Meetings + Incentive Travel March.April 2015

MEETINGS

INCENTIVE TRAVEL

CONFERENCES CONVENTIONS EXHIBITIONS SOURCING DESTINATIONS REWARDS MEASUREMENTS BUDGETS PROCUREMENT TECHNOLOGY MARKETING SOCIAL MEDIA ATTENDEES SHOW MANAGERS CORPORATE GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION THIRD-PARTY PLANNERS SUCCESS

MARCH.APRIL 2015

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REPOR

WHERE IS THE INDUSTRY HEADING?

MARKET

2015

EDUCATION IN BUSINESS EVENTS+TECHNOLOGY+PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT+DESTINATIONS+REWARDS+

PM 40069240

G

AR Ari Fa Lo Om Ro Th

A world of possibilities...

CA Ba Ha Ho Ho Ho Int Int Isla Lo Lo Lo B Mi Oja Om Om R Pe Ra Re Su Ter Th Th Th Th

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in America and around the globe.

For nearly 30 years Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) has been providing meeting professionals with Global Sales services for our distinctive worldwide portfolio of over 170 Four- and Five-Diamond/Star hotels and resorts. ALHI’s Global Sales team can and will help you find unique solutions to best meet your program objectives and budgets.

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Global sales expertise that links you to a world of possibilities.

ARIZONA Arizona Grand Resort & Spa Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Loews Ventana Canyon Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa Royal Palms Resort and Spa The Wigwam CALIFORNIA Bacara Resort & Spa Hard Rock Hotel San Diego Hotel del Coronado Hotel Irvine Jamboree Center Hotel Nikko InterContinental Mark Hopkins InterContinental San Francisco Island Hotel Newport Beach Loews Coronado Bay Loews Hollywood Hotel Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel Miramonte Resort & Spa Ojai Valley Inn & Spa Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa Pebble Beach Resorts Rancho Bernardo Inn Resort at Squaw Creek Surf & Sand Resort Terranea Resort The Grand Del Mar The Langham Huntington The Meritage Resort and Spa The Resort at Pelican Hill COLORADO Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa The Broadmoor The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center The Sebastian Vail CONNECTICUT Foxwoods Resort Casino Mohegan Sun FLORIDA Fontainebleau InterContinental Miami InterContinental Tampa Loews Don CeSar Hotel Loews Miami Beach Hotel Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando®

FLORIDA (con’t) Loews Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando® Naples Grande Beach Resort Ocean Reef Club Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate One Ocean Resort & Spa PGA National Resort & Spa Ponte Vedra Inn & Club Ponte Vedra Lodge & Club Rosen Shingle Creek Saddlebrook Resort The Biltmore The Breakers The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club Trump National Doral Miami Villas of Grand Cypress GEORGIA Château Élan Loews Atlanta Hotel The Cloister at Sea Island The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club HAWAII Halekulani Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows The MODERN Honolulu Turtle Bay Resort IDAHO Sun Valley Resort The Coeur d’Alene ILLINOIS Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park InterContinental Chicago Loews Chicago Hotel Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel Sofitel Chicago Water Tower The Langham Chicago The Peninsula Chicago LOUISIANA Hotel Monteleone Loews New Orleans Hotel MARYLAND Loews Annapolis Hotel Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore

MASSACHUSETTS InterContinental Boston Loews Boston Hotel Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center The Langham Boston MICHIGAN Amway Grand Plaza MGM Grand Detroit MINNESOTA Loews Minneapolis Hotel MISSISSIPPI Beau Rivage Resort & Casino MISSOURI Hotel Sorella Country Club Plaza The Chase Park Plaza NEVADA ARIA Bellagio Delano Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Monte Carlo Resort and Casino Skylofts at MGM Grand The Mirage The Signature at MGM Grand Vdara Hotel & Spa NEW YORK Langham Place, Fifth Avenue Loews Regency Hotel The New York Palace NORTH CAROLINA Pinehurst The Carolina Inn The Omni Grove Park Inn

TENNESSEE Loews Vanderbilt Hotel The Peabody Hotel TEXAS At&T Executive Education and Conference Center Hotel Valencia Riverwalk InterContinental Dallas La Cantera Hill Country Resort Omni Dallas Hotel The Adolphus The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa UTAH Little America Hotel Montage Deer Valley The Grand America Hotel VERMONT Stowe Mountain Lodge VIRGINIA Colonial Williamsburg Hotels Lansdowne Resort Salamander Resort & Spa

CURAÇAO Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Paradisus Palma Real Resort Paradisus Punta Cana Resort GRENADA Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa

WASHINGTON Motif Seattle Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle WASHINGTON, D.C. Loews Madison Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC Omni Shoreham Hotel The Washington Court Hotel Willard InterContinental

MEXICO LIVE Aqua Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla

WEST VIRGINIA The Greenbrier

PANAMA InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort & Spa

WISCONSIN The American Club Resort DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE THE USA

PENNSYLVANIA Loews Philadelphia Hotel

ANTIGUA Sandals Grand Anitgua Resort & Spa

SOUTH CAROLINA Belmond Charleston Place Hotel

CANADA Loews Hotel Vogue Montréal Pan Pacific Vancouver

JAMAICA Half Moon Sandals Grand Riviera Sandals Royal Plantation Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa

OREGON Sunriver Resort

PUERTO RICO Gran Meliá Golf Resort

BERMUDA* Elbow Beach Resort Fairmont Hamilton Princess Fairmont Southampton Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa Rosewood Tucker’s Point The Reefs Resort & Club

BAHAMAS Atlantis Paradise Island* One&Only Ocean Club Sandals Emerald Bay Sandals Royal Bahamian

ST. LUCIA Sandals Grand St. Lucian TURKS & CAICOS Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa *ALHI Global Luxury Alliance Members Atlantis, Paradise Island Bermuda Tourism Authority Delta Air Lines Global DMC Partners Oceania Cruises Regent Seven Seas

Visit ALHI.com and contact your local ALHI Sales Professional or call our luxury group desk at 866-303-2544.

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+CONTENTS features 36

FILLING THE ROOM New data and expert advice on how to build attendance

BY LORI SMITH

41

2015 MARKET REPORT Our annual look at where the industry’s heading Text by LORI SMITH Survey by GERALD BRAMM & ASSOCIATES

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MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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+CONTENTS columns 17

20

21

LEADERSHIP

BY PADRAIC GILLIGAN

BY LORI SMITH

EXPERT OPINION

BY SCOTT STRATTEN

BY LORI SMITH

ASK AN EXPERT

departments 6

What’s New on MeetingsCanada.com

BY ROD CAMERON for AIPC

9

Contributors

BUSINESS MATTERS

11

Letter from the C-suite

12

Editor’s Comment

15

Event Wrap-Ups

16

Agenda

67

Gifts + Gear

7 1

Snapped

74

Find

CONVENTION FILE

BY MARK WARDELL

HARD WIRED Brain dates and new microphones

BY CHRISTINE OTSUKA

TWENTYSOMETHING Meet Chantal Champagne, Event Manager, Strauss Event & Association Management AS TOLD TO CHRISTINE OTSUKA

31

SANTA MONICA, CA Giving groups a taste of California living

Maximizing your B2B marketing efforts

30

62

Using technology for the right reasons

Changing the perception of events

29

SOUTH KOREA MICE in the Land of the Morning Calm

AS TOLD TO CHRISTINE OTSUKA

26

56

Confronting the sinister side of travel

Ditching the event Facebook Page; when a speaker disappoints

24

destinations

GOOD FOR YOU Slowing down to stay in the moment

BY CHRISTINE OTSUKA

34

CUISCENE Expanding the possibilities of potatoes

BY DON DOULOFF

56

26

62 MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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what's new on

NEWS

HOTELS

RISING BUDGETS MEET INCREASING COSTS The winter 2015 edition of MPI’s Meetings Outlook finds the industry

LE MERIDIEN VERSAILLES, MONTREAL COMPLETES RENO

healthy. However, planners will

APPOINTMENT

F&B

have to sharpen their pencils as costs on the supply side rise.

SUSAN PROPHET JOINS MPI TEAM

ALGONQUIN GETS NEW EXEC CHEF w

BLOG

Gerry Sandusky Broadcaster, Corporate Trainer & Author

“All teams are groups, but not all groups are teams. Calling a group a team doesn’t make it one.

That’s the team myth.”

Listen in on the conversation or better yet, join in! Follow us on Twitter for the latest breaking industry news and updates @MeetingsCanada 6

View and share event photos, ask for advice from other planners and suppliers or react to industry headlines on our Facebook page (facebook.com/MeetingsCanada)

QUOTABLE

“Your brand is the character, the constitution, even the soul of your company.”

Mark Wardell President, Wardell International “Building a Better Brand”

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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#myphx

This is the moment it felt like you were exactly where you were supposed to be.

You wouldn’t have guessed it. But you’ll never forget it.

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WHAT ABOUT THE INDUSTRY INSPIRES YOU?

VOLUME 44, NUMBER 2 MARCH.APRIL 2015

General Manager R O B IN PA IS LE Y 416.510.5141 RPaisley@MeetingsCanada.com

“I am inspired by the movement towards greater collaboration amongst industry partners.”

EDITORIAL

“The great grace under pressure

Editor 416.442.5600 x3254

LO R I S MIT H

Associate Editor 416.442.5600 x3255

CHR IST IN E OTS U KA

Art Director 416.442.5600 x3590

that is a characteristic of planners and suppliers.”

LSmith@MeetingsCanada.com

“The people! Their passion and dedication inspires me.”

COtsuka@MeetingsCanada.com

ART

“Haven’t been here long but so far I’ve met some lovely people.”

ELLIE ROBINSON ERobinson@annexnewcom.ca

SALES

“The people, their passion

and their creativity.”

Senior Account Manager CO R I-A N N CA N U E L

Canada + USA CCanuel@MeetingsCanada.com 416.510.6819

International Business A LA N N A MCQ UA ID “Excitement, adventure,

Development Manager AMcquaid@MeetingsCanada.com accomplishment and most 416.510.5144 of all—working with the best people in the WORLD!”

INCENTIVEWORKS

Event Coordinator ST E P HA N IE HILTZ 416.442.5600 x5213 SHiltz@MeetingsCanada.com

Event Coordinator 416.442.5600 x3213

ST E P HA N IE RA P KO

Event Manager 416.442.5600 x3214

LO R I W IN CH

“Seeing the ideas come alive.”

Events Intern 416.442.5600 x5238

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Rod Cameron (AIPC), Don Douloff, Padraic Gilligan, Tod Maffin, Amy Ruddell, Scott Stratten, Mark Wardell

SRapko@MeetingsCanada.com

LWinch@MeetingsCanada.com

JE SS ICA S ILIP O JSilipo@MeetingsCanada.com

“The endless learning and growth opportunities!”

CIRCULATION + PRODUCTION + ONLINE Circulation Manager B E ATA O LEC H N OW I C Z 416.442.5600 x3543

Vice-President + General Manager

JOE GLION N A

Market Production Manager 416.510.6762

President

JIM GLIONN A

Production Manager (Online) 416.442.5600 x3221

NEWCOM BUSINESS MEDIA

“The industry’s ability to bring together individuals face-to-face in unlikely combinations, who then can enact real change in the world.”

BOlechnowicz@@annexnewcom.ca

T RACE Y HA N SO N THanson@@annexnewcom.ca

D E B B IE S MI TH DSmith@annexnewcom.ca

Meetings + Incentive Travel (M+IT) magazine receives unsolicited features and materials (including letters to the editor) from time to time. M+IT, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. MAIL PREFERENCES: Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to reputable companies whose products or services may be of interest to you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374, Fax: 416-442-2191, E-Mail: privacyofficer@annexnewcom.ca, SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: Canada $77.95 per year, Outside Canada $108.00 US per year, Single Copy Canada $13.00, Buyers Guide $60.95. HST #10386 2405 RT0001. Meetings + Incentive Travel is published 6 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues. Meetings + Incentive Travel is indexed in the Canadian Business Index and is available online in the Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database. Contents Copyright Newcom Business Media. Canada Post — Canadian publications Mail Sales Product Agreement 40069240 ISSN No. 0225-8285 (Print) ISSN No. 1929-6428 (Online). 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON M3B 2S9. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

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contributors

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PADRAI C GILLIGAN Eyes Wide Open

AMY RUD DE LL Ask An Expert

R O D CA ME R O N (A IP C) How Far Have We Really Come?

D O N D O U LO F F Side Show

“The people! The meetings industry is a magnet that attracts the most amazingly talented and creative people.”

“The opportunity to work and collaborate with the many creative and resourceful minds within our industry.”

“It’s an exciting industry because by definition it interacts with and supports the whole spectrum of human activity.”

“Planners’ endless creativity and boundless energy, and their fierce dedication to putting together engaging meetings and events.”

Contact Padraic at padraic@soolnua.com

Contact Amy at aruddell@divcomevents.com

Contact Rod at jmic@themeetingsindustry.org

Contact Don at dondouloff@rogers.com

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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The versatile Acadia Meeting Room, with natural light pouring through floor to ceiling windows, offers gorgeous views of Halifax’s Historic Properties, and 2,800 sq. ft. of flexible floor space. Perfect for business or personal events, the Acadia Meeting Room is part of our 22,000 sq. ft. of high quality convention space that our client hosts return to time and again.

Client: Marriot Job Number: 5286 Marriott Acadia Meeting Room Ad

A S P A C E TO M E E T ANY DEMAND

H ALIFAX M AR R I OT T H AR B OUR F RONT 1 9 1 9 U PPER WAT E R ST R E ET, H A LI F A X , NOV A SCOT IA PH O N E 9 0 2 . 4 2 1 . 1 7 0 0 W W W . H A LI F A X MA RRIOT T . COM FACEBOOK.COM/HALIFAXMARRIOTTHARBOURFRONT TWITTER @HALIFAXMARRIOTT

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+LETTER FROM THE C-SUITE

HI, MY NAME IS JOE Greetings.

ng ’s

Client: Marriot Job Number: 5286 Marriott Acadia Meeting Room Ad Pub: M&IT Magazine Specs: 8.125” x 10.75” CMYK .125” bleed Contact #: 902-835-3559

r m

Please don’t mistake me for a new editor, I plan on leaving the content of these pages to people far more qualified than myself. So why am I taking up this space? In January my company, Newcom Business Media, purchased this magazine as well as the IncentiveWorks show.

Typically, subscribers of a magazine know what articles they like and what columnists they prefer. The corporate entity is just a logo in the masthead.

The reason this acquisition is different for you comes down to our publishing philosophy: “We Serve Our Advertisers Best By Putting Our Readers First.” You are the most important part of the equation in our business model. Without qualified readers, we have nothing to sell advertisers. And without top quality editorial, you’re not going to turn the pages. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?

