Watch our video showcasing Boston as a historical and cultural destination, a home for innovators, and a perfect fit for successful events!
Boston area attractions provide your attendees with more compelling things to see and do than any other convention city in North America. From America's history found along the Freedom Trail to world-famous museums, musical institutions, local and international cuisine, and spectator sports like the Red Sox and Patriots, Boston has it all!
Boston also stands out for its history of being home to innovators and revolutionary thinkers and has a long track record of making history—from the beginnings of the American Revolution to the beginnings of the Internet and Facebook.
View more videos of Boston and our Boston convention centers--The Boston Convention & Exhibitors Center and the Hynes Convention Center--by clicking here >>
Coming to Boston for a conference or tradeshow during the holiday season? Lucky for you, you’re in the right spot! There is so much to do and see in our upbeat and busy metropolitan city of Boston.
Boston has it all and we have made it easy for you by listing the “Top 5” things to do and see while staying here during the most wonderful time of the year.
GO SKATING ON BOSTON’S FAMOUS FROG POND
Boston’s Frog Pond is located right in the center of Boston Common Park. Boston Common Park is one of the oldest and most prized public parks in all of America. The Frog Pond transforms into an ice rink in the winter where you can enjoy a day of skating. When you are done, don’t forget to grab your hot cocoa at the Frog Pond Café!
GET ALL YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING DONE
Boston is your one stop spot for all of your holiday shopping! Enjoy an all-weather shopping experience at The Copley Place Shopping Galleries and The Shops at Prudential Center located in the heart of Boston’s historic Back Bay. They offer more than 175 elegant stores and restaurants and are connected to the Hynes Convention Center. Boston's Newbury Street offers everything from high-end retailers to local boutiques in a unique outdoor setting that captures the neighborhood spirit of Boston. Also check out the Downtown Crossing Holiday Market where you will find over 30 vendors selling crafts, jewelry, housewares, and more.
GO SEE A HOLIDAY SHOW
This is the season to go enjoy many of Broadway’s favorite classics. The Nutcracker is back in Boston with all new sets and costumes. Considered Boston’s #1 Holiday Tradition, Boston Ballet will put on a performance you will never forget.
EXPERIENCE A TOUR OR TWO IN THE CITY
In the winter, the famous Freedom Trail Tour is transformed into a historic holiday classic that will bring you back into the Charles Dickens times. Understand how Christmas and the holidays evolved in Boston. At the end of the tour, try the famous Boston Cream Pie. History is all over Boston, and also at the Sam Adam’s Brewery Tour. Experience the entire brewing process along with samples of the many different flavors of the famous Sam Adam’s beers.
ENJOY THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is another must see. During the holidays, historic Symphony Hall is transformed to one of the most magical theatres in all of Boston. The Boston Holiday Pops is a show that Bostonians wait all year to see. If world class performing music is your thing, then purchase your tickets now!
The thrill and excitement of Boston’s attractions do not stop there. There are limitless activities all around the city. Visit our website to find out more options. Boston is one of the best cities to explore; we can guarantee you will want to come back for more!
Frog Pond on Boston Common Park |
All-weather shopping |
The Nutcracker |
The Freedom Trail |
 Boston Symphony Orchestra |
|
Many think of Boston as a charming, historic city with a healthy helping of hometown pride. Others may think of it as a city alive with students and world-renowned medical facilities. Any way you experience Boston, there is no denying that it is a popular and accessible international destination!
In 2011, visitors from 65 countries and 25 international events were hosted in our two Boston Convention Centers: The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and the Hynes Convention Center. Boston Logan International Airport, which is just a few minutes from both the BCEC and the Hynes, offers nonstop service to 32 international destinations, including Tokyo, Frankfurt, Munich, Rome, Madrid, and Lisbon. Logan International Airport services over 125 non-stop international flights daily.
