Successful Meetings - January 2010 - (Page 13)

PLANNER’S WORKSHOP incentive insights How one organization made the most of a canceled incentive program Good Citizenship Comes Aboard By Geraldine Gatehouse A unique WAY TO MEET Savor the pleasure of every possible culinary experience, from a hearty burger to multi-star gourmet. Enjoy Buccaneer Island, our own unspoiled slice of Caribbean beach life with a saltwater lagoon and sparkling pools. And, after a day of meetings that stretch your mind, our spa and fitness center offers myriad ways to unwind and recharge. We invite you to discover a Unique Way to Meet… at Ocean Reef Club. W Illustration: Chad Crowe e all know about incentive program cancellations over the past year, but I was curious to know why there wasn’t more news about what has been done to mitigate the unused hotel room blocks and empty ship cabins. By gifting them to nonprofit organizations, it is possible to derive great public relations for corporate donors, and it is a good way to educate the public about the costs and extent of losses involved when such corporate travel programs are canceled. Cruising & Caring I was very interested, then, when I heard about a canceled cruise being donated to a nonprofit organization. It was a Caribbean charter cruise on Silversea’s Silver Cloud with an unexpected cancellation just three weeks before the March 19 departure. Rather than lose the entire charter, valued at more than $1 million, the client contacted the cruise’s organizer, Worldwide Travel & Cruise Associates Inc., to see if Steve Bloss, director of sales, could help find a way for someone to benefit from using the ship. He had an idea of benefiting a nonprofit but wasn’t sure to whom he could offer the cruise. With some speedy responses on the part of colleagues and associates at Pinnacle Meetings.OceanReef.com 800-843-2730 30,000 SQ. FT. ULTRA-MODERN MEETING AND FUNCTION SPACE 300 LUXURY ACCOMMODATIONS 36 HOLES OF MEMORABLE GOLF 7 DINING VENUES SuccessfulMeetings.com I January 2010 I SM I 13 http://Meetings.OceanReef.com http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - January 2010

Successful Meetings - January 2010
Contents
Editor's Letter
Taking the Reins
Incentive Insights
Meetings Law
Path to Success
Innovative Meetings
Convention Centers
Places and Spaces

Successful Meetings - January 2010