Smart Meetings | Page 249 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

Music brings people together and world-class music in an historic setting can be even more impactful. Smart Meetings asked Nichole (Nikki) Dupre, director of sales and marketing at Claremont Club & Spa, a Fairmont Hotel, for tips on energizing an event after the property hosted Monteux Jazz Festival artist Jalen N’Gonda as part of a Fairmont World Tour.

Leverage Your Connections

Fairmont properties have hosted epic musical moments for more than a century, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In for Peace (Montreal’s Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth) and Ramones Live (Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle). Fairmont Le Montreux Palace in Switzerland is the host for the acclaimed Montreux Jazz Festival and helped arrange the tour of the up-and-coming London-based nu-soul singer.

“Fairmont’s special connection to music is at the forefront of our rich and celebrated brand history,” said Sharon Cohen, vice president of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which is now part of the Accor family of 5,000 properties in 110 countries.

Dupre explained that the jazz concert in the lobby bar’s historic Hillary Tenzing Room, which pays homage to the mountain climber Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa, was a kick-off to the landmark hotel’s musical activation of the VIP space, but not the only time the hotel has used its network to enliven a gathering. The meetings team has called on the marching band at nearby UC Berkeley to energize meetings in the 23,000-square-feet of event space on property.

Beating Hearts

In addition to a massive renovation of the 276 guest rooms and meeting space that happened a few years ago when the property rebranded after celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2015, The Club at The Claremont’s 10,000 sq. ft. fitness center was also reimagined with an eye for total wellness. That holistic focus extends to wellness-focused events that include stretching breaks, chair yoga or hiking in the Berkeley hills—something that is sure to get attendee hearts pumping.

Once back in the ballroom, Executive Chef Arwi Odense specializes in crafting menus that hit the right flavor and dietary notes. The hamachi crudo with crème fraiche, lime, Fresno chili and green strawberries just sings.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, several Michelin-starred chefs will again take center stage at Haute Cuisine Bal Harbour 2020 in Florida May 5-9.

This exclusive event—held at what Bal Harbour Village Mayor Gabriel Groisman describes as the “elevated cultural epicenter for fashion and art”—will welcome six visiting chefs who collectively have been awarded nine Michelin stars. Nearly 300 guests participated in intimate cooking classes and theme-based dinners at last year’s event. The original Haute Cuisine gourmet experience was launched in Switzerland in 2015 and it made its North American debut last year.

What’s Cooking

The event will kick off on May 5 with an invitation-only cocktail reception, where guests will have a chance to meet with the chefs one on one. Incorporating Bal Harbour Village’s love for fashion and art, guests will be able to attend a fashion-themed dinner on May 6, an art-themed meal on May 7 and a design-themed dinner on May 8. Each meal will be spearheaded by three or four of the famed international chefs, six of whom will collaborate on May 9 for the grand finale dinner. During the day, guests can attend up to 16 immersive cooking classes, each led by one of the chefs.

Who’s Cooking

The international stars of the show hail from France, the Netherlands and Switzerland, and most have extensive international culinary backgrounds. Boasting three Michelin stars, Jacques Pourcel specializes in Mediterranean flavors at his restaurant, Le Jardin des Sens, in Montpellier, France. Hailing from Switzerland, Sergi Arola, with two Michelin stars, serves as culinary director at famed tapas bar Eat-Hola Tapas Bar at W Verbier in Bagnes, Switzerland.

More: What to Look for at the Winter Fancy Food Show in SF

Chef Thierry Drapeau brings flavors he experiences throughout the world to his Michelin-starred Restaurant Thierry Drapeau in Saint-Sulpice-le-Verdon, France. Owner and executive chef of Michelin-starred La Chaumiere hotel-restaurant in Dole, France, Joel Cesari, who is known for sourcing only the finest ingredients from around the world, will also be featured.

Jean-Baptiste Natali—who at the age of 27 was the youngest chef to be awarded a Michelin star for his restaurant, Hostellerie La Montagne—will also participate. Joining the group will be Alain Caron from the Netherlands, who was a judge on MasterChef Holland and is a famed cookbook author with his own restaurant, Cafe Caron, in Amsterdam.

