Smart Meetings | Page 169 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

After years of travel-banned holidays, we know you’re headed far out to your favorite corners of cities, woods and bluffs. But even with travel restrictions loosened, testing requirements and Covid-related rules still can make travel tricky. Not having the right documents could cost you your long-anticipated trip. And getting a Covid test with a reasonable turnaround time and accurate result should not be laborious, especially at this point. As of mid-November, almost 3,500 Covid tests are being administered per day in the U.S. And those rates remain similar across the Northern Hemisphere and elsewhere.

So, when you’re asked to show proof of a negative Covid test, what type of test should you take, and where? International travel almost always requires testing; domestic travel varies from state to state. Here’s the latest on Covid testing.

Differences Between Covid Tests and Determining the Right One

There are viral Covid tests, and then there are antibody tests. Viral tests will detect a present and active Covid infection, whereas antibody tests will find evidence of a past Covid infection. If you find you’re required to take a Covid test before traveling, you will most likely be asked to take a viral test.

Of the viral tests, there are two main types: molecular and antigen. Molecular tests are more commonly referred to as NAATs (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests), of which there are two—RT-PCR and isothermal amplification. Isothermal amplification tests include TMA, NEAR, RT-LAMP, HDA, CRISPR and SDA variants. They all require testing of molecular makeup in a lab, so they tend to take more time to process.

The antigen test, on the other hand, is a rapid viral test. Because it’s a less involved process, the antigen test is considered slightly less accurate than its NAAT counterpart. Yet, the antigen, or rapid test, is more accessible, as it can be taken at home, in the office or at certain local pharmacies—and yield quicker results.

Sometimes airlines and destinations will not accept antigen tests (but will accept an NAAT test), but often a viral test is the only specification. Check your airline’s and your destination’s government or tourism bureau travel restrictions website to ensure your negative result meets every qualification.

Domestic Travel Restrictions and Recommendations

Few states still have restrictions on domestic travel, and as a practical matter these are limited to air travel. But certain states and territories do ask that their visitors get a negative Covid test within 72 hours before their trip, quarantine after arrival, show proof of vaccination or some combination of the these. The following states and territories may ask even U.S. travelers to show some form of health documentation.

Hawaii requires a temperature screening upon arrival, and vaccinated travelers must show proof of vaccination and either an NAAT or antigen negative test result from within the last 72 hours. Unvaccinated travelers will need proof of a negative test result within 24 hours of departure. Hawaii asks that your proof of vaccination be uploaded to the Safe Travels digital platform for easy access, but also be printed out, so the traveler has a hard copy to show upon their arrival. Hawaii also accepts digital vaccination records through the travel health pass apps CLEAR, CommonPass and AZOVA.

The most recent update to Kansas’ travel restrictions came Thursday, Nov. 18: Vaccinated domestic travelers to Kansas are not required to quarantine after arrival; however, unvaccinated domestic travelers who’ve traveled or attended a 500-plus person gathering since early October may be subject to a mandatory seven-to-10-day quarantine and testing upon their visit. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment lists further specifics on restrictions on their website.

Fully vaccinated travelers have no need to get tested or quarantine when traveling to Washington, D.C., but unvaccinated travelers coming from high-risk areas must present a negative Covid test prior to travel. If you’re unvaccinated and coming from Maryland or Virginia, or you’re only staying the day (under 24 hours), you are not restricted by testing.

Puerto Rico has precise restrictions: Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and long-term residents must show proof of vaccination and have received a negative PCR or antigen test result within 72 hours of arrival. Unvaccinated U.S. citizens, though, must show proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 24 hours of arrival. Puerto Rico’s Travel Safe digital platform allows visitors to archive and verify documentation on a mobile device and can provide testing-site information for visitors’ return trips.

For more information on individual state restrictions, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) collection of state and territorial health department websites.

International Travel Restrictions

Regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, international travel to the U.S. and re-entry requires Covid testing. Vaccinated Americans and foreign visitors must provide a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of their return flight. Unvaccinated U.S. citizens traveling to the U.S. must have received a negative result within the last 24 hours before their departure. Non-U.S. citizens and nonimmigrants must be fully vaccinated, the last dose having been received no fewer than 14 days before flight, to enter the country. Even still, you will also need to provide a negative Covid test result for air travel, in addition to your vaccination record.