I will be speaking to the advertisers separately, explaining to them why this model is the right one and that it has served my family well, dating back to 1929 when my grandfather started working for Bus & Truck Magazine. I am a third-generation business magazine publisher and very proud of our history.

Switching gears, the meetings, incentives and show industries are rapidly changing and Newcom knows this all too well, producing trade shows and conferences in the trucking industry (Truck World in Toronto is one of Canada’s largest trade shows). There was a blog post on this magazine’s website recently whose author posed the question, “Are trade shows passé?” I sure hope not! I just bought IncentiveWorks and plan on keeping it for a while. But I think the intended message was meant to suggest that what worked yesterday won’t necessarily work tomorrow and if meeting planners and show organizers don’t stay on top of these changes, your shows and events will get left behind.

Hopefully that’s where we come in. I’d like for you to read this magazine every issue and be able to say to yourself, “I’m a better planner.” Our job is to educate, inform and keep you up-to-date on the industry’s happenings. I look forward to getting to know some of you, attending industry events, and becoming a better planner myself. And I would like to hear from you. There is an open door policy at Newcom, my contact information is easily found and nothing helps make us better than getting feedback from our most important allies: you.

Thank you for reading.

J OE G L I ON N A Vice President & General Manager Newcom Business Media (416) 459-2365 (Toronto) (514) 213-4003 (Montreal) joe@newcom.ca

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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+EDITOR’SCOMMENT

THE PLANNER PARADOX

COMING NEXT ISSUE 2015 M+IT Salary Survey results; NMID cross-country recap; meetings at sea; and destination reports on Santa Barbara, CA and Nashville, TN.

STAY IN THE KNOW

Sign up for our newsletters, delivered right to your inbox.

Weekly The top five must-read stories of the week, plus industry blogs and important dates.

Monthly In case you missed it, we recap the most-read industry news of the month. meetingscanada.com/newsletters

Many years ago I was considering attending a trade show in Europe. When I researched airfares, I discovered that extending my stay by two days would result in substantial savings. Even when I added in the cost of the extra nights of accommodation, the total was less than the bill with the shorter-stay airfare. I thought it was great. I would save the company money! I presented the information to the decisionmaker, who dismissed it immediately. The extra days had the whiff of pleasure, and business and pleasure could not be mixed.

I’m telling you this story because the still-existing corporate and cultural belief in the old adage of not mixing business with pleasure has resulted in what I call “The Planner Paradox.” In reality, a planner’s job is to create events (meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel programs) that effectively combine the seemingly contradictory elements of business and pleasure. However, I have observed that any emphasis on the latter is perceived as diminishing the power of the former and the industry.

Meetings do mean business. They also mean pleasure in the form of good food, nice hotels, parties, stimulating education, interesting destinations, etc. Look at the new data from The Experience Institute (page 36) on how people are making the decision to attend conferences and exhibitions. Destination matters. Content and networking opportunities top it, but where an event is being held is a significant factor

in the decision-to-attend for a large portion of potential participants. But, Wendy Holliday of Velvet Chainsaw is right in advising in that same article that organizers must promote destinations judiciously.

Any whiff of vacation (i.e. pleasure) could have deleterious results, particularly for those who do not have power over the decision to attend.

Will this change? New research on Millennials, the demographic that will have the largest presence in the workplace in the coming years, shows an enthusiasm for what is being called “bleisure”—a combination of business and leisure. They are also the generation experiencing work environments that have pool tables and treadmills.

When this group hits the C-suite (in some industries they are already there), I think it will be recognized that far from being contradictory, business and pleasure are complementary—both essential to a company’s or event’s success. I also think that as a result planners will see a new respect for their ability to create ways to mix business and pleasure.

I look forward to that day.

LORI SMITH EDITOR lsmith@meetingscanada.com

M+IT EDITORIAL MANDATE Meetings industry and travel publications are often offered free FAM trips, accommodations and gifts.

M+IT magazine only accepts those that will be featured in the magazine or online through editorial content. Destinations are chosen through reader surveys and market research.

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NIAGARA FALLS - FALLSVIEW

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+WRAPUPS

PCMA CONVENING LEADERS 2015 PCMA continued its experimentation this year at its 59th annual Convening Leaders conference. About 4,000 industry professionals gathered in Chicago January 11-14 to learn from thought leaders in and around the meetings industry and experience innovations in meeting design.

This year’s theme, “Make No Little Plans,” is part of a quote by Daniel Burnham, an American architect and urban designer, and event organizers took that to heart.

From the opening reception at the 1 Museum of Science and Industry that saw Chicago neighbourhoods come to life over three levels, and indoor park complete with street lamps, park benches and foliage, to the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the general sessions and see the Freeman crew and event organizers at work, PCMA had big plans for this event. Convening Leaders also spread out around the city this year. While the majority of sessions took place in the West Building at McCormick Place, some programming was held at two downtown Chicago hotels—The

CANSPEP 2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE This year’s CanSPEP conference was held in Saskatoon, February 26-28. As a first time CanSpep event attendee the sense of community and unity among this group was apparent right away! The theme of the conference this year was MEET – LEARN – GROW. And that we did.

The conference began early Thursday morning as the planner attendees headed out to Wanuskewin Heritage Park for a day designed just for them. The event began with a cleansing ceremony called “smudging” and an opening prayer by an Elder, followed by a session about enhancing business with Aboriginal Culture and learning about the rich contributions Aboriginal people have made to Canada and how awareness of their culture can be successfully integrated into events representing

Sheraton and the Hyatt Regency Chicago —a departure from years past.

This year, PCMA organizers drew up a different educational plan. Attendees saw fewer breakout sessions in favour of an expansive Learning Lounge, which featured shorter sessions and smaller group sizes. In addition, TechCentral, which was once only a small part of the conference, was integrated into the Learning Lounge and attendees had the opportunity to test products, software, apps and attend techbased sessions.

Breakouts were separated into four colour-coded tracks to better organize the

content being delivered: Event Technology and Intelligence, Meeting and Experience Design, Operational Strategy and Globalization. The educational program also included eight Thought Leader sessions and six Business School sessions with university professors discussing finance and business strategies.

All in all, the changes to the education content created more balance between traditional and non-traditional learning formats, but the noise level in the Learning Lounge often detracted from the quality of the learning experience.

And to provide even more value to conference attendees PCMA organizers have made recordings of certain sessions available to all attendees for free for 60 days following the conference. In the past, these recordings were available, but not complimentary for attendees of the live event.

Next year, PCMA’s flagship conference comes North, as Vancouver will host the 60th annual Convening Leaders January 10-13, 2016. –Christine Otsuka

Canada. A First Nations Dance ceremony was performed over lunch before heading into the afternoon sessions. The planner day ended with a blessing by the Elder.

When I spoke to the event organizer, Claire Belanger-Parker, about why she chose this specific location for the event, she said she felt it “was the perfect location to create a respectful learning environment and a chance to experience something unique and for some, step out of their comfort zone.”

This portion of the program set the tone for the remainder of the conference, a supportive network, a safe learning space, and the tools to help you grow.

The opening dinner was a ComiCon themed event. Many attendees took this opportunity to release their inner Super Heroes and we all had a good laugh thanks to comedian Kelly Taylor.

Day two offered more great education and networking at the suppliers showcase followed by a dinner at Champêtre County, a Wild West-themed saloon in the prairies that brought us back in time. After a sleigh

ride, a great home-cooked meal and some good ol’ dancing we headed to the hotel feeling like we really experienced the hospitality that the West is famous for.

To switch things up a little on day three, the planning committee put together “CanSpep Talks”– seven speakers, seven minutes each! Both planner and supplier presenters were pre-selected to educate or entertain the audience on a variety of industry related topics or personal stories that shared challenges and successes. This was a great way to get attendees involved in content creation and it was also inspiring to see our peers get up in front of the room and take a risk!

The conference wrapped up with the CanSpep awards gala. Robert Thomson, AV Canada was awarded Supplier of the Year and Rita Plaskett, Agendum, received the Leadership Award.

If the goals of this conference were to Meet, Learn and Grow, I think that I speak for everyone when I say that this mission was achieved! Next year’s conference will be held in Windsor. –Cori-Ann Canuel MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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+WRAPUPS REVEAL 2015 SOCIAL Talk about collaboration! This year destination marketing organizations from across Canada came together to host the first annual REVEAL event. Instead of each destination hosting their own event which is how it was previously done, REVEAL brought over 100 planners and 15 destinations under one roof giving everyone more time to network.

The event was held at the Lowertown Brewery in the Byward Market in Ottawa the evening before CSAE Tete-a-Tete and MPI Ottawa’s Charity Gala and included entertainment from four musical acts sponsored by

Ottawa Tourism (Backbeat); Yukon Convention Bureau (Can Caners, Snowshoe Shufflers & the Legendary Sour Toe Cocktail); Destination St. John’s (Spirit of Newfoundland); and Travel Alberta (Dueling Piano Show). Nine other destinations were also represented at the event: Fredericton, NB; Halifax, NS; London, ON; Moncton, NB; Northwest Territories; Richmond, BC; Regina, SK; Saint John, NB; Saskatoon, SK; Winnipeg, MB; and Victoria, BC. Reveal 2015 was produced by CanPlan Event & Conference Services and Freeman Audio Visual Canada. – Cori-Ann Canuel

+AGENDA event spotlight Keep on top of professional development and networking opportunities in the business events community.

APRIL National Meetings Industry Day The Canadian chapters of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) will once again celebrate the industry with a roster of inspiring cross-country events. Here in Canada members of the industry will gather in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver to learn and connect through a variety of educational and networking opportunities. This year, for the first time, we will be joined in the celebration by event pros in the United States and Mexico. nmid.ca

Visit chapter sites for more information on NMID celebrations: Halifax – mpiatlantic.com Montreal – mpimontrealquebec.com Ottawa – mpiottawa.ca Toronto – mpitoronto.org Winnipeg - mpimanitoba.ca Edmonton - mpiedmonton.org Calgary - mpi-gcc.org Vancouver - mpibcchapter.com

Meetings Industry Euchre Tournament (MIET) The Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place in Toronto will once again host the Meetings Industry Euchre Tournament (MIET).

Offering beginner and advanced stream tournament play, a casual dinner and networking opportunities, the event gives industry members the chance to have fun while raising funds in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, a renowned leader in the fight against cancer. miet.ca

ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY EVENTS: APRIL ++ 14 Site Canada Social, Toronto, ON ++ 16-17 Convivium, MPI Montreal & Quebec, Montreal, QC ++ 20-22 GBTA Conference, Toronto, ON MAY ++ 7 MPI Ottawa Prix Prestige Gala, Gatineau-Ottawa, ON ++ 19-21 IMEX Frankfurt, Frankfurt, DE ++ 26-29 Rendez-vous Canada, Niagara Falls, ON ++ 30-JUNE 3 IPW 2015, Orlando, FL JUNE ++ 7-9 MPI Toronto Education Conference, Blue Mountain, ON ++ 14-17 PCMA 2015 Education Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL ++ 24-26 FICP Education Forum, Washington, D.C. FOR MORE INDUSTRY EVENTS, VISIT MEETINGSCANADA.COM

FICP® – Financial & Insurance Conference Planners GBTA - Global Business Travel Association Canada MPI - Meeting Professionals International PCMA – Professional Convention Management Association SITE – Society for Incentive Travel Excellence

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EYES WIDE OPEN

+LEADERSHIP

Time to confront the sinister side of travel

BY PADRAIC GILLIGAN Amongst the priorities for her year as president of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), Rhonda Brewer, vice-president of sales for Maritz Travel Company, listed shedding needed light on the crime of child sex trafficking, a practice, according to research, that grows significantly before and during large events.

SITE intends to use its truly global membership (there are members in a staggering 90 countries) to support ECPAT International, a global network of organizations working together to end child prostitution, child pornography and the trafficking of children for

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+LEADERSHIP sexual purposes. SITE fully subscribes to Mark Twain’s famous statement about the transformational impact of travel: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Yet SITE acknowledges that there can be another side to international travel; a sinister, ugly underbelly that involves the sexual exploitation of children and their treatment as commodities to be traded across borders.

Rhonda Brewer deserves huge kudos for leveraging her leadership at SITE to highlight this immensely important ethical issue.

And, SITE’s management team should also be thanked for taking on what will be a long-term initiative that only begins with its 2015 goal of creating awareness and providing education on the issue.

These actions are all the more impressive as the MICE industry hasn’t exactly distinguished itself for its pioneering pronouncements on ethical matters, preferring, most of the time, to behave like the proverbial ostrich with its head firmly in the sand.

RESOURCES ECPAT International – www.ecpat.net “A Time for Ethics” by Martin Lewis, Meetpie. com, March 25, 2013 (bit.ly/Time4Ethics) “Big debate: Industry figures dismiss Russia events boycott,” Conference & Incentive Travel, August 28, 2013. (bit.ly/ IndustryDebateRussia)

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Sochi: A Tipping Point?

The systematic, ongoing appalling treatment of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community by the Russian authorities and the subsequent general call for a boycott of the Sochi Olympic Games did lead to some MICE industry comment spearheaded, mainly by Martin Lewis of CAT Publications in the UK. On its online platform, MeetPie.com (“A Time for Ethics,” March 25, 2013) Lewis posed a series of searching questions arising out of key aspects of what we do as an industry—choice of destination, choice of suppliers, choice of clients, etc.

“Is this a tipping moment? Is this a time for us to take a more principled view of the world and stop choosing destinations where citizens are not free to choose their destiny? And should we stop handling clients whose activities do not stand close examination?

Many companies are correctly asking suppliers to be transparent and reveal their CSR credentials before doing business with them. Isn’t it time our industry added ethics to the discussion and turned the spotlight on some of the clients as well as the supply chain?”

Lewis’s questions provoked quite a reaction with industry heavyweights including Motivcom’s Nigel Cooper and Spectra’s Paul Miller contributing thoughtful responses. The common thread across all responses being a strong intake of breath and the statement: “This is a very complex issue.”

The Complexities But to say that ethics in the meetings industry is complex is like saying Bill Gates is rich.

Like Gates’ billions which, each second, generate millions in interest, the nuanced subtleties of any ethical discussion expand and grow like rampant bindweed. Conversations about ethics in business are

notoriously difficult to start due to our widely different departure points and our plethora of filters. They tend to end in anger, frustration or tears and so, many of us simply avoid going there much in the way we sidestep discussion about religion or politics. But do these inherent difficulties exonerate us from engaging in the discussion?