Guests can also expect to be wowed by three of Bal Harbor’s chef ambassadors who will be making their festival debut: Makoto Okuwa, Conrado Tromp and Anthony Le Pape.

Cuisine will be presented at various venues in Bal Harbour Village, including Bal Harbour Shops, The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour and The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. Tickets for the event went on sale this month. Groups looking to enhance the experience with a hotel stay in Bal Harbour Village can book preferential rates directly at all four Bal Harbour hotels—The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Quarzo Bal Harbour and Sea View Hotel—by mentioning Haute Cuisine.

The 25th annual ADMEI (Association of Destination Management Executives International) Annual Conference 2020 brought together 179 destination management company (DMC) owners, sales and operations staff from around the world to San Juan, Puerto Rico last month. In the immediate aftermath of a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the conference theme, “Impact” took on heightened meaning. In addition to recognizing the influence the association has had on promoting destinations throughout the years, an emphasis on emergency preparedness strategies was added. From networking opportunities to informative talks and delectable meals, attendees had their hands full with things to do and impactful moments to relish in. See a recap of what you missed below.

A Look Back in Time

ADMEI Past President Brian Ferrell, DMCP, CMP, owner of factor 110, Destination Oklahoma, opened the conference with a TED Talk-style history of the trials, tribulations and accomplishments of the association. Funny and insightful workplace commentary was provided by the musical-comedy troupe The Water Coolers.

Events and Activities

Panels and talks were not the sole focus of the event. Attendees also took part in breakout sessions and focused on strategies to promote sustainability initiatives and focus on operating from both a creative and sales approach. A few of the memorable events to note included an outing at the Bacardi Distillery, a scenic museum and event space, a keynote on “The Six Strategies Companies Use to Get Ahead and Stay that Way” with innovation expert Julie Holmes, and a session on “The Art of Collaboration” with The Hot List creator Michael Cerbelli.

Acknowledging Excellence

With a new year comes new beginnings. The Presidential handover featured 2019 President Robert Lee “passing down the gavel” to newly appointed 2020 President Alaina Tobar, president of PRA Northern California.

ADMEI Awards Reception focused on recognizing DMCs and their professionals for solving problems and focusing on client-centric values. The annual conference concluded with an awards gala and a dinner to top off the 25th Anniversary celebration. The 2021 ADMEI Conference will gather in Lisbon, Portugal, Feb. 11 to Feb. 13.

Greta Thunberg became the face of climate action when the Swedish teenager crossed the Atlantic by boat last year for the UN Climate Summit in New York. With her popularity came the term flygskam, also known as “flight-shaming.” Flygskam suggests that travelers should avoid airplanes due to the greater environmental consequences of flying, as compared to other means of travel. While this remains a controversial point, the concept is a vivid example of how sustainable travel considerations have become important in the minds of an increasing number of travelers.

Sustainable Vacations

This shift was studied by STR in a survey of 1,000 world travelers to “evaluate their thoughts and behavior towards sustainability in the tourism industry.” The survey revealed that almost 50 percent of respondents felt choosing an environmentally friendly vacation option was important to them. Of the remaining respondents, 40 percent were neutral on the topic, and only about 10 percent admitted to not thinking it important to consider the environment when choosing where and how to vacation.

More: Giving Back, Aloha-Style

At the same time, 37 percent of respondents stated that they find it difficult to know how to be environmentally friendly when traveling.

(Credit: STR data results found here)

Sustainability at Home

Survey respondents stated that they were far more environmentally friendly at home than on the road. Fully 92 percent said they were concerned about climate change. Ninety percent responded that they recycle at home, while 85 percent said they are minimizing single-use plastic consumption; 67 percent buy locally grown food regularly.

The Travel Industry

Despite years of sustainability efforts in the travel sector, 60 percent of respondents stated that they see little to no effort by hotels and accommodation providers to implement sustainable practices. Other travel operations, such as cruises, train services, airlines and bus tours, were also perceived poorly in regard to sustainability practices.

More than four in ten respondents (43 percent) said they would support a hotel’s decision to stop offering breakfast buffets to reduce food waste.

When it came to paying for heightened sustainability efforts, results were mixed. Some respondents said they were willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly option, but others prioritized cost or other aspects of the travel experience.

