Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348155
3 B M & T ••• May/June 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com CONTENTS B L A C K M E E T I N G S & T O U R I S M C O V E R S T O R Y 38 38 28 28 24 24 VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3, MAY/JUN 2014 F E AT U R E S AREA GUIDES D E PA R T M E N T S Young girl viewing a mural of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Combined with the cosmopolitan appeal of big city life and its many cultural and family-friendly attractions, the South has truly become the destination of choice for vacations and meetings. African-American Guide To Meeting, Incentives & Traveling In The South reports on what the region holds in store for planners, conference delegates and vacationers alike. By Michael Bennett 4 Publisher's Message 5 Calendar of Events 6 Newsmakers 8 In The News 10 Hotel Happenings 12 Site Review #1 – Napa Valley 22 Caribbean Corner 34 Site Review #2 – Oakland 54 Cruise News 55 Travel Data 56 From Motherland 57 Kansas City 58 Denver 60 Toronto 18 18 Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading U.S.- based hospitality management company, announces the Top Ten Travel Trends for 2014 as observed through a survey of the company's extensive database of profes- sional travel agents. 20 20 In survey after survey, meetings get knocked by every- one from employees to senior executives as being among the biggest waste of work hours. Are Your Meetings A Waste Of Time? provides tips on how to plan cooper- ative meetings so that participants are pulling together toward the same goal and can achieve that goal far more quickly than individuals each pulling in opposite directions. By Berny Dohrmann II Who Will Be The Next Black CVB President/- CEO takes BM&T's annual look at convention & visitors bureaus across the nation in our continuing effort to document the rate of progress that African-Americans are making in the hospitality/travel industry. By Gloria M. Herbert 16 16 Ernest (Ernie) Wooden, Jr., a long-time senior hospital- ity industry executive and Los Angeles-area resident since 1999, talks about his work and goals as president and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism) in BM&T's Q&A.". By Solomon J. Herbert If you want to be visible in today's marketplace, you absolutely must have a presence on social media. Which Social Media Platforms Are Right For You? offers some guidance on selecting the one that will best serve your needs. By Marsha Friedman Photo Credit: Miami CVB