Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive 携近70名买家莅临多米尼加蓬塔卡纳

Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive welcomed nearly 70 attendees to Punta Cana, the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, September 20-23 for Meetings Today’s third hosted-buyer event of the year.

Attendees stayed at the brand-new Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana, the largest new resort to open in the Caribbean this year. There, they had the opportunity to experience the property and destination, build meaningful relationships through one-on-one appointments and increase their understanding of the incentive market.

Meetings Today LIVE! is one of the first MICE groups to call Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana home for a few days. To read a recap of each day, click on the jump links below.

Opening Reception

As attendees arrived in Punta Cana, Connect DMC guided them from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) to Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana, where they were greeted by resort staff with smiles, cool towels, welcome beverages and a pink flower.

Corporate gifting by ParsonsKellogg.

Set up in the lobby right next to check in was a gifting table organized by corporate gifting partner ParsonsKellogg, where attendees got to choose one item from a variety of gifts including JBL speakers, headphones, Yeti cocktail shakers and more to have shipped directly to their homes.

After checking in at a dedicated group check-in desk and taking some time to get settled, attendees gathered in the lobby of Moon Palace’s 18-story Bachata Tower for a site tour of the massive all-inclusive luxury resort, which officially opened June 1. The Palace Company’s most ambitious project to date, Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana features 2,171 guest rooms and 104,300 square feet of indoor meeting space across four divisible ballrooms, which feature soaring ceilings, rich blue and gold carpeting, wood finishings plus a few small final touches the group got to see being made in real time. The largest ballroom onsite, the Gran Cana Ballroom, offers 28,900 square feet for up to 1,680 guests.

The resort’s signature high-rise silhouette includes a second 18-story building, the Macao Tower, as well as a third currently under construction that will bring an additional 1,300 guest rooms. By building upwards instead of out, the project preserved more than 2 million square feet of natural vegetation.

Also onsite are 19 specialty restaurants, six breakout spaces, seven outdoor event spaces—one of which we used for our evening welcome reception—nine outdoor pools, a 70,000-square-foot spa and more.

Our site visit ended at the intimate, open-air Cayena Terrace, an intimate, open-air reception and event venue where attendees mingled during a cocktail hour (the specialty lemon-drop martini cocktail was a popular choice) prior to dinner, with a menu featuring grilled chicken, steak and shrimp skewers, a make-your-own-pasta station, mixed vegetables, salads and a selection of sweets.

In addition to the warm weather, attendees were also given a warm welcome by Alan Doyle, vice president of sales, meetings and incentives for Palace Resorts, before dinner.

“On behalf of Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana and the Palace Company, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Meetings Today LIVE! We are honored to have so many meeting and event professionals here,” Doyle said. “I’d like to thank the entire Meetings Today team for placing their trust in us to host this event. This is our third event in five years, so I think we’re doing something right!

“Thank you for your partnership and for creating opportunities for our industry to connect,” he continued. “To the planners and event professionals here tonight, thank you for placing your trust in destinations, hotels and partners who help to bring our programs to life. I hope the days ahead bring valuable conversations, connections and opportunities for everyone.”

Christian Rangel, managing director of Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana, also shared a few words with the group.

“On behalf of our entire team here at Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana, I would like to thank Meetings Today for putting your trust in us and choosing this beautiful resort for this event,” Rangel said. “All of the team is truly committed to taking care of every detail to make sure that this is not only a beautiful night but a successful event for everyone. Moon Palace is your home in Punta Cana.”

Opening reception entertainment organized by Palace Productions. Credit - Wandering Maverick Photo + Film — *Opening reception entertainment organized by Palace Productions. Credit: Wandering Maverick Photo + Film*

The opening reception wrapped with three live Gatsby-esque dances and other entertainment organized by Palace Productions, closing the evening on an exciting note that gave attendees a taste of what’s to come during the rest of their time in the Dominican Republic.

Day One

The first full day of Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive began with breakfast in the Bachata Ballroom at Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana before Raquel Reyes, director of the Dominican Republic Tourism Board, officially welcomed attendees to Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic.

“On behalf of the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, we are truly pleased to have you all, our hosted buyers and the suppliers. And thank you Meetings Today for trusting us as your host destination for this great event,” Reyes said. “Today, I invite you to enjoy, connect, discover and ask questions. This is a great opportunity not only to learn about what the Dominican Republic has to offer for your events, incentives and corporate experiences, but also to learn what else the Dominican Republic has to offer, like this great property, The Moon Palace.

