In recent years the wellness component of a meeting agenda has come to encompass a great deal more than arranging a block of spa appointments for attendees. Nowhere is this more evident than in Hawaii, where approaches to healing and well-being are deeply woven into the fabric of local culture and traditions. At resorts throughout the islands, planners will find wellness-related activities limited only by the imagination.

The marine-rich waters surrounding Maui, Molokai and Lanai offer no end of ways for groups to experience the natural environment along with a dash of Hawaiian culture and traditions. Getting out on the water, whether it’s participating in an outrigger canoe regatta or sailing across the channel from Maui to Lanai in a graceful catamaran, can easily be the highlight of any meetings program.

Home to a wide variety of talented performers, Maui rocks and sways with plenty of live entertainment after dark. Even its laid-back sister islands, Molokai and Lanai, offer places to enjoy Hawaii’s distinctive music and cultural scene.

Given today’s increasingly complex and turbulent world, it’s little wonder if site selection has also grown increasingly complex. It’s a multi-faceted process in which concerns over safety, technology, attendee engagement, ethics and rising costs can all come into play.

One of Southern California’s oldest and most important wine regions, the Inland Empire, particularly Temecula Valley, is filled with winery venues and wine-related activities for groups.

With its perpetually sunny climate and landscape abundant with vineyards and groves of olive and orange trees, the Southern California region known as the Inland Empire offers no shortage of venues conducive for outdoor events.

It’s hard to go anywhere in Greater Seattle, dominated as it is by sweeping vistas of lakes and sea, without feeling the urge to get out on the water.

The metro region continues to add new venues, attractions and resources.

Monterey and Santa Cruz offer not only convenience, but a restorative atmosphere.

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the world’s great culinary destinations.