Briefly noted MICE destination news
Meeting planners should know that in addition to its three board rooms and 631-seat theatre aboard the 4,200-passenger Epic, there are also some 40 clubs, bars and restaurants that can be used for private events…The destination with the highest daily travel taxes in the US is Chicago, with US$38.75, while the lowest is Fort Lauderdale, $21.22, according to the National Business Travel Association and Concur, a provider of online travel management tools…Small groups of up to 100 people can meet at the Winery at Pepper Place in Birmingham, which is a converted Dr. Pepper factory. Tour tastings are included…Baltimore’s newly branded Harbor East neighborhood is now home to nine hotels with about 3,000 rooms. The 12-block area along the city’s Northeast Harbor waterfront is undergoing a US$400 million transformation that includes new upscale dining options such as Pazo, which has a 100-label wine list…CVB’s in Sale Lake, Fort Worth and Baltimore have joined forces to create a three-city sales partnership that will encourage groups to sign multi-year contracts with properties in multiple destinations. Various incentives will be offered…Popular meeting place Myrtle Beach will be even more attractive when a expansion is completed at the airport by 2012 that will increase the number of gates from seven to a dozen. The US$128 upgrade will also include new parking and an updated passenger terminal…The Cape Codder Resort and Spa in Hyannis, Mass., opened a dozen high-end residences for VIPs that can be used as hospitality suites. One-, two- and three-bedroom units come with full kitchens. The property has 18,000 square feet of meeting space.
By David Wilkening
David
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