Did you know that Boston…
- Has been ranked since 2009 as a top US destination for international association meetings (1)
- Is the 11th most competitive financial center worldwide (2)
- Ranks #1 as most innovative city out of 325 benchmark cities worldwide (3)
- Ranks 10th in overall competitiveness out of 120 of the world’s major cities based on 31 indicators including economic strength, human capital, institutional effectiveness, global appeal, and social and cultural character (4)
In addition to being an industry hub, Boston is home to 12 beaches, 101 miles of waterfront, 1,500 miles of sidewalk, and 7,000 acres of green space!
Conference attendees enjoy wandering around Beacon Hill to time travel back in history, shopping on Newbury streets in the Back Bay, trying a Cannoli in the North End, or attending a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. No matter how you slice it, Boston offers an incomparable mix of history, culture, entertainment, and sports, which has great appeal to an international audience. Learn about our international clients and why they come to Boston by visiting our website.
(1) icaaworld.com
(2) longfinance.net
(3) innovation-cities.com
(4) Economist Intelligence Unit
Source: 2011 MCCA Survey Data
Source: Boston Logan International Airport
Sources: (1) airport-technology.com (2) bizjournals.com (3) gibsonsothebysrealty.com
Last week,
Boston was rated as one of the Top 10 cities in the U.S. in the 2012 Condé Naste Traveler Readers’ Choice Award. A record 46,746 readers participated in the 25
thiteration of the awards.
"Every year, the most discriminating travelers in the world (our readers) pick the world's superlative hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise lines, islands, and cities," said Editor in Chief Klara Glowczewska. "In its 25th incarnation this year, the Readers' Choice Awards are vaster and more compelling than ever before, featuring more than 1,300 properties and places that are truly the cream of the crop."
Click here to see the Top 10 U.S. Cities slide show >>
Boston is indeed America's most historic and storied city. It offers an incomparable mix of history, culture, entertainment and sports, which has a huge appeal. It’s also an outstanding destination for your events as it attracts more attendees and provides them with more compelling things to see and do. Boston is easy to access, can accommodate any size event, offers impeccable services and gives you the flexibility to do your event your way!
Find out why Boston is the perfect fit for your event by visiting our website.
There are many destinations to choose from when deciding where to hold your event. We want to make it easy for you to make up your mind. Here are 10 reasons to hold your event in Boston:
1) Accessibility to Attract More Attendees
Boston offers the largest and most valuable attendee base within a two-hour travel radius of any city in the country. Boston's geographical location makes it an ideal and easy gateway for both national and international access. No city delivers faster travel times between its airport and its convention centers.
2) State-of-the-Art Convention Facilities
The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is the most flexible, customer-friendly, and technologically advanced convention facility in the world. The recently updated Hynes Convention Center is the best-located major convention center in the country--right in the heart of Boston's historic district and surrounded by world-class shopping, dining, and attractions.
3) Best Hotel Solution for your Event
Our Hotel Relations Team helps you build your hotel package and is your personal liaison to the Boston hotel community. Boston Hotels provide over 35,000 rooms. Both convention centers are connected to world-class hotels.
4) Compact Size for Easy Organization
The majority of convention hotels are within a 15-minute drive of both the convention centers and Logan International Airport, and within walking distance of restaurants, shops and attractions. Getting around is fast and easy. Boston has a convenient public transportation system and is also known as "America's Walking City".
5) Award-Winning Services
All of the members of our dedicated team, which includes our building services providers, our hotel, transportation, venue and city partners, are committed to your success. Boston offers an award-winning portfolio of services to support your meetings.
6) Legendary and Historical Attractions
Boston area attractions provide your attendees with more compelling things to see and do than any other convention city in North America. It offers an incomparable mix of history, culture, entertainment and sports. Boston is America's most historic and storied city.
7) A Uniquely Rich Base of Professionals
Boston has a uniquely rich base of professionals in the most high-end vertical industries such as high-tech, healthcare, education, and finance. There are over 50 institutions of higher education in Greater Boston. Over 50% of U.S. healthcare professionals are within a 2-hour travel radius of Boston.
