Florida Keys debuts an AI “Conch-cierge”—and suddenly your site visit just got smarter
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The Florida Keys have always been good at serving up dreamy sunsets, key lime pie, and the kind of turquoise water planners describe as “brand-palette adjacent.” But now the island chain is adding something decidedly less expected to its toolkit: artificial intelligence.
Visit Florida Keys has reengineered its entire destination website and rolled out a multilingual AI planning assistant — charmingly named the Conch-cierge — and while it may appear aimed at sun-seeking tourists, meeting pros should be paying very close attention.
Because this isn’t just a new chatbot. It’s a preview of how AI may rewrite the rules of destination marketing — and make your next program in the Keys a whole lot easier to execute.
A New Kind of DMO Flex—And Yes, It Speaks 45 Languages
The revamped site wasn’t just polished; it was rebuilt from scratch for an AI-first world. Structured data, machine-readable listings, global translation… the whole digital enchilada.
At its center is the Conch-cierge, a GuideGeek-powered assistant fluent in more than 45 languages. It can surface real-time experiences, hidden finds, and practical details with a level of personalization that feels more Silicon Valley than South Florida.
Kara Franker, President & CEO of Visit Florida Keys, calls the debut “a huge milestone in how we serve our community, partners, and future visitors,” adding that it represents “a broader evolution in how we market and manage the Florida Keys as a destination.”
In other words: this isn’t a gimmick. This is infrastructure. Jeanne Quinn, the organization’s senior vice president of Partnerships and Technology, says, “Building the site from the ground up let us focus on AI and digital-first innovation from the start.”
Translation for planners: the Keys didn’t bolt tech on top of an old system. They rewired the whole house.
AI That Actually Moves the Needle
Imagine you’re organizing a 120-person sales retreat. Instead of building a 14-page PDF of “Things to Do in the Keys,” you embed a link to the Conch-cierge in your welcome email. Instantly, every attendee receives a personalized set of recommendations—in their language— based on their interests, budget, timing, and mobility needs.
No more “where should we eat?” No more “is there anything cool to do near the resort?” No more translation issues for your global teams.
And because more than 2,000 businesses now have AI-optimized listings, planners can surface off-the-radar options for receptions, off-sites, team-building, and free-time adventures. Want a sunset sail that isn’t already in every competitor’s brochure? An ethical wildlife experience? A funky local event your attendees will brag about? The system actually helps you find it.
DMOs Are Evolving—and This Might Be the New Blueprint
What Visit Florida Keys has created may become the new bar for forward-looking destinations. As travelers increasingly rely on AI for trip planning, destinations with structured, machine-readable, always-updated data will leapfrog those still clinging to static web pages. For group business, this means easier vendor discovery, more precise info, and fewer frantic emails asking, “Do you know if this place is open on Mondays?”
But Let’s Be Real: AI Is Brilliant…Until It Isn’t
Before you hand over your entire off-site strategy to the algorithm, remember: AI is only as strong as the data underneath it. If a business hasn’t claimed or updated its listing, it may not show up. If a recommendation sounds idyllic but can’t accommodate groups of 80, you’ll still need to check. Contracts, capacity limits, safety requirements, and group rates remain stubbornly, gloriously human processes.
The Bottom Line: A Smarter Destination = A Smoother Event
For planners looking to build programs with big personality and seamless logistics, the Keys’ AI reinvention is more than a novelty — it’s a competitive advantage. A destination that gives your attendees personalized, multilingual recommendations? That helps you surface new vendors? That reduces friction and lifts the perceived value of free time? That’s not fluff. That’s attendee satisfaction engineered at scale.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
