Jun 28
maureen-pickellTrade Shows aibtm, Event Industry Networking, imex, overseas meetings, upcoming meetings industry events
Well, this time your intrepid ConventionPlanit.com blogger didn’t need a passport to travel cross country to attend the festivities in Baltimore for “ America’s Meeting Week.”
First stop was the CIC Hall of Leaders Gala held 6/21 at the Hilton Baltimore. Four inductees representing the industry’s brightest talent were honored at a reception and dinner – among them Fay Beauchine, President of Business Loyalty (a.k.a. Incentives) at Carlson Marketing Group and Cliff Wallace, Managing Director of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. The common thread in their acceptance speeches was an acknowledgement of the passion and commitment that has kept them intrigued and challenged over the years. And that’s what we “lesser talents” call a normal day at the office!
The SITE table with Hall of Leaders inductee Fay Beauchine (4th from left front row) at the CIC Gala
Second on the agenda, on 6/22, was the opening day of the AIBTM exhibition. ConventionPlanit.com supplier members Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, DMC Network, American and Delta Airlines and World Marketing Group greeted planners who were participating in set appointments. Stephanie Kreps of the CP.com team gave site demos to new planners at our booth.
AIBTM will be followed by IMEX America this coming October – so there will be more opportunities for North American meeting professionals to be educated in planning meetings and incentives abroad. Can’t attend? Come to www.conventionplanit.com to find information and sales contacts for unfamiliar, international destinations and service providers!
Jun 20
Ashley ChalmersTrade Shows Event Industry Networking, Tips for Meeting Planners, upcoming meetings industry events
ConventionPlanit.com saleswoman Julie Roberts has returned home after much travel and sales appointments across the country, including attending the Mexico Showcase & Travel Expo. She shares the following show reflections in part 2 of this series.
Ah, to wake up in the morning to a welcoming breakfast by the Caribbean. The Omni Cancun is the only hotel in Cancun with event space right on the shore. Tina Johnsson, Assistant Director of Sales & Marketing warmly greeted us, and shared the many ways the resort can soar for professional conferences and incentive events. Sleeping rooms are spacious and conference space is well laid out for larger programs. A separate area is ideal for a more intimate, smaller event. The theatre is technologically advanced, and seats up to 1,200. The hotel also boasts a spa and seven restaurants.
Where to begin after the opening fireworks?!
Gran Melia Resort’s opening reception demonstrated why they are a 5-Star designation. Fabulous cuisine and entertainment was enhanced by the warm welcome from local specialists such as Fernando Cervantes, Group and Conventions Director for the Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau.
One of the highlights of the Showcase was an introduction to the City of/Downtown Cancun by the B2B Malison Plaza and Convention Center. Excellent conference/event space, and if your group loves nightlife, restaurants and shopping within walking distance, you should take advantage of this area.
Thank you to Riviera Maya Convention Bureau for such an education on how much there is to see and do once your business is finished – explore the city’s archaeology, history, ecology and adventure. And do not forget the coral reefs, whose beauty will take your breath away.
By far, one of the largest facilities in Quintana Room is the Grand Vilas Riviera Maya, a resort going for the gold in hosting larger organization events with over 90,000 square feet of convention space. Beautiful accommodations and even their architecture is a reminder of the discoveries that await your leisure time in Maya country. I must have worked up an appetite the night before, because breakfast was scrumptious.
Alas, I had to leave paradise, but I look forward to returning to the Mexico Showcase 2012 and sharing my experiences with our dear blog readers!
Jun 20
Ashley ChalmersTrade Shows Event Industry Networking, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows, upcoming meetings industry events
ConventionPlanit.com saleswoman Julie Roberts has returned home after much travel and sales appointments across the country, including attending the Mexico Showcase & Travel Expo. She shares the following show reflections in part 1 of this series.
It was indeed a celebration time at Mexico Showcase this year!
Ten years and still a premier event to not just promote Cancun, Riviera Maya and Mexico in the convention, meetings and incentive marketplace but to set the bar for quality of accommodations and service. As always, organizers, led by Andy Ortiz with Global Incentives, constantly dazzled attendees with the great program, myriad of facilities, services, activities and the tropical ambiance available throughout the peninsula.
Thank you to all for all your hard work.
Cancun displayed its appeal to meeting planners as the host city. With pros such as Eduardo Chaillo, Mexico Tourism Board, Executive Director, Meeting Industry, based in Washington, DC, to act as your guiding light, just ask and all involved deliver.
The business of doing business was evident at Showcase, which is still one of the most productive, appointment scheduled, exchanges of information, requests and relationship building events in Mexico. Throughout the event, speakers addressed industry trends and issues while delivering useful information for planners and ideas for the future.
If you read the ConventionPlanit.com newsletter, you know what a Prezi is…but probably would not have thought one could be projected onto a building! Area experts like RocÍo Cárdenas with Cenacolo restaurant (if there’s a cuisine, Cancun has the restaurant) and Global Incentives Solia Juvonen were available to assist in arranging a fabulous “dine around” event for your group.
