Smart Meetings | Page 260 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

The new year is here, and for many meeting professionals, that means getting back into the gym—for many people, much-needed after plenty of holiday eating—which can prove difficult with the constant travel and looming deadlines.

Luckily, we live in an age where fitness centers are located just about everywhere: Many hotels have them, and conversely, some gyms have hotels. In fact, one of the busiest locations on earth—airports—have them, albeit in short supply, but that is sure to change in the coming years.

These airports and airport hotels give you a way to pass the time—whether you made it to airport a bit too early or have a layover that’s longer than you would like—and break a sweat while doing it.

Los Angeles Airport Marriott

This hotel has undergone major renovations during the past few years. New to the fitness center are Peloton bikes, Woodway Treadmills, WaterRowers and a TRX system. Technically, the fitness center is inside of a hotel, but its proximity to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) still makes it a convenient choice for travelers who want to get their body moving.

Health Club at Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel

Sitting across domestic terminals 1, 2 and 3, and accessible by underground walkways, this health club at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) includes a steam room, a sauna, a pool and small locker rooms—for a small fee—in addition to cardio and weight machines, and free weights. ORD also has a yoga studio, which features soothing tunes.

WestinWorkout Fitness Studio at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

This studio also is technically inside of a hotel, but notable for travelers. It features LifeFitness cardio machines, free weights and a heated pool, and costs $15 for travelers. Just like standalone Westins, the fitness studio’s New Balance Gear Lending program rents out workout clothing and shoes for $5.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)

Concourses D and E at this airport are home to Roam Fitness Center, an Oregon-based brand, the first one to enter the airport market. If you forgot your workout clothes at home or don’t want to get your clothes sweaty preflight, no problem. Roam lends Lululemon workout gear and Brooks shoes to travelers who want to work out. Day passes are $25, three-day passes cost $65 and five-day passes are $100; annual memberships cost $30 per month. Roam’s second location will be inside San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and will share space with the already existing XpresSpa, and is looking to expand into more major airports in the United States. Roam is aiming to have 20 locations within the next five years.

Exercise machines not your thing? BWI also features two cardio trails, Terminal Loop—located at the terminal’s upper level before security—and Concourse A/B Loop, both of which are 1K (.62-mile) roundtrip walks.

Fairmont Hotel Health Club at Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Guests at this property have complimentary access to its health club. With Fairmont’s Fit on the Fly program, guests visiting on a more transient basis can purchase a $20 economy pass to have access to all the club’s amenities, including weight machines, free weights, treadmills, the resistance pool, the sauna and the shower. Guests prefer to borrow clothing and shoes can upgrade to the premium $35 pass.

The hotel industry in China could top $100 billion USD in the next few years according to a new Pacific World report released this week at PCMA Convening Leaders 2020. The study, China Destinations Development Report: What’s Ahead?, revealed the massive scope of China’s growth, trends and MICE industry developments.

The growing economic giant is on pace this year to add 130,614 guest rooms for a total of 6.3 million rooms with 786 new hotel properties. In total, an estimated 2,174 projects are in the pipeline, with many of them being built in Chengdu (124), Wuhan (111), Xi’an (80) and Hangzhou (73).

More: PCMACL Challenges #Meetingprofs to Reach Further

Infrastructure Expansion

More travelers in more cities requires increased transportation investment to accommodate all the new foot traffic. And China is all over it. The current number of airports is set to increase to 450 from 238by 2035. The first on deck will be Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (airport code TBA), set to complete construction this year and open for operation in the first half of 2021.

Two other infrastructure initiatives will pave the way for all these additional visitors. Made in China 2025 is the 10-year, state-led initiative to strengthen China’s place as a leader in tech through investments in innovation and infrastructure. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), first announced in 2013, is the country’s plan to connect various areas around the world to several hubs in China through infrastructure investment and economic development via roads, highways, railroads and pipelines.

