Osteria dell pace at Eataly NYC Flatiron, New York, NY


Small Meetings and Retreats


by Brock Whitfield


Destinations throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region are thinking big by going after small. Small meeting groups, that is.


A diverse market, smaller meetings are held by companies of all sizes and across a wide range of industries. These can be for off- site training, high level executive retreats, departmental meetings, brainstorming sessions, team building functions and more.


There is great value to be had in attracting these meetings to a des- tination. The collective room nights and patronage of local busi- nesses can have a tremendous cumulative economic impact. The value they represent has not gone unnoticed, as a wide range of properties and locales go to great lengths to demonstrate their ap- peal to planners of smaller meetings.


White Dog Cafe in University City (above) and upstairs at Gran Caffé L’Aquila, in Philadelphia, PA


Jessica Bittmann, CMP, director of sales for the Greater Wilmington, Delaware Convention and Visitors Bureau (GWCVB), notes that while large conventions leave a big impression on people and offer opportunities for grand events and major enhancements, smaller meetings boast a different type of value.


“Attendees can get to know each other on a more intimate level when fewer people are in attendance,” she explains. “They also re- ally can connect with their peers and often can engage more openly during sessions.”


It’s not just the meetings. Smaller retreats are very valuable, too. In fact, Bittman says that the GWCVB team holds a small retreat each year that serves as a great opportunity for team building and brain- storming. “Getting off-site for a day or two really helps to press the ‘reset button’ and add a little energy and momentum to your group.”


Hotels in the Greater Wilmington area offer, on average, around 200 overnight rooms with the largest property home to 300 gue- strooms. “This is a great benefit for smaller meetings that may feel lost in a big city or at a large property,” Bittman observes. “They re- ally can take over a hotel and have their event be the largest one at the property, rather than sharing the space with a bigger group.”


Mid-Atlantic­EvEntS Magazine 27


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