Experient News

September 6, 2007

Greater Fort Lauderdale Hosts Successful E⁴ Event For Experient

The Destination’s Ongoing Transformation Could Be Worth Millions of Dollars In Potential New Business Following Experient’s Customers and Preferred Suppliers Attending E⁴

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Experient, formerly known as Conferon Global Services, hosted a successful inaugural E⁴ event in Greater Fort Lauderdale, August 26-29, 2007. Experient is a source for integrated meeting and event solutions and E⁴ (Escape, Experience, Encounter, Engage) gathers Experient's premier customers and preferred suppliers in a location where they have opportunities to network and take advantage of unique educational sessions designed to suit their needs.

During the four-day conference more than 300 Experient account managers, executive leadership and top level clients attended special events coordinated by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) and representatives of the local hospitality community. Itinerary highlights included an opening reception at the Broward County Convention Center, a golf tournament, sailing regatta, deep sea fishing, helicopters to the Everglades, mansion tours, a dine-around on Las Olas Boulevard, and “barefoot elegance” by moonlight.

Greater Fort Lauderdale features upscale hotel properties, boutique shopping, a wide range of scuba diving sites and other water sports, more than 60 golf courses and an eclectic dining scene. And the destination continues to evolve: recent additions include the brand new Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and the newly opened St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale.

“This event was a fantastic opportunity to show off the destination’s continuing transformation directly to people who are decision makers in selecting meeting venues. This particular group is among the most influential potential business clients we greet, representing millions of dollars in potential new business to Greater Fort Lauderdale,” said Nicki E. Grossman, President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“This was our very first E⁴ event in Fort Lauderdale and it was a huge success,” says Rick Binford, CMP, Chief Marketing Officer, Experient. “The city is experiencing fantastic growth, making it a perfect place in which to bring our highest volume clients and our preferred suppliers together. E⁴ provided our attendees an opportunity to really experience the high quality event facilities, new luxury hotels, recreational offerings, and fantastic waterways and beaches which make the destination such a hot spot.”

“The GFLCVB helped make our event a tremendous success with professional support and gracious hospitality every step of the way.  They arranged an incredible itinerary, with amazing details and the warmest hospitality,” said Karen Watson, Director, Strategic Events, Experient.

Experient has a vision to perfect the event experience and a mission to help bring people together to drive business. This year Experient will create memorable experiences at more than 2,800 events attended by 3.2 million people who will occupy and will drive purchasing of more than 4.2 million hotel room nights.

The new Greater Fort Lauderdale is a vibrant, year-round destination offering more than 33,000 hotel rooms at a variety of hotels, resorts, and Superior Small Lodgings, plus several new five-star luxury resorts opening soon. More than ten million annual visitors enjoy Greater Fort Lauderdale's 23 miles of Blue Wave Beaches, 300+ miles of inland waterways that run from the Intracoastal to the Everglades, more than 4,000 restaurants, top shopping, and a thriving arts and culture scene. For more information about Greater Fort Lauderdale, contact the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 22-SUNNY or visit www.sunny.org.