In the event that you contracted Covid within 90 days prior to your trip, documentation of your recovery should be carried with you and presented in place of a negative test or vaccination. Documentation of your recovery should include a positive viral test result dated within 90 days of your departure and return and a letter from a health-care professional determining you recovered and are healthy for travel.

Restrictions can vary vastly from country to country, though, so it’s crucial to review individual airline, as well as individual countries’ travel restriction guidelines. United Airlines has collected information on international travel restrictions by continent, country and region and lists them on its website. It’s also important to check your airline’s international travel guidelines on its website, as different airlines often require different types of tests and formats of documentation.

Providing Proof: Paper or Digital?

CDC’s list of acceptable forms of proof of vaccination includes verifiable digital or paper records with a scannable QR code, nonverifiable paper records, such as a printout of your vaccination record or certificate issued by a U.S. government agency or other authorized vaccine provider (this would also include your CDC vaccination card) and nonverifiable digital records (see “acceptable proof of Covid-19 vaccination” at link). Nonverifiable digital records would include a photo of your vaccination card, a downloaded vaccine record to your mobile device or a downloaded certificate from, again, an official source.

All demonstrations of proof must clearly and visibly display travelers’ full name, with either their date of birth or another personal identifier that can be corroborated by the information on their passport, the name of the official source of vaccination or test, the vaccine manufacturer (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, etc.) and vaccination dates (see “all forms of proof of Covid-19 vaccination must have” at link).

Apps like CLEAR, with the CLEAR Health Pass and CLEAR Plus options, VeriFLY and CommonPass all provide trusted avenues for uploading verifiable health documentation. Each app is free, with the exception of the CLEAR Plus option, a paid feature that speeds up TSA PreCheck or Global Entry for the traveler, among other perks. Each of the above apps allows the user to upload vaccination records and test results.

CLEAR, however, is approved exclusively for domestic travel at this point. CLEAR boasts major partners including Delta Airlines and United Airlines and is compatible with Hawaii’s Safe Travels health initiative requirements. The program makes getting onto your flight hands-free and fast with its secure, touchless ID at the airport.

VeriFLY is an international provider accepted by all inbound U.S. flights; however, while it is an internationally versatile app, be sure to review its select list of international destinations that accept it as verification for outbound travel. Its partners include American Airlines, British Airways, Alaska Airlines, Iberia Airlines, Japan Airlines and more. This program also gives specifications on restrictions, such as the type of test needed and vaccination requirements, by destination, in-app. VeriFLY can store personal information, business memberships, citizenship and health status and documentation.

CommonPass does not require any registration or input of personal information to upload verifiable vaccinations and test results and is partnered with destinations such as Hawaii, Aruba and the U.S. Its airline partners include JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

While the CDC gives a broad range of acceptable forms of proof, check your airline’s health and Covid documentation requirements—it may maintain stricter format restrictions, like presenting a verifiable digital record or a nonverifiable hard copy of record, and certain mobile apps may not be permitted as verification for boarding.

Where To Get Tested

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has lists of pharmacies, clinics and other health-care providers on its website, where you can find domestic centers for Covid testing.

CommonTrust Network is an accessible and comprehensive resource for finding a Covid testing center abroad before your return trip. The data source offers a global registry of testing and vaccination providers and public health registries, and it’s partnered with over 45 national governments worldwide.

For more specific, up-to-date information from domestic local governments on where the official testing and vaccination sites are, and what’s available, see the CDC’s state and territorial health department websites archive.

And finally, get in touch with your hotel—depending on your destination, your hotel may provide testing services to make your return trip much more streamlined.

Leadership with Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP) wanted to set an example. For the group’s 2021 FICP Annual Conference in Arizona, they put a stake in the desert early on that they would hold an in-person event at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa for 500 fully vaccinated people Nov. 14-17.

“Our hope is that once [attendees] attend this event, they’ll be able to go back to their leadership and incorporate many of the things we’ll be doing at our event this year, and [see] that safe, face-to-face meetings can resume,” said Steve Bove, FICP executive director.

Those attending live were able to focus on being present, and key presentations were recorded for sharing at a later date.

Learn lessons from planning 2021 FICP Annual Conference by listening in on this exclusive webinar.

Fresh-air Vibes

The event, themed “Adapt, Nourish and Execute,” required proof of vaccination and indoor masking but took advantage of mild temperatures to hold meals and receptions outdoors. The host property is in the midst of a $49 million renovation of all 950 guest rooms and more than 241,000 sq. ft. of indoor-outdoor meeting space, making it easy to find fresh spots to gather.

