Association Events

Given the beating our industry has taken of late, there is no better time for planners to demonstrate the value they bring to an organization. A number of experts are predicting the birth of a new corporate position: meetings architect, or meetings designer. The key is to think strategically, not just logistically.

Join Meetings & Conventions on October 20, 2009, at 2 PM EDT for the webcast "The ABC's of SMMP," sponsored by Cvent. Moderated by Senior Editor Michael Shapiro, the webcast will provide an introduction to Strategic Meetings Management Programs, or SMMP, the tenets of which the National Business Travel Association has been developing since 2004. With a new SMMP certification in the works and strategic planning more important than ever, this webcast will get you up to speed, so register today!

And don't forget, you can get involved in the discussion on Twitter using #mcwebcast. Follow Cvent for any updates!

You know that the majority of associations are using social networks. Many of them are also using or interested in using social networks solely to promote their events, according to a recent survey by Omnipress. Why? The following are some of the top reasons cited by associations currently using social media for their events:

• To create pre-event interest/enthusiasm
• To facilitate interaction among conference participants
• To increase attendance
• To capture summaries, opinions, reviews and other feedback from attendees
• To allow members who cannot attend stay connected to the conference

Even associations who are not currently using a social networking site can appreciate their value. Respondents noted that they can be valuable for:

• Connecting attendees with each other through common profile interests
• Facilitating online interaction between attendees and speakers for questions and answers before/during/after the event
• Providing attendees with "daily news" email updates on conference happenings

Overall, it's this idea of connection and communication that social media networks foster that appeals to associations when it comes to their events. After all, as one survey respondent said, "Over 50 percent of our conference attendees have indicated that their primary reason for attendance at national meetings is networking." What better way to encourage this this than with social media?

Read the full survey analysis on Social Networks for Conferences.

I recently read an article in The Washington Post about the resurgence of bus travel. Once written off as unsafe, unsanitary and basically unappealing, bus travel is making a comeback. After all, it's affordable, eco-friendly and convenient—it's much easier to hop on a bus than navigate through airport check-in and security with your one bag and mini shampoo bottles.

In fact, the American Bus Association reports that nationwide, ridership rose by 20 percent between 2005 and 2007 up to 751 million passenger trips.

"We move about the same numbers as domestic [air] carriers each year and more people in two weeks than Amtrak does all year," ABA spokesman Eron Shosteck told The Post. "This is Transportation 2.0."

Travelers looking for bus transportation in Washington, DC can find a number of companies from which to choose. BoltBus, for example, travels to New York City from DC for—get this—as a little as $1 if you book far enough in advance. Compare that to airplane tickets for $60 and up (one-way) and Amtrak tickets starting at $49 (one-way) from the same date—both of which I checked today as a comparison—and it looks like some pretty affordable DC to New York transportation.

So this story got me thinking. With meeting and event planners trying to save money any way they can, is bus transportation becoming more of a realistic option for events? Whether recommending that your attendees travel via bus, or scheduling a charter (BoltBus offers this as an option), it seems like the right time to get back on the bus.

What do you think? Would you give it a try for your next out-of-town conference, or is it too much hassle to try to get past bus travel's less-then-stellar (though often undeserved) reputation?

In the beginning of September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it found flu activity had increased in the United States as compared to the previous weeks. Nearly all of the influenza viruses found were 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses, or, as you and I more commonly know it, the swine flu.

As the Department of Health and Human Services prepares to release upwards of 50 million doses of a new vaccines for H1N1, the meeting industry is taking precautions of its own. In fact, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) recently released a recommendation to its global membership that called for the "temporary suspension of a timeless tradition that is the basis of greetings and agreements in western civilization—the handshake." That suspension would be in effect until the H1N1 influence virus threat has been reduced to the status of a common cold.

"We have been told that the best way to impede the spread of the H1N1 flu virus is to repeatedly wash our hands, especially after touching our faces, or coming into contact with someone else’s face or hand," ACTE Executive Director Susan Gurley said in a statement. "A random polling of ACTE members has revealed it would be easier to drop the traditional handshake for the duration of the health crisis—should one develop—as opposed to sneezing or coughing into a sleeve."