Reasonable Responses Conference & Incentive Travel magazine reproduced extracts from interviews with three agency leaders in the United Kingdom (UK) following the Sochi issue. All three dismissed the idea of a boycott (“Big debate: Industry figures dismiss Russia events boycott,” August 28, 2013). Interestingly, two of the three respondents dismissed the boycott because they believed it would be ineffective, a lone “sulking voice crying in the wilderness: “If the UK Government was leading some kind of charge, then fine—but it isn’t and therefore a boycott would only ever be a personal view on behalf of an event agency or an event client.” – Simon Maier, TFI Group “Unless you represent a sizeable portion of the buying population of a country or supplier, a boycott is no more than sulking; it doesn’t have any real impact. I wish the UK meetings market was a large enough customer of Russia to make a boycott significant to the suppliers over there, but sadly it is not.” – Chris Parnham, Absolute Corporate Events These match one of Nigel Cooper’s comments at MeetPie to Lewis’s posting: “One agency, company, industry or even country acting alone does not have the ability to make a real impact.”

These are all practical, reasonable opinions which, I reckon, are pretty representative of where most of us might stand.

We weigh the pros and cons of

the case as we see it and then apply some typical “Art of War” principles—can we rely on the support of our allies to win this battle or will we be standing out there alone? Without the Government or the meetings industry weighing in, we could so easily end up isolated, losing the battle, and in the process, our credibility too. Far too complex. Better stay out of it…

It starts with me But somehow this all calls to mind Martin Niemöller’s devastating statement on Nazi Germany: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak for me…”

SITE’s Rhonda Brewer has taken a brave and courageous step in grasping the ethics nettle and drawing our industry’s attention to an underlying aspect of MICE that is sinister and evil. Her initiative deserves our full attention and our unqualified support.

–Padraic Gilligan is managing partner at SoolNua, a marketing consultancy working with destinations and enterprises on strategies for MICE. www.padraicino.com

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+EXPERT OPINION

TECH SUPPORT Five ways to ensure you are using technology for the right reasons

Sometimes technology for your attendees feels like a doubleedged sword. The cost of event WiFi can take up half your budget, yet it seems as though the first thing attendees use it for is complaints—often about connection issues.

Technology can help your event but can also greatly distract from and hinder it to the point where we need to ask ourselves, should we be using it, rather than can we be using it.

Here are five things to consider before deciding how techsavvy your event should be: 1 OLD RULES FOR NEW TECH Believe it or not, I have keynoted tech conferences where the emcee requested everyone turn off their phones. Some speakers prefer this 1990’s rule because it forces the audience to pay attention to their talk. But it’s the speaker’s fault if their content isn’t more exciting than Candy Crush. Their goal should be to make the content so good that no one wants to check their phones, but so compelling they want to tweet about it.

2 TAKING THE TECH PULSE Creating hashtags and Instagram accounts because you want to seem tech savvy is a great way to ostracize a non-tech audience.

I’ve done the same talk to audiences that generate hundreds of tweets or no tweets depending on the group. Consider your audience and their comfort level with a platform before rolling out the hashtag you want to trend. It isn’t a measure of success for every audience.

3 CANADIANS ARE MORE TECH SAVVY THAN EVER More than half of all Canadians, of all ages, own a smartphone. Just because your audience wasn’t tech friendly five years ago doesn’t mean they aren’t today. Ask them. Poll your attendees before the event to get a better feel. And never use tech because you can—use it because you should.

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ENOVATING YOUR 4 R DIGITAL PRESENCE Google recently announced that non-mobile friendly websites would be penalized in search results.

Combine that with the percentage of connected Canadians and realize that your conference site needs to play nice with the 18 million smartphones in the country.

Mobile isn’t what’s coming next— its what’s now.

SEE SCOTT STRATTEN SPEAK AT

5 HASHTAG #BEWARE Conference hashtags have been all the rage AUGUST 18, for a while now. They are searchable, easy 2015 to use and work across social platforms. The danger can be when people create their own hashtags for your event or leverage yours for spam. Most frequently, I see problems arising when events do not properly monitor their hashtag in real-time. Because hashtags are a real-time tool, they can’t be checked periodically or two weeks after your event is over and they should never, ever be on a screen behind a speaker—nothing is more distracting to the audience or the person on stage.

Technology is wonderful, painful and not going anywhere.

Keeping these five points in mind will save you some online grief down the road.

Scott Stratten is an expert in viral, social, and authentic marketing and one of the “Top Five Social Media Influencers in the World” according to Forbes.com.

He has written four bestselling business books, the newest being UnSelling: The New Customer Experience. See his keynote presentation at IncentiveWorks August 18th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Illustration: © macrovector/iStock/Thinkstock

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+ASK AN EXPERT

DITCHING THE EVENT FACEBOOK PAGE And what to do after a speaker disappoints

Q.

A few years ago we created a Facebook event page for our event. And while we see a few thousand attendees at our event every year, our Facebook event page only shows less than 100 people are coming. I’m worried the people that do look at this page will think it is a poorly attended event and if it doesn’t seem to be generating additional attendance or interest, is it necessary to keep this Facebook event page going?

A.

It’s a great question and you’re not the only person to wonder if the time invested in setting up and moderating a Facebook Event page is worth it.

Q.

Facebook event pages really serve two purposes: 1 | Collecting RSVPs. 2 | Spreading the word about your event.

Let’s look at each one in terms of your event.

those people with posts in their News Feed. (This is because you can’t actually use that email list to send direct emails.)

At my digital marketing agency, engageQ digital, we’ve used Custom Audiences and website retargeting to generate much stronger attendance for events we’ve worked on.

Be sure to have your web person install Facebook’s conversiontracking pixel on the “Thank you for registering!” page so you can directly measure ROI. You’ll then be able to see how much you spent on ads and how much actual revenue those ads generated in terms of event registration.

M+IT EXPERT TOD MAFFIN engageQ digital

1 | Collecting RSVPs. Your event likely has a separate website for registrations. In this case, using a Facebook event page as well duplicates this effort and can cause confusion for your attendees. If they “register” on Facebook, are they really signed up? Probably not. Facebook doesn’t serve you well for this goal.

2 | Event awareness. Facebook used to give high “edgerank” (visibility on users’ News Feeds) to Facebook events. In the last year, we’re seeing fewer such posts make it to News Feeds. As well, while you can use advertising to promote these events, people who click will land on the Facebook event page—when, really, you want them to go to your main page. Far better to put your ad dollars to direct people to your main site. Thus, Facebook events don’t serve you well here either.

Our recommendation would be to drop the Facebook event page, but use Facebook’s powerful “custom audience” targeting to put posts about your event in the News Feed of past attendees, people likely to attend, and other lists you may have acquired. Unlike email marketing, there are no “spam” rules on Facebook that prevent you from uploading a list of email addresses and targeting

I’m responsible for hiring speakers for my annual conference and while the majority of the time our speakers get great reviews, every once in awhile a speaker gets really terrible feedback and does not deliver the session we discussed. But I’m never quite sure how to approach this with the speaker post-event. How do I deliver this news and what can I do to ensure this doesn’t happen with other speakers in the future?

A.

Like anyone, even the mightiest of keynote speakers have their off days. Of course, we’d rather that not happen at our conferences, especially when your event and professional reputation are on the line.

I’ve been there—more than once—it’s not fun. I once hired a speaker that I had heard on the radio. She was a fantastic interview: charismatic, articulate and en- M+IT EXPERT AMY RUDDELL gaging—I loved her! Unfortunately, that Diversified didn’t translate onto the stage and the re- Communications Canada sults (and evaluations) were disastrous.

Lesson learned? I usually insist on seeing a video of the speaker prior to hiring them. The quality of video production isn’t important; it’s how they resonate with you, and subsequently with your audience. You should be able to gauge within the first 25 seconds if they are a fit or not.

If the speaker doesn’t have video, you have to ask the right questions. If you are dealing with an experienced speaker who does not allow themselves to be recorded, then that’s okay—usually it’s MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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+ASK AN EXPERT because they have a great talk they don’t want others seeing online, or it’s copyrighted, etc. There can be many reasons why a speaker doesn’t have a video. It does not mean they are a bad speaker. In fact, I know a number of excellent speakers who have great reputations who just don’t have video!

Another option is booking your speakers via a reputable speaker’s bureau. I work with a few, and I trust them both implicitly. Because bureaus often represent high-profile speakers, there a misconception that it will be very expensive—it doesn’t have to be. Many have newer speakers they have checked out already and are eager to work with your budget. Some speakers, if they are local to your event, will even speak for free. It’s rare, but it can be done. Especially if the bureau needs video for that speaker! And if that’s the case, you should feel confident the speaker will deliver a great talk.

What if you are hiring speakers who are not professional or just starting out and don’t have those types of resources yet? The majority of my events are practitioner driven, so aside from my keynotes, most of my presenters are not professional speakers at all. I do ask for references and request their presentations months prior to the event.

However, being on stage is a completely different animal.

You can tell when someone is giving their talk whether or not

they have that “It” factor; whether or not they have done the work to create a great presentation. I think it is perfectly okay to review “delivery”; it’s like an audition—but again...being on stage is a skill, and becoming a great speaker requires lots of work. Rome wasn’t built a day!

And after all your research and due diligence, what happens if the presentation just didn’t “cut the mustard”? It’s a tough position to be in; no one likes to deliver bad news. I prefer to wait a few days to have the conversation, a cooling off period if you will.

When I’m onsite running an event, I’m stressed. Throw a bad presentation and unhappy attendees in the mix, and that stress level goes off the charts.

But, it is a conversation that needs to be had, both for you, and for your speaker. Waiting a day or two gives you time to access the situation and to arm yourself with the evaluation results. Data removes the emotion from the conversation, clearing the way for a candid, and hopefully, constructive conversation—one you will both benefit and learn from.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? Email cotsuka@meetingscanada.com and M+IT will call upon an expert to answer it in an upcoming issue.

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+CONVENTION FILE

HOW FAR HAVE WE REALLY COME Changing the perception of events

BY ROD CAMERON, AIPC

Ten years ago in an article titled, “Ten Things We Need to Explain about Our Industry,” we said that “we’re not tourism— we really have relatively little to do with the leisure sector that makes up the bulk of the tourism product in most parts of the world. In fact, we’re much more connected to the areas of business and economic development.”

At the time, many saw this as heresy—even within the industry itself. Today, it is almost universally accepted, at least amongst ourselves, driven by a growing awareness that the greatest value of meetings, conventions and other business events is the role they play in supporting economic, academic and professional advancement. In achieving this transition, we’ve managed to better align ourselves with the reasons organizers actually hold such events, and at the same time, with what are today the number one priorities of

24

governments and communities everywhere on Earth.

Now, this distinction is more important than ever—but still far from recognized by those same communities and governments who are amongst our most important audiences. So while we’ve achieved an important level of unanimity within the industry, we still have a lot of work to do beyond our own borders.

The reason is simple: to the extent that we as an industry are indentified with economic and social advancement, we will be valued in a time when those are urgent concerns. But if our events are seen as simply providing an excuse for a paid holiday at someone else’s expense—which can happen when there is too much focus on the leisure side of a conference or convention program and not enough on what the event actually achieves—our importance will be, at best, devalued and,

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at worst, cut off from the kind of support that is required to maintain the momentum of the industry into the future.

We saw this happen in the depths of the recent recession when there was regular political outrage in many places over the perceived spending of public money on convention participation. But it’s still alive and well today in the form of travel and meetings attendance restrictions that are usually amongst the first (and lengthiest) cutbacks imposed by many governments in the face of ongoing economic uncertainties.

In fact, a recent survey of more than 100 convention centres worldwide registered government policy decisions as the top perceived risk to their business recovery and growth prospects.

Such a perception problem won’t be solved overnight—but as an industry, there’s a lot we can do to start moving things in the right direction. At the top

of the list is the way we characterize our destination products: more emphasis on their business, professional, institutional and intellectual qualities and less on the golf courses and nightlife would go a long way toward convincing dubious audiences of the serious intent of meetings and conventions.

So would putting more focus on what these events achieve in terms of business and professional outcomes rather than just how much spending they generate in the host community.

It was true then and it’s still true now: we’re all about economic, professional and academic advancement—but while we may have come to believe it ourselves, we still have a long way to go in convincing others!

– Rod Cameron is the executive director of the International

Wi pre lak is co

St

Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), a global network of 170 centres in 56 countries. aipc.org

Illustration: ©Thinkstock

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+BUSINESSMATTERS

GETTING A PIECE OF THE B2B PIE

HOW TO BUILD A MULTI-STEP PLAN TO MAXIMIZE YOUR BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETING EFFORTS If your customers are other businesses, as opposed to end users, then you’re engaged in business-to-business (B2B) marketing.

And chances are, if you’ve been at it for long, you already know that excelling at B2B requires a slightly more complex marketing strategy than business-to-consumer marketing (B2C).

This makes sense, of course, as the average business requires much more time and process to arrive at a purchasing decision than the average consumer does.

To maximize your B2B marketing efforts, you’ll need a strategy that meets the needs of both the business you’re selling to and the individual (i.e. purchaser or VP) you’re dealing with at the company. You’ll also need a multi-step marketing plan to help you most successfully generate new business. Here’s how:

ONE

Think like your customer

We’ve already established that your customer is complicated.

With B2B, your customer is both the business you’re selling to and the individual purchaser at that business. You need to make sure you’re meeting the specific needs of both.

To simplify this process, start by asking: who is your champion?

Who makes the ultimate buying decisions, and what is their process? Even when decisions are made by committee, there is still generally one person whose influence is strongest.

You’ll want a clear strategy in place so that you can be sure you’re providing your champion with everything they need to say “yes” to your product or service. To get there, consider the following: 1 | Find out everything you can about your champion’s purchasing process.

2 | Find out who they are as individuals.

3 | Find out what they need (from their department or colleagues) to make their purchasing as easy as possible.

4 | Find out what the company needs to make a buying decision.

BY MARK WARDELL

decisions, etc.) and the business as itself (i.e. size, industry, purchasing process, etc.) you’ll be able to tailor your efforts with far greater success.

TWO

Develop a multi-step marketing strategy

Business-to-business promotional activities should primarily be direct response in nature, but they should be multi-step in design. As stated above, if your business prospects are actually shopping for information, the job of your promotional activities should be to get that information into their hands before trying to make a direct sale.

A multi-step plan involved a series of steps that serve to generate increasing interest, which should ultimately lead to a potential sale.

For example, if you’re selling medical supplies step one might be to encourage your business prospects to call for a free catalogue.

When you send the catalogue, step two might be to offer them a free subscription to your newsletter. If they accept, step three might then be to offer them a first-time customer special along with their first issue. The sale might not actually happen until step four.

Prospects that enter your sales system from a well-designed, multi-step marketing campaign are highly qualified. In fact, if your marketing campaign is designed well enough, prospects may almost sell themselves.

Not surprisingly, Hubspot are masters at this. One tactic Hubspot uses is to offer free (very useful) business whitepapers, which can be downloaded in return for contract information. They then follow up with further offers, all designed to get a fairly easy “yes” from their business customer—in an effort to guide that individual to an eventual sale.

This year, invest time to better understand the needs of you business customers. Along with developing a multi-step marketing plan that effectively generates interest among new customers, you’ll be well positioned for higher B2B sales in 2015.

