Morongo Casino Hosts Travel Convention

More than 200 of the world's leading travel writers will convene next year at the 44-acre, $250 million Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa located near Palm Springs, California for an elite gathering of international print and broadcast travel media professionals.

The Travel Media Showcase recently announced their selection of the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa for their 8th annual convention, a sought-after event by the hospitality and convention industry for the exposure that it brings to the year's chosen conference venue. The event, which will take place November 27-29, 2007, will mark the first time that the showcase has been held in cooperation with a Native American tribe or property.

"Tribal gaming in California represents the largest sector of growth in recreational gaming in the United States and Morongo is on the forefront of this growth," said MCRS sales director Michael Potts. "The conference aims to showcase diverse destinations and this will be the first time attendees have previewed a tribal gaming resort."

Writers from the New York Times, Town and Country, Gannett News Service, Orange County Register, Washington Post, Zagat, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Knight-Ridder and MSNBC, as well as syndicated radio and television show writers and producers attend the three-day conference. Editors, staff and freelance travel writers for broadcast, print and internet media outlets will hear from convention and visitors bureaus, domestic and international tourism offices, major hotel chains, airlines, cruise lines, entertainment and gaming venues. Along with access to exhibitor booths, the three-day program will include two days of scheduled journalist/exhibitor appointment sessions and regional press tours.

According to Joanne Vero, president and owner of J. Vero & Associates, which produces the conference and chooses its annual location from among thousands of destinations, Travel Media Showcase provides an international forum for travel media and the hospitality industry.

"The Travel Media Showcase will bring together premier travel writers from all over the world, representing all types of media used to promote travel destinations. The glamorous Morongo destination will be debuted to all the number one writers," said Vero. "We are excited to showcase the luxurious desert ambience of Morongo and Palm Springs."

Located between California's San Gorgonio and San Jacinto mountain ranges, the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa features four-diamond hotel accommodations, a luxury health spa, world-class dining, high-stakes gaming and glittering nightlife. The $250 million resort has one of the largest casino floors on the West Coast and a 27-story hotel tower topped by a two-story glass penthouse restaurant and lounge. The property is 20 minutes west of Palm Springs and 90 minutes east of Los Angeles.

Morongo's premier recreational gaming facility offers a wide selection of choices with table games, 2,000 slot machines and a 2,400-square-foot poker room accommodating 22 ten-patron tables. High rollers also enjoy a sequestered high-limit area with 20 table games, 210 slots and a VIP sitting room with private food and beverage service.

Morongo's four-star hotel accommodates guests in 272 standard rooms, 32 double-bay suites and six luxury casitas located on an upper level surrounding the pool. All accommodations come with plasma screen TV's and elegant hardwood furniture.

The resort's outdoor oasis features an expansive swimming and wading pool, water slide, lazy river and two spas surrounded by sandy beaches and palms. Sixteen private cabanas are available for reservation with private bar service, TV's, refrigerators and lounge chairs.

Guests may satisfy their appetites at one of Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa's many restaurants, including the penthouse restaurant Cielo; the Potrero Canyon Buffet; Cafe Serrano; a food court and 24-hour room service.

For entertainment, there is the three-story Key Club At Morongo. The Key Club is celebrated internationally for its headliner live musical acts and its glamorous, sophisticated private events, movie premieres, Oscar parties and entertainment industry parties. It brings its Sunset Strip glamour to the desert at Morongo with top DJ's and musical artists. Resort guests can also enjoy the 360 Lounge, a seductive bar at the top of the hotel tower with breathtaking panoramic views.

For those seeking the calming respite of a spa, there is Sage, a luxury health spa and salon named after the aromatic sage plant that grows abundantly on the Morongo Indian Reservation. Guests can indulge in a full array of facials, massages, body treatments, manicures, pedicures and full salon services.

The casino is located near the nation's most popular factory outlet stores and a wide selection of exclusive golf courses.

"Morongo is an excellent location for an event like the Travel Media Showcase," said Potts. "Palm Springs states that tourism is its number one industry, and is a year-round vacation destination for a diverse range of travelers."

Co-sponsors of the 2007 Travel Media Showcase include the Palm Springs Follies, Desert Gay Tourism Guild, Palm Springs Aerial Tram, Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs Convention Center, and Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.

"The Palm Spring Follies has experienced first-hand the extraordinary results from participating with past Travel Media Showcases," said Greg Purdy, media manager for the Palm Springs Follies, which is the chief co-sponsor of the 2007 event. "We are especially eager for this show to be held in the Palm Springs area and have worked diligently alongside Morongo in securing the bid," he added.

For more information about attending or registering for the 2007 Travel Media Showcase, contact J. Vero

2006-09-14