Meanwhile, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) recently released "H1N1 Influenza Management in Hotels," a guide for lodging businesses to use in managing H1N1 influenza viruses at their properties. In addition to basic sanitation practices, the guide outlines advice for employees and guests who have the H1N1 flu or other strains.

After all, being informed about the flu is one of the best ways to be prepared, according to AH&LA President and CEO Joseph A. McInerney.

"Leadership in a crisis depends on information, and this guide will help fill in the blanks about what to do," McInerney said.

Meeting planners as well as hotels can learn more about H1N1 and download the manual at AH&LA's website.

Last week in the nation's capital, non-profit group Fresh Farm Markets received approval to open a farmers' market in downtown DC. On Thursdays from September 17 through October 29, Vermont Avenue Northwest between H and I Streets will close to traffic to make room for vendors to sell fresh food from area farmers, an idea that's been backed by President Obama and the First Lady themselves.

Farmers' markets like the new one in DC are making it easier for people to eat close to home. This so-called "locavore" dining is growing in popularity. After all, it means that the food is fresher, having basically been purchased right after picking, and it's more eco-friendly—food doesn't need to be transported long distances nor heavily packaged.

Not only home cooks can take advantage of the locavore dining movement. Restaurants are getting on the bandwagon as well, which means that even when your business guests are on the road, you can treat them to fresh, healthy fare at your events.

Restaurant Nora
 
Committed to sustainable agriculture, Washington, DC restaurant Nora became America's first certified organic restaurant in 1999. From grass-fed beef to handmade goat cheeses to freshly-picked wild mushrooms, Nora uses fresh, seasonal ingredients to craft cuisine that is anything but bland. Menu options have included crispy Amish duck breast with maple sherry vinegar jus and grass-fed grilled rib eye steak with macaroni and cheese gratin.

Restaurant Nora offers four DC private event facilities. From dinner for 10 people in its cozy Parlor Room to receptions of up to 50 people in its Gallery Room, Nora's versatile spaces welcome events of all sizes. The restaurant is also a great DC banquet room for lunch events, for which the entire venue can be rented exclusively.

North Pond

Located in Lincoln Park, this Arts and Crafts-style Chicago restaurant features great views of the Chicago skyline and expertly-crafted cuisine. Chef Sherman supports local farmers with his purchases, selecting ingredients at the height of their seasons. Menu examples include smoked pork tenderloin with roasted black figs and charred pimentos and grass-fed grilled New York strip steak with warm purple and gold cauliflower.

With its floor-to-ceiling glass doors and attentive staff, North Pond is a great spot for Chicago wedding receptions, corporate dinners, association luncheons and more. This spacious Chicago event banquet facility can accommodate up to 110 guests.

Greens

This San Francisco restaurant has proved that vegetarian cuisine is more than deserving of a place among fine dining establishments. The restaurant sources much of its organic produce from the Green Gulch Farm, located 14 miles away, in order to craft menu selections such as wild mushroom ravioli with chanterelle mushrooms, roasted potato pesto pizza with smoked mozzarella and fontina cheeses, and ricotta corn cakes served with fresh salsa and pumpkin seed cilantro pesto.

An elegant San Francisco banquet facility, Greens has 20 years of experience hosting weddings, ceremonies, non-profit events, business gatherings, etc. The main dining room, whose windows face the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marina, can seat up to 135 guests and accommodate up to 200 guests for standing receptions. The private dining room is a more intimate San Francisco special event facility, offering seating for up to 50 guests.

According to the International Congress & Convention Association, Germany is a hotspot for meetings and events. In fact, in 2008, the country ranked as the number 1 destination outside of the United States to host an association meeting, having hosted over 400 of them last year. Lucky for planners, Cvent has made it even easier to plan and book events in Germany, having just launched the Berlin meeting planning profile on the Cvent Destination Guide!