– Mark Wardell is president and founder of Wardell Professional Development

As you develop a robust profile on both your primary contact (i.e. who they are, what their needs are, how they make purchasing 26

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+HARDWIRED THE NEW MICROPHONES It’s time to ditch the mic stand. Today’s microphones fit in your pocket or look like they belong on your kid’s bed.

A SMARTPHONE The free iOS and Android app Crowd Mics turns an attendee’s smartphone into a microphone. The app includes a text commenting feature and live polling, which will help create conversations between all your delegates and encourage participation for even the quietest of attendees. Cost starts at $100USD per month or event for 6-50 participants. crowdmics.com

A FOAM BOX Catch Box is the world’s first throwable wireless microphone you can toss around the room, from one attendee with a question to another. Not only is it bright and colourful, it’s also fun, injecting some play into a breakout or general session.

Mic automatically mutes when product is in motion.

Available for $549USD. getcatchbox.com

BY CHRISTINE OTSUKA

BRAIN DATES These days, content can be streamed, read online and consumed on demand. So what brings

attendees to a conference? The chance to meet people. And while conference planners are used to putting their muscle behind boosting attendance numbers, a Canadian company has created a digital platform that will help attendees learn from each other by going on “brain dates.”

The concept, created by Montreal-based E-180 is similar to matchmaking, but for the mind. Here’s how it works: After registering for the event, attendees create their online profile. But instead of being asked to fill in their company name and title (as is the case with most conference apps), attendees are also asked to input their area of expertise, called an offer of knowledge, and be as specific and detailed as possible. Rather than saying “I know about marketing,” they might say, “I know how to use experiential marketing to refresh annual conferences of 700 participants or more.” Other attendees can browse the offers of knowledge on the conference app and request a 30-minute brain date during the event.

The brain-dating concept was used at C2MTL in Montreal last year to much success. The E-180 platform connected 4,000 attendees; there were 2,600 offers

for knowledge; 2,550 requests for knowledge, resulting in 1,800 brain dates.

“People travel thousands of miles to go to conferences for the knowledge sharing,” says Christine Renaud, CEO of E-180. “They’re walking around with their glass of wine trying to bump into their valuable stranger. Sometimes you don’t meet that person because you don’t know where they are. So we’re there to help you maximize the learning potential of the conference to make sure you meet the best people that you could to share knowledge.”

While the braindating system is run through a traditional conference app, E-180 also has on-site matchmakers to help facilitate the brain dates, welcoming attendees to a designated meeting area and helping them find who they are looking for.

For most events, brain dating has a 65 to 75 per cent adoption rate with participants, and crucial to the program’s success is whether event organizers allow time for brain dates in the agenda.

“Relationship building takes time. So you have to make time for it in the schedule,” says Renaud. “People [event organizers] are afraid they don’t bring as much value as they can to their participants if they don’t put as much content as they can in their schedule, so part of our job is helping them to change their habits.”

WHAT YOU NEED A group of 1,000+ people

Time in the schedule for brain dates

WiFi in the venue

$7,500 for the first 1,000 attendees plus the travel expenses of two to three on-site staff from E-180

A clearly marked brain date meeting space with seating conducive to conversations

Sponsors for the app to help offset the cost

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+TWENTYSOMETHING ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Name: Chantal Champagne Title: Event Manager Company: Strauss event & association management

Age: 29 Education: Tourism diploma from the Université de Saint-Boniface

Associations (past and present):

PCMA, Event Professionals of Manitoba (EPM)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I got my start in the meetings industry

… by surprise. I was looking for a new job after returning from a long trip and a former co-worker sent me an event manager job posting and said I’d be a great fit. With my minimal event experience, I didn’t expect that I would get the position. But am I ever glad I did!

These last three and half years at Strauss have been challenging yet exciting. Jonathan Strauss, president of Strauss saw potential in me, recognized my transferrable skills and gave me an opportunity and training, which I am extremely grateful for.

When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them…

I am an event planner—but I make sure to be specific as people instantly assume that I plan weddings! I plan, coordinate and manage all aspects of conferences and events ranging from 25-person professional development events to 300-person multi-day conferences. In my current position, my main focus is organizing annual conferences for non-profit associations. I find it interesting how little people understand of the planning process for these events.

Most people I know have attended an event or a conference, but they are always in awe when I start explaining the countless details and logistics that need to be confirmed for a successful event.

One facet of my job I particularly enjoy is that I primarily work with association volunteers who develop the content and main ideas for the event and I help them turn their ideas into a reality.

The most challenging thing for me when I began my career was…

learning about the industry and finding out about the small details. I came from a world of tourism development and marketing in which I had the opportunity to participate in conferences and events, but now I was on the other side. There are so many unexpected details in this planning process, and there are also so many steps that can be taken to improve an event. I was finding it hard to trust that I hadn’t forgotten something. The approach I’ve adopted is putting myself in someone else’s shoes to think about what else needs to be done. If I am contacting a 30

sponsor I think, “If I was the sponsor, what type of information would be valuable to me?” If I was the speaker at a conference, “What type of information would I appreciate receiving before an event?” There is a lot to learn, but that’s what makes this job fun—it keeps you on your feet!

I plan to make my mark by…

helping others who are new to the industry and sharing best practices. I have very recently discovered that there are many planners who play the same role in an event as I do, and I realize that speaking with these planners is a fantastic resource. This year I joined PCMA as a member and attended Convening Leaders for the second time, and moving forward I would love to get more involved in our local meeting industry associations. This really is the best way to grow as a planner. My long-term goal is to act as a mentor to my co-workers, fellow association members or anyone who is new to the industry.

One thing most people don’t know about me is…

I am a travel addict, and no, travelling for work doesn’t count.

There is no better feeling than travelling the world with just a backpack of your belongings. I have travelled through Australia, South America, South East Asia, Europe and Canada. I enjoy living on a tight budget, meeting new people every day and exploring new cities by foot. I now have a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter which means I’m not travelling much these days, but I certainly can’t wait to travel with her someday.

In 10 years, I see myself…

planning. What I have learned about myself through this job is that I love to plan and manage projects. I love to have spreadsheets and lists and organized folders and I love to work with deadlines and urgent matters. I love the challenge of planning an event without any hiccups, which I know is nearly impossible, but I love to try!

I can’t say for sure that in 10 years I will still be managing events for associations, but I do know that whichever path I follow, the expertise, tools and goal-focused strategies I’ve learned through event planning gives me a great competitive advantage.

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+GOOD FOR YOU

Mindful matters Slowing down to stay in the moment.

BY CHRISTINE OTSUKA Two months ago, I attended a session at an industry conference on career development. The program described the session as one that would help you turn the job you have into the job you want. I was expecting to hear practical tips on finding your dream job. Instead, the speaker had us sit quietly.

Matt Tenney, the session leader, told us we were going to do an exercise to help us identify exactly what we wanted. In order to do that, we first had to quiet our mind. We took a few moments to sit up straight in our chair, blocking out the sound of other speakers’ voices booming over the PA system around us. We breathed deeply, letting our minds relax and softening the muscles in our face, neck and shoulders, staying focused and aware.

After a few minutes, we opened our eyes and took out a notebook and pen. We were asked to imagine our life seven years from now, only we were not to focus on the job we wanted to have or any of the realities that could prevent that from happening, but on what kind of person we are in this imagined future, where we live, how we feel and see what follows from that.

So I scribbled down some thoughts and feelings in my notebook.

And before I knew it, I had a clear picture of the life I wanted.

I was astounded. For months—years, even—I had talked myself in and around all of the different options for my future. But after just a few moments of calm, of mindfulness, the answer appeared before me.

I ended up taking pages upon pages of notes, and while the session was different than I thought it would be, it didn’t matter because it led me to the result I wanted. And it gave me a powerful introduction to mindfulness.

BEING MINDFUL Mindfulness isn’t a new concept, but it’s certainly a popular one.

Oprah touts it, business leaders tweet about it, there are books and

movies, apps and games all with the aim of getting others to be more mindful.

But what exactly is mindfulness? The leading authority on the topic, Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”

And really what that boils down to is actively paying attention to what’s happening in the present, allowing things to be as they are, letting go, and not passing judgment.

The problem is most people—despite their best intentions— don’t focus their attention on the present or “live in the moment,” as they say.

In fact, our minds don’t sit still. A 2010 Harvard University study found that 47 per cent of the time our mind is lost in thought, ping-ponging around our head and preventing us from being focused and happy.

So what is our wandering mind doing?

Good For Your Group While it may seem like an individual practice, there are several ways mindfulness can be incorporated into groups.

Here are three options to consider:

Illustrations: Thinkstock

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1. Group meditation Meditating in a group setting is very powerful.

Not only is there shared energy, but group meditation can strength connections between participants and be incredibly supportive.

2. Pre-meeting meditation Mindfulness can be helpful as a practice at the beginning of meetings. Many large corporations begin their meetings with a few moments of meditation to calm and centre and as a result, the meeting is more productive.

3. Meditation time-outs Planners can include mindfulness recordings in meditation nooks around their conference or event to allow delegates the opportunity to take a time-out or a mental break from their schedule.

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+GOOD FOR YOU We spend the bulk of our time ruminating on the past, overanalyzing conversations with colleagues or worrying about future events that haven’t even happened yet.

This preoccupation with the past and the future causes unnecessary stress and anxiety and our interpretations of these situations affect how we feel.

Dr. Mark Lau a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy expert in Vancouver uses the “walking down the street” exercise to help illustrate this point. Imagine you are walking down the street and you see someone you know well, so you wave and you smile and they walk right by you. You might feel anxious or upset—why did they blow you off? Are they mad at you? But none of that is based on fact.

“It’s natural and habitual for us to give meaning to any situation, but our interpretations and where our mind goes determines how we feel,” says Lau. Being mindful allows you to stay in the present moment, let things go, and ultimately change the way you relate to situations like this one.

Once you realize that there are the things that happen in life, and this other layer of stress caused by our emotional responses to them, and you become mindful of those automatic reactions, you can avoid causing yourself unnecessary and additional stress, says Lau. There’s an impressively long list of studies that show the positive effects mindfulness has on wellbeing. Not only has it been shown to prevent depression and promote happiness, but being mindful positively affects the brain patterns underlying day-to-day anxiety, stress, depression and irritability so that when they arrive, they dissolve away again more easily. What’s more, the benefits of mindfulness are so widely accepted that Canadian schools in Toronto and Vancouver have made mindfulness part of their curriculum in an effort to help young people deal with difficult emotions like anger and anxiety, and alleviate some of the pressure that is felt—a program I wish was offered at my school growing up!

Meditation Helpers Headspace Take 10 This free 10-day online meditation asks you to take 10 minutes every day to meditate with recordings and animated videos.

21-Day Meditation Challenge Deepak Chopra and Oprah run free 21-day meditation programs throughout the year.

Time commitment: 20 minutes a day for three weeks.

Mindfulness Apps There are plenty of ways to find your calm on-the-go, from free apps like Calm that allow you to meditate right then and there to MINDBODY Connect which will provide a list of meditation centres nearby.

DAILY PRACTICE If you’re not inclined to take mindfulness training or formal courses, there are small things you can do each day to improve your ability to stay in the present moment.

Eat with awareness. A good first step is slowing down some of the things you do every day. If you sit down at the table to eat, chew your food slowly, taste and enjoy the experience, rather than rushing through it or eating in front of the television or at your desk at work.

Pay attention to your breath. When you wake up in the morning, take five deep breaths and practice being in the moment. Pay attention to you chest, your belly, the sound your body makes when you inhale and exhale.

Listen closely. When you engage in a conversation with a colleague at work, pay close attention without planning what you’re going to say next or evaluating what they’re saying. Stay focused on their words.

Feel rooted in the floor. If you’re waiting for an elevator, take a moment to feel your feet on the floor and notice what the sensation of standing feels like. Keep focused on your body and being present in this moment.

Use your coffee breaks. Spend 10 minutes at your desk with your eyes closed and check in with your body, your breath, and your thoughts. You don’t need absolute silence to do this.

And finally, meditate. Meditation is the most formal way we can cultivate mindfulness.

It can be intimidating for first-timers but it doesn’t have to be.

Dr. Ana Bodnar, a clinical psychologist and yoga and meditation teacher who uses mindfulness in her practice describes it this way: “In mindfulness meditation, we are focusing on the breath, and when thoughts arise, we are gently letting them go, and bringing our focus back to the breath. We are practicing being in the present moment, rather than the past or future.”

And while most people think that meditation is about stopping thoughts or controlling their mind, that’s not the case. “People tend to feel they are ‘not successful’ in meditation if their minds wander, but this is a normal part of meditation practice,” says Bodnar. It’s actually about stepping back, seeing the thought clearly and letting it go.

Easier said than done.

—Christine Otsuka is Associate Editor of Meetings + Incentive Travel

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WHEN 1,000 PEOPLE DECIDE TO BE GENEROUS, VENUE IS KEY. Like many who’ve beaten the odds, Kevin Collins chooses to give back. This he does as Executive Director of Friends of We Care, a charity comprising of 84 foodservice and hospitality organizations.

The group has sent 38,000 disabled Canadian children to summer camps in its 31 years. For seven years running, Kevin has chosen The International Centre as the venue to celebrate and thank its members for raising over $1 million annually. “It’s the spacious, superbly appointed venue, the team of professionals, and their willingness to go beyond the expected that keep us coming back,” says Kevin. “Our one thousand attendees enjoy comfortable surroundings, terrific food and drink, and this puts them in a very generous mood.” As for our part, we’re honoured to host Friends of We Care, and look forward to their upcoming event.

Kevin J. Collins, Executive Director Friends of We Care Foundation Inc.

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internationalcentre.com 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga, ON 905.677.6131 / tf 1.800.567.1199

3 500+ EvEnts a yEar 3 $7 M rEnEwal Plan 3 500,000+ ft2 EvEnt vEnuE 3 5,000 frEE Parking sPacEs

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+CUISCENE

BY DON DOULOFF

SIDE SHOW EXPANDING THE POSSIBILITIES OF POTATOES, GRAINS AND ALTERNATIVE STARCHES.

Consider the side dish. By definition relegated to a secondary role, side dishes, if imaginatively conceived and intelligently matched with a protein, can animate a plate and make it more than the sum of its parts.

On meeting and event menus, “side dish” typically means “potatoes,” usually mashed or roasted, but there are a slew of imaginative spins on the humble spud, along with alternatives to the potato, designed to perk up attendees’ plates. And sometimes the potato is served on its own and becomes the “star attraction.”

Debbie Cotton-Burinski, director of planning at Event Spectrum Inc., says poutine stations are big hits at events with latenight foods. In fact, the company has found that guests like to have more fun with their food. Popular options include chef stations, cooking competitions and do-it-yourself stations where guests can make their own "personalized snacks." Event Spectrum president Cynthia Richards recalls that at a particular event, the “poutine bar was the most popular food station. With toppings like duck confit and foie gras, the group loved the potato.”

