Exhibitor Spotlight: Meet Boston

Tell us about Boston’s MICE offering:

Boston boasts an array of experiences, venues, and infrastructural assets that make the destination ideal for MICE business. New mixed-use and entertainment venues such as MGM Music Hall, Big Night Live, Roadrunner, and The TRACK at New Balance join more iconic institutions such as Fenway Park, Symphony Hall, and the Boston Public Library as unique places to host events and create memorable experiences.

The first Raffles hotel in North America recently opened in Boston, enhancing a luxury inventory that already includes Boston Harbor Hotel, The Newbury, two Four Seasons properties, Mandarin Oriental, Boston, and the Langham, Boston.  The Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, which opened in 2021, has emerged as an anchor to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center campus. The recent opening of the Summer Street Steps creates an easy entry point from the convention centre area to Seaport Square, where robust investment and development is ushering in a new era for Boston as an entertainment, nightlife and experiential destination. The opening of F1 Arcade in Seaport, the first in the United States, provides yet another exciting venue for events.

Why should an event planner book their next event in Boston?

An event in Boston is sure to inspire.  The city is constantly evolving and is an epicentre of learning and innovation. A meeting in Boston often produces currents of thought leadership and energy that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere. With a wide variety of hotels and two convention centers (the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center located in the heart of historic Back Bay, and the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, located in the edgy Seaport), the city is also easy to navigate, offering 23 neighborhoods teeming with vibrant cultural, culinary, and commercial offerings. A Boston event is appealing to planners looking for productive and inspirational events. 

Does Boston have a MICE speciality?

Boston is a hub of innovation, recognized across the globe as an unparal­leled centre for education, technology and life sciences. Known as the ‘Athens of America’, prestigious medical and educational institutions across Boston and Cambridge cultivate an ecosystem of creativity and intellectualism. As a result, Boston is associated with biotech, medical and healthcare innovation, as well as fintech, sports conferences, and smart manufacturing. The intersection of education, healthcare and technology in Boston is unrivaled and creates a mode of cross-pollination that simply doesn’t exist in other destinations. Our universities generate intellectual capital, our esteemed hospitals and healthcare institutions provide access and teaching, our venture capital taps into this to drive a robust start-up economy, and biomedical discovery and growth is the result. Groups that meet in Boston and Cambridge have access to the ever-expanding net­work of these world-renowned businesses and institutions located in the Greater Boston area.

How accessible is Boston for world events? 

Boston is very accessible for global events. With direct nonstop service from over 80 domestic locations and 60 international ones, Boston truly is the gateway to Massachusetts, New England, and the United States.  Boston is the closest US city to the United Kingdom with nine non-stop flights daily. And upon arrival at Boston Logan International Airport, attendees are a mere 15 minutes away from downtown by car, subway or ferry service for those who prefer to come across Boston Harbor. The proximity of the airport, and easy entry points into the city, are outstanding assets for Boston that resonate with all visitors.

When not at meetings or events, what top three things do you recommend for visitors to Boston?

• Explore Seaport Square – Easy to access, the Seaport is Boston’s most modern and exquisite neighborhood.  Experiential sports venues abound with the likes of Puttshack, SPIN, Flight Club and now F1 Arcade. The culinary scene is amazing with Grace by Nia, Row 34, Committee, Woods Hill Pier 4, and Hook + Line joining an array of premium steakhouses in the area.  Stroll the Harborwalk and enjoy a sweeping view of Boston Harbor.
• Check out a game or concert – Boston is a sports town so there is sure to be some activity happening while you are in town, a Red Sox game at Fenway, a Celtics or Bruins game at the Garden, or a New England Patriots or New England Revolution game at Gillette Stadium.  These sports facilities also function as concert venues and Boston has many unique such spaces to take in a show or act.  Additional venues include MGM Music Hall, The Stage at Suffolk Downs, Roadrunner in Brighton, and Big Night Live at TD Garden. 
• Discover new neighbourhoods – A city of neighborhoods, Boston offers something for every audience. Go on a tour of Chinatown, explore the global cuisine in East Boston, Allston, and Dorchester, take a walk around Jamaica Pond, and visit a farmers’ market in Roslindale.  Cross the river into Cambridge and take a tour of Harvard University. This 383-year-old Ivy League establish­ment offers private guided tours of the scenic Harvard area, including an out­door walk through Harvard Yard, where guests will enjoy hearing about the four centuries of Harvard history. The Harvard Art Museums are an architectural masterpiece, while the near­by, newly constructed Museum at MIT showcases the incredible innovation that has occurred in Boston and Cambridge.

What are you planning for The Meetings Show 2024?

Meet Boston is sponsoring the Hosted Buyers Lounge. And stop by our Stand #E20 to not only meet with the Meet Boston team, but also our partners from Cambridge Office for Tourism, Highgate Boston, Hilton Boston Park Plaza, Hyatt Regency Boston, Omni Boston at the Seaport, and Marriott Hotels of Boston’s Back Bay.