With over 500 hotel rooms and several large convention facilities, Berlin is a top-notch destination for your international events; in fact, it ranked number 5 on ICCA's 2008 list of the most popular cities for international association meetings. From unique Berlin venues such as the Chamaleon Theater to traditional facilities such as the Internationales Congress Centrum Berlin, it's never been easier to find space for your events in Berlin.

With the addition of Berlin, the Cvent Destination Guide is your go-to resource for international events. With comprehensive meeting planning information for more than half of the ICCA's top 10 destinations—and plenty more on the way—on the Destination Guide and our ever-expanding database of international hotels and venues, it's easier than ever to start planning your international meetings through Cvent.

We have talked to many CVBs and DMOs who are running interesting meeting planning promotions. At HSMAI's Affordable Meetings National, I met with the Fort Worth CVB, who showed me their meeting planner promotion and I thought it was unique.

The Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Irving CVBs have partnered together to offer a meeting planning promotion that covers the DFW metro area. They describe the promotion as "the nation’s first multi-city, multi-brand, attrition-free program." The promotion caught my attention because Dallas is the fourth largest metro area in the U.S. and I like the idea of limiting the risk for event planners associated with attrition to stimulate meetings. It is great that Dallas hotels, across chains and brands, can work together to put together a stimulus plan like this for meeting planners. They are offering value beyond just a simple cash back offer or discount. These are details of the promotion

• No-attrition room contract to groups of all sizes that book and complete their meetings before June 30, 2010

• 20% discount on group ground transportation

• Group discounts on American Airlines

You can check out Dallas on the Cvent Destination Guide, or contact the Dallas area CVBs on the Cvent Supplier Network for more information.

Yesterday the U.S. Senate passed the Travel Promotion Act in a vote of 79-19. Intended to promote leisure, business and scholarly travel to the United States, the legislation will establish a public-private partnership to actively promote and market the country to international travelers.

Not surprisingly, hospitality professionals and government officials across the country are speaking out in praise of the bill. Take a look at some of the following quotes from leaders across the country:

"Essentially, it means that the United States will be more competitive in trying to lure international travelers to our country. And Las Vegas, of course, is one of the top spots for those international travelers," said Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's Vice President of Public Affairs Vince Alberta.

"The United States Senate today took a giant step toward regaining America’s position as the premier travel destination and strengthening our struggling economy," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, in a statement. "Nearly every company, city, state and developed nation understands the power of promotion. By getting in the global game, America will create tens of thousands of new jobs and strengthen its image in the world as visitors leave with an improved perception of our country and her people."

"Colorado’s tourism industry is an economic engine we must keep strong," Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said in a statement after the Senate vote. "The Travel Promotion Act will help us market our ski slopes, rivers and parks overseas, boosting an industry that means jobs and prosperity for thousands of Coloradans."

"Tourism is a powerful engine for job creation and economic growth, both in Minnesota and nationally, but today the travel industry is facing many challenges," said Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in a statement. "By passing the Travel Promotion Act, we will not only boost the tourism industry, but our economy."

"As the global economy sputters our visitor industry suffers, and any help the federal government can provide our number one industry would aid our economic recovery," said Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), according to Pacific Business News. "As the gateway to the Asia Pacific region, Hawaii is uniquely positioned to serve as a hub for international visitors wishing to travel to our islands and then onto the U.S. Mainland. This legislation is an important first step in the right direction."

"From world class vineyards on Long Island and in the Finger Lakes to Niagara Falls to the beautiful Adirondacks and all the attractions of New York City, there is absolutely no place better to vacation than New York, said Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). "During these tough economic times, it is critical that we promote New York's tourism to help turn our economy around and ensure long term growth. I have long advocated for this type of federal initiative into tourism promotion because I believe it holds tremendous economic opportunity for New York State."

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives.

The day has finally come for a final vote on the Travel Promotion Act. Introduced by Senators Bryon Dorgan (D-N.D.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.), the legislation will create a public-private partnership that will work to attract international travelers to the United States.

Every developed country in the world has such promotional campaigns to attract foreign visitors, according to Geoff Freedman, senior vice president at the U.S. Travel Association. The United States is being left behind.