(Credit: STR data results found here)

Take-aways

From attempts to reduce food waste in hotels to bans on plastic water bottles in some airports (see here) and even carbon off-setting initiatives within the airline industry, the travel industry has made significant strides toward greater sustainability. Consumer support for such initiatives will encourage the industry to continue to keep sustainability in their action plans.

A practical, easy way to get started is to check out Skycanner, the popular flight search engine, which has recently implemented a new feature that labels flights which emit less CO2 as a “Greener Choice.” 2020 has been touted as the year of sustainable business. So, why not consider what you can do to help make 2020 the most sustainable travel year yet?

Jorah Anderson

Job title: Director of sales

Company or organization: Travaasa Experiential Resorts: Travaasa Hana on Maui in Hawaii and Travaasa Austin (soon to be Miraval Austin) in Texas

What I love about my job: I love all of the people: clients, employees, co-workers, partners and vendors. Connecting with people gives me energy. I’m a firm believer that people can tell when you love what you do.

First job: Technically, selling candy on the school bus in fifth grade. My first job in hospitality was as an intern at a hotel in the Virgin Islands. I was drawn to the destination, but I realized how powerful connecting with people can be. From that point on, I was hooked.

Keys to my success: My mentor taught me to make decisions based on humility and integrity, not pride or popularity. I believe that to be a good leader, it’s important to realize that social capital is just as valuable as, if not more than, actual capital. The most important key is having an amazing team around me.

Best work trick I’ve learned: Let your freak flag fly. Be your authentic, flawed, ridiculous, awkward self, and you’ll be just fine. Also, lunchtime meditation breaks.

Kalee Barnhardt

Job title: National sales manager

Company or organization: Experience Columbus in Ohio

What I love about my job: I love the travel associated with my job. I am able to travel to Washington, D.C., each month, along with the numerous trade shows Experience Columbus attends throughout the year. This gives me the opportunity to grow professionally and personally through attending the various workshops and meeting so many different types of people.

First job: Sales assistant at Experience Columbus.

Keys to my success: Surrounding myself with wonderful mentors who give me a perfect balance of encouragement and tough love. They always push me to be the best version of myself personally and professionally, continually reminding me that the keys to success are always having a desire to learn and remaining humble.

Best work trick I’ve learned: To not overthink things or re-create the wheel. Sometimes we want to make things more complicated than they need to be, or we have meetings about meetings. By knowledge-sharing among the different departments at Experience Columbus, our sales efforts are more streamlined and effective.

Lydia Blanchard

Job title: Sales manager

Company or organization: Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario

What I love about my job: The meetings industry is all about people, travel and innovation. I am an extrovert by every definition of the word, so I love that my job is all about bringing people together to meet, inspire each other, learn something new and ultimately change the world.

First job: My very first job was as an umpire for Softball Ontario when I was 12 to 14 years old. No matter what call I made, I could only make half of the people around me happy.

Keys to my success: Being positive, being thankful and having so many incredible people in my life who have helped to get me to where I am today are the three most prevailing elements.

Best work trick I’ve learned: If there is one piece of advice that I could give to anyone who is just starting out in the industry, it would be to join organizations like Meetings Professionals International (MPI) and volunteer. Put your skills to work to gain experience and try something you’ve never done before to learn something new.

Alie Broussard

Job title: Convention development manager

Company or organization: The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau in Texas

What I love about my job: I love my amazing team, which I am able to work with every day. I love trying out new and innovative ways to market our destination to potential meeting planners. I also love working with our hotels in The Woodlands on a daily basis to gain more knowledge of their expectations for meetings and conventions.

First job: My first job in the meetings industry was as a logistics intern with Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. I planned and executed two events for the festival. It was a challenging and amazing experience. I learned that if I stay organized and determined, I can conquer anything.

Keys to my success: I would say being organized is a huge key to my success. I pride myself on staying on top of deadlines or even getting ahead of them. I have also learned that I cannot control everything that happens, and it is best to let some situations work out on their own.

Best work trick I’ve learned: To not sweat the small stuff. Everything won’t always be perfect. Dealing with that is part of learning and growing in my career and as a person.

