HOT DEALS!
Dolphin Resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL
Book any group meeting or event by June 30, 2023 and used by December 31, 2024 at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort Hotels and receive triple Marriott Bonvoy points on eligible meetings, complimentary board meeting for up to 12 guests, and receive a VIP Fantasy Fireworks Yacht Cruise for up to 12 guests (restrictions apply). There are 2,619 guest rooms on the property, 348,711 sf of meeting and function space, 23 restaurants and lounges, and more than 128,000 sf of outdoor space. All guests have full access to amenities on both properties.
www.SwanDolphin.com/meetings; meetings@swandolphin.com; (407) 934-4290
Moms are celebrated at Discovery Cove (Orlando, FL)
Celebrate your Mom (or even someone else’s Mom) with a pampered day at Discovery Cove® (Orlando, FL) and receive savings of up to 40%. The Mother’s Day promo is good for visits through 2023. The activities can include swimming with dolphins, snorkeling among thousands of tropical fish and rays, or encountering playful otters. Must book by April 30.
Chable Maroma Temazcal in Rivieria Maya, Mexico
Book one of the 70 energy-efficient villas at the Chablé Maroma (Riveria Maya, Mexico) through Journey Mexico by April 30 and use by October 31 to receive the following amenities and upgrades: daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom; $1—USD equivalent resort or hotel credit; complimentary WiFi, and more. Additionally, book two nights and get a third free for those dates. The property sits on a 650-foot stretch of beach. Two upscale restaurants and a 1,700-ft spa and gym.
Poseidon Expeditions has a hot deal for cool cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic.
Book a cruise by the end of May to the Arctic or Antarctica aboard the all-suite 114-passenger Sea Spirit for 2024 from Poseidon Expeditions and receive up to 20% off regular rates. Poseidon Expeditions focuses on remote polar cruise exploration in the high latitudes. From June through the end of October, these discounts will be reduced by five percent, still a considerable savings for polar adventurers. The trip includes airfare between Oslo, Norway and Longyearbyen, Svalbard, where the cruise begins and ends. The Sea Spirit has two multi-purpose lounges for educational programming and entertainment, a restaurant that can accommodate all passengers in one seating, a well-stocked polar library, and ample outdoor deck space to enjoy the polar landscapes and wildlife. Activities on and off the ship are directed by a team of experienced, bilingual polar guides, scientists, and educators. Shore landings provide the chance to explore and to partake in guide-led interpretive walks and photography workshops. Optional Sea kayaking and Zodiac cruising are offered in both polar regions and optional camping can be arranged in Antarctica. The ship’s expedition staff-to-passenger ratio of 1:9 is one of the most generous in the business. There are lots of packages and destination events.
https://poseidonexpeditions.com/; SalesUSA@poseidonexpeditions.com; (347) 801-2610. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland: Anfrage@poseidonexpeditions.com; +49-40-7566-8555. In the UK and elsewhere on the globe, Sales@poseidonexpeditions.com; +44-870-068-9142.
Maybe the name of iconic Inn on Fifth & Club Level Suites’ new “To the Nines” package should have had the word “opulence” included in the title. If you are seeking to have a vacation that is “to the moon and back” luxurious, check out this offer that is available until May 31, 2023. The Naples, FL boutique property is offering luxury experiences that showcase the best of the Naples lifestyle. Designed for two, the package centers on a three-night stay in either the King Supreme Suite or the elegant Presidential Suite, both with spacious verandahs overlooking Fifth Avenue South. Club Level amenities include deluxe continental breakfast each morning, chef-driven hors d’oeuvres, artisan cheese & charcuterie boards, full bar and desserts each evening in the Club Level lounge, as well as a personal concierge, secluded rooftop retreat, turndown service and more. The “To the Nines” package includes an hour-long private helicopter tour of the Florida Gold Coast; a two-hour sunset cruise aboard Sweet Liberty, a sleek 53-foot catamaran; dinner ($300 dining credit) at Ocean Prime Naples; and use of a luxury car for a self-guided day tour of the area. The package also includes chauffeured transportation to and from Southwest Florida Regional Airport or Naples Airport, and an array of Club Level amenities. The Inn on Fifth & Club Level Suites is a AAA Four-Diamond, Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star property.
www.InnOnFifth.com; (239) 403-8777
Plano Foodie Pass is free!
