominican Republic has long been a coveted destination for travelers looking to relax amidst some of the most stunning beaches in the world,” said Fernando Mulet, Chief Investment Officer, Playa Hotels & Resorts… As we continue to add stunning resorts in the Dominican, Wyndham Alltra is the perfect brand to deliver on that promise.” The resort guest rooms and suites have private balconies and garden views.
www.alltrabyplaya.com/samana; www.wyndhamalltra.com; www.WyndhamRewards.com; www.playaresorts.com; www.wyndhamhotels.com
NOW OPEN OR COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE
In 2025
Universal Stella Nova Resort opens January 21. Universal Terra Luna Resort opens March 25. Both at Universal Orlando Resort.
www.universalorlando.com/epicuniverse; UOMeetingsandEvents.com.
Appellation Healdsburg is surrounded by vineyards.
June 2025, our first Appellation Hotel opens in Healdsburg, CA, deep in Sonoma County in the heart of wine country.
https://www.appellationhotels.com/hotels/california-healdsburg.html
The Pueblo Vantage San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Pueblo Bonito’s first urban European Plan hotel, officially opens February 15. One of the highlighted amenities is the Aromatika Spa & Wellness, located on the courtyard level adjoining a botanical garden. “Aromatika Spa & Wellness will give guests an experience of refined renewal, allowing them to discover a multi-sensory world designed to please the senses and restore physical, mental and spiritual balance while enjoying the exclusive ambiance of San Miguel de Allende,” said Diana F. Mestre, an award-winning spa consultant from Mexico City who designed the facility with consultant Paulina Mercader and Pueblo Bonito Vantage general manager Lucy Ruiz. The name “Aromatika” honors the scents of San Miguel, notably lavender, rosemary, mint, fennel and sage, “as well as the subtle scents of wine-based therapies and exclusive skin care products” used at the spa, explained Mestre, adding that several factors will set the Aromatika Spa & Wellness apart from all other feel-good facilities. “For starters, Pueblo Bonito Vantage is embedded in the history and culture of San Miguel de Allende,” she said. “The architecture and interior design of both the hotel and the spa are an elegant take on colonial style.” Also, the state of Guanajuato has emerged as one of Mexico’s leading wine regions, and Aromatika Spa has tapped into it. Wine therapies take advantage of the beneficial properties of wine grape derivatives in treatments and rituals to give the skin a healthier improved physical appearance. The high resveratrol content of red grapes acts as a powerful antioxidant with properties that increase collagen production, allow skin regeneration and help to reduce skin irritation and blemishes. Another key spa element is the Biohacking Center, a new-age approach to organically promote the correct function of the body’s systems.
https://www.pueblobonito.com.mx/resorts/san-miguel
Disney Creative Studio is being reimagined at Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, FL). Disney Meetings & Events team will collaborate with meeting planners here at this stand-alone facility. Services from entertainment, décor, floral, AV etc will be under one roof.
Tibo Hotel in Costa Rica opens in 2025.
Costa Rica’s luxury scene expands with the openings of the Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacique and Nekajui, Ritz-Carlton Reserve on the stunning Papagayo Peninsula in early 2025. Astral Hotel (sister property of Origins) will cater specifically to family travelers in a remote area while over on the remote Osa Peninsula, the newly revamped Drake Bay Wilderness Resort will now be named Tibo Hotel.
If your idea of a great time is visiting haunted houses and having immersive scary experiences, then Universal Horror Unleashed, opening in Las Vegas, NV in 2025, should be on your travel itinerary. The year-round attraction will feature four haunted houses, each with their own terrifying stories: Universal Monsters, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scarecrow: The Reaping, and The Exorcist: Believer. Surrounding the haunted houses are four fully themed immersive entertainment areas, each with individual live horror experiences, plus decadent food and drink offerings.
https://www.universalhorrorunleashed.com/en
Hotel MOHI by Appellation will use the olive trees onsite to make olive oil when it opens in Morgan Hill, Silicon Valley, CA.
Silicon Valley, CA’s Morgan Hill is the recipient for Hotel MOHI by Appellation, the culinary-first hotel brand by American chef Charlie Palmer and luxury hospitality veteran Christopher Hunsberger. The pair have joined forces with vintner Frank Léal of Léal Hospitality to develop Hotel MOHI by Appellation, expected to debut in the Fall. The five-story, 76-room urban retreat will be the first full-service luxury boutique hotel in the area. The 215-seat signature Charlie Palmer restaurant and bar plans to produce key ingredients from scratch, including roasting small-batch coffee or olive oil made from onsite trees. Additional amenities include a terrace pool and deck, marketplace, and flower shop lounge. A café and bakery will transition into a cocktail and wine bar during evenings. Also expected is a 7,730-sf ballroom with a modern organic design flex space able to become a show-kitchen for live-action culinary experiences.
https://www.appellationhotels.com/hotels-california-morgan-hill.html
Kentucky Exposition Center (Louisville, KY) is undergoing a $393 million expansion.
