HOT DEALS!
Garden tower at Villa Lilly in Italy has special pricing for four-night stays throughout May.
Rentyl Resorts has an extensive inventory of resort homes with as many as 13 bedrooms in many countries. I can’t list all their packages, but here are a couple to entice you to check their site out for yourself. Enjoy a discount for a four-night stay at Villa Lilly in Italy or maybe use booking code TIXCREDIT at The Bear’s Den Resort Orlando, for which you’ll get $200 towards two tickets to the theme park of your choice. Book 60 days in advance of your stay at Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Resort Golf & Spa (Mexico) and get 28% off your price or maybe you’d like to check out Cambodia. Get one night free with a minimum 3-night to 5-night stay at One on The House at Koh Russey Villas & Resort. (There are blackout dates the week of Christmas and late January).
One of the private dining rooms at Mohegan Sun.
Summer is arriving and with it comes special promotional prices, such as this package by Mystic Country, CT’s Mohegan Sun. The resort has 275K sf of meeting space, 1,600 guest rooms, 40 restaurants, and 16 private dining rooms under the roof of a 5.5-million sf of space. free parking, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and coffee for just $51 a gallon. Book a mid-week group of at least 50 rooms for a stay from June through September and receive complimentary opening night reception with open bar & hors d’oeuvres, one suite upgrade per 20 rooms booked, and 10% off in-house AV equipment (but not labor).
https://meetings.mohegansun.com/
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
One possible dish on the menu at The Garden Villa.
Book the Garden Villa in Winter Park, FL any day of the week in June, July, or August for only $1,000. (New clients only.) The Garden Villa at Florida Federation of Garden Clubs features a banquet hall, chef-presented food, spectacular gardens, professional planners onsite, and a relaxing ambiance. 125-person max. Weddings and corporate events.
Events@TheGardenVilla.com; (407) 745-5718
Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek has a great promo going for group stays.
Visit Florida hotel/resort members have many promotional packages available. You can see the whole list here: https://www.orlandomeeting.com/plan/meeting-offers/?utm_term=Learn%20More&utm_campaign=TEST-Orlando%20is%20the%20%5Cu201CNatural%5Cu201D%20Choice%20for%20Meetings&utm_conten. But one example would be at Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek. With this offer, which must be booked by May 31 and which is valid from June 1 through September 30, you get a choice of one reward with 25-5- peak room, two rewards with up to 75 rooms, and three rewards if you book more than 76 rooms. You also get double Wyndham Rewards points for hotel stays, gift cards or charitable donations; 3% rebate to the master account; one roundtrip VIP airport transfer; and up to 20 complimentary welcome drink at Bar 1521 or Back Bay. New bookings only. Get all the details. Use offer code VOSUMR23
salesleads@wyndhamgrandorlando.com; (407) 390-2480.
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.
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.
RENOVATED AND COMING SOON
Paris Las Vegas adds tower.
Goodbye Jubilee Tower at Horseshoe Las Vegas. There’s a new tower in town and it speaks French. Caesars Entertainment is renovating the Jubilee Tower and integrating it into Paris Las Vegas with a new name, Versailles Tower. The price is an ooh-la-la $100 million+. The renovation will introduce 756 redesigned luxury guestrooms and a pedestrian bridge connecting the Versailles Tower to the existing Paris resort. The Versailles Tower will feature some of the largest standard rooms on The Strip, starting at 436 sf. Select guestrooms will offer new 55-sf balconies with unobstructed views of The Strip. The enhanced rooms in the Versailles Tower at Paris Las Vegas should be completed by late 2023 with the pedestrian bridge in early 2024. Paris Las Vegas (NV) is known for its dramatic 46-story replica Eiffel Tower with a free, nightly light show and authentic architectural reproductions.
