“From the moment meeting attendees step foot in The Palm Beaches, they will be welcomed with an unprecedented level of safety and the open ‘palms’ of a passionate community ready to provide them with an energizing and unforgettable experience.
Groups will have this peace of mind throughout their entire journey, thanks to destination-wide GBAC (Global Biorisk Advisory Council) STARTM Accreditation and other initiatives such as The Palm Beaches Pledge. The council’s industry-acclaimed “good housekeeping seal” requires facilities – including Palm Beach International Airport, the Palm Beach County Convention Center, its connected 400-room Hilton West Palm Beach hotel, and several other properties and cultural centers – to undergo a rigorous, 20- element training and implementation process while following consistent health and safety protocols.
In addition, The Palm Beaches Pledge is a unified promise from the destination’s tourism and hospitality community. Businesses throughout the destination commit to having all staff wear a facial covering in public spaces while encouraging patrons to do the same; creating and maintaining safe, six-foot buffers between ourselves and others; and keeping their place of business sanitized, according to CDC guidelines.
The Palm Beaches fits the profile of destinations ideally suited to meet new client needs, with an emphasis on “meetings without walls.” This concept takes advantage of the destination’s wide-open spaces, including many new and reimagined outdoor venues, as well as perfect year-round weather. Furthermore, groups can rest assured they have a diversity of choices without the density you would find in more congested areas thanks to vibrant, easily walkable meeting and entertainment districts. Outdoor event spaces run the gamut from lush courtyards and waterfront terraces to sweeping gardens and private yacht charters. All these elements make social distancing easy and beckon attendees to rejuvenate and stay inspired in between sessions.
Beyond its commitment to safety, The Palm Beaches is prepared to host groups whether in-person, hybrid, or virtually. Discover The Palm Beaches’ (DTPB) award-winning Group Sales and Destination Services teams have re-engineered programs and tools to support clients’ evolving needs and help keep costs low. One way is through a pool of local talent known as Destination Champions, which comprise nationally acclaimed guest speakers and volunteers – all of whom are conveniently based in the destination.
Destination Champions hail from various industries, including the destination’s most robust: Life Sciences, Information Technology, Agribusiness, Aviation/Aerospace/Engineering, Insurance/Financial Services, Marine Resources and Environmental Initiatives. This collective expertise, innovation, and resources is part of what earned the county’s capital, West Palm Beach, the title of one of the 25 best U.S. cities to do business by Inc. magazine. (Learn more about The Palm Beaches’ thriving industries.) To further support groups with cost-cutting measures, the sales and services teams are also equipped with the tools to customize local, immersive experiences for every taste and budget, while more than 200 diverse hotel products offer flexible, value-added promotions.
When it comes to hosting hybrid and virtual events, DTPB’s sales and services teams leverage their sister agencies – including the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission – to offer the most cutting- edge technological support. DTPB’s hotel partners also are pushing the envelope on innovation, with everything from UV technology-enabled sanitizing walkthrough arches and the ability to bring the outdoors in if inclement weather arises.
These tireless efforts by the sales and services teams and The Palm Beaches community have not gone unnoticed. In 2020, DTPB was named Best CVB/DMO in the Southeast by Northstar Meetings Group and earned Smart Meetings’ Platinum Choice Award. The accolades serve as humbling testaments to the teams’ high-quality service and personal approach as they assist clients through the next evolution of our industry.
About Discover The Palm Beaches
Discover The Palm Beaches, formerly the Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the official 501(c)(6) not-for-profit, accredited tourism marketing organization that promotes the collection of 39 cities and towns commonly referred to as “The Palm Beaches,” which spans more than 2,300 square miles and 47 miles of pristine, golden beaches from Highland Beach and Boca Raton to Jupiter and Tequesta. Tourism is among Palm Beach County’s major industries, generating $5.06 billion in direct visitor spending and supporting 70,000 jobs with an economic impact of more than $7.7 billion. Once recognized as a tropical escape for elite travelers in the late 1800s, America’s First Resort Destination® is making its resurgence as The Best Way To Experience Florida®, welcoming a record-breaking 8.22 million people in 2019. The Palm Beaches are home to more than 17,000 hotel rooms, ranging from historic resorts to boutique inns. The destination features more than 100 family-friendly attractions, world-class luxury and antique shopping experiences, 125 miles of peaceful waterways for on- or in-the-water activities, 160 artificial reefs that line the Atlantic Ocean’s Gulf Stream current, 160 golf courses, award-winning restaurants, and a thriving entertainment scene boasting more than 200 art and culture organizations.
Situated along I-95, The Palm Beaches are also home to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), with more than 200 daily direct flights to 27 domestic and international destinations in the United States and Canada. The Palm Beaches are also conveniently located next to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and Miami International airports, each one only an hour away.
For more information about The Palm Beaches, visit www.ThePalmBeaches.com and connect on social media via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @PalmBeachesFL, YouTube at Discover The Palm Beaches, and the hashtag #ThePalmBeaches. Tune-in to The Palm Beaches TV for 24/7 streaming content of the destination’s hotels, attractions, restaurants, and experiences.
-Dori Jensen, Senior Director, Meeting & Convention Sales (Mid-Atlantic) at Discover The Palm Beaches