It has to be the setting in Mexico. I marvel at how a tradeshow can have such a feeling of tranquil communication instead of a hectic, harried pace. Everyone was prepared to learn about products.
From the warm greeting of our most professional transportation crew to the final showpiece reception at the ME Cancun (mmm), the settings, entertainment, themes, and presentations made me want to bring everyone I know south-of-the border. It’s temptingly easy to do because airlift to the Cancun International Airport is so excellent.
Stay tuned for more details from the showcase!
Jan 10
maureen-pickellTrade Shows meeting education, meeting industry, pcma, upcoming meetings industry events
The ConventionPlanit.com Blog comes to you today from Las Vegas!
I have taken off again to represent the site and mingle with our planner and supplier partners at the 55th PCMA 2011 Annual Meeting “Convening Leaders.”
The conference opened in Las Vegas this weekend with organization members giving back to the city. Several Las Vegas based charities benefited from the hard work, talents, donations and fundraising efforts of convention participants. The event showed all that there are worthwhile reasons to part with your time and money in Vegas…outside of the casinos!
Attendees also enjoyed the Opening Welcome Reception held in and sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. With a background duel between strobe lights and sequined showgirls, attendees were treated to recreations of the acts that put “Vegas” on the map. Sammy Davis followed Elvis who followed Sinatra who followed…well…you get the idea.
Along with the usual ground breaking on-site education, PCMA is launching a new hybrid component where virtual attendees will be able to access live, complimentary broadcasts of the General Sessions, select Plenary Sessions and Masters Series programs in the new PCMA365 virtual environment. If you are new to PCMA365, register here to participate!
Are you in Las Vegas for the conference? Respond to this post if you would like to see your blogger in person!
Jun 07
Ashley ChalmersTrade Shows Event Industry Networking, overseas meetings, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows, upcoming meetings industry events
ConventionPlanit.com saleswoman extraordinare Julie Roberts has returned home to Florida after a whirlwind month of travel and sales calls, including attending the Mexico Showcase & Travel Expo. She has shared the below show recap with us:
If you have not had the opportunity to attend this terrific event in the past, do plan to do so for the future. Organized by the Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau, Mexico Tourism Board and Global Incentive Management Mexico – DMC, the 3 day schedule offers a terrific opportunity to experience Mexico, research venues and evaluate services while reviewing your program details on a one-on-one basis with knowledgeable hospitality professionals.
There was plenty to digest this year, and we’re talking about more than just the wonderful cuisine. A warm welcome greeted guests at every turn. Professionals representing hotels, audio-visual/technology companies, decorators, restaurants, caterers, off-site venues, transportation, eco-tourism, were on hand to enthusiastically share the enjoyment and fun while providing their “know how” for every aspect of hosting a group, special event or congress. Charlie Moore, with Faith Christian Fellowship, has attended Showcase every year and uses it to evaluate and gather new ideas for his clients. He has run 3 successful programs in Cancun and finds “the event does what it says: it ‘showcases’ the tremendous variety available for events and really cements my relationship with hoteliers.”
The tradeshow is organized with an efficient appointment schedule. With the show being in Cancun, the destination was well represented, as were other zones of Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Everyone got down to the business of doing business in the atmosphere created by the Cancun Convention Center staff and decorator.
You need never be concerned with the delivery of service for detailed programs. Omega World Travel’s Alonzo Duncan commented, “Mexico Showcase has opened my eyes to some wonderful meeting alternatives in Cancun for my clients. The tradeshow networking appointments were very worthwhile, allowing us planners to focus our attention on specific products, maximizing the time available during the exhibition. I would definitely attend again.”
These folks are at the top of their game.
The Q & A game (Oh, the fun of “were you paying attention!”) at Saturday’s luncheon only added to the program touting Re-Evaluate, Re-Invent, Re-Investment and Re-Silient for updating planners, agents and brokers on the MICE business climate of Mexico today. Mexico is experiencing media sensationalism, just as any number of global destinations. Adding the economic climate and other challenges from the past few years, representatives did not shy away from acknowledging tough issues and then demonstrated how your price-points will get great value with flexible or no attrition clauses, expanded emergency management, additional airline service and competitive rates. Some surcharges are even disappearing! The luncheon panel gave an excellent “walk through” of master account management in regards to the VAT tax refund as well.
Another program presentation covered the ease with which larger groups can bring in exhibits, materials etc. through customs by working with local freight carriers at a most reasonable cost. The National Onion Association’s Wayne Mininger commented that he has done programs on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides of Mexico and what he finds most impressive is the “service, service, service” with a “can do” attitude of everyone involved (including the story of a gardener building an easel for him!) “The most extraordinary things are done just to make sure things work and run smoothly by this industry in Mexico,” says Mininger.
In planning for the future, Andy Ortiz with Global Incentive Management reflects on how 9 years ago a small ‘Showcase’ was organized solely for Cancun. Now, all of Mexico provides support.
