Once Again Open to Visitors, Hawaii Prepares for the Return of Meetings and Events

November 2, 2020

With the launch of its pre-travel testing program on Oct. 15, the State of Hawaii officially began welcoming visitors back to the islands. According to John Reyes, senior vice president and chief meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI) sales officer for Meet Hawaii, the reopening is positive news for groups looking to book meetings and events — even if, at the moment, allowable gatherings are still small.

Currently, Hawaii has limited social gatherings to 10 people inside and 10 people outside. In an attempt to increase that number, Reyes says the tourism industry is urging political decision makers to consider MCI groups separately because of the work being done to implement health and safety protocols specific to the market. 

That includes a comprehensive health and safety program developed by venue and event management company ASM Global at Hawaii Convention Center. According to Teri Orton, general manager, HCC is available for meetings as long as they follow State of Hawaii Department of Health and CDC guidelines, which planners can find on the reopening protocols section of the center’s website.

To further aid planners, Meet Hawaii is aggregating the newly implemented protocols along with venue updates and supplier relationship assistance into what they are calling the New Hawaii MCI Blueprint, which will soon be available on the Meet Hawaii website and continually updated with the latest information.

While Meet Hawaii has received an uptick in meeting inquiries for 2021 — especially for smaller groups and hybrid gatherings — they are seeing greater interest for 2022 and beyond. “2022 has strong group bookings, and Meet Hawaii anticipates the return to pre-COVID group demand to Hawaii in 2024,” says Reyes.

Coupled with the introduction of a vaccine, Reyes sees the return of meetings dependent on the industry’s ability to respond to the evolving needs of planners. “The key for Hawaii and our industry is to offer meeting customers the technology that allows them to have on-site attendance and stream to attendees who choose to attend their meetings virtually,” says Reyes. He adds that they’re also seeing a demand for more flexible cancellation policies by meetings customers. 

The positive news, says Reyes, is that Hawaii’s health and safety protocols have already created a strong level of confidence among visitors. To build upon those, Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association has launched the “We Are Ready” program outlining the measures implemented at Hawaii hotels. “As a hotel community, HTLA has been proactive in ensuring the health and safety of our hotel guests as well as our hotel employees,” says Reyes. 

Hotels with meeting facilities that reopened Oct. 15 with measures in place include Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, which recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation and is offering a program that allows groups to buy out all or a portion of the 40-acre resort, and the two Four Seasons resorts on the island of Lanai. Scheduled to reopen in November are Prince Waikiki on Oahu, Mauna Kea Resort on Hawaii Island, and — for smaller groups — the 18-room Plantation Inn on Maui. Also on Maui, Ka’anapali Beach Hotel expects to reopen on Dec. 1 following a $75 million renovation. 

Get more information on holding meetings in Hawaii here.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.