https://www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas?; www.CaesarsMeansBusiness.com
JourneyMexico, which conducts tours and provides access to luxury private properties across Mexico, has a plethora of just-opened and coming-soon properties. The just-debuted St. Regis Kanai Resort sits on a beachfront mangrove reserve between Playa del carmen and Cancún. This summer, also in the Kanai development, look for the opening of Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai, with six bars and restaurants, swimming pool and beach club, destination spa, and a penthouse suite. Inland, look this year for Soho House CDMX, a restored private residence in Mexico City´s vibrant Juárez neighborhood. French and Baroque influences, vintage furniture and more than 100 pieces of artwork by Mexican artists. The Pacific Coast expects 2023 to be resplendent with openings. Xala covers 3,000 acres of white sandy beaches and agricultural hillsides on the Costa Alegre, south of Puerto Vallarta. Developed with a socially and environmentally-conscious approach, Xala will have residences, a handful of hotel brands, beach clubs and community facilities, with a skate park, culture and learning centers, and reforestation and agricultural projects already in place. Chalacatepec Airport is also underway, just five minutes from the development. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Costa Canuva, is set within the beachfront Nauka development, a private community designed by world-renowned architect, Olson Kundig. There will be 90+ luxury hotel rooms, 14 suites, 20 luxury residences, a spa, a private beach club, and access to the community´s signature 18-hole golf course. Before the 2023 New Year’s Eve ball drops, four new properties are set to open in Baja California. Banyan Tree Valle de Guadalupe debuts this summer in the wine region with 30 ultra-luxe villas, spa, and a winery. St. Regis Los Cabos at Quivira, in the residential community of Quivera in Cabo San Lucas, will have more than 140 guest rooms, luxury residences, and fine dining restaurants. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo del Sol is the second property for the luxury chain in the area. There will be 142 guest rooms, suites, and private villas. Also debuting will be Casa Velas Los Cabos, an adults-only boutique hotel, located between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. The property will have 80 guest rooms and gastronomic offerings created with organic ingredients from the sea and the hotel´s gardens.
The Capri Inn is now a part of the Opal Collection.
Four new properties have been added to the Opal Collection’s portfolio of Florida hotels and resorts. Like other Florida properties of the Opal Collection, The Atlantic Suites on the Ave (Delray Beach), The Capri Inn (Naples), The Lucie (Hutchinson Islan), and Reefhouse Resort & Marina (Key Largo) all sit on the coastline. The Atlantic Suites on the Ave, one block from the Atlantic Ocean, is an all-suite hotel. The Capri Inn, formerly Trianon Old Naples, is a boutique hotel that has undergone a complete renovation and includes two bedrooms with its own private gated entrance, full kitchen, washer and dryer, and living room with a fireplace. The Lucie, along Jensen Beach, offers unrivaled views of the Atlantic Ocean. Reefhouse Resort & Marina sits on 17 acres overlooking Key Largo Bay. From the marina, guests can book a fishing charter, dive or snorkel trip at Pirates Cove Watersports or spend a relaxing afternoon on a paddleboard, kayak and more.
PLANNER APPLICATIONS FOR BOISE, ID FAM
Visit Boise invites planners to apply for their next introduction-to-Boise familiarization, July 12-15.
https://visitboise.com/meetings/fam-application/
APPLICATIONS FOR EXPERIENCE KISSIMMEE (FL) GRANTS PROGRAMS
Local Kissimmee, FL nonprofits can apply for Experience Kissimmee’s annual charitable support for fiscal year 2023-24 by May 31. Eligibility includes being based in Central Florida with services and funding benefiting the Osceola County community. Have no political or religious affiliation. Be an established 501(c)(3) for more than 3 years. Have not been a recipient within the last 5 years. Be able to present to the selection committee, if necessary, on Friday morning, July 28, 2023.
Direct questions to Melissa Vallejo, Sr. Manager of Operations & Community Engagement. EKCares@experiencekissimmee.com.
June 16 is the deadline to apply for The Tourism Enhancement Grants Program. This grant by Experience Kissimmee (FL) is to provide funding assistance to organizations conducting special events and projects in Osceola County that increase room nights and revenue for Osceola County, or enhance Osceola County’s appeal to visitors, or support the TDC mission to “Promote Tourism for Osceola County”.
To apply, complete the application form (https://www.experiencekissimmee.com/partners/article/grants-application-form) and email it to Melissa Vallejo at grants@experiencekissimmee.com. For questions: (407) 840-1105.
CUSTOMIZED PERSONAL TRAVEL COMPANY FOR ACTIVE PEOPLE
The company may be new, but the expertise behind Privada Travel, is not. The Billings, MT agency, founded by Carol Austin, a 30-year adventure travel industry veteran, organizes custom-designed active and culturally immersive adventures. Austin’s career with husband Dan Austin and their Austin Adventures company, says a need for a travel agency to cater specifically to people who want to explore the world at their own pace through active adventures was the impetus. Privada Travel is affiliated with the Travel Edge Network of professionals as the first Montana-based agency in the alliance. Ranked #20 on Travel Weekly’s Power List, Travel Edge is a leader in the North American luxury travel industry, with over $850 million in annual sales across luxury cruise, air, hotel, and tours. A broad network of over 450 top luxury advisors, with 85 affiliated agencies representing an additional 425 advisors, serves an affluent and engaged client base that spans the U.S. and Canada. Austin said, “Creating Privada Travel allows me to continue to work with the world’s best tour operators, suppliers and guides of whom I’ve built intimate relationships with over the years. Adding the Travel Edge Network to my already extensive list of past friends and contacts is a sure pathway to success.”
https://privadatravel.com/; (406) 671-6068.