Kentucky Exposition Center (Louisville, KY) is expanding. Already equipped with 1.2 million sf of meeting space and 300 acres of outdoor space and considered the sixth largest expo in the U.S, the center has broken group for a $393 million expansion to be completed in 2025. Two new multi-purpose buildings planned. Located just minutes from downtown near the Muhammad Ali Louisville International Airport.
Universal Helios Grand Hotel a Loews Hotel
Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a 500-room Loews Hotel resort opens at Universal Epic Universe theme park (Orlando, FL) in 2025. The majestic Mediterranean-inspired resort is designed to blend immersion and relaxation with a rooftop bar, divine dining options, and the hotel’s very own dedicated entrance to the new theme park. There will be 4,648-sf of versatile meeting & function space. As soon as guests enter, they will be transported to a fantastical world within the palace of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, adorned with beautiful details of celestial patterns, dazzling constellations and elegant yet casual Mediterranean design elements. Through the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling windows will be a breathtaking vista of Celestial Park. Many of the rooms will offer views of Epic Universe. Unique to Universal Helios Grand Hotel will be imaginative How to Train Your Dragon Kids’ Suites. The dedicated entrance to Universal Epic Universe located off the lobby will provide direct, convenient access to and from the theme park (valid theme park admission required). Atop the roof, Bar Helios’ menu of creative tapas and familiar favorites and handcrafted specialty cocktails along with unmatched 360-degree views of Epic Universe and beyond. The resort will have a pool, fitness room and three dining options: Flora Taverna, Aurora Market, and Lotus Lagoon. Guests staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel, or any of the other Universal Orlando hotels, receive Early Park Admission. The addition of Universal Helios Grand Hotel also brings three reimagined hotel categories to Universal Orlando. The Signature Collection – including Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, offers full-service amenities. Prime Value Hotels – including Universal Aventura Hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort (opening January 21, 2025) and Universal Terra Luna Resort (opening February 25, 2025), offer a mix of services and amenities made for comfort. Value Inns and Suites – including Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites & Dockside Inn and Suites, are fun, affordable options offering standard rooms and spacious suites with kitchenettes.
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles (St. Charles, MO) is expanding
By the end of 2024, Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles (St. Charles, MO) will have finished its refresh and upgrade of the resort’s 397 guest rooms. By fall of 2025, the property will have tripled the size of its meeting and convention center to 65,000 sf of event and meeting space.
https://ameristarstcharles.boydgaming.com/
Super Nintendo World, one of five worlds at Universal Epic Universe (Orlando, FL), will open in 2025.
https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/epic-universe/worlds/super-nintendo-world?
Fiesta Americana Funeeq Punta Cana opens Summer of 2025.
Coming Summer to the Dominican Republic: Fiesta Americana Funeeq Punta Cana, the newest addition to the Fiesta Americana Travelty Meetings & Events resort family. The 494-guest rooms and 45 suites all-inclusive resort will have over 20,000 sf of function space, eight onsite restaurants, water park, beach access, and is adjacent to the live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana.
https://fiestamericanatraveltymeetings.com/contact-us/
Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center (Chula Vista, CA) opens in late spring of 2025. Seven miles from downtown San Diego, the expansive resort fronts San Diego Bay to the west and Chula Vista Marina to the south. The sixth hotel in the Gaylord Hotels brand portfolio will have 1,600 guest rooms and suites, more than 477,000 sf of function and convention space, including a 140,000-sf carpeted exhibit and meeting Flex Hall. The hotel will have 135,000 sf of outdoor event lawns and a 4.25-acre water park.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sange-gaylord-pacific-resort-and-convention-center/overview
The seven floors of 182 guestrooms and suites in The St. Regis Washington, D.C. (downtown D.C) have been redesigned and refreshed with a light creamy palate and pops of blues, grays and gold. The 2,508-sf Astor Ballroom and 2,500-sf Astor Terrace have both also received restoring touches. Next up: the hotel’s onsite contemporary Mediterranean restaurant, Alhambra, gets a new outdoor terrace, and there will be updates to the St. Regis Bar, as well as redesigns to the Food & Beverage venues in 2025.
www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/wassx-the-st-regis-washington-dc
This is the lobby for Opal Sol, coming to Clearwater Beach, FL in 2025.
