Meeting News - March 24, 2008 - (Page 4)

What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com Web Top 5: Feb. 26 – March 10, 2008 Development #2 Planner’stoWorkshop: Professional significant factor in your professional success. Without trust, Your ability create trusting relationships is a no one will make a purchase, respect your expertise, carry out your instructions, or refer business to you. For more, visit meetingnews.com/Top50042 #1PINNACLE AWARDS: THE RACE IS ON Meeting planners are flocking to the web to vote for the best-ofthe-best hotel and resort properties, CVBs and tourist boards, and conference centers. To vote for your personal favorites, check out meetingnews.com/pinnacle #3 Back to School Registrations for Successful Meetings University are on the upswing. Get in on a great deal to learn about destinations across the country—and get CMP-accredited education. Sign up now at meetingnews.com/smu is Better #4 Bigger internationalin BeijingBeijing’s National Airport opened, making it the world’s largest airport The new terminal at with a colossus, dragon-shaped terminal bigger than the Pentagon and 20 percent bigger than all five terminals of London Heathrow. See meetingnews.com/Top50044 Prices on the #5 Oiloil prices hit record Radar As highs, planners are looking for alternatives. Hybrid cars at Hertz and Avis make the Top 5 this week, eight months after the original story ran. Cruise on over to meetingnews.com/Top50045 Soapbox It’s Not You, It’s Them: Visa Acquisition Is Tough For All Events Posted by Rayna Katz In the weeks leading up to the Grammy Awards, which were given out on Feb. 10, there was much discussion about whether six-time-nominated newcomer Amy Winehouse, who’s had some tough times recently, was going to show up. When she didn’t appear, viewers may have thought it was because of the myriad personal issues the British pop star is now grappling with. But as it turns out, it was something far simpler, and something many planners can relate to: She couldn’t get a visa. Despite last-ditch efforts, an announcement just three days before the award ceremony stated that U.S. officials in London would not issue Winehouse a work visa. What does this mean for meeting and convention planners trying to bring visitors and attendees from other countries into the U.S.? Well, if the influence of the entertainment industry and public pressure exerted by Winehouse’s fans didn’t sway immigration officials, that can’t be good news for the organizer of a much lower-profile event. However, after filing all the needed paperwork, crossing one’s fingers, and speaking to as many parties involved as possible, planners can and should get behind lobbying efforts being made by organizations across the industry to ease immigration—such as those by the Travel Industry Association. Also, meeting and event managers must pay attention to visa rules and regulations and make sure requests are submitted farenough ahead of their events to be feasible. Otherwise, they’ll be singing the blues. Gurus meetingnews.com/guru OCT. 1, 2007 Anne Fishman President Generational Targeted Marketing Corp. In the past two weeks, I’ve been dealing with generational issues…at home and at work. We hear a lot about the movers and shakers in Generation Y (our Conference Center report on page 24 shows how IACC is addressing them), but check out this MeetingNews Guru in our online archive who has a lot to say about Generations X and Y. —Elizabeth West OCT. 2, 2007 Communicating with Generation X OCT. 3, 2007 What Gen Xers are expecting from meeting planners What’s happening with the younger generation? OCT. 4, 2007 Individuals vs. Team Players OCT. 5, 2007 Final thoughts on Gen X and Gen Y For more advice on generational issues, check out Fishman’s other blogs at meetingnews.com/gurus 4 MeetingNews March 24, 2008 www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com/Top50042 http://www.meetingnews.com/smu http://www.meetingnews.com/Top50044 http://www.meetingnews.com/pinnacle http://www.meetingnews.com/Top50045 http://www.misoapbox.com http://www.meetingnews.com/guru http://www.meetingnews.com/gurus http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - March 24, 2008

Meeting News - March 24, 2008
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Chef Talk: Rosen Shingle Creek’s David Ramirez
Convention Centers
MN Webcast Report
Successful Meetings University
Advertisers Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - March 24, 2008