8) One-Stop Shopping & One Point of Contact
Your MCCA Event Manager is your single point of contact to insure that all of your building requirements are met from pre-planning through move-out and your GBCVB Convention Services Manager is your single point of contact for all of your city services needs.
9) Extensive Marketing Support
A wide range of marketing tools including hi-res photos, floor plans, promotional copy, fact sheets and more, are available online for your convenience. Our team also works with you to provide you with personalized marketing materials including customized maps and letters of support.
10) Exhibitor-friendly Participation Rules
Our participation rules give your exhibitors flexibility when setting up their booths. Exhibitors can use their full-time company employees to unpack, assemble, dismantle and pack their booth properties. They can also use their own decorator on the show floor.
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center |
Hynes Convention Center |
Faneuil Hall Marketplace |
Boston Harbor |
The
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, which was struck by lighting and destroyed in 2001, has been renovated and has even been expanded! The grand opening will be this coming Monday (June 26).
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, which owns and operates the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center, has been the major contributor to the renovation project.
This new floating museum will tell the story of the Boston Tea Party with a combination of state-of-the art interactive technology and live historical performance with actors. The renovated museum is two and a half times larger than the original one and has two ships, the Eleanor and the Beaver. A third one, the Dartmouth, will be added in 2014. These replicas will represent the full complement of the ships that took part in the original Boston Tea Party event on December 16, 1773. In addition to the historically restored ships, visitors will be able to experience their tea chests, which include the Robinson Half-Chest, one of the two remaining tea chests from the original event.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the multi-sensory documentary “Let it Begin Here” in the museum’s theater. The Abigail’s Tea Room will offer the five types of tea that were thrown from the ships. The museum also includes a reconstructed 18th century tavern serving delicious fare characteristic of the period. Best of all, at the end of the tour, guests will get to recreate that historic night by throwing the tea crates overboard onto the same harbor as 239 years ago!
The museum, with its 360-degree views of the Boston Harbor and the surrounding cityscape, is also a unique venue for your events. It accommodates 125 people for a sit-down dinner and 300 for a cocktail reception.
Help your attendees travel back in time and experience the most important event that lead up to the American Revolution! It’s an educational, entertaining and enlightening experience that they will remember. Find other Boston attractions on our website.
…by Riding the Boston Pedicabs!
Boston Pedicabs are a safe and friendly way of exploring our historic city of Boston. They provide a memorable and entertaining experience that pairs practical, eco-friendly transportation with the pleasures of a gentle stroll.
These bike taxis are faster than walking and can maneuver through heavy traffic. They make getting through Boston’s downtown traffic fun! They are the most enjoyable and entertaining means of transportation around. Pedicab drivers are knowledgeable about the city and happy to teach their passengers about the surroundings.
They are ideal during sunny days but also great at night, and for those less-than-perfect nights, cabs are out in force with all-weather full-cabin coveralls and warm fleece blankets. Best of all perhaps, Boston Pedicab rides are free! Passengers are asked only to pay what they believe their ride is worth.
They can be found in downtown Boston near the Hynes Convention Center and the main convention hotels. They provide short rides from place to place as well as tours through scenic parts of the city such as Faneuil Hall, Back Bay, and Fenway Park. They can also be used for special events. They can be rented for groups and customized with companies’ brand name. EMC World used them at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center for their 2010 convention (see photo below).
For more information about arranging Pedicabs for your event or booking special rides and tours, visit: www.bostonpedicab.com.
With the summer around the corner, your attendees will enjoy a comfortable ride, the sun and the breeze. Using Boston Pedicabs is also one way to help reduce the city’s overall carbon footprint!