"The United States is the world's anomaly," Freeman recently told the Associated Press. "And the results speak for themselves."

According to the U.S. Travel Association, changing security policies and negative foreign press coverage have deterred foreign travelers from visiting the United States since the September 11 attacks. In fact, the country saw 634,000 fewer overseas visitors in 2008 than in 2000 despite 56 million more global overseas travelers worldwide.

The act specifies that promotion efforts will be funded by private sector contributions and a $10 foreign fee paid by foreign travelers who do not pay for visas to enter the country. Oxford Economics estimates that a well-executed promotion program could attract 1.6 million new international visitors and generate $4 billion in economic stimulus.

Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office predicts that the legislation would reduce the federal deficit by $425 million over the next 10 years.

Chicago convention center McCormick Place has been named North America's premier convention facility in the past, welcoming almost three million visitors per year. Now, a new accomplishment can be added to its list of accolades—Best Convention Center!

Last week, the Trade Show Exhibitors' Association (TSEA) Foundation's Gala took place on Wednesday evening in Chicago. The evening's festivities included food from local restaurants and intricate decor as well as the announcement of the association's Red Diamond Choice awards. Every year, over 5,000 industry professionals vote on the top facilities in the country for these awards, and this year Chicago's very own McCormick Place took home the title of Best Convention Center.

McCormick Place is the nation's largest convention facility. Comprised of four buildings, it boasts a combined total of 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, 173 meeting rooms, four Chicago ballrooms, the Arie Crown Theater and much more. Not surprisingly, this versatile center hosts some of the largest convention and trade shows in the country, such as the yearly Chicago Auto Show hosted by the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA).

Although massive in size, McCormick Place is committed to sustainability. The center recently obtained LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in its East building. It has also undertaken many additional green efforts to help the environment.

Since 1994, McCormick Place has been making headlines for its unique design and exhibitor-friendly facility. The title of Best Convention Center is yet another admiration to add to the ever-growing list of accomplishments.

View more information about McCormick Place on the Cvent Supplier Network

Last week I blogged about how luxury hotels across the country are dropping rates in order to stay competitive and boost occupancy. In the short-term, enticing guests with the promise of luxe accommodations at a low price works, with most travelers raving about the deals they've found. However, the strategy also has big disadvantages, such as the loss of luxury hotels' hard-earned reputations.

"This is a huge issue," Jan Freitag, a vice president at Smith Travel Research, recently told the Las Vegas Sun. "Rates are a signal of quality in the hotel industry."

Perhaps more pressing is the difficulty hotels will face in increasing their hotel rates in the future following such price drops.

"It hurts the business, it hurts the market fairly significantly, because it will take a number of years to recoup the rates," John Brost, general manager of the Best Western Lakeside in Kissimmee, Florida, told The Orlando Sentinel.

Customers will expect hotels to keep these deals coming, agreed Thomas P. McConnell, a senior managing director at Cushman & Wakefield.

"Once you get a $149 rate in Manhattan, it will be difficult to charge $349 for that room next year," McConnell told The New York Times.

This slow recovery has been seen in the past. Take, for example, the nationwide travel slump that followed the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In Orlando, average room prices slid 11 percent and did not recover until four years later, despite occupancy returning to pre-9/11 levels after three years. In New Orleans, hotels are still struggling to recoup room rates as they recover from Hurricane Katrina four years ago.

Interestingly, a recent study by the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration of U.S. room rates from 2001-2007 found that "hotels that set their prices higher than direct competitors—in good times and bad—generated more room revenue over time," The Orlando Sentinel reported. Hotels that discounted prices were not able to stimulate sufficient demand to make up for the discounted rates.

"There’s nothing wrong with offering selected discounts, but hotels shouldn't give them away to everybody because their occupancy will still be down," Sheryl Kimes, a professor of operations management at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, told the Sun. "With fewer people traveling, everyone is fighting for a smaller pie."

Still, with occupancy rates for luxury hotels worldwide falling over 50 percent this year, it seems they have few good options.