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Maria Rosa A. Donado

Job title: Senior event manager

Company or organization: 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. in New York City

What I love about my job: I love that I have the chance to interact with employees from all levels and departments of the organization. I receive regular feedback from our C-level executives on the visions and goals that they have for our events, and feel valued and respected when they ask me for my opinions and trust my recommendations.

First job: I was a server at a yacht club from the age of 16 to 20.

Keys to my success: It was from Jim McCann, the founder and executive chairman for 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., that I first heard the words, “You build relationships first and then do business.” I realized that not only was I already practicing that mantra, but I also knew that surrounding myself with people who I can turn to for knowledge, advice or simply an ear to listen has been invaluable to my success.

Best work trick I’ve learned: Take that extra step to make someone else’s life easier. As meeting planners, we heavily rely on other parts of the company to bring our events to life.

Julie Green Davis

Job title: Senior sales director

Company or organization: Etouches in Philadelphia

What I love about my job: When I see the impact and success my clients have when using technology that I sold to them. The ability I have to meet people from all over the world and travel to new places, and that I’m working with an unbelievable team. I love the feeling of family and that our industry gifts us with the opportunity to be lifelong learners.

First job: I’ve always loved to work. As a kid, I remember asking my parents for extra chores and even asking if the neighbors needed any help. My first paying job was as a receptionist at a salon and spa. I helped everyone with whatever they needed. I learned at a very early age that customer service skills are a must for future success.

Keys to my success: Preparation is No. 1 for me. If I prepare myself for any situation, there’s nothing I can’t do. I am very competitive (I guess that’s why I am in sales), and if I say I am going to do something, I do it. No excuses!

Best work trick I’ve learned: Practice makes perfect. Lead by example. Never stop learning.

Yessely Lopez

Job title: Director of international events

Company or organization: MarketingDirecto.com in Orlando

What I love about my job: The people I meet at each event, and the connections and bonds that are made when you meet these phenomenal, respected professionals and experts in their respective fields, whether in marketing, advertising or technology, from all around the world. It’s an experience and a privilege unlike any other.

First job: My first job as a teenager was as a cashier at a local supermarket—not very glamorous but nonetheless very important as it taught me to work hard for what I want.

Keys to my success: Passion and determination. Love and be passionate about what you do, and you will be successful. And you must be determined when achieving your objectives and goals.

Best work trick I’ve learned: Perseverance—it’s been vital for me to able to reach my goals and objectives as a professional. The greatest dreams require perseverance to see them through to become a reality.

Amanda Pfeil

Job title: Convention services manager

Company or organization: Visit Rochester in New York

What I love about my job: I enjoy the opportunity to interact with an array of clients and variety of organizations. Each group’s needs are unique, which provides variation throughout the workweek. Also, the meetings industry provides professionals with the opportunity to travel to new places, meet new people and experience new things, which you wouldn’t typically obtain in other industries.

First job: It was at a local driving range.

Keys to my success: Organization in a sometimes chaotic role has helped me to maintain balance in my responsibilities. Taking professional initiative has allowed me to quickly advance my industry knowledge. Flexibility is key in my position, as it has prepared me to expect the unexpected.

Best work trick I’ve learned: To create and utilize a network of industry professionals. I have met some amazing people in my career thus far, and each impacted me professionally, personally or both. Learn something every day from everyone you meet, always taking the time to listen.

Diana Plazas

Job title: Vice president of brand, marketing and digital

Company or organization: Marriott Caribbean & Latin America (CALA) in Plantation, Florida

What I love about my job: The culture of the company feels like we are one family working together to achieve our goals, and constantly coming together to see how we can do things better. We promote amazing destinations and hotels, and help customers identify the hotel that will be the setting of their honeymoon, their family vacation or their next business meeting. Plus, we get to work with teams from all over the world and we get to visit some of these incredible places. What’s not to love about that?

First job: Data entry for an online real estate website.

Keys to my success: Find a mentor who can help you see things differently and challenge you by asking questions. It’s all about constant growth and feedback, and getting a chance to improve or make adjustments. Also, dedication to my team and to seeing the results of our work.

Best work trick I’ve learned: Respond to quick emails to clear them out of your inbox, and never check a bag on your travels.