Summertime in Boston for conference attendees—it just doesn’t get any better! The city is alive with museum exhibits, outdoor concerts and performances, al fresco dining, walking tours, ethnic festivals and harbor cruises. From the hip to the historic, Boston has it all and there is so much to do. To make it easy for you, we narrowed it down to 10 top things to do and see:
See Boston Landmarks and Dive into the Charles River
Taking a Boston Duck Tour is a fun way to see highlights of Boston in 80 minutes. The "DUCK" is an authentic, renovated World War II amphibious landing vehicle. After seeing the main Boston’s landmarks, the DUCK goes right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines, the kind of view you won't get anywhere else!
Take a Cultural and Historical Walk
Put your walking shoes on! The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile red-brick walking trail that leads to 16 nationally significant historic sites including museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, ships, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond. Another great stroll is the Boston Harborwalk, a 38 miles long continuous walkway along the waterfront, which passes by museums, parks, restaurants, cafes, and more. It’s a beautiful walk with scenic harbor views.
Take Advantage of our Maritime Heritage
Cape Cod Maritime Days (May 13-June 10) and the Salem Maritime Festival (Aug 3-2) are celebrations of Massachusetts rich maritime history. The annual celebrations feature events and activities including lighthouse and walking tours, free harbor cruises, live music, traditional craft demonstrations, nautical art exhibits, outdoor theatres, lectures, boat-building exhibits and kayaking excursions.
Mix in with the Jugglers, Clowns, Magicians, and Musicians
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is the seat of American history and the site of one of America's most famous shopping and dining experiences. Walk through the marketplace and people watch, grab a bite and take in the beautiful architecture that surrounds the area. The street performers are entertaining and the place is as lively by night as it is by day. Don’t forget to go inside Faneuil Hall itself. The hall is impressive and historically significant. There is a lot to see and do within a 5 minute walk in any direction.
Enjoy Boston by Bicycle
The Hubway bike-sharing program allows residents and visitors to use bikes throughout the city for short term rentals. Most of the 61 docking stations are concentrated in the historic downtown areas and near the convention centers and hotels. They are close to each other so users can easily drop off their bike at any other location. Fun guided sightseeing bike tours are also available with Urban Adventours.
Watch a Movie under the Stars
The Intrigue Café, located on the water side of the Boston Harbor Hotel, hosts a summer movie series called Movies by Moonlight. Customers and pedestrians can watch movies on a large outdoor screen set up on the side of the gazebo. With a location right along the harbor, the atmosphere is upscale and nautical. This year’s programming includes classic movies like Pink Panther and An Affair to Remember.
Take a Summer Cruise
Boston offers a variety of cruises during the summer. Music cruises have 3 floors of entertainment with live bands, DJ, and large top deck for dancing under the stars. There is even a Summer Harbor Salsa Cruise Series for Latino music lovers. Elegant dinner cruises in the Boston Harbor or on the Charles River deliver a delightful combination of dining, entertainment and spectacular views. Or board a whale watching high-speed catamaran to find the biggest creatures of the ocean.
Check Out the New Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
The new museum (opens on June 25) tells the story of The Boston Tea Party with a combination of interactive exhibits and live historical performance. Visitors will be able to experience three historically restored ships and their tea chests, watch a film, and sample the five types of tea thrown from the ships while learning about the proper brewing technique. The museum also includes a reconstructed 18th century tavern serving delicious fare characteristic of the period.
Enjoy Outdoor Performing Arts
Shakespeare on the Common (July 25-August 12) is a Boston tradition. Watch a free play by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company on the Boston Common, the oldest park in the country. Listen to the Boston Pops at the Hatch Shell (July 3-4). The Hatch Shell is a bowl-style outdoor stage located on the Esplanade, which is the park that extends for 3 miles along the Boston shore of the Charles River.
Cheer for our Legendary Boston Red Sox
How about laying back, enjoying the sun, a beer and a hot dog? Even better, go see a Red Sox game in the majestic Fenway Park! Generations of cheering, bonding, heartbreak, and triumph are part of every brick and beam of this ballpark, which is one of the best-known sports venues in the world. Baseball season runs from April to early October.