An opening-night experience at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sponsored by Accor added a festive note when the property’s elaborate winter wonderland of ice skating, ice slides, a maze, lighted observation wheel and fire pits opened a day early for the exclusive enjoyment of FICP attendees.

A Sonoran theme at The Barn at Desert Foothills sponsored by MC&A and Visit Phoenix brought attendees under the stars for more networking between roping metal calves and line dancing.

Learn and Give Back

The adapt and nourish theme included a give-back activity, Paint if Forward, with Wet Paint Group and artist John Bukaty. Personal stories turned a craft project painting canvas sneakers into a powerful mission to help children get back on their feet.

Sessions focused on helping members adapt to what is happening right now at their companies and in convention centers. Keynote Sarah Robb O’Hagan encouraged extreme meeting production. “Greatness is a team sport,” she said. “Individual success is driven more by those around us than by ourselves. The better your teammates are, the better you will play.”

ALHI President and CEO Mike Dominguez led a panel that looked at how meetings will change as the Covid pandemic fades to an endemic in the United States. Panelist Meredith Buggelli, corporate vice president of events with New York Life Insurance Company, confirmed that executives are just now starting to talk about plans for in-person, particularly when it comes to incentive events. “The realization has suddenly hit that another year is about to end, and we can start to get people together,” she said.

Lori Allen, vice president of global event operations with MetLife, agreed. “The pent-up demand is real. Our sales teams are people-people.”

Florence Nalepka, vice president of business development with PRA, stressed the importance of having conversations early and often because supply chains are challenged right now. “We have to understand the difference between the must-haves and nice-to-haves to find a balance that works,” she said.

2022 FICP Annual Conference sails to Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, live and in-person.

Scott White

With 30 years of industry experience, White is now director of sales at Teneo Hospitality Group’s Washington, D.C., office. Before joining Teneo, White was director of global sales at PRA Group, a destination management company. He has also worked in management for Krisam Group & Global Event Partners and Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida, and has held the position of regional director of sales at Associated Luxury Hotels International.

Trisha Grisko

Sandpiper Hospitality, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, has promoted Grisko to vice president of sales and marketing. Grisko joined the company in 2018 as a divisional sales manager and became corporate director of sales and marketing last year. She’s also worked for Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Extended Stay America. Grisko was awarded “Best of the Best” honors by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International in 2010.

Nicholas Squire

Mill Falls at the Lake, a New Hampshire TPG Hotels & Resorts property, has appointed Squire to general manager. Squire was previously lodging director at The Hermitage Club in Vermont, where he managed six properties and expanded its lodging portfolio. He has spent over 20 years in industry management, working for The Stratton Mountain Club of Stratton Mountain Resort; The White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection; Windham Hill Inn; and Four Columns Inn, all in New England; as well as the U.K.’s Gidleigh Park.

Emily Nichols

Nichols has joined Kimpton Alton Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf as its general manager. Previously, Nichols was general manager at Kimpton Buchanan Hotel in San Francisco’s Japantown. Before that, she was assistant general manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel, also in San Francisco. Nichols has spent almost 15 years in hospitality leadership positions, working for hotel properties in Mendocino, California; Palm Beach, Florida; New York City and Rochester, Minnesota.

Julian Cable-Treadwell

Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort has hired Cable-Treadwell as its director of marketing and sales. Cable-Treadwell has 20 years of international experience in the field, most recently working in a similar position for Baha Mar, a Bahamas resort. He’s also served in sales, marketing and management positions at Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide properties in Mexico, the Caribbean, Ireland and Australia.

Scott Lane

Lane is now general manager for Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport. Lane has spent 20 years in sales, marketing and management positions with Hyatt. He was most recently general manager at Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland, after serving there as regional vice president of sales and marketing.

Joel Costa

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco has named Costa its director of sales and marketing. Costa was priorly director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, also in California, and he’s held leadership positions at San Jose Marriott in California, Marriott International and FlagStone Hospitality. Costa served on the board of directors of Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) Northern California chapter from 2006 to 2007 and remains an active member of MPI.

David Silva, Chris Lawing and Jessie Valdez

Silva (left), Lawing (center) and Valdez (right)

Silva is now hotel manager, Lawing is director of sales and marketing and Valdez is director of spa at Pendry Park City in Utah.

