US: Pickleball Takes Over a Cape Cod Hotel's Ballroom, Nonstop Air Service Begins Between Jamaica and Connecticut, Visit Orlando Welcomes New Board Members, and More

NATIONAL: PCMA has shared its 2023 Visionary Awards Honorees and Finalists. Its three Lifetime Achievement Honorees are: Ray Bloom, chairman of IMEX Group; M.T. Hickman, lead faculty at Dallas College—Richland Campus; and Bill Reed, chief event strategy officer at the American Society of Hematology. The trio will be honored and celebrated at the annual Visionary Awards ceremony on March 9 during Business Events Industry Week.

CHATHAM, MASS.: To meet the needs and interest of the fast-growing sport of pickleball, Cape Cod property Chatham Bars Inn has added pickleball fun to meetings in its 4,500-square-foot Monomoy Ballroom. In partnership with a local organization, the hotel can arrange everything needed for the ultimate pickleball tournament, including a hard floor court with net, spectator seating, scoreboard, paddles, and balls.

HARTFORD, CONN.: Jamaica recently welcomed new air service from Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford to Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay by Spirit Airlines. This is the first nonstop air service from Connecticut to Jamaica, and it is scheduled to operate four times weekly.

LAS VEGAS: Headed to CES? Look out for a mind-boggling activation from Canon and M. Night Shyamalan (Signs, The Sixth Sense, The Village). During the tech conference—taking place Jan. 5-8 in Las Vegas—the digital imaging company and renowned director will partner to debut a show-stopping, interactive booth experience inspired by Shyamalan's upcoming thriller Knock at the Cabin (in theaters Feb. 3). Attendees will enter a life-size replica of the cabin from the movie, interact with characters from the film in photo-realistic VR, and search for clues in a virtual cabin environment. All of it will be powered by Canon’s new VR and imaging technologies that will be showcased at CES. 

ORLANDO: Visit Orlando has welcomed new community and business leaders to serve as its 2023 board of directors. Terry Prather, chief operating officer at Lift Orlando, was appointed as the board chair for 2023. Prather succeeds Brian Comes, board chair in 2021 and 2022, and area vice president at Hyatt Regency Orlando. Other new board directors include Karen Irwin, president and COO of Universal Orlando Resort and Chris Jaskiewicz, president and CEO of ICON Park.

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