ARUBA CONVENTION BUREAU
IRF Invitational Success
The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) Invitational recently provided a platform for engaging educational content and networking opportunities with top leaders in the hospitality industry. Drawing over 500 attendees, the event spanned three days of insightful sessions, activities, and valuable interactions among clients and peers. Among the participants were senior-level executives from prominent meeting planning firms, collectively representing over $1 billion in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) business. The event maintained a balanced ratio of 1 buyer to 1.3 suppliers.
Key Aruba partners present included Mark DiMartino from Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, Krisztina Cirino from Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino, Alfredo Ortega from The Ritz Carlton, Aruba & The St. Regis Aruba Resort, Dominique Holt from Marriott CALA, Shannon Crowther and Tammy Karger from Iberostar.
Supporting Local Communities
In a demonstration of corporate social responsibility, the Destination Review program incorporated the “Sonrisa” initiative, encouraging participants to donate gifts to local children in need. This initiative aims to foster a culture of CSR within incentive programs. Recently, various arts and crafts materials and school supplies were generously donated to support children at an after-school program. The Sonrisa team extends heartfelt appreciation to all Destination Review participants who contributed to this meaningful cause.
IMEX Frankfurt
IMEX Frankfurt once again served as a pivotal gathering for the global business events industry, attracting over 4,000 decision-makers with substantial purchasing influence. The event provided extensive opportunities for networking among meeting industry professionals, both within the exhibition halls and at various city-wide functions.
Aruba garnered significant interest from North American clients, marking a notable increase compared to previous years. The tradeshow was well-attended, enabling the Aruba team to cultivate quality leads, particularly from North America and Latin America. They engaged in numerous fruitful interactions with both new prospects and existing clients across diverse markets. Throughout the event, the Aruba team conducted over 200 individual appointments, showcasing their offerings.
Highlighting their presence, Aruba hosted a Cocktail Reception at The Blasky Hotel & Rooftop, bringing together key meeting planners, and featured their signature “One Happy Hour” at the booth. Key representatives from Aruba included Mark DiMartino from Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, Carolina Voullieme from Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Maoreen Every from Eco, Angelo Tromp from De Palm, and Sergino Croes from Arawak.
Aruba’s active participation at IMEX Frankfurt underscored their commitment to expanding their reach in the global business events market, reinforcing the island’s appeal as a premier destination for meetings and conventions.
ACB Incentive Live
The Aruba Convention Bureau (ACB) participated in Incentive Live, a prestigious industry gathering hosted by NorthStar in Las Vegas, Nevada. This business-to-business (B2B) event facilitated 23 fifteen-minute one-on-one interactions between meeting planners (buyers) and industry suppliers. The buyers, who are qualified incentive planners, showed keen interest in the Caribbean and specifically Aruba for upcoming events.
In addition to the structured meetings, Incentive Live provided ample opportunities for social networking through educational presentations, dinners, receptions, and excursions. This comprehensive format proved to be an effective platform for promoting business and cultivating enduring relationships with influential planners crucial to attracting high-end group business to Aruba.
Participants at the event conveyed a positive outlook for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry, expressing optimism about future prospects. Joining ACB at Incentive Live were other key Aruba partners including Wichita Villacres from ECO DMS and Tammy Karger, Director of Meetings & Incentives at Iberostar.
Aruba’s active engagement at Incentive Live underscores its commitment to expanding its footprint in the incentive travel sector and positioning itself as a top choice for memorable and impactful events in the Caribbean region.
Connecting with New Partners
ACB Ohio Sales Calls
Hal Davis, National Sales Director at the Aruba Convention Bureau (ACB), recently organized a series of targeted sales calls across Ohio. The mission aimed to promote Aruba as a premier destination for group events and conferences. Joining Hal were key Aruba partners:
- Griselda Jara from Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino (representing North America)
- Rose Jacobs from Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino (on-site representative)
- Maureen Follen from Embassy Suites Aruba Resort (representing North America)
- Sergino Croes from Arawak (Aruba-based Destination Management Company)
The sales efforts included various events in Ohio:
- A lunch presentation in Cincinnati
- A Happy Hour in Dayton
- Lunch presentations in Columbus and Cleveland
- An evening axe-throwing competition in Cleveland
These events attracted a robust turnout, with participation from prominent clients such as Provident Travel, Augeo, HelmsBriscoe, One10, BI Worldwide, Ohio Contractors Association, CWT Meetings & Events, Amex GBT, Conference Planning Resources, BCD Travel, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and Signet Jewelers. Attendees showed keen interest in discovering Aruba’s offerings for their corporate groups and events.
The initiative highlighted ACB’s proactive approach to engaging with key stakeholders and promoting Aruba as an ideal destination for business and leisure travel alike.
