While the California Department of Public Health’s latest guidelines continue to prohibit in-person gatherings, San Diego meeting venues will be ready the moment that changes. “Our tourism industry collectively has instituted best-in-class protocols and procedures so meeting planners and attendees should feel comfortable when it is time to welcome them back,” says Julie Coker, president and CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority.

As part of the new measures, San Diego’s largest venue — the 2.6 million-square-foot San Diego Convention Center — has achieved GBAC STAR accreditation after implementing strict protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention. In addition, three of the city’s resorts with meeting facilities have unveiled extensive renovations while implementing health and safety procedures of their own.

Town and Country Resort, which opened 60 years ago as San Diego’s first resort with its own convention center, recently reopened following the completion of a $90 million renovation. The project included a refurbishment of the resort’s 675 guest rooms, and the addition of three new dining outlets and a 10,000-square-foot pool complex that includes a 150-foot “Twister” waterslide. Town and Country’s 258,000 square feet of newly renovated meeting space encompasses both the convention center and a variety of breakout and smaller meeting areas. To prepare for the time when meetings are allowed again, Town and Country has implemented a health and wellness commitment that includes cleaning products and protocols that meet or exceed CDC guidelines.

A San Diego icon for more than 132 years, Hotel Del Coronado recently opened its new Cabanas neighborhood. The latest phase in the resort's $400 million master plan (slated for completion by the end of 2021), the new area features 97 guest rooms, four renovated and expanded F&B outlets, and a new pool. As part of the master plan, the Hotel Del expects to add 142 new rooms (including those in The Cabanas). The 757 original guest rooms will also be updated, as will the resort’s current meeting and event space. New venues — including a dedicated conference center — will increase the resort’s available indoor-outdoor event space to more than 257,000 square feet when completed next year. The Hotel Del Coronado has also enacted procedures designed to create a comfortable and safe environment for groups through Hilton’s EventReady program.

As part of its rebranding earlier this year, San Diego Mission Bay Resort (formerly the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa) has completed a $32 million renovation. The project covered every aspect of the 18-acre property, including updating the guest registration area, open-air lobby and all 357 guest rooms. The resort features newly installed Wi-Fi, a redeveloped pool area, a spa and fitness center, and five tennis courts. The conference center — part of a total of 25,000 square feet of indoor meeting space — was also updated with a new design and enhanced technology features. The 16,000 square feet of outdoor event space includes terrace, garden and beachfront areas. In response to the pandemic, the resort’s staff members have been trained in the highest levels of sanitation and safety standards, outlined in the property’s Stay Safe, Start Living initiative.