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Posts from August 2016

The following is a guest post written by Aarin Packard, the curator of the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington. With strong ties to Japan and Asia, the PNW has been home to bonsai

The delicious smell of fresh scones slathered with butter and raspberry jam will soon be wafting through the air starting this Friday, Sept. 2. That’s right, the Washington State Fair is back! This

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The following is a sponsored post The “wow factor” of a venue is like curb appeal in real estate: It’s the initial attraction, but only a hasty buyer will make a decision based only on that one factor. Smart buyers (and meeting planners) know that the small things will make them look back with satisfaction or regret at their decision. The McGavick Conference Center in Lakewood has been built and upgraded to ensure that the small but important touches justify the initial “wow.” With nearly 11,000 square feet of space, and facilities to accommodate groups up to 1,200 people, the McGavick Conference Center’s additional meeting and boardroom breakout space allows scalability to fit nearly any event size. With that in mind, here are a few of the things that deserve perhaps more attention than they get during the early part of the venue search: A/V system – It’s easy to mistakenly put A/V considerations at the back of the list when shopping for venues, and even when planning the event, but on the day of, it’s suddenly the most crucial thing on the list. With state-of-the-art multimedia equipment and a four-screen projection system, the McGavick Conference Center has everything covered and they won’t charge extra for it. WiFi – Some event planners don’t even ask about this, but at the McGavick Conference Center, it’s free and it’s strong enough to handle attendees at even the biggest events.

The annual Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) conference wrapped earlier this month and there was one question on everyone’s mind: How do tourism-related businesses reach travelers

In July, the tourism community mourned the loss of Stanley Selden. Stan had been a pillar of the community. When I started my role as CEO of Travel Tacoma and Pierce County in 2012, Stan was one of

Answer: When it’s a rappelling wall. That’s what’s happening at Hotel Murano on Sept. 30, when 70 people will strap themselves (or their bosses, via the Toss Your Boss option) into industrial