A perfect fit for every group

A warm climate and brilliant coastline have been luring vacationers to Florida for many years, but the Sunshine State deserves equal recognition as a "place for all meetings." Here, groups will find cosmopolitan cities, beachfront resort areas, and small towns that share an Old Florida charm but possess their own distinct personalities. They'll also discover a seemingly endless array of world-class hotels, one-of-a-kind group venues, breathtaking beaches, championship golf courses, top-notch spas, fishing and ecotourism venues, and all things aquatic.

But while Florida offers endless possibilities in terms of facilities, hotels, off-site events, and more, planning a meeting here could not be easier, thanks to VISIT FLORIDA, Florida's official source for travel planning for the Sunshine State. VISIT FLORIDA not only has more than 3,500 partners in the Florida hospitality industry; it offers a number of user-friendly meeting planning tools and options.

www.VISITFLORIDA.com, a Web site geared entirely toward meeting professionals, makes it easy to conduct extensive searches for hotels to satisfy their groups' specific needs. Results can be sorted according to several parameters, including preferred region and area, number of rooms required, minimum meeting space required, and property type. Planners can also search among convention, conference, and civic centers statewide or by region, as well as explore other venues, such as state parks and bed-and-breakfast establishments.

Also available on the Web site is a Meetings Professional Program RFP Center that allows planners to generate or upload RFP documents and review their RFP histories. A "My Meeting" tool serves as an exclusive virtual filing cabinet that indefinitely stores planners' RFPs, along with information and photos from the VISIT FLORIDA Web site. This allows users to effortlessly create winning presentations for key decision-makers and/or clients, as well as create their own attendee information pages containing uploaded meeting agendas.

However, there's more to the story. VISIT FLORIDA also organizes Florida Encounter, an annual trade show where planners can meet individually, by appointment, with the state's premier suppliers. Florida Encounter offers attendees an opportunity to establish contacts and explore Florida's unsurpassed services and venues in a relaxed atmosphere, saving time and money in the process. Meal functions include presentations by top-notch speakers, making the event not only productive, but educational.

Applications by qualified meeting professionals to attend this year's Florida Encounter, to be held Nov. 15 through Nov. 19 at the Sawgrass Golf Resort & Spa in the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & the Beaches area, are now being accepted. Under terms of an exclusive offer, meeting professionals who are PCMA members receive $100 off the already low registration fee of $195. This fee includes airfare, accommodations, transportation, all meal functions, appointments, and exciting evening events. To take advantage of the offer, meeting professionals must use the code PCMA2008 during the registration process.

Detailed information about Florida Encounter is available at a separate Web site, where meeting professionals can also register for the event: www.Encounter.VISITFLORIDA.com.  

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For More Information: Contact Steven Bonda, CMP, at sbonda@VISITFLORIDA.org, or visit www.VISITFLORIDA.com or www.Encounter.VISITFLORIDA.com.