Case Study: The Best and Worst Destination Dinners I've Ever Attended

And what you can learn from them

Hi friends,

Greetings from New York City, where I’ve been battling the remnants of a head cold I came down with last week during the intensely hectic IMM week that is sure to run down the immune system of workhorse writers like myself who refuse to slow down.

IMM week is CRAZY, with dozens of destinations putting on side lunches, dinners, happy hours, and showcases that they hope will draw the hundreds of writers in town (and those of us who live here full-time). For anyone who was on the IMM Power Hour I co-hosted in November, you’ll remember that I skip most of these because I HATE small talk with a passion and find that most of these events prove useless, as they’re mostly small talk, which I find unproductive, ineffective, and frustrating.

Anyway, three destinations and brands somehow convinced me to attend lunches and dinners in the past week, and one was absolutely incredible and another was horrible. The third was somewhere in the middle, so it was a real Goldilocks week for destination dinners. Let me tell you why.

Cassandra

---

The BEST Destination Dinner

On Monday night, I attended a dinner with Intrepid Tours. Because I am already quite familiar with the brand, have traveled with them before, and met with them at IMM last week, I nearly canceled at the last minute since I had a headache and still have so many deadlines this week. I’m so glad I didn’t. Here’s why it was great.

Curated Guest List

Part of what makes these dinners useful to freelance writers is the ability to meet and mingle with other writers and editors. Since most freelancers are constantly struggling to find work, we LOVE it when there are editors in the mix who can potentially give us work, not just fellow freelancers commiserating about how hard it is to place stories. Two of these editors gave me their contact info and suggested I pitch them. In addition to editors, there were also top-notch writers, and the guest list represented a great mix of publications like Travel Weekly, Atlas Obscura, Entrepreneur, Conde Nast, etc.

Great Menu

There are a shocking number of vegetarian writers out there and I’ve met so many who have declined invites to events because they didn’t think they’d find food. I’ve also done this. Not only did Intrepid ensure that there were ample delicious options on the prix fix menu, but they let me order something off the set menu because of my unreasonable hatred of mushrooms (which were in the main dish, as they often are).

Private Room

A private room isn’t always necessary, but some restaurants are extremely loud, so I loved that Intrepid booked a private room where we could speak comfortably. One of my chief complaints from a destination event I attended last year was how extraordinarily loud the venue was. My voice was already horse from so much talking at IMM, and yet we all had to shout to hear each other over the noise.

Sufficient Well-Informed Reps

Sometimes, I’ll attend dinners like this and there are a few publicists in attendance who may rep a destination but have never visited themselves, so they can’t really offer much more than “I can look into that and get back to you.” Or, there may be a couple of well-informed publicists, but they’re at one side of the table, and the rest of us on the other side are left to chit chat because we can’t hear what’s going on at the other end. Intrepid had a few staffers in attendance, and they were spread out nicely. They also went around chatting with everyone before the dinner to answer questions.

---

The WORST Destination Dinner

Let’s compare that dinner with another destination luncheon I attended this week that may go down as the worst destination event I’ve ever attended. Here’s what went wrong.

Too Damn Long

The luncheon was scheduled to be 3 hours long, and because I already missed 2 days of work due to IMM last week and have several deadlines this week, I couldn’t afford to block out 4.5 hours for lunch in the middle of the day (including my 90-minute roundtrip commute, assuming the trains didn’t break down). I told the organizer I could only budget about 60-90 minutes, which still took me away from my desk for 3 hours during a supremely busy week.

Bad Communication/Planning

Because I couldn’t attend the entire event, I asked if there would be a destination presentation because that’s what I was most interested in. I’ve never been to this destination but I was highly interested in it so it was important to me to learn as much about it as possible. I was told there would be no presentation (why? are 100 people just supposed to aimlessly mingle for 3 hours?). I was informed that there would be a huge prize drawing at the end, so I should come then, if interested. I decided to come halfway through so I’d still have time to mingle, eat, and hopefully learn about the destination. When I arrived, not only were they conducting the raffle as I walked in (meaning I had no chance of winning a 6-day vacation), but I also learned that there had, in fact, been a presentation at the beginning, and I missed it. Obviously, I was highly annoyed.

Unhelpful Information

Because I missed the destination presentation, I can’t say if it was helpful or not. I expressed my frustration to the organizer (who is the person who invited me), and she offered to arrange a Zoom with me at a later date to talk about the destination. Well, I just allocated 3 hours of unpaid time to be here to learn about the destination, and the event was a complete flop, so what’s my motivation to set aside even more unpaid time for a Zoom call? Not much.

