Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1356169
B M & T ••• March/April 2021 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 13 majority of which are in Orlando, which has not slowed down due to COVID. To find out the best the city has to offer, check out Visit Orlando, the official tourism association. There, planners have exclusive access to a dedicated Destination Services Team and can get information on Orlando's theme parks including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and Legoland Florida Resort. Orlando, which has instituted 'enhanced cleanliness measures,' has continued to host several large-scale events including the Amateur Athletic Union's national volley- ball tournament with 400 teams and 10,500 attendees par- ticipating. The Alliance Nationwide Exposition's 'Together Again Expo,' the National Basketball Association, and Major League Soccer. Whether your next meeting in the theme park capital of the world is virtual, hybrid, or face-to-face, Orlando is ready. Currently, hotels are hosting as few as 10 meeting attendees to 500 with strict social distancing in place. Orlando, whose tagline is, 'Orlando Awaits You,' has been crowned the top meetings destination in the country, no doubt, because of the theme parks and attractions, seven million-plus sq. ft. of meeting space, and the state-of- the-art, second-largest in the country, award-winning Orange Convention Center (OCC), averaging nearly 200 events, including 115 conventions and tradeshows. There are 150 meeting hotels including Rosen Inn Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Orlando At SeaWorld, Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Doubletree By Hilton. Hotels in Orlando are complying with strict protocols to ensure the safety of their staff and guests. There are temperature checks, social distancing, limited capacity, hand sanitizer, and mandatory masks. After meetings are complete, planners have a myriad of activity choices. Tim Swan is someone who knows all too well the dis- tinct benefits of having meetings at theme parks. He's the senior leader of sales at SeaWorld in Orlando. SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park and marine zoological park. Combined with Discovery Cove and Aquatica, it forms SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orlando, an entertainment complex consisting of three parks and many hotels. "Reasons to have a meeting at Seaworld, goes back to two things," said Swan, originally from Elkhorn, Wis. "It's about the uniqueness of the venues we offer. We have tremendous appeal. Everyone wants great atten- dance. If you choose a location that is unique, I think you automatically generate a higher level of interest. We have the facilities and the experience to deliver an event." Adjacent to SeaWorld are two additional parks, Aquatic- SeaWorld's WaterPark and Discovery Cove, which offers a private island, and a tropical setting with white sandy beaches. For thrill-seekers, there are a num- ber of roller coasters. Located one mile from the Orange County Convention Center, SeaWorld is "fortunate" to have venues that are reserved exclusively for groups, includ- ing Sea Harbor Pavilions, which is a combination of four outdoor pavilions. From the pavilion, meeting atten- dees have exclusive access points into SeaWorld. "We have something for everyone," said Swan. "We call our events – 'events that matter.'" COVID-19 has forced organizations to pivot. For instance, there are no longer buffet lines at private events where guests would have to handle utensils. Everything is pre-packaged or is served by an attendant. People are no longer allowed to sit close together. "I think there are advantages to having it at SeaWorld," said Swan. "The conference facilities and entertainment are all built-in. So unlike trying to pull off Seaworld Ballroom