There's a special vibe that brings groups to the nation's capital, and a lot of hotel developments to entice planners. With the famous Watergate Hotel coming back online, and renovations completed at the Palomar, the Mayflower and Embassy Row properties, refreshed options abound.

Macau might make headlines for its glitzy new developments, but the city also offers a rich and diverse cultural history shaped by Chinese and Portuguese influences. The Holy House of Mercy (pictured) in the Historic Centre dates from 1569 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Breathtaking nature, vibrant culture, proximity to Silicon Valley and some of the nation's freshest food help make the City by the Bay one of the most popular areas in which to live, work and play. Several major hotel rebranding projects are keeping the destination fresh for groups.

Los Angeles' hotel inventory is set to skyrocket, with 32 projects representing some 5,500 guest rooms either under construction or in development. Downtown is especially hot, with 11 new hotels contributing more than 2,200 rooms over the next few years.

The Empire State offers a wealth of unique destinations and settings for meetings, conventions and incentives. One of the newest visitor attractions in the state is One World Trade Center, which now occupies a prominent setting in Manhattan's iconic skyline (pictured).

Beijing shows us how a modern landscape co-exists with the old to create a dynamic tangent that boosts MICE tourism.

Singapore ups the ante with new and classic venues of choice.   WHY GO? Besides its sound infrastructure and connectivity, Singapore is a vibrant metropolis buzzing with adventure and action. The calendar is packed with multicultural and arts activities and festivals, complemented by a trendy nightlife and celebrity-chef dining scene that entice visitors.

If food be the music of love and precursor of success, play on and titillate the senses of guests who will make or break an event with their comments and feedback. Culinary creativity is astir and all fired up in Asia’s hotels. M&C Asia finds out more.

Innovative strategies delivered with panache set the standards for meetings and events at Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Held in August, the incentives programme for Dealers of the Year 2014 gave Brazilians a taste of Peranakan culture and culinary finesse in Singapore.

Fashion, glitterati and luxury dominate the meetings agenda.

Corporate events are changing just as much as special events and turning up the volume on everything from décor to attendee engagement.

No doubt, incentive travel is back. According to statistics from the Incentive Federation and Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), 46 percent of U.S. businesses use incentive travel, spending some $22.5 billion annually on those programs.

Batman and Robin, Starsky and Hutch, Cagney and Lacey: These are a few teams that have entertained us over the years.