Destination Showcases for Meeting Planners

One of the best ways to capture a glimpse of potential locations for groups is through destination showcases for meeting planners, also known as site inspections. Destination Colorado Meetings has perfected the art of keeping destination showcases fresh by rotating the location of its annual Customer Appreciation Event (CAE). The organization works closely with local destination marketing organizations (DMOs), destination management companies (DMCs), hotels, venues, outfitters and other suppliers to shine the light on a unique meeting destination.

For example, from Sept. 25-27, 2024, Beaver Creek demonstrated how a beautiful autumn “villagewide” meeting or incentive trip can be hosted at this well-known Colorado ski destination. The Charter at Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek Lodge and Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa teamed up with Destination Colorado Meetings, Beaver Creek Resort Company, Vail Resorts Meeting & Events, Nova Guides, Hermes Worldwide and Southwest Business to host 110 meeting and event planners and suppliers for three days of organic networking and a deep dive into the destination.

“This event is a perfect example of Destination Colorado Meetings’ purpose to produce a collaborative format that promotes Colorado’s meetings and events industry. It literally took a village to bring an event to life at this scale,” says Destination Colorado Meetings Executive Director Kelly Layton. “There was an abundance of time for people to connect and reconnect over the three days and to spend quality time experiencing the potential of this location.”

The CAE launched on Wednesday with a welcome party at The Charter that featured a custom gifting station, photo booth, build-a-hat bar, fairy hair creations (when a hair stylist weaves in a few strands of glitter) and site tours. Custom carving stations, a seasonally-inspired selection of hors d’oeuvres and a generous wine list wrapped up the night.

Thursday kicked off with breakfast and site tours of Park Hyatt Beaver Creek followed by an amazing day with Nova Guides. After a scenic ride from Beaver Creek in luxury vehicles provided by Hermes Worldwide Transportation, a decadent lunch was hosted by Vail Catering Concepts on-site at Camp Hale followed by two-hours of side-by-side UTV and Jeep tours with Nova Guides at the 53,804-acre Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument. Camp Hale is the former training grounds for the 10th Mountain Division and Nova Guides’ home base. Attendees enjoyed these and other activities surrounded by golden aspen trees in their full glory, majestic mountain peaks and rich cultural history.

The evening was ushered in with a seated dinner at Citrea Restaurant hosted by Vail Resorts Meetings & Events that preceded a 1980s themed after-party at Hawk’s Nest in Beaver Creek Village with music provided by Elite Entertainment. “This event was the launch of this venue as a corporate event venue and what a success. Leaving dinner at Citrea, guests were immediately drawn to the glass-fronted dance space that hovers over the plaza with an LED chandelier that literally lights the way for attendees,” says Layton.

For the 1980s dance bash, attendees were encouraged to dust off neon leg warmers, tease hair to the heavens and channel their inner Madonna or Michael Jackson to be in the running for prizes. “Everyone dressed up, it was so fun!” notes Association Manager Marie Huston.

On Friday morning, a generous breakfast with multiple stations and the expansive, sun-drenched patio and art collection at Beaver Creek Lodge was followed by the CAE’s culmination: a hosted Beaver Creek Village shopping experience hosted by Beaver Creek Resort Company and Beaver Creek Merchants Association. Attendees picked out something special to take home before departing the destination showcase for meeting planners.

Transportation from Denver to and from Beaver Creek provided by Hermes Worldwide was new this year for the popular meeting planner inspection visit. Hermes also demonstrated their versatility and mountain expertise by transporting the group over multiple mountain passes, remote scenic byways and off-the-beaten-path explorations in style and on time.

“Planners were able to experience Beaver Creek and the venues in action. Our planner advisory panel identified the ability to see a venue or destination showcasing the possibilities as being much more useful than the typical hero shots online or in brochures,” says Layton. “Meeting planner site inspection trips can be very time consuming and costly to host for one venue. The CAE format allows a community to work together and present a wide array of options all within a few days, which is a valuable use of their time.”

For members of Destination Colorado Meetings, which are primarily suppliers, destination showcases for meeting planners and the organization’s CAE provide a chance to connect with each other and planners. “It is a very close community, and these relationships often result in sharing business leads and best practices and strengthening networks,” she says. “For the host community, the ability to bring in 100 industry professionals and demonstrate what their destination and venues can do for clients is priceless with these types of destination showcases for meeting planners.”

Top Photo: Nova Guides’ location at Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument

All photos by Lucky Star Films

Colorado native Beth Buehler has been editor of Colorado Meetings + Events magazine for 19 years, was editor of Mountain Meetings magazine that was published for more than a decade and helped launch Southwest Meetings + Events. She has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado.