Client Engagement

On Nov. 19, we held a unique virtual lunch-and-learn opportunity for clients featuring a live demonstration of glass blowing with studio tour and chat with the artist from Caliente Hot Glass. Even as clients are starting to wind down their year, we are full speed ahead planning the annual Tamale Lift events, as well as several new virtual engagements spotlighting several local partners looking to spread some holiday cheer!

Site Visits

This month we held three planning site visits for definite 2021/2022 groups:

  • Texas Association of Museums (April 10-13, 2021) met with local host committee members and toured venues for its coming convention, “TAM 2021 – Roots and Reckoning: Museums Respond and Redefine.” It will feature many of San Antonio’s cultural institutions during the annual convention, while supporting a new platform medium both in-person and virtually.
  • Foursquare Church (May 30–June 3, 2021) was very happy with the partner service at the Grand Hyatt and Convention Center. The client expressed how impressed he was with the support and flexibility of both venues in accommodating any available additional space needed due to COVID-19.
  • NACE International (March 7–10, 2022) was in town for its 2022 CORROSION meeting. Representatives toured the Convention Center and Grand Hyatt. They were very pleased with the thoughtful planning and preparedness of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center team.

Convention Sales Production

  • October production – nine bookings worth 21,719 room nights.
  • October Lead Production – 52 leads worth 148,422 total room nights
  • Citywide Cancellations – 71 groups, representing more than 478,656 total room nights and 560,155 attendees. Economic impact of $341,735,538.

Customer Engagement

This past month, the team continued with its online customer-engagement strategy; however, we were excited to attend two in-person industry events! We were able to attend Connect Marketplace in Orlando and ConferenceDirect’s Annual Partner Meeting (APM) in Las Vegas in October. Both events were significantly smaller than in years past; however, it was great to travel with our customers to these two signature industry events to network and gain educational insights.

In November, we are looking forward to attending MPI WEC at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. There, as at the other events, we are expecting less attendees as in years past. However, this event represents many meeting planners who work on short-term meetings. In addition to MPI WEC, we will be hosting a Texas customer FAM trip at the Convention Center. At that program we will target 20 Texas-area meeting planners to experience the new protocols at the Convention Center, new ideas in regards to registration, exhibits and meeting room sets, as well as F&B demonstrations on room sets and service.