Through September 30, Visit Plano (TX) has a FREE and limited-time foodie pass! Accumulate points for checking-in at participating restaurants and redeeming coupons. Points can be cashed in for prizes. Once you check-in to 20 restaurants, you are automatically entered into the “Fit for a Foodie” sweepstakes, which includes a Chef’s Table Dinner Experience, amazing hotel stays, and up to $500 in restaurant gift cards!
www.visitplano.com/tasteofplano to register.
PROMO DISCOUNT FOR MPI ORLANDO MEMBERSHIP
Use Promo Code: MPIOrlando23 to receive 20% off any New Preferred or Premier level membership only (No Renewals, Essential, Student or Retired), from May 11 through June 11, 2023. Meeting Professionals International promotes education and leadership in the hospitality, meetings & events industries.
MUSIC CITY CENTER PROVIDES SOUP FOR MANY SOULS
I have always felt that a hearty flavorful soup warms my stomach but comforts my soul, so I was elated to read that Music City Center, in partnership with Sodexo Live! and Nestlé, donated 150 gallons of chicken noodle soup to The Nashville Food Project. The donation provided 1,500 servings during “The Big Soup” to about 50 community groups that partner with The Nashville (TN) Food Project. Nestlé provided seven cases of base ingredients, and Music City Center culinary team prepared the soups and provided the other ingredients, as well as bowls and spoons. “This has been a labor of love for us for the past three years,” said Music City Center President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Starks. “Working with our partners, donating time and resources, we’ve been able to help our neighbors in need. We’re filled with gratitude to be able to do this year after year.” “Everybody deserves access to healthy nutritious meals,” said The Nashville Food Project Chief Culinary Officer Bianca Morton-Hughes. “We’re currently doing about 7,000 meals a week. This allows us to share more with people in need. We couldn’t do that without this type of support.” Music City Center is a 2.1 million sf convention center with more than 353,000 sf of exhibit hall space, two ballrooms, 55 meeting rooms, and a covered parking garage with 1,800 spaces.
www.NashvilleMusicCityCenter.com
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR SPEAKERS AND CONTEST ENTRIES
Call for entries for the 2023 Esprit Awards. Presented and owned by the International Live Events Association (ILEA) to recognize and award the most outstanding live events in the industry each year. The 2023 Esprit Awards include 16 categories recognizing all aspects of live events, from planning to production, from design to event. Deadline to apply is May 31.
https://ileahub.com/EspritAwards
Seeking Speakers for Catersource + The Special Event 2024. February 12-15 in Austin, TX at the Austin Convention Center. The Call for Speakers portal will be open until June 16. Submit your proposal per event to the link below. You will be notified of acceptance or denial sometime in September.
NO ONE WILL HAVE TO YELL FOR QUIET!
Music City Center (Nashville, TN) installs Nook Pods to give quiet space inside the convention center.
Finding a quiet space between sessions can be a challenge, one for which Music City Center (Nashville, TN) has found a solution called Nook pods. “The size and activities of our events vary greatly. Attendees thrive on those group activities, but also appreciate quiet workspaces,” said Music City Center President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Starks. “It’s important we meet the needs of our guests, and these pods do just that.” Originally designed in the United Kingdom, Nook is a multi-purpose mobile pod built to support productivity and inclusiveness with personal space, noise reduction, and select lighting. Music City Center installed six “Huddle” Nook pods outside traditional meeting rooms and halls throughout the building. Each pod features bench seating, a tabletop workspace, an electrical outlet, and overhead lighting. “Our guests are reimagining and reutilizing lobby spaces in much different ways,” said Music City Center Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Elisa Putman, “so we continue to add different type seating to make the experience more comfortable and able to do business.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA’S PLANNING GUIDE FOR PLANNERS
Philadelphia’s 2023 Destination Planning Guide has info on the Pennsylvania city’s 14,000+ hotels, details on the unique and customizable meeting venues, and highlights the capabilities and flexibility of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
https://www.discoverphl.com/meet/destination-planning-guide/
HOW DOES YOUR FAVORITE AIRLINE RATE COMPARED TO OTHERS?