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.
SHAKE IT UP FOR WORLD COCKTAIL DAY
Photo The most popular drink at The After, a chic sports bar at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) and created by mixologist Hector Michel Fregoso, is the Tennessee Citrus, named for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. The cocktail, created for World Cocktail Day on May 13, is mixed with peach liqueur, pineapple juice, and a touch of lemon and Tajin spice. Want to make it? Ingredients are: Jack Daniel’s – 60 ml, Peach liqueur – 30 ml, Lemon juice – 30 ml, Pineapple juice – 15 ml, Pineapple small cubes – 20 gr, Tajin – 2 tbsp; and Lemon – 1 piece. Prepare the glass by running a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass and then run the rim over Tajin laid on a plate. Then macerate half of the pineapple in a shaker for 30 seconds. Pour the whiskey with the peach liqueur, pineapple juice, lemon juice and ice and shake 10 seconds. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Can decorate with more pineapple cubes.
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.
TREES GROW FROM CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Experience Kissimmee has partnered with Trees4Travel. Experience Kissimmee will donate to Trees4Travel when groups qualify and are approved for the incentive for meeting dates consumed after May 1. In addition to earning up to $10,000 cash back for Meeting in Kissimmee, a portion of the meeting organizations’ CO2 emissions will be offset by planting trees through the partnership. 1,500 actualized paid room nights = 1,500 trees planted. Experience Kissimmee explains that sustainability is of growing importance to meeting planners and delegates. The trees will help with the creation of future forests, restoring eco-systems, biodiversity and supporting local communities, plus an investment is made into a United Nations renewable energy carbon credit which will help to reduce a portion of the meeting organizations’ carbon emissions.
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK REQUIRES ADVANCE RESERVATIONS
Photo 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. Now 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/
EVENT MARKETER MAGAZINE LAUNCHES 1ST EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING HALL OF FAME
The Experiential Marketing Hall of Fame will recognize individuals who have impacted the evolution and effectiveness of event and experiential marketing throughout their careers. The inaugural 15 inductees (listed in alpha order) were honored May 9 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV. They are Colleen Bisconti, Lou Bitonti, Fiona Bruder, Vivian Chen, Kim Davis, Kenya Hardaway, Mark Harper, Craig Johnson, Rich Lehrfeld, Scott McCune, Brett O’Brien, Paul Salinger, Deborah Wahl, Chris Weil, and www.eventmarketer.com
CREDIT CARDS SHOULD BE IN YOUR WALLET FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
My husband and I would never think of leaving the country without each having a credit card. For one thing, you don’t want to be constantly digging in your pockets or purse for local currency (and announcing you have some tucked away). I could list the reasons I know, but personal financial company WalletHub did one of their useful surveys about credit cards and international travel, so here’s what they found when they analyzed people’s opinions on various aspects of spending money abroad, along with editors’ picks for the Best International Credit Cards of 2023 and a new Currency Exchange Study that highlights easy ways to save. “According to a new WalletHub survey, 57% of Americans say they would not feel comfortable traveling abroad without a credit card. Just imagine getting stranded abroad with no money to handle an emergency, and you’ll probably agree that having a credit card at least as backup is the way to go when traveling internationally,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Nearly 2 in 5 people don’t know whether their credit card charges foreign fees, and 3 in 4 people don’t realize credit cards provide favorable currency exchange rates, so the appeal of a credit card figures to be the ability to borrow in a pinch. You can earn a lot of rewards on a foreign trip, too.” Gonzalez also noted, “Consumers appear increasingly interested in no foreign transaction fee credit cards as international travel returns to pre-pandemic levels and inflation demands penny pinching wherever possible. A new WalletHub survey found that 43% more Americans than last year say they care a lot about foreign transaction fees when applying for a new credit card, and 56% of people say they would never get a credit card that charges a foreign transaction fee. Just don’t forget about debit cards if you decide to take an international trip. You won’t be able to use a credit card for everything when traveling abroad, so it’s good to bring a no foreign fee debit card too.” She said, “More than three in four people don’t realize credit cards without foreign fees can automatically get them the best exchange rates abroad, saving travelers an average of 7.9% relative to airport currency exchanges and 7.3% compared to the average bank or credit union.” The survey also compared 1,500+ credit cards and found the Best International Credit Cards are Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Bank of America® Premium Rewards®. Both have $0 foreign fees and great travel rewards.
https://wallethub.com/credit-cards/international/#survey
FESTIVALS
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.