Claire Fitzpatrick, CMP, CMM, principal of CF Conference & Event Management Services, also notes the ongoing popularity of 34

the poutine bar and the strong appeal, at reception/stand-up style dinners, of bars offering, for example, mashed potatoes in martini glasses with sauces and gravies ranging from lobster cream and mushroom gravy to chili toppings, bacon and chives.

At the International Centre, in Mississauga, Ont., poutine bars have featured hearty toppings such as short-rib gravy, shredded butter chicken and boneless goat curry with goat cheese (“a huge hit,” said executive chef Tawfik Shehata). The venue’s do-it-yourself bars offer up mashed potatoes served in stemless martini glasses attendees adorn with the likes of red pepper salsa, sautéed mushrooms and pulled-pork gravy.

In the planning stages (at the time of writing), according to Shehata, was a top-your-own bar featuring three-inch roesti (grated-potato pancakes) made fresh to-order on a mobile flattop grill, while attendees watch, and garnished with smoked salmon and sour cream, and perhaps stewed beef.

On the side-dish front, “fewer people are going with standard roasted or mashed potatoes,” said Shehata, whose kitchen has created a side fashioned from thin-sliced, crisp potatoes arranged to

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+CUISCENE

Rostie Bar, International Centre

Pilaf de Quinoa, Fairmont Mayakoba

Potato Souffle, Fairmont Winnipeg

resemble an armadillo shell. Sweet potatoes augment Yukon Gold spuds in a gratin layered with gruyere.

Also doing some intriguing things with potatoes and alternative starches are a number of chefs in the Fairmont hotel chain.

At Fairmont Winnipeg, executive chef Eraj Jayawickreme and his team take the lowly spud to lofty places—potato foam, with fish and scallop dishes; potato soufflé as a complement to game; and a garnish of translucent potato “glass” possessing a texture Jayawickreme describes as “very smooth and almost paper-like” with the “faint taste of a regular potato chip.” More elaborate still are two dishes, one a mixture of butternut squash, pumpkin and rutabaga stuffed into “cannelloni” shells made from thinsliced potato substituting for pasta sheets, and the other, truffle potato gnocchi with celery and walnut pesto. Standing in for potatoes are root vegetables in a hash the kitchen pairs with steak.

In Quebec’s Charlevoix region, at Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, executive chef Patrick Turcot serves orzo (large, rice-grain shaped pasta) with salmon, on banquet menus.

Groups, however, are requesting healthier options, challenging chefs to come up with alternative sides.

At the Fairmont Winnipeg, Jayawickrem said a lot of individual attendees are requesting potato-free meals. Accordingly, his kitchen has devised other options, such as quinoa—which “has a beautiful, light, nutty flavour”—to accompany fish dishes. “We use millet as a substitute for couscous,” said Jayawickrem.

“Millet is great for crusting food and with a light, nutty flavour, it lends itself well to seasonings and takes on the character of whatever it is cooked with.” Farro (a type of hulled wheat) highlights a salad the kitchen makes with sweet potatoes, almonds and cranberries and freshens with curry vinaigrette.

At Fairmont Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico, executive chef Richard Silvester offers a range of healthy options, including brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, polenta, plantains and hominy. Creative sides include Latin-style rice jazzed with bulgur wheat, mushrooms, eggplant, tomato, onion and cardamom; a risotto anchored by red quinoa, barley, yellow bell pepper and shallots; and quinoa mixed with orange lentils, smoked paprika, yellow bell pepper, green beans and pecans.

Quinoa is also used in the International Centre’s kitchen, where it’s mixed with feta and herbs into a cake; used to stuff Cornish hen; and fashioned into tabbouleh, said Shehata. His team also offers, as a side dish to beef or chicken, a cake made with barley, chickpea flour, herbs, roasted jalapeno and cheddar. That classic Italian cornmeal-based dish, polenta, is served as a firm-textured side enlivened with roasted tomato, garlic and parmesan.

—Don Douloff is a food and travel writer based in Toronto.

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+HOW-TO

FILLING THE ROOM HOW TO BUILD ATTENDANCE

E

BY LORI SMITH

very planner knows that attendance is the linchpin of an event’s success. Fill the room and you’re a hero. Fail to bring in the crowds and your job is on the line. But building, maintaining and growing attendance is becoming increasingly challenging. Education is available online. People are short of time. Management has to be convinced of the ROI of going to a conference, convention or trade show before signing off on it. A new generation of attendees is placing greater demands on all elements of major events. It’s no longer an “if you plan it, they will come” world, if it ever was.

Understanding the make-up and motivations of today’s attendees is crucial to the creation of a marketing campaign that will increase attendance. Fortunately for planners, new research looking at what makes today’s attendees tick is now available.

“The Decision to Attend Study for Conventions & Exhibitions: An examination of the behaviors behind the decision to attend” was released this January by The Experience Institute® and its partners, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events™ (IAEE). The stated objective of the research was to “identify the factors impacting the decision to attend relative to the total visitor experience” with the intent of providing meetings/exhibitions professionals and destinations information to “build attendance promotion strategies.”

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In order to achieve this objective, The Experience Institute surveyed members of 10 American associations. It received 7,171 responses from which it was able to construct a picture of the factors that people consider when deciding whether to attend an event—or not.

TODAY’S ATTENDEES The study delivered good news for convention and conference planners and show managers. Respondents fell into five groups: Haven’t Attended (22.9 per cent), No Longer Attend (3.3 per cent), Occasionals (23.2 per cent), Frequents (30 per cent) and Always (20.6 per cent). These five groups represented four generations: Gen Y/Millennials (11 per cent); Gen X (26.7 per cent); Baby Boomers (53 per cent); and Pre-Boomers (9.3 per cent).

Collectively they showed a workforce that valued—and wanted to attend—face-to-face events. Likelihood to Attend (Propensity) questions revealed that 91.7 per cent of respondents were likely or highly likely to attend versus 8.3 per cent who said they were unlikely or highly unlikely to attend.

However, the meat of the study is in its exploration of factors that influence the decision to attend. It showed that the top three attendance drivers are education, networking and destination. Education or “staying abreast with profession/ industry” included program, content, speakers and exhibits,

Photo: Michele Piacquadio/Hemera/Thinkstock

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M

+HOW-TO and was important to more than 90 per cent of respondents “regardless of attendance frequency or generation.” Networking and “making connections” rated the highest with Millennials (84 per cent) who are in the contact-building stage of their careers. However, 75 per cent of total respondents said networking was “important.” Destination as a driver varied according to generation and attendance segment. Eightytwo per cent of all respondents said destination was a factor but in the “Always Attend” segment the number dropped to 57 per cent. Significantly, destination is important to 90 per cent of the Never and Occasional groups. It also matters to Pre-Boomers (individuals born before 1946), who were cited as the group with the greatest “free will” to attend.

The study also revealed three key barriers to attendance: cost, time and destination. In terms of cost, respondents mentioned “high and rising hotel rates, high registration fees, and overall travel costs” as factors that had prevented them from attending events. Overall, 61 per cent said cost of attending was a barrier with Gen X and Gen Y respondents mentioning it the most frequently (35 per cent of Gen X and Gen Y-ers said they needed permission from “higher ups” versus 25 per cent of total respondents). Another “cost” potential attendees considered centred on how much time they had to invest in the event.

Forty-one per cent said “it was generally hard to get away” (58 per cent for Gen Y) and 23 per cent said the event’s “timing doesn’t work for them.” Destination was also something that didn’t work for some respondents. The research showed that where the event was taking place was most important to Occasionals, Frequents and Pre-Boomers, groups the study’s authors identify as “often on the ‘bubble’.”

We took the question of how to build a marketing campaign that would move people “off the bubble” and into your conference/convention room or trade-show floor to Wendy Holliday, vice-president of attendee acquisition & experience for Velvet Chainsaw Consulting. She offered these tips to help you build attendance.

1

TARGET THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Holliday says that the first step to event success is to clearly identify the right target demographics. “We break it down into three targets: individuals who represent how you’d like to grow your conference [influencers]; followers [people who will come because the first group is attending]; and then people, who are not necessarily part of your growth target mix but who you need to send a general message to,” she advises. This analysis will help you select the most effective marketing tools and messages. It will also guide the creation of your education program, which says Holliday, “must be in lock step with who you’re targeting.”

2

BE READY AT THE RIGHT TIME

Eighty-four per cent of the respondents to the survey said that they make their decision to attend two to six months from the event. Nine per cent decide a month out. Of the generations, Gen X-ers are the earliest registrants while members of Gen Y sign up last. Several respondents commented that it was important to have “easy access to and reminders of future dates and locations…to allow them to get it into their budgets and/or obtain approval to attend.”

Ideally, says Holliday, you should have relevant information up on your website and registration open six months out.

“You don’t have to have everything up and locked in,” she says. “You want to be agile in addressing last-minute topics.

But the majority should be up six months out.” She acknowledges that being ready that far in advance of the event is “probably going to be a transition for a lot of people” and will require changing the time frames on many, if not all, elements in the operational timeline.

She also recommends approaching your alumni attendees with an invitation and incentive to register at the six-month mark. “You want to recognize the people who attended in the past. You can send them something that says ‘Thank you for being a loyal attendee. We’ve opened registration early for you and have these value-added opportunities.’ Maybe they get a better room choice. Maybe they have access to a special lounge. You’re encouraging them to register early at the same time you’re recognizing that they’re alumni and you’re rewarding them for that.

You don’t want to be the cable and satellite provider that only gives something extra to new clients.”

3

DON’T JUST SELL, HELP

Prospective attendees don’t want to be “pushed” by event marketing all the time, and Holliday encourages organizers to help more than sell. She says that developing marketing messages that reflect the attendee perspective is essential.

“It’s easier to list all the features [of the event] rather than the benefits of attending. Instead of saying that there are a thousand sessions, point out two or three [sessions] that will appeal to me as an attendee and that I might get something out of, that might solve a problem.”

As an example, Holliday says a “save the date” message should be accompanied by something helpful: a recording of one of the keynotes from the previous year or, a selection of top session whitepapers or handouts—items that reinforce the problem-solving content your event delivered. “You’re providing information [about your event] and you’re helping them [potential attendees],” she says.

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+HOW-TO 4

PROMOTE THE DESTINATION WISELY

While The Experience Institute’s study reports that destination is important to 82 per cent of attendees, Holliday recommends judicious use of destination-centred marketing, particularly pre-registration. “Part of really understanding who your attendees are includes knowing whether they need permission to attend,” she says. “If they need permission your marketing to them should focus on education, networking and other business outcomes.” But, she points out that marketing to attendees who do make their own decisions to attend might require a more destination-focused campaign. “If they have sole say over whether they attend—maybe it’s an independent business owner or a professional—they often bring their families and use it as a vacation. But, again it comes down to your attendee. Someone in the medical field where there’s oversight might not require permission to attend but will be sensitive to having the event perceived as a vacation. That’s why I say, promote the destination wisely.”

Post-registration is another story. Once they’ve signed up, Holliday says you definitely want to give them information about the location—restaurants, sight-seeing, attractions, etc.—so they have the best onsite experience possible. But, she points out, “After they register, it’s not part of their decision to attend.”

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5

MARKET 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR

Many people, myself included, who have to submit lists of conferences for budget consideration in the fall, begin the decision-to-attend process well before many events’ six month-out mark. This means that smart event organizers should have information available on their website and other media outlets 365 days a year, and have an integrated content marketing campaign.

Holliday says that while the latter isn’t new, it’s something not enough event planners are doing. “You don’t have to come up with new content,” she explains. It can be content directly related to your event or content relevant to your event and its past and potential attendees because of subject matter. Regardless of the type of conference, she says, “attendees want to learn and they want to network.”

As a result, “it’s imperative that organizers create opportunities for them to connect before, during and after the event.” Doing so will keep your event top-of-mind and your rooms filled.

Lori Smith is editor of Meetings + Incentive Travel.

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2015

In January, research firm Gerald Bramm & Associates conducted Meetings + Incentive Travel’s annual Market Report Survey. As always, its mandate was to discover how the industry fared in the year just passed and gain insight into where it’s headed. The results are on the next seven pages.

Meetings, which are the foundation of the Canadian industry, are examined on pages 42 through 45. The research reveals information on the types of meetings being held; destinations; marketing tactics; measuring event success; and how technology is being used at events—and impacting planners.

Today’s incentive travel market is explored on pages 46 to 48. This section offers data on destinations around the world; information sources; group size; program elements; and the spend on incentive travel.

This year we made significant improvements to the survey. First of all, Bramm & Associates revamped the survey’s questions. They then deployed it in a new (for us) software program that made answering easier and faster. These changes resulted in a better user experience and better data. It also gave us more information. You can check out what we learned about the Rewards & Recognition sector on meetingscanada.com.

Understanding the market, its members, its challenges and its opportunities is something all of us at M+IT take seriously and believe is essential. Feedback, recommendations and ideas for next year’s market report survey are welcome. — Lori Smith, Editor

REPOR

MARKET

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+ 2015 REPORT MARKET

THE RESPONDENTS BY SECTOR CORPORATE/IN-HOUSE PLANNER

MEETINGS Eighty-seven per cent of respondents are responsible for the design and exe-

33% SHOW MANAGER 3%

TYPES OF MEETINGS PLANNED/EXECUTED IN 2014

73%

Face-to-face external meetings that involved travel or off-site venues

cution of meetings, conferences, events, Face-to-face internal meetings that involved travel or off-site venues

shows and conventions. Collectively, their survey answers show that 2014

64%

was a solid year with no real budget surprises and that 2015 is shaping up to be much the same.

49%

Teleconference services to conduct meetings

According to 76% of respondents, the number of meetings/events they

Webcasts to conduct meetings

will plan within Canada will stay the

29%

same (50%) or increase (26%) this year. The number of meetings/events they are planning within the United

2%

Virtual tradeshows or use of virtual services to conduct business

States will stay the same (71%). And, the number of meetings scheduled for

8%

None of the above

destinations outside of North America will stay the same (72%). Similarly, the vast majority of respondents (82%) reported no decrease in the length of meetings in 2014. That trend continues

AVERAGE NUMBER OF MEETINGS PLANNED PER RESPONDENT

with 85% saying there are no plans to cut back on the number of days of any meetings/events in 2015 and 90% reporting that no meetings/events have been cancelled.

