Plan Your Meetings

Time moves so fast, especially when you’re planning seasonal events every year. It seems as if we just finished planning our annual fall expos and our holiday events planning is almost over (except for last-minute details and the actual event). 2008 is already here. Well, not quite.

Every city has seasonal happenings, and some make good tie-ins for meetings. October’s Taste of Atlanta, an annual outdoor festival, proved to be a big hit with a group from Florida. They had fun, socializing in a relaxed environment, and experienced samplings from some of the city’s top restaurants — more than they would be able to visit in one trip. A highlight for the group was the cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, who later signed copies of his latest cookbook (a nice little additional “take-home” to remind them of their visit). The best part? The meeting planner did not have to provide anything but transportation and tickets to the post-meeting entertainment, a great ending to a busy conference.

Make sure to check with your destination’s Convention and Visitor Bureaus for their calendar of events, and find out what’s going on when you’re planning to be in town. It’s a great way to learn about local dining, shopping, culture and history.

Have a wonderful New Year!