“We also want to share with you a new campaign called ‘Feel the DR,’” Reyes continued. “We believe this is a very strong concept because people might not remember everything about the meeting or presentation, but they will remember how a destination or a place made them feel. With that, I invite you to open your senses and enjoy this beautiful event and destination.”

Following Reyes’ welcome, SITE CEO Annette Gregg took the stage for an educational session titled “Evolving Design for Today’s Incentive Programs,” sponsored by Atlantis Paradise Island. Gregg examined current incentive-travel and face-to-face event trends, with emphasis on cost pressures, generational preferences and flexible program design.

Here are three takeaways from Gregg’s session:

Using incentive travel is the most recession-resilient strategy you can build a business on: You can't hand top performers a reward trip over a video call. "Why is it so recession resistant?” Gregg asked. “Because it's hard to do an incentive reward trip virtually...You might have won this trip to beautiful Dominican Republic. Well, you're not going to do that over Zoom."
The money is still there: Spending is up and executives have bought in. Average investment is roughly $5,100 per participant, about 50% of planners are investing even more and "the share of executives who say, 'Hey, we support this segment as part of our key business initiatives because we know it's driving our business forward, is 94%,” Gregg said. Coming into January 2026, about 91% of buyers said they'd spend the same or more than last year on programs.
For the first time in about 20 years, data reveals value for money outweighs destination cachet in program decisions: "Our Incentive Travel Index saw the No. 1 priority for why a planner chooses a destination is value for the money...It's usually been destination cachet,” Gregg said. “This is the very first time it's been, ‘But can we afford it?’" Budgets growing about 4% a year aren't keeping pace with air, fuel, F&B and labor inflation.

Once Gregg’s session wrapped, attendees participated in the first half of their 20 one-on-one appointments, where planners and suppliers paired up for 10 minutes each to build relationships and book future business.

Entertainment at Live Aqua Punta Cana. Credit - Wandering Maverick Photo + Film — *Entertainment at Live Aqua Punta Cana. Credit: Wandering Maverick Photo + Film*

The group then made its way to Live Aqua Punta Cana, a 345-room, adults-only, sensory-focused and wellness-oriented luxury resort. Our tour of the property started in the 16,491-square-foot Convention Center at Live Aqua, divisible into 10 breakout rooms, and concluded around the property’s outdoor event spaces and 96,875 square feet of pools, including an infinity pool with ocean views.

Lunch at Live Aqua Punta Cana was a true feast, with buffets showcasing menu items from all 14 of the property’s onsite restaurants. Attendees could choose from paella, sushi, French fare, fried rice, Mongolian beef, pizza, another make-your-own-pasta station and more desserts than anyone could count.

Upon returning to Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana, attendees were invited to participate in a healing sound bath experience organized by the Dominican Republic Tourism Board. Back in the Bachata Ballroom, the former education space with tables and chairs was filled with yoga mats and a variety of instruments. With my eyes closed, I could hear chimes, singing bowls, gongs, drums and even specialty instruments such as rainsticks.

Following some free time to relax and freshen up, the group made its way next door to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana for another site visit before dinner. The five-star, all-inclusive beachfront resort features 1,884 guest rooms and suites with double hydro-spa tubs and private balconies as well as more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

Following a site visit, during which we got to tour the 37,000-square-foot Fillmore Ballroom and 19,000-square-foot Avalon Ballroom as well as the onsite spa and casino, we ended up at Sax Pool, one of 12 at the property. Surrounding the pool and patio area were buffets showcasing food from the property’s 10 onsite restaurants, featuring French, Mexican, Brazilian, Chinese, Italian and more.

“The message is that, first, we exist,” Romeo Terran said. “People don't know that the Dominican Republic has grown into a very mature destination as a country, and Punta Cana as a destination for business.

"We're open for business,” he continued. “We're here to do business with you, and we are ready. We have the expertise, and we have the hotel and we have the facilities to do it. So come, come to your home."

The dinner that followed came with a side of great conversation, plus an impromptu karaoke performance by a planner, a dance party in the pool and an energetic bus ride back to the Moon Palace.

Dinner came with a side of great conversation, plus an impromptu karaoke performance by a planner, a dance party in the pool and an energetic bus ride back to the Moon Palace.

Day Two

Following breakfast in the Moon Palace’s Bachata Ballroom, Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive attendees participated in the final round of one-on-one appointments, giving planners and suppliers the chance to connect and book business before the activity-filled afternoon ahead.