Amber Streiff

Job title: Physician relations specialist

Company or organization: Medtronic Inc. in Santa Rosa, California

What I love about my job: The meetings I plan train physicians on how to safely and effectively use our medical devices. I love that my work directly impacts patients’ lives to alleviate pain, restore health and extend life. I also have the opportunity to explore new event technologies to enhance our meetings as well as find new and creative ways to make our meetings greener.

First job: I started in the workforce as a mentor for a middle school after-school program when I was 14 years old.

Keys to my success: My ability to roll with the punches and maintain a glass half-full perspective in any given situation.

Best work trick I’ve learned:

Networking, networking, networking, networking! Getting involved in organizations such as MPI allows you to share best practices with some of the best in the business and open up opportunities.

Atlantic City offers round-the-clock fun and excitement after the work and meetings are through. Take a stroll on the famous historic Boardwalk, bask in the glowing sun or take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. You can unwind and dine with plentiful dining options all customized to fit your convention delegates taste buds from brand name eateries to celebrity chef restaurants. The Entertainment Capital of the Jersey Shore will have you laughing, singing and dancing all night long. Shopaholics can shop til they drop at our tax free outlet shopping, Tanger Outlets The Walk with over 100 retail stores that won’t disappoint with incredible deals and just steps out of the convention center. While in town, try your luck on the table games or slot machines at any of our seven casino resorts.

Atlantic City is made up of more than 17,500 first-class hotel rooms that will suit the perfect accommodations for your attendee’s complete comfort and relaxation. The Atlantic City Convention Center provides over 486,600 contiguous square feet of exhibit space, as well as 45 meeting rooms, ample pre-function space and all the amenities you would expect.

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, formerly known as Atlantic City Convention Hall is Atlantic City’s first convention center and an iconic landmark to Atlantic City that was built in 1929. Home of the Miss America Pageant, it played host to the city’s growing convention industry. Boardwalk Hall has hosted an amazing list of dazzling entertainers and knockout sporting events throughout its 85 year history.

Atlantic City is 60 miles from Philadelphia, 125 miles from New York, and 175 miles from Washington, DC. Any way you look at it, Atlantic City guarantees fast-paced excitement and non-stop year-round activities. Meet AC will be happy to help you locate the right space, assist with attendance building, housing and much more.

Explore the new, along with reminiscing on the long-standing history for which Atlantic City is best known. We know that America’s favorite playground will have a special place in your heart after you visit.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which is taking the lead on fighting the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), has not issued a call to cancel conferences. Instead, it released a list of steps to take in workplaces and “mass gatherings” that can also help to prevent other infections, such as colds, flu and stomach bugs.

“Key Planning Recommendations for Mass Gatherings in the Context of the Current COVID-19 Outbreak” has suggestions for how to exercise your duty of care at each step in the planning process.

During the Planning Phase

Contact local and national public health authorities and share contact information for a specific liaison on your team
Agree to the best way to communicate (call, text, email)
Conduct a risk assessment that takes into account updated WHO data on outbreaks in the area, country and the larger world, venue layout (indoors or outdoors, ventilation, crowd density), who will be attending (will there be a possibility that participants have been exposed previously—based on profession, where are they coming from, how they will travel to the event and, because the elderly seem more at risk, how vulnerable they are?)
Create an action plan to mitigate for risks identified (screening, surveillance)
Establish decision trigger points for when/if decisions should be reconsidered

During the Operational Phase

Address the importance of hand hygiene and make soap and water, alcohol-based sanitizers and tissues conveniently available throughout the facility
Discuss coughing/ sneezing etiquette from the stage
Minimize crowding by staggering arrivals/departures, spreading out seating and limiting congregation at food areas
Establish an isolation area with masks for anyone who starts to feel ill at the event

After the Event

If someone from the event becomes ill within 14 days, contact public health authorities and be prepared to notify all attendees

Gregg Fracassa

Snow King Resort in Jackson, Wyoming, has appointed Fracassa as its general manager. Before this position, Fracassa was regional managing director for Portfolio Hotels & Resorts. He also served as general manager for DoubleTree by Hilton in San Diego, and vice president and regional managing director for Nobel House Hotels & Resorts.

