Meeting News - December 3, 2007 - (Page 3)

Perspectives Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes It’s not every day that the meetings industry makes me think of David Bowie, so let me tell you how this happened. Call me nostalgic, but come December, I have a tendency to look back over the past 12 months and settle into a nice indulgent mull. In my relatively new role as editor-in-chief of this publication, it’s understandable that my thoughts turned to the significant turmoil of the travel industry in 2007 and how those experiences affected meetings. With new passport requirements, terrorism watch lists, airline service debacles, and the plunging value of the U.S. dollar, meeting planners have a lot on their minds. Like many of you, I want to make sense of the “big picture” and understand how these issues feed into one another and how they can affect me professionally. As I read our cover stories this month, however, I was reminded that the industry is made up of more than a collection of challenges. It’s also made up of opportunities and exciting changes that are taking the industry into new territory. Executive Editor Rayna Katz talks to the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable about their plan to merge into a single entity. This kind of inspiring coalition shows that our travel industry compatriots have the courage and the smarts that will forge paths into the future. Strictly on the meetings side, Robert Carey, editor-at-large, walks us through technology driven changes afoot at MPI’s Professional Education Conference, to be Elizabeth West, held in February. The event should make plan- Editor-In-Chief ners think about leveraging social media, instant feedback technology, and program followup via the Internet to improve their programs and create lasting value for attendees. These aren’t space age ideas anymore. And this is where old images of David Bowie enter the picture as an icon of the futuristic. Planners have challenges to deal with every day, but take a moment to “turn and face the changes” (thank you, Mr. Bowie) that are happening in the travel and meetings industries. They should be exciting and inspiring as you move into 2008. Of course, MeetingNews does its best to keep you up to date on the latest, so turn to our Technology department on page 15, as well, for some of the best new tools that will keep you, your attendees, and your presenters connected. H Editorial D e c e m b e r 3 , 2 0 0 7 Vo l u m e 3 1 , N u m b e r 1 7 Corporate/Sales Scott Pierce, Vice President Travel Group Phone: (646) 654-7325 Editor-In-Chief, Elizabeth West (646) 654-7360; elizabeth.west@nielsen.com Executive Editor/Hotels, Rayna Katz (646) 654-4421; rayna.katz@nielsen.com Managing Editor/International, William Ng (646) 654-4451; william.ng@nielsen.com Senior Editor/CVBs/Technology, Marshall Krantz (510) 530-3776; marshall.krantz@nielsen.com Associate Editor/Convention Centers, Mariana Lemann (646) 654-7405; mariana.lemann@nielsen.com Online Editor, Jennifer Levey (646) 654-7356; jennifer.levey@nielsen.com Research Director, Nancy Lazarus (646) 654-7272; nancy.lazarus@nielsen.com Editorial Fax: (646) 654-4428 Editorial Address: 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9595 Southeast/Mid-Atlantic/Ohio Larry Mischik, Ad Director/Account Manager 3054 Four Oaks Drive, Atlanta, GA 30360 Phone: (770) 604-9641 NYC/NJ/New England/Bermuda/Caribbean Diane DiMaggio, International Advertising Director 770 Broadway, NY, NY 10003; Phone: (646) 654-7332 Florida/Cruise Arthur Hyman, Associate Publisher/Account Manager 1267 Via Fiume, Boynton Beach, FL 33436 Phone: (561) 736-5374 Midwest/Texas/Louisiana Patrice Carman, Account Manager 200 West Jackson Blvd., 27th floor, Chicago, IL 60606 Phone: (312) 583-5522 Contributing Editors Kinley Levack, Terri Hardin, Suzie Amer, Christopher Hosford, Heidi Waldrop Bay, Robert Carey (Editor-At-Large) California/Hawaii/Nevada Sharon Freeark, Account Manager 2950 31st