Silva brings 17 years of leadership experience in food and beverage operations and hotel management to his new position. He served as the Marriott Orlando Airport Lakeside senior operations advisor, then held directorships at various Fairmont Hotels and Resorts properties and at The St. Regis Deer Valley, where he was hotel manager.

Lawing has spent over two decades in convention and hospitality management. He’s held leadership roles at Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Montage International of Montage Hotels & Resorts. Previously, Lawing was director of group sales at Montage Deer Valley in Utah.

Valdez has spent the last decade expanding her career into wellness and hospitality management. She has served as spa and wellness director and marketing specialist for Sugati Spa & Wellness Center in Park City, Utah, and, most recently, was spa director at Glenwild Golf Club and Spa, also in Utah.

Hosting a small group? These boutique hotels in Seattle, Palo Alto and Charleston could be calling your name.

El Prado, Palo Alto, California

Formerly Garden Court Hotel, this Spanish-influenced property has revamped its 62 guest rooms and added to its now 6,000 sq. ft. of indoor-outdoor meeting space. In addition to Il Fornaio, the property’s Italian-themed restaurant, it will soon also be home to Spanish Tapas Bar and a breakfast diner that’ll sit right next to a second-floor solarium.

The Loutrel, Charleston, South Carolina

Style comes in a small package at this heavily verdant property that is sure to please plant lovers. Greenery wends its way throughout all corners of the property, from the 50 guest rooms and the lobby’s Veranda Lounge, where guests can grab a cocktail and small bites, to the 4,063 sq. ft. of meeting space, which includes a rooftop terrace and The Clubroom on the property’s mezzanine level.

Hotel 1000, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Seattle

A first for LXR Hotels & Resorts in the Pacific Northwest, this 120-room property is located in the center of Seattle, providing photo-ready views of the city from every angle. Included in its 9,100 sq. ft. of meeting space are seven event venues and an all-weather greenhouse terrace. The hotel features All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar, which offers local seafood and regional wine selections.

HarbourView Inn, Charleston, South Carolina

This 52-room waterfront property, an indigo cotton warehouse in the 1930s, is fresh off a redesign of its guest rooms, communal spaces and rooftop terrace, the only such private space in downtown Charleston. While this property only contains 1,626 sq. ft. of meeting space, its sister hotel, French Quarter Inn, features an additional 1,200 sq. ft., as well as 50 more guest rooms.

Looking for more inspo? Check out New and Renovated: Ballrooms and Boardrooms for Smaller Meets

Meeting Means Business Coalition (MMBC) will fully integrate under U.S. Travel Association, after having close ties in meeting production over the years. This move aims to “[provide] greater value to coalition members as business travel and professional meetings and events rebuild from steep pandemic-related losses,” a press release reads.

The plan to integrate was announced last week at IMEX America 2021 in Las Vegas. “Since its founding, Meetings Mean Business Coalition and U.S. Travel Association have been close partners in producing meaningful programs that highlight the value of meetings and business travel events,” says Michael Massari, chief sales officer for Caesars Entertainment and co-chair for MMBC. “Taking this next step to integrate resources will further elevate our collective work as we emerge stronger than ever from the pandemic.”

The loss recorded in business travel spending in 2020 and 2021 is estimated at upwards of $315 billion. U.S. Travel’s recent forecast projects domestic travel spending to reach 76 percent of 2019 levels in 2022; international business spending is projected to reach 65 percent of 2019 levels by that same time.

As the full return to in-person meetings, domestically and internationally, remains a top priority for U.S. Travel, this move will further aid the industry’s recovery. “Fully integrating Meetings Mean Business and its scope of work under the U.S. Travel Association umbrella makes great strategic sense, given the level of need and advocacy for the recovery of the meetings and business events travel segment,” says Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company and co-chair, Meetings Mean Business Coalition.

MMBC’s seventh annual Global Meetings Industry Day will take place on April 7, 2022. Its location has yet to be announced.

In Australia, they’re known with affection as a sammo or sango; in England, as a sarnie. We call them sammies. However it’s referred to, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts: bread, top and bottom, stuff in between. Nov. 3, officially National Sandwich Day, is our annual nod to the lunchtime favorite named for John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich, who was born in 1718. When hungry, it’s said, the Earl would order servants to bring him slices of meat between slices of bread. His friends began ordering “the same as Sandwich.” Thus, the satisfying meal was christened, to go forth and multiply into the BLT, club, grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and innumerable other variations. Here are some yummy takes.

