BeCause

Peak Vegas

March 22, 2017
There are a number of ways to enjoy a Las Vegas vacation at any time of year. The city’s restaurant portfolio has exploded in the last decade, with celebrity chefs cooking everything from haute cuisine to pizza. There’s a surprising amount of art on display in the city, be it the whimsical signs of yesteryear of the Neon Boneyard or the touring exhibits stopping by the Gallery of Fine Art at the Bellagio.

But to get the full Vegas experience, it may be whom you see it with that is more important than what you see; it’s beneficial to see the city in a crowd. Las Vegas comes alive when people from around the world descend on Sin City. Our non-profit auction travel packages can take your donors to Las Vegas at nearly any time of year, but here are a few times on the calendar that give the city its reputation as “America’s Playground.�

The only state in the U.S. that has fully adopted sports gaming is Nevada, which makes Las Vegas a very popular place to be during sporting events. Sunday afternoons during NFL season are almost as popular as Saturday nights. But the most interesting time to be in town may be during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, or “March Madness� as it’s colloquially known. It’s the perfect intersection of big crowds and good weather; March tends to be when high temperatures start their upward trajectory and the big pools begin to open up after the windy desert winter. And if the sports don’t interest you, that just means you can get better poolside seats by going early in the day.

Some of the biggest draws to the city combines work and play in a very specific way. Almost six million delegates visit Las Vegas for more than 20,000 conventions each year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Some of the biggest, including January’s International Consumer Electronics Show and April’s National Association of Broadcasters show, brings tens of thousands of people to town, each of whom are splitting time between the button-up corporate world and the more relaxed nightlife of the city. The energy when surrounded by people letting loose after work and set free into the neon nights can be infectious.

But not every crowd in Las Vegas needs a specific occasion. For those who want to see the city in its most natural state, just pick a three-day weekend. With a built-in chance for recovery, a vacation to Las Vegas can go from the hurried pace of a 48-hour turnaround to a more leisurely, stop-and-stare-at-the-neon affair. If Monday is the extra day off, the vibe in Vegas on that Sunday night can be hard to beat; the over-the-top revelry is out of everyone’s system, and the city’s fine restaurants and cocktail lounges often become the focus.


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What’s Hot for 2017?

December 28, 2016
We love every trip in our catalog of more than 300 non-profit fundraising auction travel packages, but each year we get asked the same question: What’s hot? What’s motivating donors right now? What’s drawing the biggest bids?

There are, of course, evergreen answers to that question. Trips with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities attached – Super Bowl or award show tickets, for example – will always be popular. Certain destinations, like New York or Napa Valley, will likewise always draw eyeballs.

But as we get our tuxes and dresses ready for New Year’s Eve, we wanted to take a look at some other ideas for 2017. Based on trend-spotters across the travel industry, here are some of the areas to consider if you want to ride the wave of a current surge in interest to a bigger fundraising haul.

Return of the Snow-Seeker: People “pinning� snowbound travel adventures on Pinterest have increased by more than 300 percent, according to the site’s “Pinterest 100� trend report for 2017. Destinations like Vancouver, Colorado and Jackson Hole may see an uptick in interest for those looking to get a blast of winter cool while snowshoeing or skiing.

Bali is Big: One of Booking.com’s picks for trendy locales in 2017, Bali is seen by many as a great choice for a relaxing “sanctustay,� coupling sightseeing with spa visits and wellness activities like yoga. Giving donors the chance for a once-in-a-lifetime trip across the Pacific may prove to be even more popular in the coming year.

Go National: The National Park System celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016, and the increased attention to jewels like Yosemite and Yellowstone seems to have whetted the appetite of travelers. Parks and park-related activities have been seen an increase in “pinning� on Pinterest of 66 percent, again according to “Pinterest 100.�

Baby Boomers Looking at International Travel: According to AARP, Mexico, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom are the three leading destinations for Boomers looking to use their passports. And while 51 percent of those surveyed are looking to stay in the U.S. (Florida and California being the two leading domestic vacation spots), 43 percent are planning to take at least one trip beyond our borders.

Cajun Hospitality: According to the trend-spotters at JWT Intelligence, New Orleans looks to be a major player in 2017 tourism. With cultural events like Jazz Fest and the Essence Festival growing larger each year and conferences like the tech-centric Collision moving to the city, there may not be a better time to offer your supporters a chance to see the Crescent City.


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Mitch-Stuart Endorses…

November 02, 2016
What feels like the longest election season in history is finally (mercifully?) almost over. Less than a week from now, voters will go to the polls to choose the president, senators, representatives and ballot propositions. During the run-up to any vote, newspapers and other media organizations put forward their choices of the candidates, dating at least back to the New York Times throwing its weight behind, a tall, skinny guy from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln.

