The Winter Music Conference is also know and the WMC, which a traditional official festival that happens every year since the mid 1980’s in Ft. Lauderdale but since 1991 the official location moved to downtown Miami and South Beach Florida. In the beginning this event was organized for the nightlife service industry, DJ’s, promoters, producers and entertainment media. This was and still is the most recognized networking event for industry professionals to establish relationships that broaden their resources until the end of the year. What use to be more underground and dealt with a more referral marketing approach for advertisement, has gone mainstream since the later 1990’s. This event draws people from every major continent that gives electronic music lovers a chance to see the most recognized and favored dj’s in the world. The official dates are usually the third week in March that consist of four official days, but since the major growth in the past ten years is really consists of about a full week.
The majority type of music that can be heard is house music, trance music, electro, and drum and bass. The conference consists of more than 500 events though out the week that is held at various nightclubs such as Space Miami, The Manson, Nikki Beach, Crowbar, and other nightclub venues. A lot of the venues happen to be connected with the luxurious hotels on the South Beach strip and downtown and most of these hotels hold morning to evening pool parties. This is what you call a “non stop party” which branches out beyond the nightclubs and hotels that even extend out side the traditional nightclub and pool party atmosphere into odd places such as restaurants and clothing stores.
The most recognized events are the International Dance Music Awards, which is put together to recognize and honor the most notarized and talented professionals in the industry for their achievements. The Ultra Music Festival is the largest event that is held in downtown Miami typically at the ending segment of the WMC. More than 200 professional dj’s perform on over 10 different stages and draws crowds to over 200,000 people.
There has been an extreme spike in hotel rates this year because of the fallen economy where many hotels have taken a huge financial hit the past several months. The hotel vendors know that they will sell out every room, so what is going to stop them form increasing the rates make up for the lost money this year? Nothing will because of the large amounts of people from various locations are still wanting to experience some of the most talked about electronic music events in the world and don’t mind paying the price to do so.
Being a travel agent and event promoter I compared the rates from this year to last year on the hotel show a spike increase of 25 to 50 percent, which is almost abusive for the vendors to do but business and money is their main concern as it should be. I can remember last year I had some negotiated rates at the Palms for a junior suite for about $450 night now my negotiated rate is over $900 a night. I knew that this would happen so I positioned myself ahead of the masses month’s earlier and made negotiations with as many vendors as I could.
I currently have negotiated with The Palms South Beach, Ganesvoort South, Trump Intl Beach Resort, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, The Whitelaw Hotel, Metropole South Beach, Mercury South Beach, The Chesterfield Hotel, Catalina Hotel, Hilton Bentley Miami Beach Hotel, Hotel Shelley, Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Trump International Beach Resort, Le Meridian Sunny Isles Beach, The National Hotel, Carlton Hotel, Four Points By Sheraton Miami Beach, Doubletree Ocean Point Resort & Spa-Miami Beach North, Newport Beachside Hotel, Courtyard By Marriott Miami Beach Oceanfront, Hilton Grand Vacations Club At South Beach, Hotel Chelsea, Marco Polo Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, Alexander All Suite Oceanfront Resort, Circa39, Days Hotel – Thunderbird Beach, Holiday Inn Miami Beach, Days Inn- Miami Beach Oceanside, Days inn South Beach, and Travelodge Monaco Oceanfront Resort.