"The bottom line is the operator is stuck between a rock and a hard place," Richard Maladecki, president of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, told the Orlando Sentinel. "They need to fill those rooms because, obviously, yesterday is not going to happen again."

This summer the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) has booked 131 tradeshows and events, generating 275,000 future room nights, it announced last week.

Among the Atlanta events, which are expected to attract nearly 328,000 attendees to the city, are meetings for the American Wind Energy Association, Asymmetrix Entertainment, Inc., the Emergency Medical Services Expo, the National Safety Council, and the American Information Management Association.

Despite the economy, Atlanta's 2010 calendar year booking pace is 130 percent above target. Next year, according to ACVB, the city will host more than 50 tradeshows, including 19 citywide conventions. Future year bookings, meanwhile, also are strong, as the city currently is targeting 341 tentative events for 2011 through 2013.

I've been blogging about luxury hotels slashing rates to earn customers. To compensate further for the hotel market decline, these upscale venues are now giving up their stars, according to Bloomberg News.

Stars, diamonds and other measures of quality are not standardized internationally. In the United States, travel guides generally provide rankings, with the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Mobil Travel Guide being the most widely-recognized. As such, no hard and fast rules of rankings exist, but many have specific guidelines. The Mobil Travel Guide, for example, expects five-star hotels to have fresh flowers in guest rooms, ice buckets that are high quality (glass, metal, stone, etc.), a choice of at least two complimentary newspapers offered and distributed, and 24-hour room service, including hot food.

However, as I've blogged before, many hotel properties are eliminating extras like these in an effort to save money.

"A lot of things we all got drunk over can be eliminated and reduced to being less intrusive and hence more economical," Lewis Wolff, co-chairman of Martiz, Wolff & Co., owner of luxury hotels including a Four Seasons hotel in Toronto, told Bloomberg.

However, such cutbacks aren’t expected to impact the customer experience.

"If a five-star hotel was downgraded to a four star, most people would be just as happy," Wolff said.

Proving that meetings mean business is not the only trend in the industry these days. As I blogged back in April, another key trend for meeting planners in 2009 is a focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Though the ideas and motives behind CSR vary from organization to organization, it continues to grow in popularity. In fact, a recent study found that the number of organizations with a CSR charter rose from 59 percent in 2008 to 61 percent today.

"We have such an incredible opportunity to impact millions of people by holding meetings responsibly," Bridget Chisholm, conference manager for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), said in the September issue of Prevue magazine, which focuses on Corporate Social Responsibility. "It’s becoming mainstream and it’s what society wants. If a company is not conscious of the waste it produces, it’s going to eventually lose customers."

That's not an exaggeration. According a recent TBA Global white paper, 69 percent of Americans felt that companies should invest more in community projects. Additionally, a study by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and European expense management company KDS found that about 27 percent of companies prefer to do business with suppliers and partners practicing CSR policies. 

As Peter Robinson, CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation succinctly put it, "Ethics is the new competitive environment."

As such, it's not surprising that Prevue reports that community service has experienced exponential growth in today's meetings and incentives. According to the magazine, Destination Hotels & Resorts officially inked a deal this month with Odyssey Teambuilding, a philanthropic event planning company. This provides planners a more streamlined RFP process for groups desiring a volunteer event.

Odyssey, of late, has earned major press for their teambuilding program whereby attendees build prosthetic arms for landmine victims in Asia. Participants are then connected with the individual for whom they built the particular device.

Learn more about Prevue's "Change the World" cover story, which features interviews with industry execs and  planners in Vancouver, Denver, San Jose, Virginia Beach and Riviera Maya, or sign up for complimentary subscription information at www.prevueonline.net.

Barcelona's world-class convention facilities, accessible, sunny location, and unbeatable attractions have helped land this Spanish city a constant spot on the International Congress & Convention Association's list of the most popular congress cities. In fact, it was recently ranked number 3 on ICCA's list, having hosted 136 meetings in 2008.