The Langham, Chicago, Illinois

This Forbes Five Star hotel resides in a skyscraper designed by legendary Mies van der Rohe, near the Chicago River. The terribly English brand is known for its clubby elegance and afternoon High Tea, yet at its Travelle restaurant, the sammie star is the decidedly non-Brit Pork Belly Bahn Mi, accompanied by hoisin glaze, pickled carrot, radish and fresh herbs.

New Orleans Marriott, Louisiana

The po’ boy is one of the Crescent City’s two sammie standouts (muffuletta being the other). Locals argue endlessly over who’s got the best, but you won’t go wrong with the soul-satisfying shrimp and oyster version that arrives “fully dressed” at 5Fifty5, which specializes in cuisine redolent of the fabled food region, in this Canal Street meetings mecca.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Nevada

Eggslut—the eyebrow-raising name was coined by Anthony Bourdain for chefs unable to resist adding a fried, poached or otherwise cooked egg to all kinds of fare—began as an L.A. food truck. Now its chef-driven egg sandos are a winning pick on The Strip and other locales as far-flung as Singapore and Seoul. Slut, a signature item, is a coddled egg atop potato puree, poached in a glass jar.

The Greenwich Hotel, New York City

Robert De Niro owns this enclave in a cobblestone quarter of TriBeCa in Manhattan. Abstract paintings by his father adorn the lobby, and a book-lined drawing room opens to a pocket garden. Yoko Ono might be spotted in the restaurant, Locande Verde, where rustic Italian offerings at midday include a Shaved Porchetta Sandwich with grilled onions and provolone.

Planning your return to in-person? You might want to take a second look at big city venues, where the access is convenient, amenities are abundant and hotel partners are eager to welcome you back. Smart Meetings asked some urban hotel executives what they are seeing in their ballrooms today, what types of groups are returning, what protocols are being required and what are some creative uses of the space they have seen.

Courtney Stout, director of group sales, New York Marriott Marquis, New York City

1,966 guest rooms; 110,000 sq. ft. of meeting space

In the past several weeks, we have welcomed tech companies, financial, a crypto-currency group, realtors and association business.

These are corporate customers. They are here to do business in front of their clients. New York City is the financial capital, a desirable location and an exciting destination; it’s accessible. They’re here to do the business of business. They see an opportunity to get in front of their clients in-person, which they may not have done in some time.

When it comes to protocols, fortunately we are in New York, where the Key to New York mandate requires that all meeting attendees are vaccinated. Each person is required to show proof of vaccination before entering the meeting space. We have seen that this instills confidence amongst the attendees and puts them at ease.

While most recent events have been more traditional in set-up, we have seen some smaller groups have enhanced their space in creative ways. A recent group from Central America for 100 people designed their space with beautiful plants and trees, which was impressive and welcoming, like an urban paradise. In addition, the Marquis has expansive open-air space in its 40-floor atrium, which makes guests comfortable in being able to circulate there.

Tracy Barr, director of sales and marketing, Sheraton Grand Los Angeles

496 guest rooms; 26,200 sq. ft. of meeting space

We are currently seeing mostly small corporate and association groups using the hotel with a primary goal of reconnecting with either customers or their own associates.

These are groups that might have been doing the best they can over Zoom during the past year, but are looking to return to some form of in-person exchange. Groups want the ability to have richer conversations and greater back-and-forth engagement that you just cannot accomplish via video chat. We’re also seeing some ‘return to work’ celebration events, with companies looking to re-energize employees returning to an office environment after working remote for more than a year.

We are primarily hosting hybrid meetings right now. While companies are segueing back to in-person, they also realize there may be some attendees are not able to travel yet. Offering hybrid options such as virtual attendance, or even multiple locations on property to allow for social distancing, gives guests a choice on how they want to participate.

Earlier this year, Marriott introduced its Connect with Confidence program offering a guide of best practices, information on current protocols, and additional resources for planners, and we recommend this as a great guide for planners. We continue to follow the guidance of the CDC and our local health department in terms of recommendations for group gatherings, and also work with the planner to for any requirements specific to their organization. We try to be as flexible as we can with options for social distancing along with outdoor meals and activities.

