Meeting News - November 10, 2008 - (Page 2)

Letters to the Editor Greening From The Top Down Your article on green roofs (Sept. 22 MN, p. 27) caught my eye. The article was interesting because of the involvement of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and the U.S. Green Building Council. Tremco Rooﬁng and Building Maintenance is the company I work for, and we have already led the way with [green roof] technology with the USGBC. Please do check out the GreenSave Calculator [at www.greenroofs.org], which is the ﬁrst calculator introduced to the rooﬁng industry, free for everyone’s use. Tremco is also a supplier in the Clinton Climate Initiative. Kyle Sweppenhiser Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance Beachwood, OH 2009 Industry Outlook I just got the Oct. 6 issue of MeetingNews—and just in the nick of time. I’m doing a guest speaker gig at a class, and the attendees are interested in trends. Not only am I bringing them a handout of the 2009 Industry Outlook, I am bringing them “someone” quoted in the article! Jacquie Brave Partner Accenting Chicago Events & Tours Inc. What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com Web Top 5: October 26-Nov. 1, 2008 #2 Facing Economic Downturn, Companies Cancel Meetings According to the National Business Travel Association, increased airfare, new service charges, and shrinking travel budgets have forced companies to cancel business trips, trim their conference calendars, and move more meetings online. Also, corporate travel managers are ﬁnding ways to reduce costs amid the downturn, said NBTA. (Oct. 22, 2008) Web 2.0 #4 MeetingMatrix Debuts Industry Solution for Meetings Meetings industry software provider MeetingMatrix International’s new suite of Web 2.0 tools suits event venues that want to virtually interact in real time with meeting planners. MeetingMatrix Live! allows venues to distribute room diagrams online, collect electronic sales leads, and communicate virtually with meeting planner clients. (Oct. 27, 2008) UNDER FIRE, AIG CANCELS SECOND LUXURY HOTEL RETREAT #1 Insurance giant AIG, under fire for spending $440,000 on a weeklong luxury retreat for its brokers less than a week after receiving an $85 billion government bailout, has canceled a second retreat that was planned for the same brokers at the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Half Moon Bay, CA. (Oct. 15, 2008) The Web Top 5 and other breaking stories, feature articles, and blogs are available 24/7 at MeetingNews.com. of Economy, Amex #3 BecauseIts Travel Forecast Adjusts American Express Business Travel has published its annual “Global Business Travel Forecast and Trends” report, which predicts supply, demand, and strategy for the business travel industry. The report, which was supposed to be published in September, was delayed and adjusted to account for the recent global ﬁnancial crisis. It predicts an increase in the total cost of business travel and operating challenges for both travel buyers and suppliers. (Oct. 27, 2008) Visa Waiver Program #5 U.S. ExpandsInternational Visitors In Pursuit of The government has announced that it’s expanding the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which enables citizens of participating countries to travel to the country for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa. Twenty-seven countries participate in the program, and seven more will be added, thanks to the expansion, which the government has said will improve both tourism and security within the U.S. (Oct. 21, 2008) Hot Deals meetingnews.com/hotdeals * MEETING PACKAGE: Portoﬁno Offers Planners a 'Warm Reception' in Redondo Beach The Portoﬁno Hotel & Yacht Club in Redondo Beach, CA, has announced a pair of sweeteners for meeting planners who book a group function there by the end of 2008. * MEETING PACKAGE: Afﬁnia Hotels Offers Free 'Meetings By Design' in New York, DC, and Chicago Afﬁnia Hotels, which has properties in New York, Washington, DC, and Chicago, has invited meeting planners to hold events at their hotels in 2009. When they do, it’s offering them a complimentary “Meetings by Design” theme package. 2 MeetingNews November 10, 2008 * MEETING PACKAGE: Through January, Naples’ LaPlaya Resort Gives Mac Computers for Meetings LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, FL, has announced a special offer for meeting planners in the form of a Mac computer. * MEETING PACKAGE: Orlando’s Regal Sun Resort Offers Freebies for Planners The Regal Sun Resort in Orlando has announced two promotions this fall that give meeting planners a choice of three perks, either a free Walt Disney World vacation, free Sunday night accommodations, or a free ice cream social for attendees. *Please call to conﬁrm all prices and terms. www.meetingnews.com http://www.greenroofs.org http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/index.jsp http://www.MeetingNews.com http://www.meetingnews.com/hotdeals http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - November 10, 2008

Meeting News - November 10, 2008
MN Exclusive Research
Green & Social Responsibility: The Year that Was in Meetings
Incentive Special: Recovering from AIG
Perspectives
What's Up @ MeetingNews.com
Letters to the Editor
Inside the Meetings Industry
South Africa Supplement
Newsmaker Q&A
People Making News
Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hopes E-Portal is Small Meeting Utopia
Intercontinental O'Hare Puts Art at Forefront
Convention Centers
Dallas and Philadelphia Move on Their Projects
CVBs
Jacksonville Markets to Medical, Cultural Groups
International
Jamaica's Rose Hall Area Blossoms with Resorts
EIBTM Puts Together an Ambitious Program
Transportation & Services
Meeting News South
Technology
Green Beat
Destination Insider
Fort Lauderdale
Cleveland
Incentive Report
Mexico
MN Webcast Report
Ad Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - November 10, 2008