Meetings Focus - The Destination Experts
Subscribe
Digital Edtions
Advertise
Forum
Home   |  Login   |  RSS  
  • Destinations and Facilities
  • Topics
  • News and Events
  • Magazines
  • Webinars
  • Live Events
  • Resource Center
  • Video
  • Forum
News & Events Summary Webinars Events Best Of Awards e-Newsletters Latest News Meeting Planner's RSS Mobile Devices Study Results
Magazine Summary Meetings Focus East Meetings Focus MidAmerica Meetings Focus South Meetings Focus West Market Trends
Webinar SummaryOn-Demand Webinars Take 10 Webinar Club
Meetings Focus Live! Overview Meetings Focus Live! East/MidAmMeetings Focus Live! SouthMeetings Focus Live! WestMeetings Focus Live! IACCMeetings Focus Live! Testimonials
Checklists Brochures Destination Close-Ups

Sponsored by:
Tweet

* required fields

From*

To*

Message

cancel
Sending...
Email to a friend Printable version

Meetings South, September 2008

Event Currents

We’ve Got the Keys

More Coverage

  • Outta Site!
  • WOW! Key West
For its small stature, Key West is not short on group activities. Just ask Nadene Grossman, owner of 5-year-old Key West DMC We’ve Got the Keys (www.wevegotthekeys.com).

“Key West is the recipient of a lot of business that might have gone overseas, such as the Caribbean,” Grossman says. Key West has its own island attractions. “Groups have got to get on the water, go to the reef, see beautiful historic homes and properties. Even if you’re at a big resort, the whole of Key West becomes your destination.”

Grossman works with companies like Fury Water Adventures to arrange excursions. Fury’s Ultimate Adventure sails seven miles out to the only living coral reef in North America on a 65-foot catamaran for an hour of snorkeling. Following is a sail from the Atlantic side of Key West to the Gulf of Mexico for an afternoon of jet skiing, parasailing and kayaking.

“The trip is great for team building,” Grossman says. Other team-building options offered by We’ve Got the Keys include sandcastle building competitions. “We give them bits and pieces to build a catapult. The first one done that destroys the other teams’ sandcastles are the winners.”

Voluntourism opportunities include a build a bike challenge, painting a mural in a children’s playground or a community center with some direction from local artists, and hooking up with other organizations, like Habitat for Humanity.

Tapping into the island’s history also opens a number of doors. Grossman says the company can organize themed events at historic homes, such as a Cuban theme night at Hemingway’s home. “It’s the wow factor, to say I had a mojito on Hemingway’s front lawn.”

Aside from Cuban cocktails, the theme night can include a Cuban menu, Latin band, salsa dance instruction and a visit from a local cigar company for demonstrations of hand-rolling cigars.

“I customize everything,” Grossman says. “Even if I do a history tour of Key West with stops at museums, I add in breaks for lemonade with Key lime or chocolate Key lime pie on a stick.”

The DMC can arrange behind-the-scenes events with local authors, artists and chefs. Cooking classes can be combined with lessons in mixology, learning how to create concoctions like strawberry-basil mojitos from local ingredients. Attendees can take painting classes with local artists, as well.

But the main attraction is the setting.

“We do a lot on the water,” Grossman says. “We can host a welcome reception on a catamaran with cocktails, margaritas, mojitos and live music.”

For local flavor, the DMC can organize live performances by junkanoos, a ragtag group of musicians who play drums and blow whistles, wear masks and costumes and escort groups to dinner.

  • Viceroy Hotels Adds Cassa Hotel to its Urban Retreat Collection
  • Raleigh Convention Center Goes Solar
  • AMEX Finds Gaping Holes in 100 Corp.Travel Policies
  • New Orleans’ Windsor Court Completes $22 Million Restoration
view more
  • 2011 Holiday Travel Gift Guide
  • Rhode Island
  • Short Takes
  • New, Innovative Education Source Debuts Online
view more
  • Food Predictions Forecast for 2012 Meetings
  • Air Travel Rights Fly into Place
  • Four Seasons Resort Slated for Disney World
  • US Airways to Slash Vegas Service
view more
  • Latest News
  • Latest News
  • Most Read
  • Most Read
  • Most Emailed
  • Most Emailed

  • Viceroy Hotels Adds Cassa Hotel to its Urban Retreat Collection
  • Raleigh Convention Center Goes Solar
  • AMEX Finds Gaping Holes in 100 Corp.Travel Policies
  • New Orleans’ Windsor Court Completes $22 Million Restoration
view more
 
 
 


Meetings Focus is a meeting planning information resource on meeting facilities, sustainable meetings, meeting technology and more for your meetings, conferences, conventions or events.

Meetings Focus West
Meetings Focus MidAmerica
Meetings Focus Homepage
Meetings Focus South
Meetings Focus East
  • Meetings Focus Homepage
  • Destinations/Facilities
  • Topics
  • News & Events
    • Webinars
    • Events
    • Best Of Awards
    • e-Newsletters
    • Latest News
    • Meeting Planner's RSS
  • Magazines
    • Meetings Focus East
    • Meetings Focus MidAmerica
    • Meetings Focus South
    • Meetings Focus West
    • Market Trends
  • Webinars
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Take 10
    • Meetings Focus Webinar Club
  • Video
    • Destinations Videos: East
    • Destinations Videos: MidAmerica
    • Destinations Videos: South
    • Destinations Videos: West
    • Destinations Videos: International
    • Meetings in a Minute - Quick Tips
    • Meetings in a Minute - Newsline
    • Meetings in a Minute - Las Vegas
    • Meetings in a Minute - On Location
  • Live Events
  • Resource Center
  • Forum
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Meetings Focus
  • Terms & Policies
  • Site Map
  • Stamats Business Media Website

©Copyright 2011 Stamats Meetings Media Inc. All rights reserved
close this advertisement