CONVENTION SALES & DESTINATION EXPERIENCES

The Convention Sales & Destination Experiences team delivered exceptional results, exceeding group room night targets and driving business during critical need periods in 2024. 

Year-End Convention Sales Performance Highlights

• Achieved 115% of the annual goal with 237,182 room nights booked (goal: 207,000).
• The MLS NEXT Group contributed 11,308 room nights in December, helping surpass the stretch goal of 225,000. Without this group, year-end totals still reached 109% of the target with 225,874 room nights booked.
• Total Leads Distributed: 1,520 (92% of the annual goal of 1,650, exceeding the 2019 baseline by 32%).
• New Bookings: 268 (92% of the annual goal, outperforming 2019 by 12%).
• New Leads: 797 (92% of the annual goal, 24% ahead of 2019).

The sales team focused on booking business into identified need periods going into 2024 for the timeframes listed below:

• First two weeks in January
• Mid-week April between the festivals
• Summer mid-week
• December

The VGPS team successfully booked 67,121 room nights in 2024 compared to 23,769 booked in 2023 during these timeframes. This was achieved through direct sales efforts, strategic partnerships, and marketing campaigns as well as through continued representation of trade shows, sales missions and increased our in-market FAMs.

The regions with the most definite room nights, based on end-user, were Northern California, Southern California, and Midwest.

Tradeshows/Sales Missions

The Sales team managed a robust travel calendar in 2024 with 74 events representing the destination. at high-profile client events and tradeshows, to strengthen relationships with meeting planners and showcase the destination’s unique offerings. During the reporting period of November & December the following events were participated in:

• FICP Annual – Denver
• ConferenceDirect CD Forum – Orlando
• PCMA Northern CA Bammies – San Francisco
• Visit CA Roadshow – Chicago and Minneapolis
• Midwest Sales Mission – Kanas City
• SITE Holly Trolly – Chicago
• Holiday Showcase – Chicago
• ConferenceDirect CEO Summit – Hawaii
• Site SE Educational Summit – Greenville
• CALSAE Seasonal Spectacular – Sacramento
• SITE SoCal Holiday Event – San Diego
• CVB Reps Holiday Event – Washington, D.C.

FAMS &  Site Inspections

A key focus for the Convention Sales and Destination Experience teams in 2024 was to increase site inspections and FAMs, and support pre-planning sites to drive room night to Greater Palm Springs. Additionally, the team emphasized a focused on attention to details, ensuring that the site agendas were planned out thoughtfully and productive, briefing hotel partners on hot buttons, preferences, and site experience ideas to deliver a flawless experience and converting more sites inspections for GPS.

We hosted the following destination FAMs in 2024:

• Palm Springs International Film Festival
• American Express Golf Tournament
• BNP Paribas Open
• Visit California Outlook Forum
• Galleri Classic Golf Tournament
• ASAE Fellows Retreat
• Pre-IMEX FAM in partnership with The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage
• Maritz Sourcing Summit
• United Airlines FAM - introduction of new flight from Washington, D.C.

Destination Experiences Inspection Performance
The team conducted 135 total sites for 184,089 total room nights that resulted in 74 definite bookings worth 85,493 room nights. 11 of these bookings were for summer need period representing 17,399 room nights.

2025 and Looking Forward

The Sales team kicked-off the year welcoming 24 meeting professionals and media for the Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala FAM. Thank you to the Thompson Hotel for hosting our guests. Following the Gala, the sales team attended the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Convening Leaders Conference in Houston, offering many opportunities for networking and hands-on education. The team is looking forward to the planning the BNP Paribas Open FAM, welcoming Prestige Global Meetings planners, one of our strategic partners.

Our priority for 2025 will be to expand our initiatives to drive demand for off-peak seasons (May-December). Focusing on business development efforts, expanding our rebate program and maximizing our strategic partnerships.

Convention Sales Dashboards

Below are dashboards showing our year-to-date non-legacy team production and open tentative leads.