Meeting planners can host receptions, tradeshows, conventions and more at Barcelona venues such as the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya (home to 35 halls and rooms) and the Barcelona International Convention Center (which encompasses over 25,000 square meters of space). Special event spaces such as the captivating L'Aquarium de Barcelona and Gaudi masterpiece Casa Batllo are also capable of making your meetings unforgettable.

Read more about Barcelona events and meetings at the Cvent Destination Guide. And don't forget, you can search and compare over 200 Barcelona hotels on the Cvent Supplier Network.

I recently blogged that over two-thirds of conference attendees are actively using Twitter during the event. Association planners are taking notice of their members' behavior, with a new study reporting that the majority of associations are using social media networks.

According to a survey by Omnipress, a Madison, Wisconsin-based producer of education meeting materials, of over 325 associations, 80 percent of respondents were using some sort of free or public social media network. Facebook was most popular, cited by 59 percent of respondents. LinkedIn was named by 46 percent, Twitter by 45 percent and YouTube by 25 percent.

Also interesting is that associations are not just using their existing social media networks to promote their events. About 19 percent of respondents said they have a conference-based social networking website solely dedicated to engaging conference participants before, during and after an event. About 27 percent are strongly considering creating such a site and 44 percent are interested in the idea.

Read the full survey analysis on Social Networks for Conferences.

International destinations are seeing faster business travel growth than the United States, according to a new study from the National Business Travel Association and Egencia. The study, based on evaluations of 72 countries, found that business travel growth in North America has been increasing at an average rate of about 2 percent per year for the last decade. Meanwhile, Western Europe business travel was growing 4.6 percent annually; the Asia-Pacific region, 7.2 percent; "Emerging Europe" (a region comprised by 13 Central and Eastern European countries), 12.4 percent; and the Middle East/Africa region, 7.7 percent.

The report expects growth of business travel to China and Japan to exceed that of the United States over the next five years. Developing nations such as India, Vietnam, Iran and Indonesia will are also expected to see significant growth.

When it comes to business travel spend, the North America, Western Europe and Asia-Pacific regions account for a total of 90 percent of the market, or 30 percent each. These three regions are expected to account for about $929 billion in spend 2008. The United States alone represents $261 billion of the world total, or 28 percent, the largest piece of spend. China follows at 10 percent, then Japan at 8 percent.

If your organization and meetings are part of this growing international travel business, don't forget that Cvent is continuously releasing new features to accommodate your international planning needs. Plus, the Cvent Supplier Network serves as the largest global database of meeting venues in the industry, while the Cvent Destination Guide offers over 25 international destination profiles to help you as your plan and source international business events.

Back in May, Delta Air Lines announced that it planned to restart its discounted fares program for travel buyers planning meetings and events. This program has now officially launched as the Delta Meeting Network product.

Designed to attract corporate, association and incentive meeting travel to any of the 376 designations Delta serves worldwide, the basic Delta Meeting Network offer includes one free ticket for every 40 flown, plus discounts off published fares. A minimum of 10 travelers is required and individuals must depart from at least two cities in the United States.

"We are confident it will deliver competitive offers to corporations and associations despite the challenges posed by the current economy," said Jim Cron, Delta’s senior vice president of sales, reservations and distribution, in a statement. "No other program for meetings and conventions offers the advantages and the scope of destinations that Delta can offer thanks to its network."

To celebrate the launch, planners can for a limited time take advantage of one free ticket for every 20 flown tickets for new contracts signed by September 30, 2009.

Find out more about the Delta Meeting Network at Delta.com.

Prague is one of the most popular destinations in Eastern Europe for both leisure and business travelers alike. Meeting planners can't help but be drawn to this intriguing city as well. In fact, Prague ranked as number 13 on the International Congress and Convention Association's list of top destinations for international meetings.

With several large-scale exhibition areas, including the Prague Congress Centre and the Prague Exhibition Grounds, and a plethora of unique museum and restaurant venues, Prague makes meetings easy. Host an annual seminar at the popular O2 Arena, or arrange an unforgettable reception at Prague Castle's Lobkowicz Palace.

Read more about Prague hotels, meeting statistics, venues and more on the Cvent Destination Guide.