Opal Sol, an all-suite luxury resort, comes to Clearwater Beach, FL in 2025. The resort will have floor-to-ceiling Gulf views from every suite and more than 57,000 sf of event space. When combined with its sister property, Opal Sands, via the sky bridge, there will be more than 106,000 sf of event space and 478 luxury rooms and suites.
https://www.opalcollection.com/opal-sol; Danielle Silva, Associate Director Of Sales: (727) 674-4104, danielle.silva@ophotels.com
Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana Sun will open on Uvero Alto Beach, gearing towards newlyweds to families, in 2025 Spa, world-class fitness center, and nearly a dozen dining options with international cuisines, and a new water park will be the draw. Located about one hour from Punta Cana’s airport, the resort will offer 620 suites. “Guests today look for easy, stress-free vacations that don’t break the bank, and all-inclusive resorts can make that happen,” said Gustavo Viescas, President, Latin America and the Caribbean, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “From Dominican Republic to Mexico, Barbados and Jamaica, Wyndham allows guests to travel the world—and expanding brands like Wyndham Alltra makes international travel possible for guests of all kinds.”
www.wyndhamalltra.com; www.WyndhamRewards.com; www.playaresorts.com; www.wyndhamhotels.com
Hyatt Hotels is busy adding to their collections. The first Hyatt Studios hotel opens in Mobile, AL in 2025.
https://www.hyatt.com/brands/caption-by-hyatt
In 2026
DSRT Surf Resort is constructing California’s first man-made surf lagoon.
DSRT Surf Resort is building California’s first man-made surf lagoon at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, CA. Using Wavegarden’s state-of-the-art Cove technology, which enables the creation of “perfect waves” in the 5.5-acre lagoon, about 70 surfers will be able to participate simultaneously. The surf lagoon, part of a 17-acre, full-scale resort with a 92-room hotel, 83 residential units, spa, golf courses, event spaces, and dining and bar venues, is being designed using sustainable processes favored by the Resort for its golf courses and pool area.
Caption by Hyatt Chattanooga in Tennessee just broke ground and is expected to open in early 2026. Located downtown in the Southside area, the 123-room hotel is being developed by 3H Group Inc. under a franchise agreement with Hyatt. It will feature the brand’s all-day food-and-beverage concept, Talk Shop, serving as a welcome area as well as a rooftop bar and meeting space.
https://www.hyatt.com/brands/caption-by-hyatt
Hyatt Place Sonoma Wine Country, located near Charles Schulz Sonoma County Airport, is slated to open in late 2026. Plans include 165 rooms, meeting spaces, pool, fitness center, and a rooftop restaurant and bar.
Renovations and expansions will be done at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resorts.
Expectations are high for the summer completion of the $275 million transformation of The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resorts (Lake Buena Vista, FL) . The redo adds 120,000 sf of event space. A new, two-story annex will expand the Dolphin’s current meeting space, featuring 41,000 sf of multipurpose space and 24,000 sf of additional pre-function space on the first floor. A 41,000 sf ballroom on the second floor will also have 14,000 sf of pre-function foyer space. The expansion and upgrades to both resorts will bring total meeting space to 469,000 sf between its three buildings, the Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve.
In 2027
After 30 years in business, The Mirage Hotel & Casino (The Mirage) in Las Vegas, NV has closed and will be transformed into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas. The 700-foot guitar-shaped hotel will be modeled after the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Opening is slated for spring, 2027.
MEETING PLANNING GUIDES (FREE)
Cambridge, MA – https://visitcambridgeusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/New-Branding-COT-Tradeshow-Presentation-2024.pdf
Greensboro, NC – https://www.visitgreensboronc.com/meetings-conventions-sports/request-meeting-planners-guide.aspx
Scottsdale, AZ – www.experiencescottsdale.com/maps-guides/meeting-travel-planners-guide/
Sioux Falls, SD – https://www.experiencesiouxfalls.com/plan-your-trip/visitor-guide
Stafford, VA – https://form.jotform.com/240735819722057
Salt Lake City, UT – https://www.visitsaltlake.com/plan-your-visit/free-visitors-guide/
St Pete/Clearwater, FL – https://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/sites/default/files/2023-06/MeetingPlanGuide_23-digi.pdf
Valley Forge, PA – https://www.valleyforge.org/meetings/
FESTIVALS
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is an active member of International Live Events Association, Meeting Professionals International and the Society of Professional Journalists. She is now serving on the 2023-2024 MPI Independent and Small Business Owners Advisory Board. Karen writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, she has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. Karen@KarenKuzsel.com; www.karenkuzsel.com; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady. She is also active with Experience Kissimmee CVB.