St. Augustine Florida Travel Guide

In a survey released by Meetings Focus magazine, the meeting trend forecast for the remaining half of 2011 is looking up, which has already been reflected in the recent rise in Florida meetings. Although the North American meetings industry has been challenged by both economic and social factors over the past two years, it seems the overall trend is starting to rebound. The 2011 Meetings Market Trends Survey revealed a number of interesting and promising findings from nearly 700 meeting planners, many of who plan and conduct Florida meetings on a regular basis.

According to the survey, meeting planners expect to hold more meetings during the second half of the year, work with higher budgets, and count higher attendance overall. Meeting planners also expect prices to increase. North America and Florida conference center activity should see some gains from this growth as well.

In last year’s survey, 14 percent fewer people said that a lower budget would be their biggest challenge in planning meetings for the year. Corporate planners agreed, with 20% responding that smaller budgets and cuts would be their primary challenge. This was certainly reflected throughout the Florida meetings market during 2010.

Respondents who said “decreasing attendance” would be their biggest challenge fell by 9.5 percent in 2011, and 12.6 percent fewer association planners felt that attendance decline was their chief concern. More than 11 percent of association planners – who generally hold the largest Florida meetings – answered that they expect their number of meetings to increase more than 10% next year.

Overall, the 2011 Meetings Market Trends Survey indicates that the meeting industry is picking up momentum and will continue to show improvements, making it the perfect time to make your next Florida meeting a White Glove Meeting at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort & Convention Center.

For more information, call Scott Selvaggi, Director of Sales & Marketing at 904-940-8000, or visit www.worldgolfrenaissance.com/meetings.

Renaissance World Golf Village Resort & Convention Center in St. Augustine, Florida has introduced an innovative new concept in Florida meetings – White Glove Meetings, designed to provide both meeting planners and group attendees with the hands-on service they deserve.

According to Jeffery Oliasami, General Manager of the hotel, “White Glove Meetings have impacted everything we do – not only the services we offer, but the way we provide them. Any of our competitors can stage a Florida meeting. But none can offer the extraordinary meeting space, transportation services, group amenities, and impeccable attention to detail that a group will find here.”

Unlike other Florida meeting hotels, Renaissance World Golf Village Resort & Convention Center offers complimentary White Glove transportation to and from Jacksonville International Airport for all qualified groups in its own passenger vans. The Florida meeting hotel also offers free transportation to and from downtown St. Augustine, where attendees can shop and explore the charming, brick-paved streets of America’s original city.

Directly connected to the 40,000 square foot St. Johns Florida conference center, the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort & Convention Center offers groups a total of 86,000 square feet of meeting and function space, which means that it is not only the largest north Florida conference center, it is also the largest hotel and convention center between Orlando and Atlanta.

“We believe the perfect Florida meeting demands a special touch,” said Mr. Oliasami, “and with us, yours is always in the best of hands. That is what a White Glove Meeting is all about.”

For more information about holding a White Glove Meeting at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort & Convention Center, call Scott Selvaggi, Director of Sales & Marketing at 904-940-8000, or visit www.worldgolfrenaissance.com/meetings.