Sunshine Matters

The 2011 Florida Encounter will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort and the Ocean Center from November 13 – 15.  Registration will open on June 8 and July 6 for suppliers and planners, respectively, wanting to participate in this important event.

Presented by VISIT FLORIDA, Florida Encounter is the premier appointment-based tradeshow showcasing all the Sunshine State has to offer meeting and incentive professionals.  Meeting professionals can meet with a variety of Florida meeting destinations, event planning and management service companies and many other meeting properties and facilities in the state of Florida through this event.  By registering for this event, meeting professionals are provided with round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, scheduled meals, a variety of activities and many other excellent networking opportunities.

Site of 2011 Florida Encounter, Ocean Center – Daytona Beach

In its 31^st year, Florida Encounter now offers new and improved services and features for planners and suppliers alike.  Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Tourist Development Councils and Hotel Management Companies will now have the opportunity to purchase multiple appointment “books” or “schedules”.  Purchased appointment books and schedules can then be re-sold to members or properties even if they are not partners with VISIT FLORIDA.  Creating an added-value for them, the number of appointments in each book will remain the same and schedules purchased will be linked to the amount of square feet each organization receives on the trade show floor.

Last year’s event took place at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.  With over 200 attendees, all being meeting professionals, media representatives and suppliers taking appointments, the 2010 Florida Encounter proved to be quite a success.  Over 3,000 appointments were conducted and a silent auction was held raising over $6,500, with all proceeds benefitting the Zoological Society of Florida.  Volunteers also put together and participated in a CSR “voluntourism” dune restoration project at Haulover Beach Park.

For more information on Florida Encounter, please visit www.floridaencounter.com.  To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA’s official meeting professionals program, go to www.meetings.VISITFLORIDA.com.