Meeting News - March 1, 2010 - (Page 12)

Viewpoint As I look back on the past 15 months, the crisis faced by the meetings and incentive travel industry has been unprecedented. The negative publicity we received from media and policymakers clearly points to the need we have as an industry for greater education and understanding of what we do. While it’s easy to be frustrated and upset with others, we must step up and take responsibility for the fact that these perceptions exist. The travel industry employs 7.7 million people across 50 states, generates significant tax revenue and supports the health and welfare of communities where we do business. In light of where we’ve been, where do we go from here? As an industry, we have not done a good enough job educating policymakers or the media, nor did we have the appropriate data to make the case for why meetings and incentive travel are powerful tools for driving business results. A lot of progress was made this year, and industry associations came together like never before to ensure we speak with one voice. Legislative work is ongoing, but there needs to be a grass-roots effort by individuals, corporations and industry suppliers. We must contin- By Christine Duffy Maritz Travel president and CEO M a r c h 1 , 2 0 1 0 Vo l u m e 3 4 , N u m b e r 3 Editorial David Meyer, Editor-In-Chief (646) 654-4431; dmeyer@meetingnews.com Chris Davis, Executive Managing Editor (646) 654-4437; cdavis@meetingnews.com Jay Boehmer, Senior Editor (646) 654-4434; jboehmer@meetingnews.com Michael B. Baker, Associate Editor (646) 654-4433; mbaker@meetingnews.com Seth Harris, Associate Editor (646) 654-5716; sharris@meetingnews.com 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9595 Editorial Fax: (646) 654-4428 Remain Vigilant, Continue To Champion Mtgs. Art Eric Wong, Art Director (646) 654-4439; Eric.K.Wong@nielsen.com Marketing Catherine Marchese, Marketing Manager (646) 654-5131; catherine.marchese@nielsen.com Production Noah Klein, Production Manager (646) 654-5179; Fax (646) 654-7318 noah.klein@nielsen.com ue to educate policymakers and media. The call to your local congressman, the letters you write, leveraging the work done by the U.S. Travel Association, all make a big difference, but don’t stop there— make sure your voice is heard at the local level. Talk Meetings Metrics With Senior Executives During the past 12 months, corporate profits and financial improvements have been generated primarily through cost-cutting and productivity initiatives. Now, as executives turn their focus to top-line revenue growth, helping chief financial officers and procurement executives understand the impact face-to-face meetings have on driving sales and building relationships with customers and channels is critical. It is interesting to me that meetings and incentive programs were disproportionately cut relative to money spent on advertising, direct mail and other marketing activities, continued on page 14 Subscription Information: (847) 763-9050 Subscription Fax: (847) 763-9037 Single Copy Sales: (847) 763-9050 Custom Media Marilyn Moore, Editorial Director marilyn.moore@nielsen.com Alison Golub, Executive Editor Karen Gines, Executive Editor (Performance) Sarah Veit, Associate Editor Denniston Brown, Creative Director Michelle Tropiano, Art Director Jonathan Chan, Associate Art Director Tessa Sestina, Associate Art Director Information Marketing Shelly Patton, Audience Marketing Manager (646) 654-7258; shelly.patton@nielsen.com Reprints The YGS Group Barb Karmilowicz (800) 290-5460 x106 MN@theYGSgroup.com List Rentals For postal mailings: Julius Single (845) 731-2731 For e-mailings: Nicole Guarascio (845) 731-3828 Strategic Travel Symposium Highlights Mtgs. Don’t miss Fleet Boston Scientific director of travel and meetings Tamara Gordon, Estée Lauder executive director of travel and meeting services Cindy Shumate and PricewaterhouseCoopers assurance director Debi Scholar discussing building a more strategic meetings management program when MeetingNews sister publication Business Travel News and the National Business Travel Association host The Strategic Travel Symposium, March 15 and 16, at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. Other sessions of interest to meeting buyers, in addition to those helmed by the headlining speakers— American Express vice chairman Ed Gilligan, New York University associate professor and hotel analyst Bjorn 12 MeetingNews March 1, 2010 Business Manager Leslie Musick Hanson, UBS airline analyst Kevin Crissey and Economic Outlook Group chief global economist Bernard Baumohl—include one on hotel negotiating and alternatives with Johnson & Johnson travel services manager Maria Chevalier, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Solutions Group global project manager of hotel consulting Monica Eiden and University of Texas manager of travel for intercollegiate athletics Kevin Maguire. Another session features Salesforce.com director of global travel Ralph Colunga and FedRooms director Tracy Shook speaking about communicating in a socially networked world with BCD Travel senior vice president April Bridgeman. Please visit www.strategictravelsymposium.org. ❍ President: Greg Farrar Senior Vice President, Human Resources: Michael Alicea Senior Vice President, Brand Media: Andrew Bilbao Senior Vice President, Finance: Sloane Googin Senior Vice President, Retail: David Loechner Senior Vice President, Building & Design: Joe Randall Senior Vice President, Central Services: Mary Kay Sustek Vice President, Manufacturing & Distribution: Jennifer Grego Vice President, Client Marketing: Sue Tremblay Vice President, Audience Marketing: Joanne Wheatley www.meetingnews.com http://www.Salesforce.com http://www.strategictravelsymposium.org http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - March 1, 2010

Meeting News - March 1, 2010
Contents
Newsmaker
Meetings Spotlight
Viewpoint
Event Profile
Meeting People
Travel Dashboard
Construction Cites
MeetingNews Research
Citywide Meetings
Dateline: Florida
Mid-America Regional
Dateline: Tennessee

Meeting News - March 1, 2010