Recently, we hosted a hybrid event that incorporated virtual options along with multiple indoor and outdoor locations at the hotel. The main stage was in our ballroom, with live-feed screens available on our outdoor deck space so attendees at the hotel had the option to view general session indoors or out. This group also chose to keep all meals outdoors. Our fantastic southern California location allows us to offer outdoor spaces almost year-round, which has been a great enticement to groups this year.

Megan Wolf, sales executive, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Warehouse District

guest rooms; 11,628 sq. ft. of meeting space

We are booking small corporate meetings and associations for 2022. Many of these are executive/leadership meetings—in-person with a hybrid component.

Many are eager to get back to in-person meetings, but want to start small We are also getting requests for a help with hybrid components.

We are following the guidance of the city of New Orleans. Room setups are still requested to be socially distanced and we are offering food and beverage in a separate space with more room to spread out. We had a group use three spaces for meals to be able to spread out as much as possible!

Sara Malloy, director of hotel sales, The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection

guest rooms; 42,577 sq. ft. of meeting space

We are seeing corporate, pharma and social events—we host a lot of weddings and celebrations.

Launches for new initiatives for departments and companies and celebrations are popular right now.

Demand has been for executive retreats, team-building meetings and a mix of in-person only or hybrid meetings.

We require all attendees utilizing our public space to wear a face covering unless they are eating or drinking. We use the latest cleaning protocols for the spaces in our hotel that have been rolled out by our Marriott Global Cleanliness Counsel such as frequent disinfecting high-touch areas. We’ve added hand sanitation stations throughout the hotel. Our guests can check-in utilizing mobile check-in and head straight to their rooms with their mobile keys. In our public and meeting spaces, we support physical distancing through special room sets, redesigned food and beverage stations and offering individually prepared, plated, or packaged selections for contactless food and beverage options.

We have become quite creative with our in-house audio-visual team and social-distance-enabled meeting layouts. With many meetings being hybrid, we want to ensure our customers keep the attention of all attending in person or on-line. With the use of lights and graphics, we make the room feel fuller and more exciting than a bunch of spread-out tables and chairs in a half empty room.

Erwin Schinnerl, general manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta

444 guest rooms; 20,156 sq. ft. of meeting space

The majority of meetings right now are corporate and social events, such as wedding, birthday celebrations or anniversaries. The size of events vary, but have increased over the past 6 months, indicating a gain in confidence to meet, gather, do business and socialize in hotel meeting settings and to do so more safely. We do see a larger number of board meetings, sales and customer events, as well as a return to fundraising and philanthropic activities.

Guests want to have direct customer interface rather than using remote options, team building, relationship building. There is a desire to return to normal. They put their trust in us to keep them safe, knowing that we keep capacities below maximum allowable and following strict protocols.

We have seen all of meetings I mentioned before as well, but with smaller attendance offering the hybrid feature. Larger meetings of more than 100 are conventional meetings in execution, but with Covid safety protocols being followed (spacing, sanitation, food presentations).

We collaborate with the client’s needs, while still including the standards that must be followed for our hotel—masking when in public spaces of hotel, social distancing for meeting sets, dinner, receptions with room capacities reduced, food service plated, passed or via receptions for food stations that are manned or food presented in individual presentations, replenished more frequently.

We have had many requests to use airy, spacious or outdoor options, restaurant, lounge and our unique Club Lounge buy-outs. We have seen a strong desire to change things up and not have a traditional meeting/event room set-ups if their day is spent in same spaces. It has become a wonderful opportunity to showcase our craftsmanship, including private dining rooms or a portion of our AG restaurant used for a reception, Club Lounge set on our 24th floor with beautiful city views for breakfast, lunch or receptions using existing lounge set-up. Also popular: renting out Lumen our Lobby Bar for welcome reception.

New Protocols Bring People Together at Langham

From an abundance of hand sanitizing stations to more visible cleaning and F&B options, Jason Sabin, director of group sales with Langham Hospitality Group, says he has seen groups as diverse as financial, information technology, real estate, telecommunications and sport and entertainment make the decision to go back to in-person meetings at The Langham, New York on Fifth Avenue after determining their attendees are comfortable with protocols in place.

“Currently, we are seeing smaller meetings from an executive level,” said Sabin, that includes executive retreats, user groups, team building in-person only or hybrid. Many clients have offices in New York, but aren’t able to meet there or gave up office space in New York but still have business in town. Many of the programs are operating on short windows, they are booking are within the year for the year, he reported. “Groups have not met all year and trying to establish an Executive Level meeting before the end of the calendar year.”