Airline ticket prices rose 25% last year and we’ve all seen the bad news about weather delays or pilot/crew shortages. So what is the good news? Personal financial software company WalletHub just published its lates report, 2023’s Best Airlines. The study focused on price, safety, delays, baggage issues, animal incidents and more. The Best Overall winner is Delta Air Lines for the second consecutive year, followed closely by Spirit Airlines. Delta also came in first for Safety with United Airlines in second place. There was a three-way tie among Delta Air Lines, SkyWest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines for Most Pet-Friendly. JetBlue Airways scored as Most Comfortable with Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines sharing second place.
https://www.wallethub.com/edu/best-airlines/20916/
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK REQUIRES ADVANCE RESERVATIONS
Hiking through Arches National Park.
No, you can’t just decide on the spur of the moment to go camping or hiking through any of the 2,000 arches in the Arches National Park (Moab, UT), but that does not stop you from visiting. Initially a 2022 policy to upgrade the visitor experience by eliminating overcrowding worked so well that now it is a permanent plan. From April 1 through October 1, visitors must have a timed entry reservation made three months prior to date of choice to enter Arches National Park between 7 am and 4 pm. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at www.Recreation.gov. A single booking of a timed entry ticket covers each registered visitor. The only cost visitors incur is a $2 Recreation.gov processing fee to obtain the ticket as well as paying the standard park entry fee. Missed registering? No worries. The timed entry program does not apply to tour operators such as Moab Adventure Center who have concessions contracts. Moab Adventure Center is a division of Western River Expeditions, an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT with operations and offices in Moab and Fredonia, AZ.
https://www.moabadventurecenter.com/arches-national-park; https://www.moabadventurecenter.com/; http://www.westernriver.com/
FESTIVALS
April 27-30: Pensacola, FL is the last stop for the Tall Ships. A fleet of five ships available for onboard tours, sail-aways, private parties and more.
May 25-29,: The world’s largest tribute to The Beatles, Abbey Road on the River returns to the Big Four Station Park in Jeffersonville, IN. Already scheduled are Legends Live! Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals (“Good Lovin,” “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long,” “Groovin,” “A Beautiful Morning,” “A Girl Like You,” and “People Got to Be Free.”) and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees (“Daydream Believer,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer,” and many more.) The 2023 line-up also includes Tony Kishman, creator and band leader of Live and Let Die, a full multimedia experience with five multi-talented musicians paying tribute to the music of Paul McCartney. Other headlining acts include Colombia’s Classicstone performing hits from Queen, The Beatles, and more, and Chicago’s BritBeat: A Tribute to the Beatles. More than 50 bands from around the world will perform at event, including homegrown Kentuckiana acts Erin Hill, Laren Rapp and Co., DoorWay, Nick Peay, The Rigby’s, Mary’s Dad’s Band, CMN Trio and The School of Rock. Abbey Road on the River is sponsored by the City of Jeffersonville Parks Department, Southern Indiana Tourism, WAVE, The Radisson Hotel, The Sheraton Hotel, Budweiser, Seagrams 7, Clark Memorial Health, The News & Tribune, and WAKY radio. www.arotr.com
May 30–July 18: The 54th annual World Series of Poker ® (WSOP®) will be held for the second consecutive summer at its new home of Paris Las Vegas and the future Horseshoe Las Vegas. The 54th annual edition of the tournament builds onto the legacy of Caesars Entertainment’s WSOP, as the first tournament was played at the original Horseshoe Las Vegas in 1970. “The historic debut of the WSOP on the Las Vegas Strip delivered in a big way, and we’re excited to announce our Summer 2023 dates in time for the holidays,” said World Series of Poker Senior Vice President and Executive Director Ty Stewart. The 2023 WSOP schedule will feature the always anticipated $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship, best known as “The Main Event®,” along with new events and the return of timeless classics. The flagship opening event is being billed as “Mystery Millions,” a $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament featuring mystery bounties from $10,000 to $1 million for each knockout and a $1 million guaranteed first prize through the traditional prize pool. Last summer’s first mystery bounty event was a stunning success with a total of 14,112 entries and a $1,000,000 bounty won by poker pro Matt Glantz.
www/wsop.com
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 2022-2023 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.