2

10

The survey results also show that 2014 costs changed little year-over-

UNITED STATES

CANADA

year. However, in 2015 it’s expected that planners will have to hone their negotiation skills as flat budgets (forecasted spend for 2015 is a mere .035% less than 2014 actual) are impacted by the decline in the value of the Canadian

794

dollar, rising airfare and food and bever-

2014 AVERAGE ROOM NIGHTS BOOKED

age prices, and hotel room and meeting space demand outstripping supply in many key destinations. ~ LS

608

2014 AVERAGE MEETING ATTENDANCE SIZE

PLANNING & PROCUREMENT

91% of respondents are directly responsible for the negotiation and contract process with suppliers. Of the 9% not directly responsible, 50% report that procurement has handled negotiations and contracts with suppliers for 10 or more years, with the majority (36%) saying procurement has handled the process for more than 20 years.

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NOT-FOR-PROFIT/ASSOCIATION/GOVERNMENT PLANNER

34%

29%

INDEPENDENT/THIRD PARTY PLANNER

MARKETING METHODS/TACTICS USED TO PROMOTE EVENTS

2015 MEETING/EVENT DESTINATION OVERVIEW (Respondents asked to check all that applied)

78%

Email Promotions

75%

Websites/Microsites Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

60%

Print/Direct Mail

46%

Intranet/Internal Systems

25%

Blogs/Online Discussion Forums

22%

Telemarketing

10%

Voice Drops

2%

Other*

9%

MEXICO, EUROPE, UK AND IRELAND

4%

MIDDLE EAST

2%

CENTRAL AMERICA, AFRICA, INDIA, SOUTH AMERCIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA, SOUTH KOREA, NEW ZEALAND, CHINA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA

1%

OTHER

2%

CALIFORNIA

38% FLORIDA

26%

ARIZONA

41%

18%

NEVADA

TEXAS

18%

16%

ILLINOIS

8%

COLORADO

8%

LOUISIANA

13%

8%

MASSACHUSETTS

6%

TENNESSEE

9%

2%

Saskatchewan Prince Edward Island

16%

WASHINGTON, D.C.

31%

Newfoundland & Labrador New Brunswick

1%

7%

32%

Nova Scotia Manitoba

6%

CARIBBEAN

NEW YORK

Quebec Alberta

10%

31%

Ontario British Columbia

16%

UNITED STATES INCLUDING HAWAII

44%

CANADA

35%

99%

UNITED STATES

*R espondents who selected “Other” listed fax, personal phone calls, media releases, word of mouth, mobile apps, and referrals from sales team.

82%

CANADA

ALASKA

2%

HAWAII

5%

18%

Yukon

OTHER

CARIBBEAN

40%

20%

20%

10%

10%

10%

Bahamas

Barbados

Jamaica

Cayman Islands

St. Lucia

Turks & Caicos

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NUMBER OF ATTENDEES @ LARGEST MEETING

LESS THAN 99

13% 100-250 27% 251-500 21%

SPEND DRILLDOWN

+ 2015 REPORT MARKET

(2014 Actual vs 2013 Actual)

CATEGORY

Stayed the Same

Not Applicable

6%

43%

20%

7%

54%

4%

3%

33%

54%

13%

51%

22%

15%

45%

21%

Increased

Decreased

Airfare

31%

Audiovisual Services

35%

CSR Activities

9%

Décor

14%

Entertainment

19%

Equipment Rentals

21%

10%

58%

11%

Exhibit Design, Sales & Rentals

19%

9%

33%

39%

Food & Beverage

40%

10%

47%

3%

Hotel Rooms (for Accommodations)

39%

12%

44%

6%

Meeting Room Space (Hotel or Conference Centre)

31%

5%

57%

7%

Name Badge and Registration Services

12%

4%

61%

23%

Security Services

8%

5%

36%

51%

Speakers

22%

7%

56%

15%

Staffing Services

9%

4%

51%

36%

Team-Building Programs

6%

10%

31%

53%

Third Party Management Fees

10%

6%

34%

51%

Transportation (Local, Chartered)

21%

9%

56%

14%

Unique Venues (not hotel or conference centres)

15%

9%

36%

40%

WiFi

25%

6%

53%

15

ESTIMATED AVERAGE SPEND ON MEETINGS/EVENTS

METHODS/TACTICS USED TO MEASURE RESULTS (respondents asked to check all that applied)

2014 $1,316,000

Attendee satisfaction ratings on a survey Attendance numbers

2015 $1,311,000

Financial revenue generation and/or budget adherence Success in obtaining learning goals Impact on driving sales Other Do not measure/No formalized measurements

MEASURING MEETING & EVENT SUCCESS

82% 75% 61% 36% 22% 4% 8%

Who’s responsible for setting objectives?

44

Meeting/Event Planner

59%

Senior Management

59%

Board of Directors/Volunteer Committee

41%

Marketing Department

23%

Finance or Procurement

11%

External Company

4%

STANDARD VS INDIVIDUAL EVENT ASSESSMENT Standard format for some events and individual assessments on others

33%

Individual assessments for each event

Standard format for all

15%

52%

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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501-750

11%

751-1,000

8%

1,001-1,500

4%

1,501 OR MORE

16%

PLANNERS & TECHNOLOGY Respondents were asked what, if any, new technology or software has made their jobs more challenging in the last two years. Many of their answers centered on the time and cost associated with keeping up-to-date with and implementing new technologies. As one respondent wrote, the challenge is “technology changes so constantly that we are always challenged. [There’s] always a learning curve in front of us.”

Currently many planners are learning how to best use event apps and social media before, during and after their events. One respondent pointed out the need to effectively compete against the second screen during events. “Attendees mobile devices can be distracting so we’re working to develop ways to incorporate options in agenda to use tablets, smart phones and mobile apps to increase [attendee] engagement,” they wrote.

The cost of WiFi and the increasing demand for quality bandwidth also continues to be an issue. Several respondents mentioned its high cost in event spaces while another called the demand for WiFi at no cost to delegates a major “POI”—point of irritation.

Other POIs for planners on the technology front include dealing with the deluge of emails received daily, cellphone roaming costs, registration system bugs, and the need to get buy-in from management in order to increase use of social media.~ LS

TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USED

91% Twitter

71% Facebook

66%

TECHNOLOGY USED AT EVENTS

LinkedIn

78%

46%

36%

Online registration

Social media

Mobile app for event

13%

25%

22%

12%

11%

Webcasting/live streaming

Session polling

No technology used

Self check-in

Google+

13% Instagram

7%

4%

2%

6% Pinterest

Appointment system

Other

RFID/NFC

1%

WIFI

62% of respondents agree with the statement: My supplier partners are working with me to make the cost of WiFi affordable.

Foursquare

76% of respondents strongly/somewhat strongly agree with the statement that WiFi is a necessity at their events so they are able to justify its cost.

Snapchat

Other

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+ 2015 REPORT MARKET

CRITERIA USED TO CUSTOMIZE REWARDS PROGRAMS

INDIVIDUAL’S INTERESTS

69% AGE 58%

INCENTIVE TRAVEL THE UPS AND DOWNS OF SPEND ON GROUPS It seems anomalous that average spend is decreasing when average group size is increasing—even very slightly as we see in this year’s results. However, when we looked at the data more closely we saw that for the vast majority of respondents (58%) spend will stay the same with an average total for groups of $811,053.

Significantly, the 30% who say it will increase are forecasting an average spend of $3,341,000, which could account for the upward movement on the overall average. The 12% who see a decrease in the year ahead are forecasting a very substantial $2,437,500. – LS

Average number of incentive travel programs expected to plan in 2015

4

TOTAL AVERAGE SPEND

Total Average Spend Per Organization (Group Travel)

2015 FORECAST

2014 ACTUAL

$1,012,000

$1,053,000

$3,485

$3,516

$317,000

$384,000

$1,742

$1,891

Total Average Spend Per Person (Group Travel) Total Average Spend Per Organization (Individual Travel) Total Average Spend Per Person (Individual Travel)

AVERAGE INCENTIVE TRAVEL GROUP SIZE 2014 ACTUAL

207

191

AVERAGE INCENTIVE TRAVEL GROUP SIZE 2015 FORECAST

SPEND DRILLDOWN — INCENTIVE TRAVEL (2014 Actual vs 2013 Actual)

CATEGORY

46

Increased

Decreased

Stay the Same

Not Applicable

Airfare

63%

6%

25%

6%

Corporate apparel or logo’d items

22%

19%

50%

9%

Corporate Social Responsibility

16%

6%

34%

44%

Entertainment/Talent

19%

13%

47%

22%

“Experience” Programs (cooking classes, wine appreciation, art classes, etc.)

16%

13%

38%

34%

Food and Beverage

50%

9%

38%

3%

Guest Speakers

22%

9%

47%

22%

Hotel Rooms

53%

13%

31%

3%

Printing of Program Collateral

13%

16%

53%

19%

Room Drops

3%

16%

59%

22%

Sightseeing Tours

13%

9%

63%

16%

Sports and Recreation (golf, spa, etc.)

25%

9%

47%

19%

Spousal Program

3%

22%

47%

28%

Team-Building Programs

13%

9%

47%

31%

Third-party Management Fees

41%

9%

31%

19%

Transportation (local, chartered)

38%

3%

44%

16%

WiFi

28%

6%

50%

16%

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58%

POSITION IN COMPANY

NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE

54% GENDER 54%

DESTINATION OVERVIEW *respondents selected all destinations that applied

CANADA

EUROPE

UK & IRELAND

58%

USA

(including Hawaii)

67%

52%

21%

SCANDINAVIA

3%

INDIA

3%

SOUTH PACIFIC

MEXICO

9%

36%

CENTRAL AMERICA

CARIBBEAN

3%

58%

MIDDLE EAST

9%

AUSTRALIA

6%

SOUTH AMERICA

15%

AFRICA

9%

NEW ZEALAND

9%

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LENGTH OF INCENTIVE TRAVEL PROGRAMS (2015) OVERNIGHT 3% 2-4 DAYS 53% 5-7 DAYS 38% 8-PLUS DAYS

+ 2015 REPORT MARKET

SOURCING DESTINATIONS

2015 PROGRAM COMPONENTS

61% Word-of-mouth/Peers

58% Trade shows

52% Destination website

49%

78%

Sightseeing

72% 66% 59% 50% 41% 31% 25% 22% 16% 13%

Spa Golf Food & wine appreciation Adventure experiences Cultural immersion Art/music appreciation Cruise CSR component Fitness Other

Industry websites

DESTINATION DRILLDOWN

46%

CANADA

Industry magazines

46% DMC

ONTARIO

50%

BRITISH COLUMBIA

44%

QUEBEC

13%

42%

EUROPE

CVB

36% Google/other search engines

21% Corporate travel agent

ALBERTA

13%

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

6%

NOVA SCOTIA

6%

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

6%

YUKON

6%

21% 6% Incentive house

15% Other

6% None of the above

SPAIN

41%

ITALY

18%

FRANCE

12%

GERMANY

12%

PORTUGAL

6%

AUSTRIA

6%

MONACO

6%

UNITED STATES

Site Selection Company

48

6%

CARIBBEAN

43%

CALIFORNIA

33%

ARIZONA

29%

FLORIDA

29%

NEW YORK

24%

HAWAII

10%

LOUISIANA

10%

NEVADA

JAMAICA

33%

BAHAMAS

22%

BARBADOS

17%

10%

TENNESSEE

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

11%

10%

TEXAS

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

6%

CAYMAN ISLANDS

6%

ST. KITTS & NEVIS

6%

5%

ILLINOIS

5%

WASHINGTON, D.C.

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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S

6%

MAGGIE SCHOFIELD Executive Director, Calgary Downtown Association

Every day, there are more than 50 international flights to Calgary from Asia, Europe and the U.S.

18 km of interior walkways connect delegates to downtown shops, restaurants and arts venues.

HOSPITALITY

Calgarians embrace new people and new ideas with equal enthusiasm.

The city’s warmth and high energy are contagious, making it the perfect place to introduce the unfamiliar.

MEETINGSCALGARY.COM

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+ 2015 REPORT MARKET

ON WWW.MEETINGSCANADA.COM

2015 REWARDS & RECOGNITION REPORT

WHERE IS THE INDUSTRY HEADING? This year’s market report survey results revealed a sturdy, stable industry with only very minute shifts—up and down— over 2014. But the winds of change are picking up. In March 2014, the Loonie was worth $.90 US. By July, it had climbed back up to $.93 US. Today it sits at $.78 US. That’s a 15 per cent drop in buying power in nine months and it’s had an impact.

More than one respondent said the decline in the Canadian dollar’s value was affecting their meeting and incentive travel destination decision.

The weakening of the dollar is compounded by the continuing transition to a supplier’s market. PFK Consulting Canada’s report on the country’s lodging industry shows demand outstripping supply in most of the major markets, a trend that will continue to grow despite a forecasted 5,800 guest rooms being added nation-wide this year. The situation is the same in the United States, according to research conducted by STR Global on the American hotel market.

Lack of supply hits lead times as well as budgets. Planners have to book further out or run the risk of not getting the hotels and/or destinations they want. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence reveals that many companies and clients want two

things that fly in the face of that reality: a champagne experience on a beer budget, and the ability to make a buying decision as late as possible. Managing those expectations will require that planners cultivate and maintain close working relationships with suppliers—relationships built face-to-face as well as online.

Meeting the demands of clients and event attendees who are accustomed to customization, instant communication and all the other on-demand life changes the digital world has delivered is another challenge facing planners. To satisfy today’s meetings and incentive travel “consumer,” education has to be better than anything that can be found on the World Wide Web; food and beverage offerings have to satisfy Foodie palates; WiFi has to be fast and free; the needs of a multi-generational and multi-ethnic workforce have to be understood; and global influences—political and cultural, positive and negative—have to be on a planner’s radar.

It’s a complex marketplace that requires resilience, adaptability and foresight. Are you prepared?

— Lori Smith is the editor of Meetings + Incentive Travel.

EASY MEETINGS We make it easy for your event, large or small, to be a success. Book your next meeting or conference here, and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, professional support and great rates.

Ask for promo code BREAK1 to receive a complimentary beverage refresh with your next event booking.

Four Points by Sheraton Calgary Airport LEARN MORE AT FOURPOINTSCALGARYAIRPORT.CA/MEETINGS OR CALL 403 648 3177 TO SPEAK WITH A MEETING SPECIALIST

©2015 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Four Points and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. For full terms and conditions, visit fourpoints.com/calgaryairport. Any additional terms and conditions should be placed here.

Prod 50

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

There’s no place like it on earth. 2500 square miles of protected wilderness with some rather charming yet cosmopolitan mountain towns at its heart. Not to mention first class

amenities, meeting spaces, and adventures. A true bucket list destination for planners and

guests alike, because here in the only protected mountain resort on Earth, nature rules.

Visit BanffLakeLouise.com/Meetings

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

T

he wilderness here is unspoiled, the amenities are modern, and the experience is like nowhere else on earth. Here in Canada’s oldest national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll do things you never thought you would.

Matchless mountain vistas will inspire you and your team to break free of your routine, here, where nature rules.

