Tuesday night the Washington, DC Chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) held their annual Bowl-A-Thon charity event in Bethesda. There were more than 300 customers and suppliers at the largest networking event of the year for the Chapter.
We parked our Spirit of Aloha tour bus in the parking lot of the Strike Bethesda bowling alley. Charlene Nakamura, director of national accounts for Marriott Resorts Hawaii, Peter O’Brien, Marriott Global Sales, Sherri Thadeus, Hawaii Convention Center and Meredith Parkins, Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, made all the arrangements for this fun-filled evening.
Here's Meredith getting ready to show off her bowling skills.
Here's Anne Martinez, meetings administrator for APMA, who has confirmed Hawaii for their 2014 & 2021 convention. Here she gets ready to bowl and comes up with a strike!
Team Hawaii may not have scored well while they were bowling but rolled all strikes with the post-event on our bus. John Limper, director of marketing for Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Sharon Klaschka, director of sales and marketing for Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Ed Hubennette vice president for North Asia, Hawaii and South Pacific, Elliot Mills, general manager for Kaua'i Marriott Resort & Beach Club, Dan Banchiu, general manager for JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, and Bill Countryman, general manager of Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa networked with more than 30 Hawaii customers.
-- Marriott's Spirit of Aloha Tour team
It's amazing how many companies are arranging business events at Hawaii hotels these days. It makes sense when you think about it, a Hawaii hotel rates have never been better. Marriott features competitive pricing on Maui luxury hotels and deals at the finest Kauai hotel that are hard for businesses to pass up. Maui hotel resorts are the perfect way to build company spirit, especially smack dab in the middle of the winter. Why should a business trip be something dreaded by your staff? Turn your activity into a reward. You can still get work done, build camaraderie and treat your employees for their hard work throughout the year. Hotels in Hawaii are a great way to bring the company together.
Bowling has always been affordable. What's most surprising these days is that hotels on the beach in Hawaii have become inexpensive as well. The economic downturn has led to incredible deals on Hawaii hotel rates. Since bowlers know a good bargain when they see one, the Spirit of Aloha tour bus recently went bowling with the Professional Convention Management Association at their annual Bowl-a-Thon charity even in Bethesday. Bowling might have been the name of the game, but with 300 customers and suppliers at the largest networking event of the year, you can bet Maui luxury hotels were definitely the theme of conversation.