Two links set to be constructed by the BRI project are the 12,000km (7,456 mile) China to London Rail Link, which starts in London and ends in Yiwu, in the Zhejiang province, and the 837km (520 mile) Sino-Thai Rail Link, which will travel from southern China to Laos to the east coast of Thailand.

Destination Diversification

The country hopes to station more of its cities on people’s mental maps. Pacific World anticipates several of China’s cities will emerging as MICE destinations. Beijing and Shanghai are already established destinations. Expect to hear more about Xi’An, Chengdu, Xiamen, Shenzhen and Hangzhou over the next two years, and Nanjing, Ningbo, Wuhan and Qingdao in 2024 and beyond.

The year started off with a powerful push as PCMA Convening Leaders 2020 gathered 5,300 people—4,450 of them at Moscone Center in San Francisco and the rest through a live feed—for education, inspiration, connection—and a concert.

PCMA CEO and President Sherrif Karamat called the profession of gathering people for the purposes of research, doing business and making decisions “a powerful meta-industry.” His plan for the PCMA movement is to create an open platform through his organization’s Business Events Analytics/Metrics (BEAM), created last year to provide market intelligence and data analytics for the business events industry, and PCMA Insights, which will help train partners around the world.

“We need to create new value to connect people in today’s world,” he said.

To that end, Karamat announced a series of partnerships with international organizations looking to leverage group business to diversity and strengthen their economies, including Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Business Events Sarawak. Another PCMA partnership with Corporate Event Marketing Association will expand the reach of both organizations.

And a joint effort with Destinations International will produced an expanded Destination Showcase in Washington D.C., in February.

On the PCMA Foundation front, chair Carol McGury announced that, as a tribute to the late Roy. B. Evans, a revered former PCMA president, student memberships in PCMA will now be free. She also said incoming chair Valerie Sumner will lead research on Return on Experience that could benefit all members. Over the last 25 years, the Foundation has raised almost $3 million for research and scholarships.

Constant Improvement

The emphasis on continuing education was evident in the conference’s rich schedule, which included sessions on “Harnessing Emotion as a Leader” and “Navigating Your Diverse Workplace” right alongside “The power of Social Impact and Sustainability.”

Simon Sinek, the opening keynote speaker, author of Start with Why and rock star TED Talk presenter, embodied that quest for improvement with his presentation: “The Infinite Game.”

He explained the difference between a finite game and an infinite game this way: You can’t win an infinite game. There is no set endpoint, the rules and the players are constantly changing, and the only goal is to stay in the game.

“You can’t win business; you can only be ahead for now,” Sinek said, adding that when leaders try to play the infinite game by the rules of a finite game, they sacrifice collaboration, innovation and trust.

Excelling in the real world requires an understanding of what motivates employees and customers, he said. Start by focusing on “a just cause” that is so meaningful it creates an emotional connection worth sacrificing for. That will allow you to build trusted teams where people feel safe, and everyone can be the best version of themselves.

By the way, Sinek said you will know you have done this well when you no longer feel compelled to check back in at the office while away at a conference.

Meanwhile, how do you ensure you are working toward being the best version of yourself? Study your worthy rivals, he said. Is there someone who makes you incredibly jealous? Look at what they do that you are not as good at yet—and learn from them.

Then Sinek hit the audience with a really tough one. “Prepare for existential flexibility,” he said. Just because the “why” of the company is set doesn’t mean that its strategy and tactics won’t change.

Sinek’s own story illustrated his point: His passion for helping people be their best selves at one time required writing books, but now that goal has been better served by doing a video presentation that’s been seen by more than 48 million people (yep, his TED Talk has been translated into 48 languages and continues to top best lists) and talking to influential groups, such as meeting professionals.

Sinek had these parting words for meeting professionals wanting to make 2020 their best year yet: “Start the new year by taking better care of each other. Be the leader you wish you had at any level. Help people feel heard. It always bothered me that bookstores have self-help sections, but why aren’t there more help each other sections?”