Banff & Lake Louise offer more than just a location to meet and do business. For many, they are bucket list destinations – places where groups test their limits.

What would it mean for your group to guide a dog team through a snowy mountain pass? Or rope up to climb a frozen waterfall?

Even the effort to catch a lake trout through a hole in the ice will leave lasting memories of adventure, accomplishment and satisfaction.

p52-55 Banff_Spring 15 Supplement_Mar19REV5.indd 53

Winter is the setting for some of the most breathtaking images of Banff & Lake Louise, but you can attain awesome in warmer weather, too. Tour the emerald waters of its mountain lakes, soar above the towering peaks in guided helicopter flight, or experience a spectacular sunset from the top of the Rockies.

The rewards start right at the airport, where staff with the Banff Airporter make sure you’re relaxed and comfortable for your first glimpse of the magnificent Rocky Mountains.

Adventure plus award-winning spas, internationally recognized chefs, and some of the most comfortable beds in the world give your colleagues more to look forward to. Banff & Lake Louise offers all this and more in one of the most breathtaking natural settings in the world. It’s a unique location that gives you the opportunity to push the planning boundaries and create once-in-a-lifetime events. A meeting in Banff & Lake Louise is more than business, it’s a reward.

15-03-19 2:22 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

S

now-capped mountains are among Canada’s most iconic and enduring images. Now imagine that frame-worthy view from your conference site, hotel room or hot tub. Every vista in Banff National Park’s 6,641 square kilometres will leave you breathless.

The views inside our hotels are just as stunning, with grand stone staircases, magnificent antler chandeliers and fireplaces deep enough to roast a wild boar. The Fairmont Banff Springs will even indulge your royal fantasies with a Medieval Feast at the Castle.

Want something less grand, but just as special? One of our hidden gems is the outdoor hot tub at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge, tucked away below the stone steps in the magnificent hillside garden.

The railway workers who stumbled on the hot springs at what is now called Sulfur Mountain had no idea their discovery would invite the world to experience the accommodations and experiences in Canada’s rugged west. You can share that spirit in today’s sophisticated west at meetings and conferences in Banff & Lake Louise.

BANFF AIRPORTER Banff Airporter offers private & scheduled transportation between the Calgary Airport & Banff/Lake Louise. Our team of transportation experts will design a strategy to suit your group. Get creative & choose video entertainment from our extensive library. Enjoy luxury vehicles, professional drivers &, of course, the view. With nearly two decades of dedicated service behind us, we invite you to experience our smart blend of comfort & efficiency. www.banffairporter.com | 1.888.449.2901

MEET AT THE BANFF PARK LODGE All of downtown Banff is at our doorstep & with more than 19,000 square feet of meeting space we provide all the amenities & technical capabilities of a major city hotel – without the higher cost! Our spacious guest rooms & suites have private balconies with spectacular mountain views. Come breathe new life into your next meetings! www.banffparklodge.com | 1.800.661.9266

BUFFALO MOUNTAIN LODGE Whether sitting under a towering open-beam ceiling & antler chandelier, or enjoying the warmth of our massive field-stone fireplaces, Buffalo Mountain Lodge is the perfect venue for a meeting. Located on nine acres on Tunnel Mountain Road in Banff, Alberta, the lodge has 108 guest rooms, with wood-burning fireplaces & private balconies. The restaurant & lounge offer a variety of unique boutique wines & our signature Rocky Mountain Cuisine, featuring elk & bison. www.crmr.com/buffalo/ | 1.800.661.1367

MAKE YOUR NEXT MEETING MEMORABLE The Fairmont Banff Springs repeatedly amazes the most discerning conference planners. With over 72,000 square feet of versatile convention, event & exhibit space your event will be a perfect fit. Whether it’s a reception in the grandeur of the Mt. Stephen Hall, or a presentation to 1,000 clients in the Van Horne Ballroom, we will ensure your event is marked with impeccable taste and gracious hospitality. www.fairmont.com/banffsprings | 1.866.540.4406

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

T

here is no better stimulant than the fresh mountain air. While your senses are at their sharpest, treat them to some of the world’s best food and wine.

Sink your teeth into a piece of freshly carved hip of beef, then get out of your dinner chair for a line-dancing lesson or jig to a lively fiddle at the Mount View Barbeque.

Try a tasting menu in the Eden Dining Room at Rimrock Resort Hotel and find out why they’ve earned a AAA Five Diamond rating for ten consecutive years. The Chef’s Table at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge shares the secrets of preparing local specialities while you and your group enjoy them with perfectly paired wines.

Work, play and explore here and you’ll see why Banff & Lake Louise remains at the top of so many must-see destination lists. Everyone can find something to love, here, where nature rules and business meets awesome.

THE FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a world class resort in a one-of-a-kind destination. Promote and inspire unity in your team through authentic experiences, breathtaking surroundings, and unique indoor and outdoor group activities.

Historic grandeur blends with state-of-the-art technology throughout the 36,000 square feet of inspiring function space, while our skilled conference services team ensures that your event is tailored to your every need. www.fairmont.com/lake-louise | 1.866.540.4413

MOUNTVIEW BARBECUE A uniquely private off-site venue where your group can kick up their heels to live music entertainment & dine on our legendary barbecued Alberta Hip of Beef.

Only 15 minutes from most Banff hotel properties, your experience here is certainly to be the highlight of your Banff area function. www.mountviewbbq.com | 403.762.0115

THE RIMROCK RESORT HOTEL The Rimrock Resort Hotel is a unique Four Diamond property located in Banff National Park. The Rimrock features 18,000 square feet of function space with breathtaking views of the Canadian Rockies, Western Canada’s only 5 Diamond Dining, a full service luxury spa, a complimentary 24 hour fitness facility & 346 newly renovated guest rooms. The Rimrock Resort Hotel is a special place to visit for a truly remarkable experience. www.rimrockresort.com | 1-888-RIMROCK (746-7625)

BANFF LAKE LOUISE TOURISM For over 125 years, Banff National Park has provided visitors with a healthy combination of unspoiled wilderness, wildlife, modern amenities & opportunities for active exploration. With such a breathtaking landscape, it’s no surprise that this UNESCO World Heritage Site has been nominated time & again as a “must-see” destination for travelers around the world. Two vibrant communities – Banff & Lake Louise – offer the perfect base camp for activities, dining, spa services & more! www.BanffLakeLouise.com/Meetings | 403.762.0271

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MEETING

SOUTH KOREA

56

BY LORI SMITH

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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On the penultimate morning of an international MICE press trip to South Korea this past December, our group was ushered into one of the new meeting rooms at the Gunsan Saemangeum Convention Center (GSCO) to interview Minhong Min, executive director of the Korea MICE Bureau, who was at GSCO to take part in the Korea 2014 MICE Alliance Conference & Awards. After the customary introductions, the Australian editor kicked off the questions, asking Min how many conventions were held in South Korea. He replied that the country held the number 12 spot on the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) 2013 list of countries hosting the most meetings and Seoul, its capital city, was ninth on ICCA’s 2013 list of cities hosting the most meetings. However, he explained that in the last decade the country’s MICE offerings had grown more than 300 per cent. In 2004, South Korea had only four convention centres. Now, thanks to huge investments by the government in the MICE infrastructure, there are 14 convention centres in cities throughout the country, three of which our group had visited over the course of the previous four days.

This boom in MICE infrastructure has been complemented by growing international awareness of South Korea’s culture, both popular and traditional, said Min. Pop singer Psy put the country on the global Music map with his infectious (and satirical) hit song and video, Gangnam Style, an ode to the trendy Gangnam District in Seoul. Korean cuisine is being celebrated for its health benefits (kimchi is now recognized as an excellent probiotic) as well as its flavours. On the business side, national brands like Hyundai, LG and Samsung have become household names internationally while Daewoo and others are making huge inroads in foreign markets. Clearly South Korea is happening.

But, there was another reason M+IT was in South Korea. The day before my colleagues and I sat down with Min, the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). A press release announcing the agreement explained that it would “broaden and deepen mutual understanding as well as strengthen co-operation between the two countries in the tourism marketplace.” Other key areas the two countries would “swap ideas on” included “handling international events, product development, shared market intelligence and consumer trends.”

The MOU followed another even bigger piece of business between Canada and South Korea: the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement. Signed in the fall, the agreement, which is Canada’s first of its kind in the Pacific-Asia region, came into force on January 1, 2015. Forecasted benefits include a $1.7 billion boost to Canada’s economy, a 32 per cent rise in exports to South Korea and a significant reduction in tariffs between the two countries. The Mining Association of Canada, Information Technology Association

of Canada, Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters, Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and more have gone on record saying the agreement is a good thing for their industries and both countries. Canada is doing business with South Korea, and business means meetings.

INCHEON-SONGDO The group’s five-day tour began in Incheon, a city of 2.8 million located northeast of Seoul. A quick 20-minute highway drive from Incheon International Airport—a journey that takes visitors across the impressive sweep of the nearly 22 kilometer-long Incheon Bridge—Incheon is home to the Songdo International Business District, an area purpose-built for MICE. Designed as a walkable city-within-a-city, Songdo’s infrastructure includes the Songdo Convensia Convention Center, a Central Park, the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, Songdo Global Campus, Canal Walkway, shopping malls and restaurants. Some 1,800 hotel rooms are within a 10-minute stroll of Convensia. Another 2,034 rooms are in a 20-minute walk radius.

We were headquartered at the 321-room Sheraton Incheon Hotel, which is a two-minute walk to Convensia. It was built in 2009 when, according to the hotel’s general manager, Richard Suter, “there was nothing in Incheon.” The LEED-certified property has 18,300 square feet of event and meeting space. In addition, all of its restaurants have private rooms, which, explained Suter, are an important part of Korean culture.

In fact, there was something in Songdo when the Sheraton was built. The Songdo Convensia Convention Center, the first project completed in the district, opened on October 7, 2008.

It has 583,000 square feet of usable space that includes three exhibition halls, 23 conference rooms and three ballrooms. Plans to expand it are underway.

Forming a slightly misshapen triangle with the Sheraton and Convensia is the Oakwood Premier Hotel Incheon. Housed in what is currently the tallest building in Korea, the property opened in July 2014, just in time to host the president of the Olympic Council of Asia, HH Sheikh Almad Al Fahad Al Sabah of Kuwait, during the Asian Games. The Sheikh stayed in the hotel’s penthouse, a 4,000-square-foot v-shaped oasis on the 65th floor.

For individuals whose pockets aren’t quite as deep, this residence hotel offers studio rooms as well as suites in a range of sizes.

All feature modern design and such high-end amenities as steam showers, in-room washer/dryers, multiple televisions, Haenghan bone china and L’Occitane toiletries.

DAEJEON Another city looking to carve out an even bigger piece of the MICE pie is Daejeon, the country’s fifth largest metropolis and its

MEETINGSCANADA.COM

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de facto Silicon Valley. With a population of 1.5 million, this science and technology hub has hosted international summits such as the World Humanities Forum. And like Incheon, it is developing a commercial district around its convention centre that will be filled with restaurants, entertainment and hotels.

Our group had the good fortune of staying at the five-star Lotte City Hotel Daejeon, which opened in March 2014. Located across the street from the convention centre, this 18-storey property has 312 modern rooms and the fastest Internet I’ve ever used. I downloaded magazines on to my iPad in mere seconds.

Its glass-walled lobby is filled with low-slung furniture in muted tones of ivory, beige and tan accented by mid- and dark-toned woods. And its rooms are filled with unusually thoughtful touches, both high and low tech. For example, lighting is controlled on a bedside panel, which requires only the lightest of touches to activate and is easy to see. Then, in the bathroom, complimentary toiletries are packaged in bottles with the purpose of the product—shampoo, shower gel, etc.—written large enough for all but the most myopic to read without glasses. Genius.

We encountered another kind of genius during our stay when we visited the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), the mandate of which centres on smart and green technology innovation. There we were given a look at new inventions such as Digi Actor (digital actors that look exactly the same as the real one); cell phone app Genie Talk, a multilingual speech translation device (great for travellers); Interactive Virtual Aquarium; Digital Painterly Rendering, which takes a photo of an individual and turns pixels to brush strokes; and a new digital medical service that would allow people to see a doctor without going to a doctor’s office.

Before leaving the next morning, we toured the Daejeon Convention Center. It has a grand ballroom, conference hall, 17

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meeting rooms (eight on the first floor, three on the second floor and six small meeting rooms) and a multi-purpose hall spread over a 261,359-square-foot site. As in Incheon, there are plans to expand the center, making it even bigger and better.

GUNSAN SAEMANGEUM Day Four of the tour brought us to the Gunsan Saemangeum Convention Center, where the Korea 2014 MICE Alliance Conference & Awards were being held. The center is comprised of three buildings constructed over the last ten years: the Exhibition Building (2004); the Annex Building (2007); and the Convention Building, which opened in July 2014.

The conference and awards took place in the new building.

Trudy Baek, assistant manager of its MICE Business Team, filled us in on its specs: 19,645 square feet of event space, two convention halls on the first floor and nine meeting rooms on the second floor. The conference center as a whole is, she said, “a new, young center capable of hosting large-scale conventions.”

Like Incheon and Daejeon, the area is developing its hotel offerings, which currently consists of some 1,300 rooms. The convention center hotel is a Best Western. Eleven more hotels are located a 10-minute drive away, eight are 20 minutes distant and four are 30 minutes from the convention centre.

However, the region is poised for major growth. Already a significant industrial hub, it is home to the Saemangeum Seadyke, the largest, longest (34 kilometers) seawall in the world. The Seadyke, which was completed in 2010, joins the cities of Buan and Gunsan. It has also spawned an ambitious development project that will see an area of some 400 square kilometers reclaimed from the sea, transforming Saemangeum into a multifunctional city incorporating farming, scientific research, cutting

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edge industry, recreation, commerce and more. Major players involved in the project include Samsung, which plans to establish a green energy industrial complex there.

OFF-SITE Our itinerary also took us to some of the country’s more traditional cultural venues and one of its less traditional MICE venues. On the second day, the group stayed overnight in Seoul at The Plaza Hotel (410 rooms; 68,027 square feet of meeting space). While in the city we dined at one of its newest MICE facilities: Floating Island or Some Sevit. A cornerstone of the Hangang Renaissance Project, these three artificial islets are home to three distinct event facilities. Some Gavit (59,000+ square feet) features a convention hall, restaurants and a café. Some Chavit (36,800+ square feet) is a three-storey building with an entertainment hall. Some Solvit (11,604 square feet) is a recreational complex with yacht club, marina and more.

On our way to Daejeon the next day we stopped at Cheongnamdae Presidential Villa. Located near Daecheong Dam in Cheongwon-gu, the villa served as a vacation home for the sitting president from 1983 to 2003, when it was opened to the public by then president Roh Moo-hyun. Today its grounds include a wetland garden, a 3.3 kilometre mountain trail and an eight-kilometre promenade. There is also a museum chronicling South Korea’s history through its presidents.