Street, Suite 100, Santa Monica, CA 904053037; Phone: (626) 578-0700; Fax: (626) 578-0720 Art Group Creative Director, Amy Bothwell Art Director, Richard Prestia (646) 654-4424; richard.prestia@nielsen.com Asia/Pacific/Southwest/Colorado Edie Garfinkle, International Advertising Director 2510 G Las Posas Road, #505, Camarillo, CA 93010 Phone: (805) 383-1326; Fax: (646) 654-4456 Marketing Marketing Manager, John Toler (703) 488-2739; john.toler@nielsen.com Promotions Associate, Jennifer Ginsberg (646) 654-7210; jennifer.ginsberg@nielsen.com E-Media Jared Smith, National Account Manager 770 Broadway, NY, NY 10003; Phone: (646) 654-5520 Production Production Manager, Adam Schaffer (646) 654-7295; Fax (646) 654-7318 adam.schaffer@nielsen.com Subscription Information: (847) 763-9050 Subscription Fax: (847) 763-9037 Single Copy Sales: (847) 763-9050 Marketing Services Peter Hirschhorn, Director of Marketing Services 770 Broadway, NY, NY 10003; Phone: (646) 654-7556 Steve Moore, Account Manager 770 Broadway, NY, NY 10003; Phone: (646) 654-5533 Reprints FosteReprints Alisha Hairston (866) 879-9144 ahairston@fostereprints.com International CANADA: Wayne St. John, President; Penny Dickenson, VP Sales; Alex Kinninmont, VP Sales/Admin.; Francoise Chalifour, Cyndy Fleming, American Publishers Canada Phone: (416) 363-1388; Rosalind Genge, Western office, Phone: (604) 988-0730; MEXICO & LATIN AMERICA: Veronica Castro; CASS Media; Phone: 52-55/5605-1757 EUROPE/AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: Megan Meeres, MM and Company, Suite 11, The Linen House, 235 Kilburn Lane, London W10 4BQ; Phone: 020-8962-9562 Fax: 020-8962-9565 ASIA/PACIFIC: Singapore Lavendar Tan, Al Media, 733 Bukit timah Road #03-05, Singapore 269748; Phone: (65) 469-9321; Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines Annie Blanchard & Associates, Tel/Fax (632) 645-7296; Korea Mr. Jung-Won Suh, President, Singesi Media Inc., Phone: +82 2 3275 5969; Japan Etsuko Ichinohe, Pacific Business, Inc.; Phone 81-3-3661-6138; Fax: 81-3-3661-6139; Macau, Hong Kong, China Stephen Hutton, Hutton Media Limited, International Media Representatives, Suite 2102 Fook Lee Commercial Centre, 33 Lockhart Road, Wanchai Hong Kong; Phone: 852 2528 9135; Fax: 852 2528 9281 List Rentals For postal mailings: Julius Single, (845) 731-2731 For emailings: Nicole Guarascio, (845) 731-3828 Group President William J. Cooke VP Finance Rhonda Linovitz elizabeth.west@nielsen.com IN THIS ISSUE ® ® ® ® ® What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 MN Webcast Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Successful Meetings University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Live from the Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 President, Greg Farrar Senior Vice President/Human Resources: Michael Alicea Senior Vice President, Finance: Derek Irwin Senior Vice President, Travel, Performance, Life Sciences & Marketing Services: William J. Cooke Senior Vice President, Marketing & Media: Sabrina Crow Senior Vice President, Film & Performing Arts: John Kilcullen Senior Vice President, Music & Literary: John Kilcullen Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Planning: Thomas Kuczynski Senior Vice President, Retail: David Loechner Senior Vice President, OnlineMedia: Linda McCutcheon Senior Vice President, Building Design: Joe Randall Senior Vice President, Central Services: Mary Kay Sustek Vice President, Licensing & Events: Howard Appelbaum Vice President, Marketing Services: Drew DeSarle Vice President, Manufacturing and Distribution: Jennifer Grego Vice President, Audience Marketing: Joanne Wheatley www.meetingnews.com December 3, 2007 MeetingNews 3 http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - December 3, 2007

Meeting News - December 3, 2007
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
MN Webcast Report
Successful Meetings University
Advertisers Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - December 3, 2007