EXEC AND ECO FRIENDLY 2008 Official Santa Monica Corporate Travel and Meeting & Incentive Planner Expands Dining and Goes Green

SANTA MONICA, CA (October 20, 2007) Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) announced today the arrival of its updated, comprehensive 2008 Official Corporate Travel and Meeting Planner. The annual publication promises to provide all of the essential information necessary to facilitate the finest executive meeting or conference in the urban seaside community of Santa Monica.

“We are very excited about the new multipurpose, updated planner and encourage meeting professionals to take advantage of all of the latest information this comprehensive new tool offers,” said Alison Best, SMCVB Director of Sales. “In addition to being an effective guide for all meeting needs, the publication also highlights a variety of attractions and accommodations that make Santa Monica a premier travel and incentive destination.”

Compact and convenient, like the city itself, the updated planner is a meeting professional’s best friend. With the turn of a page, same-day accommodation leads and meeting space referrals are immediately accessible. (Information from the new corporate planner can also be found at www.santamonicameetings.com, Santa Monica’s official meetings website) In addition, the updated planner also includes an expanded dining supplement in honor of the 2007 Zagat survey declaring Santa Monica the ”Best Neighborhood for Great Restaurants in all of Southern California”.

“We’re looking at an all new presentation of Santa Monica’s brand,” said Lyndell F. Gooch, publisher of Striker Media. “This includes a new and important section on green meetings which will further the Bureau and the city’s hospitality partners commitment to a healthy and sustainable environment, as well as additional editorial directed at the fine dining experiences that Santa Monica has always offered but is now being applauded by Zagat and others.”

The expanded dining section of the publication contains the most unique addition of any meeting planner to date: detailed background information on Santa Monica’s top chefs which will make choosing a dining location that much easier. Included are photos and bios of veteran chefs like Michael McCarty of Michaels Restaurant, Josiah Citrin of Melissé and rising star Allison Thurber of The Lobster. The expanded dining section also mentions Santa Monica favorites like Boa and Border Grill and newcomers like Euphoria loves Rawvolution.

In keeping with the city’s “green” efforts, the 2008 planner is printed on recycled paper, using recyclable coatings and inks. This portion of the planner highlights everything from green outings in Santa Monica to helpful tips for making meetings more “green” friendly, to local eco-friendly transportation systems including the Santa Monica Big Blue Buses (run on natural gas and repeatedly voted the best in the nation).

Corporate travelers worldwide hail Santa Monica as an ideal destination for meetings and events. Santa Monica is close to the airport (approximately 8 miles from LAX), business and high-tech friendly with Wi-Fi hotspots available citywide. In addition, totaling 8.3 square miles, the city is extremely pedestrian friendly and easy to navigate. Santa Monica’s accommodations, wide array of meeting spaces and diverse cuisine make it a premiere corporate travel destination. For a free copy of the 2008 Official Santa Monica Corporate Travel and meeting Planner call 310-319-6263.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the Official Visitors Guide, the public can write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center, 1920 Main Street Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90405; call (800) 544-5319 or (310) 393-7593; visit www.santamonica.com; or email info@santamonica.com.

Contact: Dawn Smith, PR Manager
Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tel: (310) 319-6263, (800) 771-2322
E-mail: dsmith@santamonica.com
www.santamonica.com

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