Stay Authentic

“Just be you” was the message the following day, as Endeavor marketing leader Bozoma Saint John shared her experiences leading teams at Apple and Uber. “I have found our authenticity is what connects us, yet most people try to hide their true selves,” she said.

This openness extends to her management style and strategic approach. “The data is only as good as the story you tell about it,” she said. That is why she suggests using yourself as a litmus test to see if your message resonates. “I have always been an advocate of going with my gut,” she said.

Saint John also encouraged listeners to take responsibility for expanding their circle of friends—to include people who look and think differently—to better reflect commonalities.

Tuesday Evening Feelings

The final night brought attendees to the new Chase Center for a private concert by Maroon 5, the Los Angeles pop rock powerhouse, where lead vocalist Adam Levine echoed the feelings of many as he belted out the words, “Things just get so crazy, living life gets hard to do…and I never want to leave. Ah, yeah, yeah.”

Sacramento is buzzing with artistry and rich culture. The curator of vibrant meeting experiences. Here, the city’s flair for the arts is connected to its renowned festivals, high-end Broadway shows, museums, galleries, unique culinary experiences and more.

A meeting destination that evokes inspiration through illustration. Sacramento is home to well over 650 murals that color the cityscape. These famous and eye-popping concrete canvases will inspire visitors and attendees alike as they explore the area.

The Downtown and Midtown districts offer a variety of theaters and centers, from large event spaces to smaller performing arts venues. The city showcases everything from indie films and locally written and produced shows to Broadway events.

The museums in Sacramento cover everything from art and history to aviation and design. Groups can spend a day exploring art by the California Impressionists, see historic architecture and visit exhibits to learn about all aspects of California life.

As the Farm-to-Fork Capital and one of the West Coast’s top food destinations, the dining scene is the soul of the city; and from mom-and-pop spots to high-end eats, Sacramento’s got some serious soul!

Day or night, there’s something for attendees to experience the art of meetings. Contact the Visit Sacramento team to help incorporate some colorful ideas into your next convention or meeting in Sacramento, or take a further look at this vibrant city!

Several options are available to groups and individuals that want to provide help as brushfires continue to rage across Australia, particularly the southeastern part of the country.

Australian Red Cross is accepting donations to its Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. It’s helped to send 1,285 staff members and volunteers to communities affected by the fires and to help shelter displaced people in more than 69 evacuation and recovery centers.

Monetary donations that help provide mental health support, housing and other forms of assistance to fire victims can be made to the Salvation Army.

St. Vincent de Paul Society has more than 60,000 members and volunteers who assist people in need across Australia. It has created the bushfire appeal, which designates how much specific financial contributions will help. For instance, $35 can provide food for a displaced family, $150 can enable a family to stave off bills and $300 can help clothe a family that had to leave behind its belongings.

Victoria and South Wales have been hit hardest by the fires, and contributions can be made directly to the states’ fire authority or to a local fire brigade. For fire departments in Victoria, donate at cfa.vic.gov.au and for those in New South Wales, donate on the government’s website.

The international community has been stepping up to help deal with the crisis. Scores of U.S. firefighters have joined others from around the world to combat the fires. The National Interagency Fire Center, based in Idaho, sent at least 83 personnel to Australia, including 37 to South Wales and 44 to Victoria. Several celebrities—including Pink, Elton John, Kylie Monogue, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and Chris Hemsworth—made major contributions.

Travelers Urged to Keep Appraised of Conditions

Meanwhile, meeting groups throughout the world are encouraged to keep appraised of fire conditions in Australia.

“We would encourage all travelers coming to Australia to seek the most up-to-date information prior to departure, and remain informed about changing conditions whilst on the ground,” said Phillipa Harrison, managing director of Tourism Australia, in a statement on its website. “Whilst brushfires continue to impact parts of Australia, many areas are unaffected and most tourism businesses are still open.

“It is more important than ever that we rally around our communities and the tourism sector who may have been impacted.”

The website also provides links to weather patterns and emergency services organizations in each state and territory.

