The Healing Yoga Foundation

Travel 100 Group Meetings and Events is proud to be partnered with The Healing Yoga Foundation of San Francisco.

We are working in tandem on the production of their upcoming Healing and Wellness through Yoga a weekend conference with TKV Desikachar, and others.

This exciting event is taking place on October 2nd-7th, 2009.

For more information on attendance and agenda please see the Healing Yoga Foundation Web-site at:

www.healingyoga.org/index.html

A Unique Meeting Venue

Encantado Resort,

Santa Fe

When we are contracted to book group events for our clients I always try to present an option or two that I know is “out of the box”. This year I had two clients that booked at the new Auberge Encantado in Santa Fe and were thrilled with their choice!

Encantado, which opened last August, is boutique and quite chic for the artsy town of Santa Fe. The property is located just outside of town and features 65 stylish casitas; this was perfect for our clients which both bought out the property. The hotel is not decorated in southwest décor which is part of what makes it so special; however it does offer an earthy contemporary feel, typical of Auberge, and the public spaces boast revolving art curated by a local gallery.

One thing when planning meetings that you never expect is a 5 star culinary experience; these clients could not stop talking about the amazing food here; they particularly enjoyed utilizing the lovely outdoor spaces for their events.

The 10,000 square foot spa needless to say was well booked. Treatments all begin with a toasty Chili Pepper Foot Warmer Ritual, a ritual incorporating tea tree oil, honey and chile pepper, to soothe and promote circulation. All herbs used in the hand-crafted treatments are sourced from the nearby Resting in the River biodynamic farm in nearby Abiqui.

Santa Fe as a destination for meetings was perfect. It offers everything from golf, cooking classes, photography programs and pottery making to amazing teambuilding adventures and off-site venues. It really made the clients feel like they had experienced something new and different.

The below text message I received from the client says it all:

It has been a great program. Thanks for all your help. Bev, Arlene and Pele along with all the Encantado staff have been so helpful. Just wanted to let you know, you made me look great once again.

Love Terry

- Tammy Zacks, General Manager-Group Travel, Meetings, and events

Girlfriend Getaways

Imagine coming home from a bachelorette getaway, sorority reunion or just a weekend trip with old friends and telling your family “I went fly fishing, learned to surf or tried my hand at Poker." If you long to learn new things or try something unique and exotic, why not book a fun girls trip with Group Travel Plus?

Volunteer Getaways
Women are notoriously generous and enjoy giving back especially when their own lives are blessed. Sometimes, our lives get so busy that we may not have the time to actually commit to a volunteer project. Sound familiar? Imagine going away with your closest friends and spending a week in South America volunteering in a small village. Group Travel Plus will custom design a vacation where you can enjoy a cultural tour while also participating in a humanitarian adventure that gives back to the local people.

Reel Women Fly Fishing Adventures
Why does it seem only the men talk about fly fishing? Gals can swap fish tales after a day spent angling for tarpon in Florida, trout in Wyoming or salmon in Montana. For those who enjoy a little pampering, some women-only fly-fishing trips combine spa treatments with Indian summer fly-fishing for a best-of-both-worlds experience. Reel Women Fly Fishing Adventures are designed for female anglers of all skill levels.

Northwest Women's Surf Camps & Retreats
For groups of 4 to 12 women, Group Travel Plus will customized Girlfriend Getaway camps. The women specific events are "all inclusive" with morning beach yoga, hours of on-beach and in-water surf coaching (equipment included) by experienced, certified lifeguard instructors, catered organic lunch & beverages, and luxury bus transportation. Week Retreats immerse women into the connection, personal empowerment and transformation which lies within the discovery of surfing! Season begins in April and runs through September.

World Series of Poker Academy for Ladies
Professional poker player Annie Duke and other instructors lead this two-day seminar designed to improve skills, strategies and live-action play. Activities include live demos; Q&A sessions and a no-limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament. Perhaps even more interesting are the discussions on female-specific nonverbal behavior at the poker table. "Men will react to women in socially ingrained ways that are very hard to break, and you can leverage those to your advantage," Duke explains.

