New Mexico

Groups can experience the grandeur of Chaco Culture National Historical Park with an expanded schedule of guided day trips offered through Albuquerque’s Hotel Chaco. Day trips are available every Saturday, from March through November, and overnight glamping excursions coin - cide with the spring and fall equinoxes in March and September. Day trip par - ticipants enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch pre - pared by Hotel Chaco’s chefs. Customized day or overnight trips are available on other dates. 

Private Retreat Option for Hyatt Regency Tamaya

These interviews are part of a series that highlights new hires within the industry. Have you recently started a new role or do you know someone who has? Submit your ideas to brittany.trevick@tigeroak.com.

John S. Hernstat Jr. was recently hired as director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa San Antonio, Texas.

1. What are you looking forward to the most in your new role as director of sales and marketing?

We’re meeting in the mountains? It’s a question attendees might ask when reading any reference to peaks on itineraries and seeing destination photos that generate excitement for gatherings in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and the Monterey and Carmel area in California. Read on for a brief overview of what groups might find in these unexpected places with peaks.

THE BROADMOOR CLOUD CAMP

As everyone in the industry knows, meetings can produce a variety of waste, from unused handouts and unnecessary printing to the overuse of plastic and paper products. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency cited meetings and events as the second most wasteful industry, after building and construction. The good news is that meeting planners are continuing to become more and more conscientious about reducing this waste and lessening the carbon footprint of their events.

Part of meeting in a new destination is leaving time to experience the city. While shopping for meeting and event space, don’t forget to consider activities that will get your group interacting and talking about favorite Albuquerque adventures following the gathering. 

Situated in the fertile Mesilla Valley between the towering Organ Mountains and meandering Rio Grande, Las Cruces or the “City of Crosses” offers out-of-the-box opportunities to explore the area. 

Sled Down White Sands
At White Sands National Monument, groups can participate in many events throughout the year such as going on ranger-led sunset walks or renting sleds for an incredible ride down the dunes.

Various hospitality brands release trend reports, and the ones that capture my attention are those that are specific to meeting and events and include several properties in the U.S. Mountain West. Sometimes these are observations from staff, but Destination Hotels is on its fifth year of conducting a “State of the Meetings Industry” survey that happened in October and garnered responses from more than 400 corporate, association, government and independent planners.

Help horses, forests, kids and other great causes while connecting with colleagues. 

There are places in the U.S. mountain west and western Canada that are so stunning, they can’t help but inspire brilliance. The Rocky Mountain backdrops and vivid contrasts of seasons have long drawn artists who come to spark their imagination. Meeting planners also can stimulate inventiveness by hosting gatherings in these three communities of varying sizes where creativity thrives.