2 Popular Tourism Properties Close

Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, a popular tourism destination, has sustained significant damage from a brushfire and is now closed, with no reopening date set. The lodge plans to contact guests and travel industry partners in the next several days about making alternative arrangements.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort, located within the Greater Blue Ridge Mountains (a World Heritage Site), was not damaged but closed until Jan. 20 to undertake remedial work on its landscape and hiking trails. It’s a three-hour drive from Sydney.

Sydney Festival, which was scheduled for Jan. 7-26, cancelled its flagship event (Opening Night, a play starring Oscar-nominated actress Isabelle Adjani) at Sydney Opera House due to health concerns related to the fire-affected air quality. The festival was rescheduled for Jan. 21-26.

Some popular beaches, including Bondi in Sydney, were not swimmable for much of the summer as the air quality soared to hazardous levels, and many commuters in Sydney now wear face masks to keep toxins out. Also, officials monitored the air quality before the ATP Cup tennis tournament and a cricket Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney this week.

Meeting Cities Not Heavily Impacted

But most of the fires are not heavily impacting cities most visited by international business groups and tourists, so those areas generally have not seen a decline in visitors. Bookings for the upcoming Chinese New Year Holiday season in major cities, a major event and critical to Australia’s economy, are holding up. Still, many groups and individuals planning to visit the country are waiting to decide whether to go ahead with their booked trips or to postpone them.

The fires have killed at least 25 people and hundreds of millions of animals, and razed nearly 2,000 homes since they began in September. They also have burned nearly 18 million acres of land, wiping out entire towns and severely damaging forests and national parks. Fires are nothing new to Australia, but they have been growing more intense and destructive in recent years, a problem exacerbated by climate change.

Meeting and event technology software provider Aventri announced Tuesday that it has chosen Jim Sharpe as its CEO. Oni Chukwu, the former CEO, has been appointed executive chairman following six years leading revenue growth and global expansion at the company.

“Under Oni’s leadership, Aventri has grown into a formidable organization, providing market-leading solutions to its nearly 2,000 customers worldwide,” said Rich Lawson, chairman of the board of directors. “We’re delighted to have him remain on the board to continue helping to chart the future of the company. We’re also very excited to welcome Jim Sharpe to lead Aventri’s best-in-class executive team and continue to grow Aventri’s footprint in the global meeting and event technology space.”

Sharpe has plenty of managerial experience in high-growth, technology-based businesses, including six years as general manager and managing director of professional education platform Gerson Lehrman Group, as well as CEO of Standard Purification manufacturing business.

“I am thrilled to be joining Aventri at such an exciting time in the company’s history,” Sharpe said. “We are now well-positioned to take advantage of our market leadership to significantly scale the business.”

Aventri made headlines this past year for releasing Aventri Marketplace, a centralized hub for event planners covering everything from budget management to event promotion, and for integrating with Meetingmax room block management, providing planners with a streamlined planning software tool.

Traditionally, incentive trips were exclusively for salespeople and executives. They would go to an exotic locale, get a little bit of sun and celebrate their big wins. Incentive trips were considered by the lucky few as a reward for leading the company to success.

But for the rest of the company, incentive trips drew mixed feelings. Sure, salespeople bring in revenue, but sales wouldn’t be successful without the hard-working teams backing them up. From troubleshooting proof of concept to building new features and ensuring top talent gets hired, a company succeeds or fails on the strength of the entire company. So, what would it take to create a companywide incentive?

Start with Values

At Alation, once we decided that incentive trips should be inclusive, we needed a starting point. We decided to start with our company values. To open up the incentive trip to the rest of the company, we extended the model of our annual Value Awards, which are based on nominating their peers for exemplifying one of our company’s values. Nominations are open for a month and the results go to the executive team for final selections. Think of it as a People’s Choice Awards for their fellow employees.

Finish with Feedback

We are a data company, so tracking feedback and ROI on the first companywide incentive event was critical. Since we were trying to build connections, we asked a couple of key questions around this objective.