Our next cultural experience was a visit to Hanok Village in the city of Jeonju. While the rest of the city has been modernized and industrialized, this area has kept its historical charm through the preservation of more than 800 traditional “hanok” houses.

After a quick lunch and a walk around the streets, we stopped at a Hanok Life Experience Hall. There our all-female group donned “hanbok,” the traditional women’s clothing comprised of a blouse shirt/jacket called a jeogori and a voluminous, wrap-around skirt called a chima, and learned the art of curtseying and bowing. After a round of photos, we headed to Gunsan.

On our last night in South Korea, we returned to Seoul for a stay at the five-star JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square (170 rooms and 10,570 square feet of total meeting space). After check-in, the group headed out for a modern treat—fried chicken and beer, a combination so popular there are festivals celebrating it.

The fact that South Korea offers this blend of ancient culture and trendy modernity was a point Minhong Min, executive director of the Korea MICE Bureau, emphasized at the press conference. A MICE strategy, he said, has to combine conventions with tourism. Meetings themselves are not enough, he said, you have to offer something unique—industry, culture, cuisine—as well as excellent facilities. South Korea does all that.

— Lori Smith is the editor of Meetings + Incentive Travel.

PHOTOS: Page 56 (clockwise from top): Haechi and Gwanghwamun Gate, Seoul (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization - KTO); Gunsan Saemangeum Convention Center (Photo: GSCO); Eojuk Fish Porridge (Photo: KTO); Songdo Convensia Convention Center (Photo: Incheon CVB); Incheon International Airport (Photo: KTO); Hanbok Traditional Clothing (Photo: KTO); Namaemun Market, Seoul (Photo: KTO). Page 57 (left to right): Penthouse Master Room, Oakwood Premier Hotel (Photo: Oakwood Premier); Incheon Bridge (Photo: KTO).

Page 58 (clockwise from top left): Sheraton Incheon Hotel (Photo: Sheraton Incheon); Daejeon Convention Center (Photo: KTO); Boseong Dawon Tea Plantation (Photo: KTO); Lounge, JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square, Seoul (Photo: Marriott International). This page (clockwise from top left): Floating Island, Seoul (Photo: KTO); Cheongnamdae Presidential Villa (Photo: KTO); and Seoul at night (Photo: KTO).

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KOREACONVENTION.ORG

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AUGUST 18+19, 2015

METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN ALL-ACCESS EDUCATION PASS $99 • TRADE SHOW IS FREE FOR BUYERS! DO YOU LIVE OUTSIDE OF TORONTO?

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 18 Unselling is about the big picture: creating repeat attendees, not one-timers. Creating audiences that refer others, not faceless numbers. Becoming the go-to event for your industry.

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SANTA MONICA

BY LORI SMITH

A taste of the good life

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It’s 7:30 in the morning on the last Saturday of February and I am with a group of seven planners and our hosts on the rooftop of the Hotel Shangri-La at the Ocean in Santa Monica. We are there to take a sunrise yoga class, the start of the second day’s itinerary of a planner FAM organized by the city’s CVB. Dr. Har Hari Khalsa, a holistic chiropractor, is our instructor.

Dr. Khalsa teaches Stick Yoga, a relatively new branch on the yogic tree. He distributes four-foot and six-foot bamboo “sticks” to each of us and turns on Deva Premal’s Into Silence to set the mood for the class. The ersatz practice space—in reality the patio adjacent to the penthouse, an area available for events—offers a 360° view of the city and its surroundings. As we twist, bend and do standing poses with the support of the sticks, we can see the brown hills of Malibu to the northwest, the city’s three-and-half miles of beach and its iconic pier to the west, and beyond them the Pacific Ocean, which extends into the clear blue sky of the horizon. It’s the perfect beginning to a quintessential California day.

SITE SEEING Ours is the first planner FAM the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau has put on in recent years, and its team is eager to show our group what the city can offer groups. Post yoga, we board a bus for a tour of its core. As we drive along the city’s avenues, streets and boulevards (are the names Pico and Wilshire familiar?) the CVB rep points out hotels and venues.

We pass by Loew’s Santa Monica, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows and Le Merigot JW Marriott, which are all a block above the beach and are, we are told, the largest hotels for groups. We see the Hollywood Regency-style Viceroy Hotel (190 rooms, 2,000-sq.-ft. meeting space); Areal, a restaurant on Main Street with a patio that is perfect for receptions; and the Aero Theater, which has event space for up to 200. Driving Up Pico, we see the city’s Civic Auditorium. It was closed last year having failed to meet the requirements for earthquake safety but its large parking lot is available for outdoor events ranging from corporate parties to product launches. Along the way, we also learn that groups can rent space on the Santa Monica Pier, and that Perry’s on the Beach is the only business with a permit to hold beach parties where beer and wine are served. We are also told about the new light rail line being built. Scheduled for completion at the end of this year, it will link Santa Monica with Los Angeles, Hollywood and Pasadena. It will also allow individuals attending conferences in Los Angeles to stay in Santa Monica without having to endure the city’s infamous traffic.

At the end of the tour, we are dropped at our hotels. Three planners are staying at Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica, a PHOTOS: Page 62 (clockwise from top): Heather Douglas, Meridican Incentive Consultants, cooking at The Gourmandise School of Sweets & Savories; Lobby, Shutters on the Beach; Yoga in the Park (Photo: Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB)/K. Beinke; Terrace Colonnade, Hotel Casa del Mar; Aero Theater (Photo: Margot Gerber); Tongva Park (Photo: Tim Street Porter). Page 63 (from top) Annenberg Community Beach House (Photo: Vero Images); Shangri-La at the Ocean Santa Monica; (left) Santa Monica Place (Photo: SMCVB/ Mark Silverstein); Perry’s on the Beach (Photo: Perry’s on the Beach); Santa Monica Pier (Photo: SMCVB); Lobby coummunity and culture space, Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica.

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contemporary property with more than 10,000 square feet of flexible function space. The other four planners and I are hosted at Hotel Casa del Mar (129 guestrooms and 5,100 square feet of event space). It and its sister property, Shutters on the Beach (186 guestrooms, 12 suites and 7,000 square feet of event space), are Santa Monica’s only properties “on the sand.”

COMING IN THE MAY.JUNE 2015 ISSUE 2015 SALARY SURVEY REPORT How does your pay stack up against your peers’?

LEADERSHIP Freeman Audio Visual Canada president Johanne Belanger shares her views on how far women have come in the industry.

NMID 2015 RECAP

EAT, WALK, PLAY Santa Monica’s size—eight square miles—makes it a walkable city.

The planners in the group said the fact that the majority of hotels, off-site venues, stores and restaurants are within strolling distance of one and other ia a plus for the destination as it reduces the need for a lot of onsite transportation. It is also a plus for our waistlines.

Santa Monica is a foodie paradise. During our stay, we have dinner at Del Frisco’s Grille, a new restaurant on the east side of Ocean Avenue; lunch at The Lobster, which serves up seafood and great views of the Pier and the beach; and dinner at the Annenberg Community Beach House, which started its long life as private estate developed by William Randolph Hearst for his mistress, silent screen star Marion Davies.

The latter event was catered by Schaffer’s Genuine Foods, which at the end of the evening sent us back to our respective hotels with a snack of three salted, chocolate chip cookies and a carton of milk.

But we didn’t just eat. We also cooked. A highlight of the visit was a rustic French dessert cooking class at The Gourmandise School of Sweets & Savories, located on the top level of Santa Monica Place, the privately-owned shopping centre that anchors one end of the Third Street Promenade. The class had us team up to produce pot a crème, apple tarte tatin and chocolate mousse. Hats off to Heather Douglas, senior buyer at Meridican Incentive Consultants, who did the heavy stirring and kneading for our team. The results were delicious.

In addition to eating and cooking, we visited the Downtown Farmers’ Market, which is held twice a week year-round on Arizona Avenue between 2nd and 4th streets. It is just one of the city’s three regular farmers’ markets. Our hosts explained that groups interested in a real culinary treat can tour the market with a chef, who will then whip up a meal using the ingredients the group purchases.

To burn it all off, the city offers a plethora of activities. Groups can rent hybrid bikes and cycle along the South Bay Bicycle Trail, the 22-mile bike (walking, running, rollerblading) path that runs parallel to the beach from Torrance to Malibu. They can play volleyball and soccer on the sand. Participate in a yoga class. Pump iron on Muscle Beach. Or, just relax on the sand and swim in the ocean. Santa Monica is a playground—for Los Angelenos and tourists (business and leisure alike), all of whom are looking to have a taste of the good life and maybe catch a glimpse of a star or two.

Photos and takeaways from MPI chapter celebrations in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

DESTINATION REPORTS Santa Barbara, California Nashville, Tennessee

PLUS GIFTS + GEAR, SNAPPED AND MORE.

AFTER THE FAM Santa Monica’s popularity as a leisure destination creates three limitations for groups: the opportunity days are strictly Sunday through Thursday, its peak season summer months are out of the question, and the number of hotel rooms available for groups is limited. I ask Lauren Smith, director of events, promotions and sponsorships for Dominion Lending Centres and one of the Canadian planners on the FAM, what kind of group business she thinks the city is best-suited for. In her opinion, it’s a perfect destination for a small, up-scale program. “Whether it be an incentive group. corporate meeting or national conference—if your group is looking for a destination that won’t disappoint, Santa Monica is the place to be!” she says.

Lori Smith is editor of Meetings + Incentive Travel.

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Daz play the

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Dazzle your delegation in our stunning new convention centre, see polar bears swim and play in the majestic Journey to Churchill and have a world-class reflective experience at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

These inspired settings can only be found in the heart of Canada, where our new skyline, hotels and one-of-a-kind attractions are shining bright for all the world to see.

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To book your next convention please call Tourism Winnipeg 1.855.PEG.CITY (734.2489) or visit meetingswinnipeg.com

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1. Made from stainless steel with a PVCcoated handle, this selfie stick does not require a battery or use of an app. Users simply plug the 3.5mm audio jack into their iPhone® and press the button on the handle. It can also be used via self-timer with Android, Samsung and other mobile devices. Per unit price as low as $11.97. brandblvd.ca

2. This BPA-free, leak-proof flat bottle stacks against books, tablets and more in a purse, bag or backpack.

One-colour imprint set up: $66.

Per unit pricing as low as $8.99. universallinksinc.com

GIFTS GEAR

3. Snackin’ Sedici 20-ounce tumbler is BPA-free, has a double-wall acrylic body, and an integrated, flip-open compartment in the lid for snack storage. One colour, one location imprint: $66. Per unit pricing as low as $9.02. incrediblenovelties.com

4. Foxy Originals designs customized cufflinks, necklaces, bracelets and buckles for corporations, schools and other organizations. Prices vary. foxyoriginals.com

5. Highline™ security leash and protective case sets for iPhone® are available for the iPhone 6, 6 plus (shown), 5/5s and 4/4s. A Lightning Lock™ attaches the elastic leash to the case, while a braided Kevlar attachment loop secures the leash to zipper pulls, belt loops, purse handles and more. $34.95 USD. kenu.com

6. Sleek stainless steel Golf 7-in-1 Tool Keyholder includes a knife, groove cleaner, domed ball marker, ballpoint pen, spike wrench, heavy duty scrub brush, and divot repair tool. One colour, one location imprint set up: $66. Per unit pricing as low as $8.35. incrediblenovelties.com

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+GIFTS & GEAR 7. Sixty-four ounce Asobu Mini Keg 2 Go is made from easy-to-clean stainless steel. Features include a pouring spout and secure stainless steel screw-top lid that will keep beer fresh and stabilize it at maximum pressure. Per unit price as low as $35.99. brandblvd.ca

8. RAD Roller is a compact, portable massage and release tool. Made from natural rubber, it measures 6.5” x 2.5” and is soft enough to use on sensitive areas and hard enough to sooth and smooth sore muscles. $24.99 USD. radroller.com

9. Seasons Foldable Garden Kit includes a folding seat and detachable tote bag with four garden tools: spade, weeder, hand rake and gloves.

One-colour print set up: $66.

Per unit pricing as low as $36.57. universallinksinc.com

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10. DV8Sports’ new golf equipment and bag design are for people on the go. The Atlanta-based company’s new patented, stainless steel coupler technology allows up to 14 titanium and stainless steel club heads to be interchanged on one or two custom shafts in less than three seconds— no tools required. The clubs are packed in a travel-friendly backpack.

Bundles start at $499.95 USD. DV8sports.com

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Nominate your peers for a 2015 M+IT Hall of Fame Award Today!

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Photo Credits: 1, 2 and 3. Reveal 2015 Social, M+IT Staff.

4, 5, 6, and 7. PCMA Convening Leaders 2015, Jacob Slaton Photography. 8. MPI Atlantic Canada Chairman’s 5K Skate, MPI Atlantic Canada. 9 and 10. Quebec Day, M+IT Staff.

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CAEM 2015 Awards Gala 4

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CSAE Tête-a-Tête Photo Credits: 1, 2 and 3. CAEM

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Awards Gala, M+IT Staff. 4-8 and 11. CanSPEP 2015 Conference, PInpoint National Photography.

9, 10. CSAE Tête-a-Tête, M+IT Staff. 12, 13. MPI BC Education Day, Vision Event Photography.

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STAND OUT. TORONTO really shines, and when you plan with Toronto, your event will too. We have all of the tools and resources you need for success and our expert team will go above and beyond, working with you and our outstanding members to help find you the perfect venues and accommodations – and the nightlife, attractions and cuisine that can give your event the perfect polish.

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To learn more about planning with Toronto contact Debbie Miller, Account Director, at dmiller@torcvb.com or 416-203-3835.

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+FIND

Y C b u a e t

Vancouver’s coolest new hotspot can be found behind a nondescript, street-level door on Howe Street. Prohibition, the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s new Twenties-inspired cocktail bar, is home to the city’s in-the-know hipsters from Monday to Saturday. But on Sunday the 3,000-square-foot space is available for group buyouts. Up to 155 meeting attendees can lounge in its decadent black stone and electric blue interior, sip on vintage brews and craft cocktails, and nibble on small bites prepared by the in-house catering. Want something more adventurous? Order the absinthe fountain and give your guests a taste of the spirit favoured by Parisian bohemians and artists in 1920s’ speakeasies. It will keep them talking long after your meeting is over. prohibitionrhg.com

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You don’t have to go far to find Canada’s premier convention centre. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Toronto. Surrounded by a wide range of hotels, the Centre offers your attendees unrivalled accessibility with underground parking, nearby transit and world-class entertainment. Inside, you’ll discover a large selection of flexible meeting spaces that can be configured to accommodate events of all sizes — from 20 to over 20,000 attendees. Take a closer look at all we have to offer at mtccc.com.

LOOK CLOSER.

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