In addition to year-round warm weather, all manner of water activities and many exceptional luxury hotel and fine dining options, Fort Lauderdale offers groups an inclusive, welcoming vibe and accessibility for all, says Michael Pouey, VP, convention & group sales, Visit Lauderdale. “Our mission,” he says, “is to make Visit Lauderdale a place where everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, feels like they belong.”
Fort Lauderdale’s robust MICE infrastructure includes the recently updated 800,000-sf Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, where continued expansion is adding waterfront ballrooms and meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, a 6-acre waterfront plaza and an 800-room connected Omni hotel, expected to be completed in late 2025.
Much is new and upcoming on the luxury hotel front in Fort Lauderdale. Among the new openings, Pouley cites the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, with 189 guest rooms and suites, opened in 2022, and the re-imagined Pier Sixty-Six Resort & Marina, due to open in 2024 with 376 luxury guest rooms and suites. These are “two premier hotels we’re excited to have our incentive groups experience,” he says. There are endless possibilities for groups to explore, he adds. Luxury lifestyle events include the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Visit Lauderdale Food and Wine Festival, Formula 1 Grand Prix Weekend and more. Additionally, “groups can charter a mega yacht or organize a pub crawl by yacht,” says Pouley. “Customized eco and historical tours with local experts and celebrities are also a big hit with planners, as are our specialty culinary tours.”
Visit Lauderdale can help planners to achieve custom-tailored incentive experiences. “Our client services team helps each planner not only customize, but also capture their unique approach to incentive travel,” says Pouley. “This includes a personalized introduction to our luxury lifestyle partners, who can help craft an itinerary that elicits both anticipation and excitement. Doing so has been a key driver in our scores of satisfied clients and repeat business.”
One of Puerto Rico’s many attributes as a top incentive destination is its cultural heritage. “As we have emerged from the pandemic, exposure to new cultural experiences is a top driver for attendee preferences when choosing incentive destinations,” notes Brad Dean, CEO, Discover Puerto Rico. “Puerto Rico offers a unique and authentic cultural experience, while at the same time being convenient and hassle-free,” he says. “There’s no passport needed for U.S. citizens, no concerns for roaming charges for those coming in domestically, and the currency used is the U.S. dollar.”
Puerto Rico has seen significant upgrades recently in both existing luxury resorts and in brands new to the island, says Dean. “This includes Hyatt, Fairmont, Royal Sonesta and a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Planners are also excited about the reopening of the renovated El Conquistador resort. For small incentive groups, the Don Rafa Boutique Hotel and Residences, an artistic and vibrant property located in the Miramar District in San Juan, opened in December.”
There’s much on the horizon for luxury properties as well, notes Dean. There’s the InterContinental Hotel in the city of Ponce, scheduled to open this year as a Sonesta after a $20 million investment, The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, due to reopen in 2024 in Isla Verde, and the highly anticipated Nayara Hotel Toro Verde, scheduled to open in 2024.
Immersive incentive activities abound in Puerto Rico, including experiencing the longest zipline in the Americas at Toro Verde Adventure Park, kayaking in one of three bioluminescent bays and exploring El Yunque National Forest.
Discover Puerto Rico can help with program planning and execution, with a full array of complimentary, personalized services that include everything from site selection assistance to providing marketing materials to crafting an itinerary for a 4-day incentive. As well, “our team of in-the-know locals can offer insider information on what’s new and happening in the destination and help groups secure tailored rates and offers,” says Dean.—Regina Baraban
visitlauderdale.com/meetings-and-groups; discoverpuertorico.com/meetings