“The wonderful participation and support of Mexico Showcase comes from a group of professionals who understand what this business is about and they want people to know we can deliver. They know having professional planners and organizers coming to actually experience our service, is what has produced the twenty million in revenue directly attributable to this show for our country,” Ortiz said.
Yes, Mexico is fun and always will be, given the warmth of its citizens, but know that the country plays on a global stage when it comes to group business, whether it’s a wedding party or an international congress.
You can learn for yourself at next year’s 10th Anniversary, April 28 – May 2, 2011!
Jun 02
maureen-pickellTrade Shows imex, meeting industry, overseas meetings, upcoming meetings industry events
Greetings from the U.S.A.!
IMEX 2010 came to a close at Messe Frankfurt on Thursday, May 27 and the intrepid ConventionPlanit.com Hosted Buyer Group enjoyed a busy last day.
We had presentations by the Mexico Tourism Board and the Dubai Convention Bureau and enjoyed learning about “what’s new” in the MICE arena for each country.
The award-winning show once again set new records for hosted buyer numbers and countries represented. A record number of well over 3,800 hosted buyers from more than 60 markets attended this year’s show, among a visitor total of nearly 9,000!
The mood amongst buyers and exhibitors was also positive and optimistic, with many reporting increases in levels of business and appointment numbers.
Individual and group appointments rose by 14% this year, which represents a total of 57,000 business appointments made between buyers and exhibitors before and during the show.
“The past couple of years have challenged our industry on many fronts, not least economically, but I am delighted that both buyers and exhibitors have voted with their feet and turned up in greater numbers than ever to do business at IMEX this year,” said Ray Bloom, IMEX Group Chairman.
Padraic Gilligan, Managing Director of Ovation Global DMC, described the most recent turmoil quite succinctly when he stated,
“This year I have learned how resilient we are and everyone has learned to expect the unexpected. Just when “green shoots” were beginning to appear for the European meetings industry, they were covered by the thick veil of grey volcanic ash. Next year I predict we’ll have a plague of locusts but we’ll deal with that too.”
This traveler is ready to look ahead for IMEX America in Las Vegas this fall, and IMEX 2011, of course!
Feb 22
Ashley ChalmersTrade Shows imex, meeting industry, Trade Shows, upcoming meetings industry events
If you’re a meeting planner, your chances of attending IMEX America for free through a hosted buyer program have just increased 30%!
IMEX America announced today that 2,000 qualified planners will be hosted – the largest number for any US trade show.
The show will take place at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas October 11-13, 2011. Hosted buyer qualification will use the same guidelines IMEX Frankfurt uses.
If you are interested in attending the show with the ConventionPlanit.com hosted buyer group, please email stephanie.kreps@conventionplanit.com!
Jan 14
maureen-pickellTrade Shows economy, meeting attendance, meeting industry, pcma, upcoming meetings industry events
Well, the PCMA 2010 Annual Meeting wrapped up with another strong day of education beginning with a Plenary Session entitled “The State of the Meetings and Travel Industry.” The theme of “cautious optimism” that has run through the conference was reiterated once again – this time with hard numbers presented by Peter Yesawich of YPartnership.
His panel included Minaz Abij of Asset Management, Thomas C. Dolan, PhD., CAE, American College of Healthcare Executives, Brian Phillips of FedEx Office, Thomas W. Storey, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Frits van Paasschen of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The consensus of this distinguished group is that business meetings are coming back slowly. The 2nd quarter will see the emergence of small and mid-sized events with large meetings surfacing in the 4th quarter. Association business will pick up with higher attendance at annual conferences because of the pent up demand for face to face encounters.
According to Thomas Dolan, “You still need to see to sell and convince.”
It appears that 2nd quarter will see a rush to get these meetings launched. To help our planners manage their “time poverty,” ConventionPlanit.com offers the RFP ValetTM service. Instead of spending time researching facilities and chasing properties for timely responses, we do the work for you. To learn more about this service, click here.
Your dedicated blogger was virtually overwhelmed by the wealth of information presented during PCMA 2010 – Convening Leaders. I’ve attempted to share some of the highlights with you over the past 4 days, but in order to comprehend the wide scope of the education that was offered, go to www.pcma2010.org and click on Video to view the PCMA-TV News Summary.
We’ll see you at PCMA 2011 in Las Vegas!
May 08
Ashley ChalmersNews upcoming meetings industry events
If you love history, and you find yourself in Northern Virginia soon, be sure to visit the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and Museum – they have two fascinating events coming up:
1. Best-selling World War II Author Jeff Shaara: June 5
Get his latest book autographed at this luncheon
2. 90th Anniversary of The Battle of Belleau Wood: June 6
Colonel Joe Alexander, noted historian, will lead a lively discussion at this dinner
For more information, check out the National Museum of the Marine Corps or email Pam Dodson dodson@marineheritage.org to reserve tickets.
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