Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands’ VCB Introduces New Marketing Program 

CHARLOTTE HARBOR & THE GULF ISLANDS, Fla. (March 27, 2009) –The Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau is challenging community residents to employ their business and personal contacts to help bring overnight meetings and conferences to the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center through a new program called “Bring Your Meeting Home.” The program will introduce a new revenue source into the community through increased hotel occupancy, dining, shopping, and other services and businesses directly and indirectly associated with conferences. Successful participants will be awarded with an exclusive ‘deed’ to an acre-foot of Charlotte Harbor.

The incentive program asks residents to simply provide as much contact information about a conference, event, or meeting as possible. The Visitor & Convention Bureau will do the rest in determining whether the conference is a natural fit for the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center. If it is, Visitor & Convention Bureau staff will submit a bid packet to the conference organizer. If the conference is booked and at least 10 percent of the conference attendees stay in area accommodations, the submitting resident will be designated a Charlotte Harbor Meetings Ambassador and will be awarded with an exclusive deed to an acre-foot of Charlotte Harbor. Measuring nearly 80,000 acres, the harbor is Florida’s second largest estuary. 

“We know there are many residents who want to bring their association’s or corporation’s annual meeting to Charlotte County and show off why the area has earned accolades from nationally-recognized publications such as Golf Digest, SAIL magazine, and U.S. News & World Report. Look at Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León who brought groups to Charlotte Harbor twice, first in 1513 and the second in 1521,” said Becky Bovell, Director of the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, “The Bring Your Meeting Home program will continue that early meeting tradition in a fun and engaging way encouraging the community to help increase expenditures for area businesses. According to a 2004 study by Destination Marketing Association International, on average, a conference attendee generates $266 a day in indirect spending, $945 in overall spending and stays 3.5 days for an event. “

Residents are encouraged to think of the various associations and civic organizations they belong to which hold small to medium-sized meetings. These include alumni, military, or social connections. The ideal conference size for the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center is 500 or fewer attendees. These leads should be submitted to Sean Doherty with the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau at 941/743-1900 or sean.doherty@charlottefl.com. Program details and leads can be submitted through CharlotteHarborMeetings.com. 

The new “Bring Your Meeting Home” program was announced by Becky Bovell during a press conference on the Great Lawn of the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center with members of the Royal Order of Ponce De León Conquistadors. The Palencia, the conquistador’s famous mobile ship, served as the backdrop.

*What Exactly is an Acre-Foot of Water?
It’s a lot of water! An acre-foot is 43,560 cubic feet which is approximately 325,851.4 U.S. gallons, or 271,328 imperial gallons, or 1,233.5 square meters. It’s an acre in surface area with a depth of one foot.

Highlights of the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center

45,230 sq. ft. waterfront facility opened in November 2008 and outfitted with the latest technology,
Hibiscus Hall: 20,000 square foot exhibit hall capable of accommodating 112 exhibit booths or up to 900 banquet style.  Room can be divided into three equal sections,
Up to 4 breakout rooms can be utilized simultaneously each measuring approx. 900 sq. ft. (max. 94 people theater style),
State-of-the-art audio/visual/lighting equipment and technologies, internet access throughout, staging, risers, tables, chairs, podiums, etc.,
In-house catering and concessions provided by Boston Culinary Group,
240 on-site parking spots (free parking),
Over 350 hotel rooms within one block of the Event Center.
 

About Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands

Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers a pristine unspoiled beauty that has served as the backdrop for seven major feature films as well as countless memorable vacations.  A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands has been named to SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” The city of Punta Gorda was named in September as one of “Top Ten Places to Retire Healthy” by U.S. News & World Report. Englewood, Fla. was just named as #2 of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com.  

For information about area events, activities and attractions, contact the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte, FL 33948; (941) 743-1900, or call toll free at 1-800-652-6090 for a free Visitor’s Guide; or visit the Web site at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.