Nearly 80 attendees traveled to Los Cabos, Mexico, for the Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive hosted-buyer event October 20-22, ready to build business relationships through one-on-one appointments, increase their industry knowledge and experience firsthand what makes Los Cabos a luxurious destination beckoning corporate meeting and incentive groups.
Here’s a recap of what attendees experienced in Los Cabos.
Welcome Reception
Situated in the tourist corridor directly in between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos greeted Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive attendees with a warm neck pillow, welcome drinks and roses as they checked in to the host property. The luxury experience started the moment guests walked through Le Blanc’s doors and seeped into every detail throughout the 373-room resort.
“We are an all-inclusive, adults-only resort, with high-end amenities and fine dining, and you will all have a chance to learn more about our amazing company tomorrow in the one-on-one meetings, but we are here for you through [the whole event],” said Fernanda Davalos, regional sales manager of meetings and incentives, The Palace Company, during opening remarks to the group. “Enjoy the delicious food, and the amazing service from your butlers that you are going to receive, and thank you all. It is truly a pleasure to have you here.”
The delicious food Davalos mentioned was served at the event’s welcome reception, which took place on the property’s Wind Terrace, with space for up to 120 for a buffet or 200 for a cocktail reception.
The menu for the evening showcased a variety of flavors from Le Blanc Spa Resort’s eight onsite dining outlets and included everything from sushi and shrimp to parmesan-crusted chicken and Caesar salad mixed with parmesan shaved directly from the cheese wheel itself. And for dessert, churros were made on the spot, complete with ice cream and toppings selected by attendees.
The desserts were almost as sweet as our view of the sun setting over the Baja California Sur Peninsula.
Day One
Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos gives attendees a unique vantage point: Its coastal location makes for gorgeous sunset views toward the Pacific Ocean and even better sunrises over the Sea of Cortez, which attendees could view from their guest-room balconies and on the morning trek to the resort’s Sand Ballroom.
That 3,386-square-foot space is the largest at Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos and can be divided by airwalls, which were used to separate this morning’s breakfast from the education session, sponsored by Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas and delivered by Annette Gregg, CEO of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).
In her session titled “Finding Calm in Chaos,” Gregg discussed the current challenges incentive travel professionals are facing, from geo-political concerns to the pros and cons of generative AI to shifting workforce demographics. But instead of viewing these challenges as mere hurdles, Gregg cited the opportunities they create for incentive travel professionals to position themselves as critical to their organizations’ success.
“You'll hear throughout my talk today that business events are doing very, very well. And while some pockets are suffering tourism-wise because of geopolitics or what have you, business events are carrying everything,” Gregg said. “I'm extremely bullish about some of these headwinds we're facing because I feel they are very possible and optimistic opportunities for us.”
Generative AI, for instance, has proven it’s here to stay in both professional and personal capacities. But while beneficial for streamlining processes and increasing efficiency and productivity, Gen AI also poses a threat to authenticity and developing trust online: Deep fakes appear as targeted emails in our inboxes, and we now must constantly evaluate what we see on social media to determine whether it’s real.
“But the take home I'd like you to have is that AI is actually working to our favor [in that] people are doubling down on face-to-face,” Gregg said. “There's something called the Edelman Trust Index that conducts polls about trust: How much do you trust institutions like government, education, people in authority? And right now, 68% of respondents say they mistrust all of it.
“So, there’s opportunity for all of us in a face-to-face business, because you can't fake this, right?,” Gregg continued, motioning between herself and attendees in the audience. “We’re seeing more and more meetings, and that's why I think business events are continuing to lead the recovery as far as hospitality is concerned, because people need face-to-face more than ever for multiple reasons, and this is one of them.”
Gregg’s session spurred a full 20 minutes questions from attendees about the future of incentive travel. The conversations continued as attendees made their way to the first round of one-on-one appointments, in which planners had the opportunity to connect with suppliers in the corporate and incentive sectors ready to book business.
After a quick break to refresh, planners boarded shuttles provided by destination management company (DMC) Global Incentive Management and made their way to Grand Velas Los Cabos Resort for a site tour and lunch with a view. The AAA Five Diamond, luxury, all-inclusive property offers 304 ocean-view suites, all over 1,180 square feet and featuring private terraces, some with personal plunge pools.
Grand Velas Los Cabos also features a 16,370-square-foot convention center with the capability for 20 breakout rooms as well as seven high-end dining options onsite. Our group gathered at Velas 10 for lunch, offering fresh seafood, high-quality steaks and dramatic views of the Sea of Cortez below. Attendees made their way back to the host property with new hats, bags and housewares in hand, too, thanks to a surprise gifting pop-up market showcasing authentic Mexican items at Grand Velas.
The afternoon allowed for some free time for attendees to explore Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos a little more, giving them the chance to float in the property’s infinity pool or try out the resort’s free hydrotherapy offerings in the spa.
To cap off the evening, Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive attendees arrived at Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos All Inclusive Golf & Spa, situated at the the southernmost tip of the peninsula of Baja California. The 527-room property and its amenities feature contemporary Mexican architecture that provides guests an authentic sense of place from the drive up to the resort and throughout their entire stay.
Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos offers nearly 17,600 square feet of meeting and event space including four outdoor settings and meeting room facilities equipped with state-of-the-art technology that can accommodate up to 1,100 guests. Our dinner took place on Terraza Ballenas, overlooking the Sea of Cortez and the sparkling lights of a cruise ship reflecting off the water in the distance.
On the bus ride back to Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos, Kelly Webb, director of global accounts at HelmsBriscoe, broke the brief silence as we pulled away from Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos.
“I love these programs,” she said. “Meetings Today has the best hosted-buyer events. I come away from each one with not only meaningful connections, but new friends.”
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
- Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos
- The Palace Resorts
- Global Incentive Management
- Grand Fiesta Americana & Live Aqua Resorts
- Grand Velas Los Cabos Resort
- Los Cabos Tourism
- Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas
- The Brandit Agency
- Wandering Maverick Photo+Film
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