*Elaine Gonzalez, Group Sales Manager, Live Aqua Punta Cana. Credit: Wandering Maverick Photo + Film*

Day two of our Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive events is always centered around giving our attendees the opportunity to experience the incentive offerings both at the property and throughout the host destination. In Punta Cana, attendees got to choose between:

Golf: The Moon Palace Punta Cana Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course designed by Greg Norman as an "Eco-Signature" layout, focused on nature preservation, renewable energy and native landscaping.
Spa: The O Spa at Moon Palace The Grand–Punta Cana is one of the Caribbean’s largest—a 70,000-square-foot facility with 77 treatment rooms including singles, doubles and three Golden Suites. It also features a full hydrotherapy circuit, which attendees could enjoy before or after their treatments. Popular choices include facials and massages, while the spa offers its own signature treatments as well.
Pool: There are nine outdoor pools on property, including an infinity pool, the Dreamery Pool, two wellness pools, the fun and sports pool, the adults-only Serenity Pool, Jungle Pool, Fuego Pool and the adults-only Unique Day Club, where Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive attendees gathered in private cabanas for a sun-soaked afternoon.
Dominican Culture & Tasting Experience: This offsite cultural experience at Dominicania, offered by Connect DMC, features guided tastings of Dominican coffee, chocolate, rum, cigars and cassava bread while exploring the flavors and traditions of the Dominican Republic.

I opted for the Dominican Culture & Tasting Experience, which took attendees on a four-hour journey and gave us a true taste, literally and figuratively, of Dominican culture and traditions.

Dominican Culture & Tasting Experience. Credit - Wandering Maverick Photo + Film — *Dominican Culture & Tasting Experience. Credit: Wandering Maverick Photo + Film*

First, we learned about the birth of Dominican culture through a magical “cave” tour that explained Taino history and the customs that developed over time. After a cultural dance and performance, we learned about larimar, a semi-precious stone of volcanic origin and bluish tones that match the bright blue waters of the Caribbean. It is only found in the province of Barahona in the Dominican Republic, and we were able to sand and polish stones of our own.

The remainder of the tour featured guided rum, coffee, chocolate and cassava bread tastings, a Dominican baseball experience and an explanation of the rich tradition of Dominican tobacco, including a look at how cigars are rolled.

Attendees enjoyed some down time after their activities before gathering for pre-dinner cocktails at the Lobby Bar at Moon Palace, which features a stunning glass palm-tree chandelier hanging overhead.

Then, it was time for a dine around dinner experience, which broke the group into five smaller groups and sent each to a different onsite restaurant, including :

Mono Teppan, an interactive hibachi and teppanyaki dining experience
Agra, offering authentic Indian cuisine
Nikos, a specialty Greek and Mediterranean restaurant
La Cantina, for a taste of traditional Mexican flavor and fiesta
Tavola, a specialty Italian restaurant offering pizza, pasta and more

No Meetings Today LIVE! event is complete without a farewell evening celebration. To wrap things up, the group gathered for an energetic and fun-filled after-party at Unique Night Club & Bar at Moon Palace, full of dancing, singing and hugs goodbye.

Meet the Mentee

Meetings Today’s partnership with the University of Iowa’s event management certificate program continues! At each live event throughout the year, Meetings Today hosts a student mentee for an opportunity to join the team onsite, where they shadow our event planners, help with behind-the-scenes tasks and network with other attendees to gather advice for starting a career in meetings and events.

In Punta Cana, our Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive event mentee was Peyton Krotz, a business analytics major in the university’s event management certificate program who will graduate in May 2027. Through the mentorship program, she saw an industry event in action. Here’s what she had to say about her experience.

"The classroom can only take you so far. You actually have to get out there and get your feet wet to truly understand what you learned in the classroom,” Krotz said. "Simply attending an event doesn’t teach you everything. Being behind the scenes is where the most valuable lessons are learned.

“From an attendee’s perspective, events always go so smoothly,” she said. “But when you actually work an event, you see all the little things that go wrong and you have to find a solution and pivot right in that moment."

When asked if she would encourage other students to have this type of experience, Krotz didn’t hesitate: "Yes, 1,000%.”

“Even if you don't know whether you want to go into the event industry, I think this is a good way to find out if is something that you want to do,” Krotz said. “And hopefully, you'll fall in love with it, because I did."

Want to reach out to Peyton? Email her at [email protected] or add her on LinkedIn here.

Thank You to our Sponsors!

A big thank you to the sponsors for Meetings Today LIVE! Corporate/Incentive in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic:

Want to attend a Meetings Today LIVE! event? Applications are open for our final event of the year in St. Augustine, Florida. Click here to learn more and apply now!