Find Art on the Beach
The Sand Sculpting Festival in Revere Beach (July 13 & July 17) is an annual contest that attracts famous sculptors from all over the world. The artists must follow strict rules during the contest. Each sculptor is given 10 tons of sand and is assigned an 18’ x 18’ square exhibit area. The sand sculptures are evaluated using four categories: degree of difficulty, originality and creativity, quality of sculpting, and overall visual impact.
Last Sunday, the world got a little bit closer to Boston when Japan Airlines began the first nonstop service between Boston Logan International Airport and Tokyo.
Japan Airlines Flight 008, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 42 business class seats and 144 economy seats, landed at Boston Logan International Airport bringing with it the promise of increased productivity for New England firms doing business in Asia and increased tourism and convention activity for Boston.
Travelers heading to Boston from Japan are now able to make the flight without touching down along the way for the first time in history!
“This nonstop flight reflects the spirit of collaboration between Japan and Massachusetts and will allow us to continue to grow our partnership culturally, educationally and economically, to grow jobs and support businesses in the global marketplace,” said Governor Deval Patrick.
The Boeing 787 is an all new airplane, with a 21st century wing design, built with cutting edge manufacturing and composite materials. The result is the lightest, fastest, most environmental friendly commercial passenger jet of its kind in the world. Some highlight of the revolutionary aircraft include larger windows with liquid crystal dimmable shades, higher ceilings, lower cabin pressure, better humidity and mood lighting to enhance the ambiance onboard using LED lights.
Both the inbound and outbound flight--JAL 007--were full and bookings for the service for the next several months are excellent. The flight will run four times a week until June 1 when it will depart Boston daily.
Boston was a natural choice with its strong business travel demand and healthy year-round leisure travel related to its many tourist attractions and world-renowned academic institutions,’’ said Masaru Onishi, Chairman of Japan Airlines.
In fact, last year, Patrick Moscaritolo, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, had foreseen a significant increase in international visits: “For the second year in a row, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data, Boston has seen overseas visitor increases despite the recession and anticipates a significant increase of Asian visitors in 2012 as a result of this new Tokyo flight,” and this year makes it the third year in a row!
Boston Logan, five minutes from downtown Boston, offers nonstop service to 72 domestic and 31 international destinations and, in 2011, handled 28.9 million passengers. No city delivers faster travel times between the airport and its convention centers. Learn about our international clients and why they are coming to Boston by visiting our website.
Last week, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority James E. Rooney, and local business leaders, launched
www.bostonsnewwaterfront.com.
The South Boston waterfront and its various areas—including the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC)—are thriving with new businesses, shops, restaurants, new residents, and an ever-evolving landscape. The website’s mission statement says it all: “Many say it’s the new heart of the city, and no wonder. It literally pulses with energy, corporate announcements of another headquarters moving here or another start-up setting up shop here. It’s alive with people headed to work, attending a convention, touring Boston and meeting friends for dinner.”
This new website, and the accompanying mobile app for iPhones and Androids, are a fantastic source of information for show organizers using the BCEC, exhibitors and attendees! The website features maps, directions, information on public transportation, listings for all restaurants, stores, museums, hotels, events, parks, walks. “Thousands of national and international visitors attend conferences at the BCEC each year”, said Rooney. “This site will be a wonderful tool to showcase all that the waterfront has to offer our guests.”
The mobile app allows users to easily find their destinations, new places to visit and how to navigate the area. It connects directly with Boston’s New Waterfront’s Facebook page. Information can also be found on Twitter with the hashtag #BostonsNEWWaterfront.
Check out the waterfront’s hot restaurants, chic fashion, contemporary museums, amazing harborside walks, green parks and cool concerts and make sure your attendees take advantage of them! Visit: www.bostonsnewwaterfront.com.
Press conference unveiling new website with Mayor Menino and J. Rooney