Meeting News - December 17, 2007 - (Page 4)

D e c e m b e r 1 7 , 2 0 0 7 Vo l u m e 3 1 , N u m b e r 1 8 Perspectives The True Price of Gas Because I work in New York City, it’s pretty easy for me to fall out of touch with the price of gasoline. I walk to a train station, hop on, and then catch a subway that stops in front of my office. Often, I feel like mass transit is a pain because it doesn’t bend to my schedule, but lately I’ve been a better sport for one reason: I don’t have to buy gas. At the time I’m writing this piece, the price at the pump in my area is $3.04 per gallon. I know that’s lower than the current average in many cities. More interesting is that since the recent drop in crude oil prices—more than a 10-percent since the week of Thanksgiving—gas prices in my area have actually gone up. Speculation has been credited for much of the massive cost increase over the course of 2007. With the recent price drop, though, OPEC decided on Dec. 5 not to raise production, lest they risk another steep price decline. This could be behind the upped gas prices in my area. Regardless of these market machinations, meeting planners are hit hard by high fuel costs. In this week’s top story, contributing writer Corrie Dosh provides a window into how transport suppliers are dealing with the issue—and how measures impact planners. From fee schedules that adjust to fuel costs at the time of service to blanket surcharges that will be squeeze into budgets, oil costs will prove a challenge to transportation-related line items Elizabeth West, in 2008. Editor-In-Chief But planners may be affected in other areas, as well. F&B could easily see price increases, as shipping costs rise to get fresh fruits, vegetables, and other edibles from far flung locales to hotel and conference center kitchens. Hotels may ultimately instate energy charges, too. Awareness of green meetings and reducing energy usage is one way to combat rising energy costs. Luckily, more suppliers are serving planners looking for alternatives. It is unclear right now whether green tactics can play a part in actually reducing meeting costs—indeed, many claim just the opposite. But with rising fuel costs touching so many aspects of meetings, green strategies may seem less difficult. For example: Try booking cities with good public transport. H Editorial 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 Corporate/Sales Scott Pierce, Vice President Travel Group Phone: (646) 654-7325 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, Corrie Dosh, Maggie Rauch, Suzie Amer, Christopher Hosford, Edward Schmidt Jr., Heidi Waldrop Bay, Irene Korn, Terri Hardin, Rowland Stiteler, 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: Diane DiMaggio, International Advertising Director, Successful Meetings/MeetingNews; Phone: 646-654-7332; Fax: 646-328-0218; Cell 914-299-4394 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 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 elizabeth.west@nielsen.com IN THIS ISSUE ® ® ® ® ® ® ® What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Inside the Meetings Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 MN Webcast Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Successful Meetings University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Malibu Hospitality Safe After Third City Fire . . . . . . . . .50 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Live from the Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 www.meetingnews.com 4 MeetingNews December 17, 2007 http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - December 17, 2007

Meeting News - December 17, 2007
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Inside the Meetings Industry
MN Webcast Report
Successful Meetings University
Malibu Hospitality Safe After Third City Fire
Advertisers Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - December 17, 2007