All Things Travel: Boston Tourism Sees Weekend Boost
Boston (CBS) – The city did itself proud over the weekend.
The Patriots moved into their third consecutive AFC championship game.
Meanwhile, over at the TD Bank Garden, a crowd of more than 10,000 people looked on as the U.S. Figure Skating Championship was taking place.
The Olympic trial event took place a month before the games are to begin in Russia. The championship also gave Boston a tourism boost.
At the same time, over 3,000 delegates to the Professional Convention Management Association were registering for their three-day annual meeting at the Hynes Convention Center which starts Monday. It is the first time in 20 years that this important meeting has been held in Boston.
Sunday night, The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority hosted the opening reception for the association at their waterfront convention center that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center did an exceptional job of moving the large crowd in a "moving reception."
It lasted two-and-a-half hours with plenty of food and drink. It started on the convention floor where an indoor ice skating rink had been constructed for the visiting U.S. skaters.
The group then moved up to the lobby area and wound up in the third floor ballroom.
The Boston World Strings Orchestra played in the ballroom and debuted a new piece "Boston beyond Borders."
That was only the start of the evening as many cities hosted after-parties.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts hosted their event in the "Laugh Boston" comedy club where an improv group told the visiting group just how to run their business. The new club opened in September in the Westin Waterfront Hotel and is enjoying good business, especially with private events.
Monday's opening general session for the Professional Convention Management Association Convention is titled "Start An Innovation Revolution." Boston is already a leader in that field.
Bob Weiss reports on business travel on Mondays at 5:55 a.m. on WBZ NewsRadio 1030.