SALEM, Ohio — The Ark Encounter will host delegates of the Boomers In Groups Travel Conference this November.
“Ark Encounter is the fastest-growing group travel destination in America, and it has to be experienced to fully appreciate the quality, vastness and message,” said Charlie Presley, founder of Boomers In Groups.
Boomers In Groups delegates come to the conference each year from more than 20 states. These travel planners for mature and boomer groups organize tours and outings for their communities, with the average planner operating six overnight trips a year with 36 passengers per trip. It is estimated that the Boomers In Groups delegates take 21,000 people on tours each year and account for over $22 million in annual tour revenue.
“This is an extremely important part of the group travel industry, and we are so excited to showcase the Ark Encounter to these travel leaders so they can return with their groups of travelers,” said Presley.
Eddie Lutz of the Ark Encounter was instrumental in making arrangements to host Boomers In Groups. He has expressed the importance of visiting the destination firsthand to fully understand the monumental structure, which is 510 feet long and over eight stories high. An estimated 1 million visitors a year make their way to Ark Encounter, located between Lexington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, off Interstate 75.
Boomers In Groups delegates will stay at the Cincinnati Marriott Airport, a member of Ark Encounter Hotel Affiliates and the largest property with the most meeting space in the affiliation.
“Boomers In Groups delegates will spend two nights at the Marriott, and our meeting space is conveniently located in the hotel,” said Boomers In Groups Conference manager Janine Emanuel.
The Boomers In Groups Conference will be held November 6-8. Meals, lodging, seminars and the marketplace will be in the Marriott with a sightseeing excursion to Ark Encounter on Tuesday, November 7. It will include dinner at Emzara’s Kitchen, Ark Encounter’s on-site buffet restaurant.
Travel planner registration for Boomers In Groups is $195 per person and includes meals, sightseeing, seminars, entertainment, Ark Encounter admission and two nights lodging at the Cincinnati Marriott Airport. Attendance is limited to 100 travel planners. To register, call 800-628-0993 or visit boomersingroups.com.
Travel industry members who are interested in attending are welcomed and encouraged to register soon, as industry space is also limited.