Hannah Millar-Case

Millar-Case was named director of sales for The Londoner. Prior to this new position in London, Millar-Case served as a North America sales representative for Edwardian Hotels London for seven years. Before joining Edwardian Hotels, she worked as sales manager for The May Fair Hotel in London.

Allen Highfield

Montage Healdsburg in California appointed Highfield as its general manager. He had been serving as general manager for Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, since 2014. Before joining Montage Hotels & Resorts, Highfield worked as general manager for The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco; The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe; and The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown in Washington, D.C.

Dannel Christian

Hi-Lo Hotel in Portland, Oregon, announced that Christian is its new general manager. He has hospitality experience across multiple properties, including Marriott, Hilton and The Ritz-Carlton. Christian most recently served as general manager at Courtyard by Marriott Portland/Hillsboro, and prior to that, he was assistant general manager for Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Airport.

Ron Cusiter

Kempinski Hotels S.A. appointed Cusiter vice president for global sales and the Americas. He worked for multiple Kempinski properties, the latest being in Venice, Dubai and Dominica. Cusiter started his career with Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, where he worked his way up to vice president of sales and marketing operations. He later became vice president of sales operations for Europe, Africa and the Middle East for Hyatt.

Mark Stavitski

Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas selected Stavitski as its vice president of group sales. Before the move to the Bahamas, Stavitski was executive director of sales for Sahara Las Vegas. He served in the same position at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.

Dayna Zeiltin

Sofitel New York in New York City named Zeiltin its director of sales and marketing. Most recently, she was director of business development and optimization for Fairmont San Francisco, the city where her career began. Before Fairmont, Zeiltin served as director of sales and marketing at Pullman San Francisco Bay. She’s also worked at several other properties, including Kimpton Hotels, Omni and InterContinental Hotels Group in the San Francisco Bay Area, Pacific Northwest and Nashville.

Planners throughout the world are stepping up efforts to deal with complications stemming from the spreading coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) by cancelling and postponing events, as well as keeping a close eye on those that are still scheduled to take place.

The outbreak has caused a widespread disruption in the global economy, which has affected the meeting and hospitality industries. Airlines, most notably United and American, have cancelled flights and cruise ships have restricted travel to China—with some cutting out travel entirely. Hotels are bracing for the spread of the virus, ranging from taking precautions with employees and guests to, in China, temporarily closing more than 60 percent of the hotels.

MWC Trade Show Cancelled

The world’s largest annual trade show for the mobile phone industry, MWC Barcelona 2020, has been cancelled due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak.

The Mobile World Congress event was scheduled to take place Feb. 24-27 in Barcelona, Spain, but the organizers, GSMA, announced Wednesday it would no longer be holding it due to the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

“With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country, today the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,” GSMA said in a statement.

Several firms had pulled out of the tech conference prior to GSMA’s decision, including LG, Sony, Ericsson, Nokia, Nvidia, Intel and Amazon.

Debate Over Possible Cancellation of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Whether the Summer Olympic Games should be held amid the outbreak is up for debate. In an interview, Dick Pound, senior member of International Olympics Committee, told the Associated Press that he estimates there is a three-month window for a decision about whether to hold the Olympics, giving decision-makers until May.

According to Pound, if the Olympics do not take place as scheduled, it is more likely they will be cancelled rather than postponed or moved. “You just don’t postpone something on the size and scale of the Olympics. There are so many moving parts, so many countries and different seasons, and competitive seasons and television seasons. You can’t just say, ‘We’ll do it in October,’” he said.

Nor is moving the Olympics to a different location a viable option, “because there are few places in the world that could think of gearing up facilities in that short time to put something on,” Pound said.

Responding to Pound’s comments, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said during a Wednesday press conference that the Olympics will be held as planned in July, according to Nikkei Asian Review. “We would like to prepare steadily for the event, including offering information abroad regarding our measures against the spread of the coronavirus,” Suga said.

Japan has spent between $12.6 billion to $25.2 billion to build facilities and make other preparations for the Olympics. If the Games are cancelled, sponsors could lose out financially, according to Nikkei, which cited analysts who said there would be little recourse for sponsors to recoup their money.