Quite a few hotel reps and travel agents from the destination came up to me and shoved their cards in my hand, telling me they wanted to work together if I wrote an article, but what exactly am I supposed to write? And why should I reach out to them specifically? None of them asked me what I write about, what my articles focus on, or what my interests are. None even told me anything about what they specialize in, simply that they represent a hotel in X region, or that they’re a tour agent in Y area. They simply shoved a card in my hand and thought that was enough. It sounds like their destination needs media training. (Side note, I offer this as part of consulting packages!)

Bad Food

As mentioned previously, I’m vegetarian, so whenever I am considering attending an event, the first question I ask is about the menu. The same event organizer who told me there’d be no destination presentation told me there would be vegetarian options. I reviewed the restaurant’s menu just in case and saw there would be plenty to eat. However, when I arrived, I found an enormous buffet where, aside from a big pile of a single type of cheese (which is kind of weird for a cheese plate, right?), there was not a single dish that didn’t have meat in it. There were four or five hot entrees and a dozen sides spread out on the table and every single one had meat. I asked the event organizer about this and she shrugged, seemingly not understanding why I was disappointed.

I asked a server to prepare me something off the menu and was guided to a table in the back to sit and eat by myself. During this time, I texted everyone I knew about how horrible the event was. Learn from this experience, and don’t let this happen to you!

---

VARIOUS RECENT ARTICLES

Recent Articles

Thanks to those of you who helped me source products and quotes for these pieces. I’ve had a lot of roundups and reviews published recently and I don’t have the capacity to send personal updates but your brand or destination may be included below:

Thrillist: Spilling the Tea on This Indian Ocean Paradise

CNN: The Best Bike Lights of 2024, Tried and Tested

Range Best (gorgeous print mag): Scotland Slowly - Why the Best Way to Explore this Rugged Country is by Water

Yahoo: FeatherSnap Scout Smart Bird Feeder Camera Review: An Intelligent, Addictive Addition to Your Backyard

Midwest Living: 11 Must-Visit State Parks According to Locals and Pros

AFAR: This Canadian Island is a Dream Destination Best Explored By Sea

Yahoo: 8 of Canada’s Best National Parks (which got 185,000 views!)

Hilton: Embrace the Season in These Worldwide Winter Wonderlands

Hilton: Paradise is Calling: Elevated Experiences in Waikiki

AARP: Four Pumpkin Patches to Celebrate Fall

AARP: Adaptive Equipment to Make Mealtime Easier for Caregivers

Sierra Club: Leaf-Peeping for Hikers

Travel + Leisure: 13 Essentials I Pack for East Coast Fall Foliage Trips

Travel + Leisure: I Just Hiked 10 Days in Slovenia and These Boots Kept My Feet Blister-Free

Wall Street Journal: For an Outdoorsy Vacation Without Massive Crowds, Look to Your Nearest State Park

CNN: Conquer Long-Haul Flights: A Review of the Game-Changing Turtl Neck Pillow

CNN: The Best Smart Bird Feeders of 2024, Tried and Tested

Sierra Club: How to Hike Safely in the Heat

AARP: Traveling in Hot and Humid Weather? Here’s What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

AAA Traveler Worldwise (Print): Urban Access - These Cities are Prioritizing Accessibility

Going.com: I Hiked Scotland’s 96-Mile West Highland Way. Here’s What I Learned

AARP: 9 Pick-Your-Own Berry Farms to Get in Your Steps

Midwest Living: How to Stop Birds Hitting Windows at Home

CNN Outdoors: Under $25 Scores: These NoSo Patches Easily Repair and Extend the Life of Your Gear

Travel + Leisure: I’m an Overpacker Who Swears by my Trunk Suitcase, Plus 9 More Spacious Options for Months Long Trips

Business Insider: The Coolest Airports in the US

Travel + Leisure: 14 Summer Essentials for Sri Lanka

CNN Travel: Kids Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle Review

Tom’s Guide: Ninja Professional Plus Blender With Auto IQ Review

Tom’s Guide: Blendtec Total Blender Classic Review

World Nomads: Is Baja California Safe for Travelers in 2024? Tips for Travelers

World Nomads: Is the Yucatan Peninsula Safe for Traveler in 2024?

CNN Outdoors: Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Review: Smart, Fun, and Borderline Addictive

Sierra Club: How Local Parks and Nature Centers are Putting Accessibility Front and Center

AARP: Compression Socks Can Be a Lifesaver For Those Who Spend A Lot Of Time Sitting

CNN Travel: Under $25 Scores: Get Your Beauty Sleep With This Matador Blackout Sleep Mask

CNN Outdoors: Some of the Best Hiking Shoes Out There Just Got Better: The Altra Lone Peak 8

CNN Travel: This HydroFlask Bottle is Insulated, Ultralight and Perfect for Travel

Forbes Gear: Sleep Like a Baby in the Backcountry with the Best Camping Pillows