At Mitch-Stuart, we’re in the business of fundraising and travel, not politics. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to get in on the fun of backing some of our favorite aspects of travelling. Note that this is not an all-inclusive list, of course; to list all of the great qualities of travel would take us through the next presidential race.

So, for 2016, Mitch-Stuart endorses…

Wine Tastings: We heartily endorse wine tastings for several reasons, but the best one may actually come after your donors return from their trip. For the rest of their life, when they see a certain varietal at the store or on a menu, they’ll recall that magical time they had in Napa, or France, or Italy – and they’ll remember the organization that sent them, too. (As a bonus: We also wholly endorse Designated Drivers, which is why many of our wine tours also include private drivers.)

Wallet-Free Vacations: Whether it’s a cruise to Alaska or relaxation on a Caribbean beach, all-inclusive vacations allow your supporters to enjoy time without worrying about trading currency or calling credit card companies to confirm purchases. There’s a variety of choices for these kinds of trips, from basics included to anything goes, and we endorse all of them.

Award Shows: Want to really “wow� your gala attendees? Offer them access they can’t get from a travel agent. The American Music Awards, the ESPYs, the People’s Choice Awards … by giving your donors a chance to rub shoulders with their favorite athletes or stars, you’re giving them a chance at a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and that will always get our endorsement.

Getting Outside: No matter the time of year, breaking out of the office and hitting the great outdoors is en vogue. That’s why we endorse fly fishing in Canada with every bit as much gusto as skiing in Colorado or horseback riding in Costa Rica. Some prefer the cold, some prefer the heat, but everybody prefers the sun to those fluorescent lights in the office.

Travel: This will not come as a shock, of course. We believe in travel both as a fundraising tool for non-profit organizations and as an important part of life, as a chance to expand ones horizons, and as an opportunity to take time away from work and relax. We believe that the stats are true: People who travel are healthier, more productive and happier. And we believe that by pairing travel with your organization, you can make positive connections that will last a donor’s lifetime.

Voting: It’s game day for democracy. So, get out there and vote on November 8.


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Celebrating America’s Diversity

March 16, 2016
This Thursday, people around the country will fill Irish bars, drink a pint of Guinness and toast St. Patrick, the patron saint of the Emerald Isle. But while, for many, intoxicants and green clothing will make up the bulk of the revelry, there’s a great amount of cultural significance to the day in this country; it’s a celebration of the Irish people who meant so much to America’s development when they began coming to the United States en masse in the 19th century.

These types of celebrations, these recognitions of cultures that have contributed so much to the American fabric, can be great reasons to travel to some of America’s favorite cities. For your donors who win a fundraising auction travel package from Mitch-Stuart, here are some great holidays worthy of a trip.

According to numbers from the Migration Policy Institute, there are more people from Mexico in Los Angeles County than there are in any individual city in Mexico itself, save the capital. With such a large population, it’s no wonder that L.A. is a national leader in Cinco de Mayo celebrations. But while every Mexican food restaurants from Tinseltown to the border will offer some sort of special menu, and some revelers will be much more interested in the libations of the country than the culture, those with an interest in the heritage of our southern neighbors will head to Olvera Street, in downtown Los Angeles. There’s food and drink, of course, but there’s also music, exhibitors, and traditional dancing. Even bigger: The street’s Dia de los Muertos celebration each year stretches for almost a week, and includes nightly processions and stunningly-decorated alters.

Long considered the largest Chinatown outside of Asia, San Francisco’s version of the neighborhood throws one of the biggest Chinese New Year parties in the country. The area around Telegraph Hill in the City by the Bay plays host to a parade, a run, and a gorgeous street fair with great food, merchants and artisans teaching traditional Chinese cultural arts like lantern- and kite-making. About a half-million attendees walk the streets each year during the celebrations, making it a popular choice for travelers looking to see San Francisco through the prism of one of its oldest neighborhoods.

Spotlighting New York City for its celebrations of international culture feels like a cheat; in the Big Apple, nearly every nation in the world has a sizeable population (and, in many cases, a pride parade). One of our favorites, since we love to travel for foodie adventures, is the Feast of San Gennaro, held in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood. There’s a procession here, as well, but there’s also musical entertainment, remembrances and ceremonies, and – most importantly – all sorts of Italian food. Restaurants and cafes open their doors and offer special menus, those with bigger stomachs participate in a cannoli-eating competition and chefs demonstrate how to add that touch of Tuscany (or other provincial cuisines) to any home-cooked meal. The 2016 edition is expected to draw more than a million visitors to lower Manhattan from September 15-25.
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