Tech Companies are Drawing Out of Events

GSMA cancelled its Mobile World Congress (MWC), which was scheduled for Feb. 24-27 in Barcelona, after many companies pulled out. But Britain-based Telemedia Magazine then threw an unofficial party, The Unofficial MWC Party. Many tech companies bowed out, LG being one of the first by pulling out in early February. ZTE cancelled its press conference at MWC. Amazon, Sony, Vivo, Intel, Cisco, Nokia and Ericsson, one of the events largest exhibitors, also cancelled.

RSA Conference, a cybersecurity event scheduled to take place Feb. 24-28, will still take place, despite major players, including IBM, Verizon and AT&T, drawing out. Cisco Live, which was set to begin in early March in Melbourne, Australia, has been cancelled.

Facebook cancelled its March Global Marketing Summit, which was set to take place in San Francisco March 9–12. Its annual F8 developer conference in San Jose, California, Facebook’s largest event of the year, which is set for May, has not been cancelled.

Gaming Events are Seeing Major Dropouts

Game Developers’ Conference (GDC) and PAX East are seeing the impact of the virus, as numerous companies are dropping out of the events. Much of the Chinese industry will not be at GDC, and will either send their North American representatives to run booths or cancel participation altogether.

Electronic Arts, Facebook/Oculus, Kojima Productions and Sony have all dropped out of GDC. Facebook said it still would like to make announcements, but via digital formats.

Although Capcom, Square Enix and Kojima Productions have dropped out of PAX East in Boston, planned for Feb. 27–March 1, the event will still take place.

Europe Cuts Gatherings Short

As the virus spread to Europe, various events across the country have either been cancelled or cut short. The two-week Carnival in Venice ended two days early. Many other events, including opera performances, walking tours, cruises and parades, have been cancelled, as well.

For the first time in 45 years, Giorgio Armani cancelled his live show in Milan and streamed it online on Feb. 23 in what normally is a packed theater. Shanghai Fashion Week, which was scheduled to take place March 2-April 1, has been postponed indefinitely. Paris Fashion Week, which is being held between Feb. 24-March 3, is still going strong. Seoul Fashion Week was scheduled for March 17-21, but has been cancelled.

Clodagh Larkin

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay in California appointed Larkin to director of meetings and events. She comes from a role as director of meetings and special events at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, where she was given the Global Event Management award. Shal also worked at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale; The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe; and The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt in Dublin.

Emmie Brown

Brown has been promoted to president of Southwestern Speakers, a division of Southwestern Consulting. She is also a senior partner with Southwestern Consulting. Brown has worked with Southwestern Family for 19 years.

Leiya Cohen

Cohen is general manager at Dream Midtown in New York City. Cohen recently served as hotel manager for The Time New York. She has held numerous managerial roles at Millennium Premier New York Times Square, Conrad New York Midtown; as well as restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay at The London at MEGU New York.

Edean Kam

Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, promoted Kam to general manager. For the last seven years, Kam worked as hotel manager. Prior to Radisson Blu Mall, she worked with Loews Hotels in Philadelphia as hotel manager. Before moving to the United States in 2007, Kam worked in a multitude of positions for Four Seasons Resorts & Hotels in Hawaii.

Karin Gillard

CSI DMC welcomed Gillard to the team as senior account executive, where she will focus on the West Coast. Before CSI DMC, Gillard was director of catering and sales at Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas. Prior to that, she was an account executive for Kuoni Destination Management USA. She also has experience working in private event venues and other hotel properties. Gillard is based in Las Vegas.

Jon Davidson

Davidson is general manager for Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center in Branson, Missouri. Before this, Davidson worked as vice president and chief operating officer for Shangri-La Golf Club, Resort & Marina in Monkey Island, Oklahoma. In his experience, Davidson has worked in various locations in the Midwest, including Cherokee Casino Resort/Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Regency Hotel Management in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Russel Storey

Storey is general manager for Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica. Before he joined the team in Dominica, Storey was general manager for Royal Maxim Palace, Cairo. He’s worked at other properties around the globe, including Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay in Egypt; Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa in Dead Sea, Jordan; and Sheraton Park Tower Knightsbridge London, where he started his career.