Did you get to connect with a co-worker you didn’t know very well before? I am happy to report that 100 percent responded “Yes.”
If you “talked shop,” did you learn anything new about their role or day-to-day? If so, what? The responses included: “Confirmed the challenge engineering is facing with…”, “Process of lead generation, sales process, pilot, sales engineering, etc.”, “Mostly just catching up and getting to know each other outside of work.” Most of the sales team is remote.

Most of the other responses were around people actively trying not to talk about work and just getting to know each other on a personal level.

Nailed it! Since the ultimate goal was to break down silos and bringing the team together, the more open incentive trip approach seemed to be doing the job. The best part was that regardless of who I spoke with at the office the following week, everyone was talking about the trip. They were “raving” about it and we’re sure to have even more nominations this year.

Lessons Learned

The goal of an incentive trip should be to thank the people who go above and beyond for the company regardless of function and recognize hard work no matter what department that hard work is coming from. Satyen Sangani, our CEO, was early to champion a companywide incentive trip. As he put it: “I love that the company has gotten to a scale where we’re able to recognize some of the great people that turn their lives upside down to build the company for the long term. Great people achieve no matter where they are, but great teams build incredible outcomes.”

David Stevens is director of global events at Alation, an enterprise data catalog company based in Redwood City, California. He has been in events, meetings, and incentives since 2002.

2019 was one of the safest years ever for commercial aviation, but fatal accidents in North America rose steeply compared to the previous two years and comprised more than half of the fatal accidents worldwide, according to Aviation Safety Network.

Statistics released Monday show that 11 of the 20 fatal aviation accidents occurred in North America in 2019, compared with one of 15 accidents in 2018. Five of the accidents last year occurred in rugged parts of Alaska and Canada. “Despite progress made through various safety initiatives by Canadian and U.S. regulators, this still is an area of concern,” the Aviation Safety Network said in a statement.

Of the 20 total accidents in 2019, 13 involved passenger flights and six were aboard cargo flights. The accidents resulted in 283 fatalities. The bulk of the deaths occurred during the Ethiopian Airlines disaster in March, when a Boeing Co. 737 Max jet plunged into the ground shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board. That led to the global grounding of the jet.

The Ethiopian Airlines crash was the second involving Boeing’s 737 Max following a Lion Air disaster the previous October off the coast of Indonesia. The crashes sparked criticism of Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines, and put aviation safety in the spotlight.

Still, 2019 was the seventh-safest year in aviation history by the number of accidents and the third-safest in terms of fatalities. (The safest year was 2017, when there were 10 accidents and 44 fatalities.) Also, although the number of accidents surpassed the five-year average of 14, fatalities were significantly lower than the average of 480.

Given that there are now 39 million commercial airline flights worldwide per year, the accident rate is around one per every 2 million flights. Harro Ranter, CEO of Aviation Safety Network, says airline safety has significantly improved.

“If the accident rate had remained the same as 10 years ago, there would have been 34 fatal accidents last year,” he said. “At the accident rate of the year 2000, there would even have been 65 fatal accidents. This shows the enormous progress in terms of safety in the past two decades.”

Aviation Safety Network, founded in 1996, is an independent organization located in the Netherlands. It aims to provide up-to-date, complete, reliable and authoritative information on airliner accidents and safety issues. The statistics used in its research are based on all commercial accidents involving civil aircraft carrying 14 or more passengers.

The 20 crashes killed 283 people, with the bulk of the deaths coming from the Ethiopian Airlines disaster in March, when a Boeing Co. 737 Max jet plunged into the ground shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board. That led to the global grounding of the jet.

The Ethiopian Airlines crash was the second involving Boeing’s 737 Max within months, following a Lion Air disaster the previous October. The events thrust aviation safety under the spotlight and led to criticism of Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, Sonora, Texas

Get away from the ordinary at this secluded lodge with 16 cabins, 16 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space. If that’s not enough, a private airport 5 minutes from the property features an airport hangar that can be transformed into event space for up to 1,200 people. Retreats or events can take advantage of a plethora of wild west activities like skeet shooting, archery or horseback riding.