Sabin observed that he isn’t seeing a lot of hybrid meetings actually happening. “Many of our clients are asking for the option to have hybrid should that need arise.”

He is also not seeing a lot or protracted negotiations. “They have the budgets in place or have credit established with the hotel due to the pandemic and are now having to rebook,” he said.

“Many clients have expressed confidence specifically in The Langham, New York, since we never closed so we were operating throughout the pandemic, allowing the hotel to advance and implement our Safety Standards and Protocols ahead of other comparable hotels in the city.”

Protocols now in place include portable hand sanitizers and for each position we have individual hand sanitizer, both of which we will keep for the foreseeable future. “Clients have told us they like having them there and that it reminds attendees to keep their hands clean throughout the event.”

Cleaning and disinfection chemical are hospitals-grade and areas are cleaned after every use with an electro-static sprayer, which will continue for the foreseeable future.

Sneeze guards are in place for buffet service of any kind. Pre-package food in to go containers have become popular for corporate meetings where attendees move to other spaces for different parts of the program or break-outs. “This was an option pre-Covid, but now we overtly offer it to all meetings in case that is a priority for them as well and we have found it to be very popular,” he concluded.

In a Livestorm survey conducted in 2021, 68 percent of respondents reported increased use of video conferencing in the past 12 months, in everything from internal meetings to conferences and tradeshows. With many companies reducing the size of their physical offices, video conferencing may be one of the primary communications vehicles for large events going forward. But screen fatigue is very real—and it’s easy for attendees to get burned out. So, what can you do to make large online events more engaging?

First, you need to gauge whether or not engagement is a problem. Here are some red flags:

You see people dropping off well before the end of the event. It’s not unusual to see a small amount of dropoff, but if it exceeds 10 percent of attendees before the midway point, you may have a problem.
Registration and/or attendance rates are declining. If fewer people are interested in registering or actually attending, that’s a strong signal that your events are not engaging.
Post-event survey feedback. This is the most direct way to tell if there’s a problem. In my experience, it’s primarily very happy or very unhappy people who take the time to fill out these surveys. Listen to them.

Tools for boosting online event engagement

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to make online events more engaging, some based on tried-and-true methods for engaging in-person audiences. Leading video conferencing platforms are starting to incorporate these features in order to combat screen fatigue.

Q&A: Just as at in-person meetings, a Q&A period during online events helps draw people in and also provides a change of pace during an event. One best practice here is to seed your Q&A with a few questions to get the ball rolling—you’ll find others will typically jump in after the first question is asked.
Chat: Giving attendees the ability to ask a question or make a comment via chat helps them feel more engaged with the content. It’s important to have someone manning the chat, to respond to those questions and comments. If people ask questions that will be answered later in the event (which is common), tell them that— don’t give them the answer early, or they may disengage or leave the event.
Polls: Ask attendees to weigh in on a topic or question with a poll. Poll responses can also help event speakers tailor their content to better fit and engage the audience. In a 30-minute event, we recommend asking up to three short polling questions.
Whiteboard: Digital whiteboards make it easy to brainstorm and collaborate with members of your team. They are a great tool for working effectively together, from brainstorming with digital notes to planning and managing agile workflows. They are most effective for internal meetings.
Emoji reactions: These give participants the ability to quickly and easily provide feedback on event content.
Reporting features and analytics: An important feature of a video conferencing platform, reporting and analytics shine a light on which part of your webinar attendees responded most to, and which parts may need fine-tuning.

All of these features have been proven to boost online event engagement. Use one or use all in order to make your attendees feel more connected to your event and speakers.

Gilles Bertaux is co-founder and CEO of Livestorm.

Richard Hud

Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau has hired Hud as business development executive. Hud brings to the position 30 years of experience in sales and hospitality management. Formerly, Hud was senior manager of convention sales at San Francisco Travel Association.

Colleen Huther and Kimberley de Tessan

Huther is general manager and de Tessan is director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver.

Before her new role in Denver, Huther was general manager of Belmond El Encanto, a luxury, Forbes-rated property in Santa Barbara, California. Huther has held various positions in sales and marketing with the Grand Heritage Hotel Group and, from there, went on to become vice president of asset management for Thayer Lodging Group. Later, Huther was general manager for Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort, Hilton Santa Clara and Hilton Checkers Los Angeles, all in California. She received the 2003 Marriott Mustang Award for her quick and thoughtful response as general manager of Annapolis Marriott Waterfront Hotel in the face of Hurricane Isabel flooding.