Pine Needles Ladies Golfaries
Former LPGA player and golf instructor Donna Andrews says that the Ladies Golfari package at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club is as much about fun and fellowship as it is about learning the game. What better place to learn a characteristically frustrating sport than in a comfortable all-gal environment of patience and encouragement? "Women are more comfortable asking questions here, and they're not worried about whiffing it," Andrews says. Students are divided into groups based on handicap and playing ability, so golfers of all skill levels will feel at ease. Pine Needles has been consistently ranked among the top courses for female golfers. Ladies-only programs take place in February, May and September.

Incentive trips…..Re-evaluated and Re-designed

Due to the economic downturn, corporations are cutting back across the board, especially in the sector of travel. The pressure is on for the sales teams to produce and our clients do not want to sacrifice the trips. At Group Travel Plus, our clients are looking for new and creative ways to reward their top producers.

Keep it Local
Wherever the client is located, there are always options to create an engaging event in their area. For instance, we recently proposed a teambuilding event in Milwaukee for a Chicago-based company. We were able to keep the event under their already small budget by selecting a destination that was within driving distance. The weekend still action packed consisting of upscale off-site dinners, tours at Harley Davidson, and a teambuilding activity – that was challenging, out-of-the-box and creative for their young sales force.

Regional Events
For larger organizations, creating smaller, more intimate regional events is a great option. Ropes courses, culinary events, sports car driving experience, and rock and roll camp are all teambuilding experiences that can be designed anywhere. It does not take a high priced hotel in a far away destination to create camaraderie. We custom tailor the activities for our clients based on their needs and what is indicative to the area; sailing, skeet shooting, golf, GPS hunts, road rallies, etc.

All Inclusive Resorts
All inclusive resorts can be a cost effective way to work with group travel and offers something for everyone. These properties offer several dining options, evening entertainment, various types of water sports, all included in the price. Everything is covered from food and liquor to taxes and gratuities.

Negotiate!
Overall, we have found there are many ways to cut back on your bottom line without sacrificing the trip. At Group Travel Plus, we have great long term relationships with out hotel partners which has helped us in the long run to negotiate on behalf of our clients.

We recently had a client concerned about their 2011 trip and they were considering cancelling. We were determined to help our client keep this trip so we went back to our hotel partner and asked them to lower the already contracted room rate and some of the food and beverage costs. Luckily, the hotel was very willing to work with us. In turn, we lowered our management fee, lowered the air booking fees, and were able to reach a more palatable budget for our client. In the end, this made much more sense to the client versus a complete cancellation and a lot of internal disappointment!

Tammy Zacks, General Manager-Group Travel Plus

Cruising the Seas with GTP

In early April 2009, Group Travel Plus chartered the luxurious 490-passenger Regent Seven Seas Navigator for a 5-day sales incentive trip for a Chicago-based technology company.

200 of the company’s top performers from around the country qualified for this relaxing and well-earned cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with stops in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and Key West, Florida.

The luxury cruise liner offered the guests remarkable dining options, a luxurious spa, casino, multiple lounges and bars, an impressive pool, and a Fitness Center.

The first port of call was the beautiful Playa del Carmen, where guests had a great time at a private beach party with water activities, a Mexican buffet and fantastic music. The shore excursions were amazing too, as attendees enjoyed Mayan Riviera Horseback Riding, ATV Adventure and Cavern Snorkel.

Guests also explored Key West, which is famous for its relaxed atmosphere and fun bar scene. The day was spent strolling the palm-lined streets and discovering the island’s rich history, unique boutiques, and legendary pubs.

On board the Navigator time was well spent soaking up rays on the private pool deck, enjoying the amazing food and of course, spending quality time with spouses and colleagues.

We are thrilled to say it was a stellar trip and we look forward to working with them on next years program!!