San Diego Mission Bay Resort, California

Formerly known as Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa, this Mediterranean-style resort updated its 357 guest rooms with custom furniture, upgraded tech and beachy elegance. The coastal oasis is centrally located in San Diego, with easy access to the Gaslamp Quarter. The renovation includes a refreshed conference center, which is part of the resort’s 25,000 sq. ft. of interior meeting space. An additional 9,600 sq. ft. is available in outdoor venues including a palm-framed garden, a bayside terrace and a lush tropical patio.

Live by Loews, Arlington, Texas

Located in the Texas Live! recreation hub with AT&T Stadium and Esports Stadium & Expo Center, this modern, stylish hotel has 300 guest rooms and over 35,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space, including an airy lobby with a grand staircase. Spaces vary to fit all your needs, from the largest ballroom in Arlington to the elegant Clover Lawn. There’s no shortage of experiential dining, from signature Cut + Bourbon restaurant to poolside bar SOAK.

The Biltmore Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

The storied Biltmore Miami recently underwent renovations to its 75,000 sq. ft. of meetings space near downtown Miami. The National Historic Landmark features 274 guest rooms, including 117 suites, an 18-hole golf course, and a spa and fitness center which also received updates. In the Country Club complex is the Conference Center of the Americas, a Spanish-style building set apart from the hotel for maximum privacy.

The new year brings a clean slate, resolutions and…new laws. While celebrations erupted worldwide for the start of the new year and a new decade, new rules also went into effect. In some states and cities, minimum wage is up and in others, plastic bags are out, but here are a few changes that will have a material impact on planners and the events and meetings industry.

CCPA & Data Privacy

The strictest data privacy law took in the United States went effect on the Jan. 1. The United States is “catching up” to GDPR, and this law was even dubbed “GDPR’s Mini-Me.”

With the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in place, companies have limited time to get a handle on the customer information they have. Not adapting to the law puts companies at risk of not only being fined, but loss of brand reputation and consumer trust—which are immeasurable. A six-month grace period from enforcement will allow businesses to adapt appropriately to the new CCPA law. It will also allow for “fine-tuning of the law based on public comments received in the state’s formal review period.”

Related: Is Your Business CCPA Ready?

The primary targets of the law are companies with more than 50,000 annual customers, those acquiring more than $25 million per year and those gaining 50 percent of revenue by selling customer information. Companies fitting said description will have to disclose personal information obtained, allow the deletion of data and abide by customer refusal to have personal data sold to third-party companies. California is leading the way, but many states may soon follow suit.

Enhanced Identification

The clock is ticking for domestic travelers who use their driver’s license for their form of identification at the airport. As of Oct. 1, travelers wanting to board via their driver’s license must have one that complies with the Real ID Act. States are required to check an applicant’s records to verify identity before issuing the new licenses, which have a star on the upper right-hand corner and incorporate features making them harder to be forged.

More Pro-Marijuana States

Illinois 21-year-olds can now buy and possess marijuana for recreational use. Under the law, Illinois residents will be able to purchase and possess 30 grams of cannabis, five grams of cannabis concentrate and cannabis-infused products containing no more than 500 milligrams of THC. People who don’t live in Illinois can buy half of each of those amounts. Illinois is the 11th state to pass laws allowing for the recreational use of marijuana. Restaurants, breweries, spas and consumer brands all over the country are embracing CBD, and it doesn’t seem like the trend will slow anytime soon.

Similarly, Nevada will become the first state to bar employers from refusing to hire candidates for testing positive for marijuana in drug screening tests. While a few lines of work are exempt from the law—like drivers, EMTs, firefighters and anyone else whose use of the substance could put lives at risk—the law is meant to combat employment discrimination in the state, where marijuana is legal for both medicinal and recreational use. It has also inspired other cities and states to amend their legislation.