De Tessan was most recently director of events at Grand Hyatt Denver and, in 2019, was named Hyatt Hotels’ Director of the Year for her feat of achieving 109 percent of the event sales yearly quota and customer service excellence. In 2007, she began her career in hospitality as event sales manager for Grand Hyatt New York in New York City and, in 2011, took her first position in Denver at Hyatt Regency Denver as associate director of events.

Gary Thomas and Marcia Murphy

Thomas is senior vice president of hotel operations and Murphy is corporate director of commercial strategy at Makeready, hotel, restaurant and retail operator.

Thomas joins Makeready’s Charleston destination after holding multiple general manager and senior operations roles at Morgans Hotel Group and other SBE lifestyle hospitality company hotels. In 2010, Thomas was named General Manager of the Year after opening Morgans Hotel Group’s Mondrian Soho hotel location

Murphy joins the Dallas Makeready team after spending 20 years in the hospitality industry in the Los Angeles area. Her most recent position was founder and principal consultant for Luxury Boutique Consulting. Before that, Murphy was strategic advisor for Master Connection Associates.

Monica Coleman and Alecia Zackery

Coleman is manager of convention services and Zackery has been promoted to content and social media manager of group markets at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB).

Coleman was most recently senior event manager at New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City before moving back to Atlanta, where she had previously worked at ACVB as administrative assistant to convention services, convention services representative and then manager.

Zackery was previously the group markets specialist for ACVB and helped develop the ATL Unguided, a collection of content on Atlanta’s Black travel experience. She was appointed to the U.S. Travel Association’s Destinations Council of Emerging Leaders, in 2021. Before her time at ACVB, Zackery held the role of event coordinator at Georgia State University.

Eduardo Rojas

Rojas is general manager at Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto by Danzante Bay in Mexico. With 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Rojas has assumed multiple managerial roles at Club Med, serving as general manager of the company’s Cherating, Malaysia; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Cancun, Mexico and Port St. Lucie, Florida, properties, among others. Most recently, Rojas started two fine-dining restaurants in Mexico City and was director general for Stara Boutique Hotels, also in Mexico City.

Jennifer Patino and Kurt Paben

Hosts Global, a partner to many meeting and event planners internationally, has appointed Patino as vice chair and Paben as CEO. The company is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Before her promotion to vice chair, Patino was CEO of Hosts Global and opened new offices for the company in Chicago, Seattle, Southern California, San Antonio and Austin. She created the Hosts Global Alliance and brought the project to fruition, establishing an association of destination management companies that represent more than 250 destinations internationally.

Paben was formerly president of Carlson Marketing, now known as Aimia. He expanded the events management company abroad and served two terms as SITE Foundation president. Currently, Paben sits on the executive committee for The Above & Beyond Foundation.

After a one-year hiatus due to Covid, the largest meetings industry event returned to a new home at Mandalay Bay Casino Resort this week and the buzz at the 10th annual hosted buyer show was reminiscent of years past. IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom reported that more than 3,300 buyers and 2,200 exhibiting companies attended. The pop-up destination exhibits represented more than 200 countries with many adding to their presence when the United States opened travel from many of those destinations effective the day before doors opened.

“This IMEX week has given us all reason to believe the industry’s future is bright,” said Carina Bauer, IMEX CEO.

The mood in the room was upbeat as every member of the panel shared success stories and paid tribute to the resilience and adaptability of the global business events industry, as demonstrated at IMEX America by the sheer scale and scope of this year’s show after close to two years of industry shutdown.

More: Click the links for Day 1 and Day 2 highlights from #IMEX21!

The show included200 education sessions, new education tracks, a new People & Planet Village with a ‘misfit’ fruit and vegetable juice bar plus sustainability sessions; a Tech Therapy Area and a daily wellbeing program, which featured the traditional #IMEXrun on Wednesday morning.

World-class experts and speakers, specialist education for corporate, association and agency executives together with workshops and programmes for students and faculty topped off a busy reunion week.

Smart Meetings founder and CEO Marin Bright, an Inspiration Hub speaker summed up the feeling of reuniting in-person with so many partners and friends as “a long-awaited hug for the soul and a much more effective way to do business than Zoom calls.”

IMEX America 2022 will return to Mandalay Bay Convention Center October 11 – 13, with Smart Monday, powered by MPI on October 10.