Columbia, South Carolina's thriving capital city, played host to a group of 50 meeting professionals and suppliers during Destination Southeast 2016, a Northstar Meetings Group event which was held in May at the Columbia Marriott. Over the course of two days, meeting planners engaged in networking and education and had one-on-one business appointments with representatives from Southeast hotels, resorts, CVBs, and DMCs.
Throughout the event, Columbia's Southern charm and liveliness were on full display.
"Great cities aren't born, they're made," said Mayor Steve Benjamin, who was on hand during the opening night reception at the Columbia Marriott.
The hotel is steps away from Columbia's revitalized Main Street, with stores like Uptown Gifts and Mast General Store, as well as awe-inspiring exhibits at the Columbia Museum of Art. Soda City, an open-air farmers' market held every Saturday on Main Street, features not only produce and food specialties but also the city's finest artists and artisans.
When it's time to get down to business, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center has 142,000 square feet of flexible meeting space -- including a 24,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall which can accommodate meetings from 25 to 2,500 -- and a beautifully landscaped terrace. It is the only downtown convention center in South Carolina, and restaurants, music venues, and lounges are only steps away.
Destination Southeast 2016's sponsors included Columbia Marriott, Embassy Suites Columbia, DoubleTree by Hilton, Columbia Convention Center, Goodman Speakers Bureau, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Speaker John Foster, an attorney specializing in the legal aspects of meetings, conventions, trade shows, special events, and association management, gave a riveting presentation about hotel contracts and force majeure, which has recently taken on added importance following the Zika outbreak.
Jeremy Kingsley, who has given over 2,000 keynote speeches and who was sponsored by the Goodman Speakers Bureau, spoke on the importance of every employee in an organization realizing their value to the company's success.
Jeremy Kingsley at Destination Southeast 2016