Corporate Meetings & Events - December 2009

December 2009

Canada's Premier Publication for Corporate Meeting & Event Organizers

Think Deep.

Be Unique.

Go Beyond.

Extraordinary venues can yield extraordinary results

Also: Guest Speakers MPI's New Training Centre

PM 40063056

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Special to this issue 6 THE team Introducing the Corporate Meetings & Events editorial advisory board

By Matthew LaForge

10 MPI at Ryerson University

By Matthew LaForge

contents Destination profile 12 productive paradise

Aruba Marriott serves up business and pleasure

By Rachel Naud

Features 18 Be unique: meet unique

An extraordinary venue can yield extaordinary results

By Matthew LaForge

24 Stand and deliver

Picking a speaker can make or break your event

By Jamie Zachary

26

planning for the best

BlackRock's Katheen Paramonczyk runs a tight ship

By Matthew LaForge

28

new and improved

The London Convention Centre's recent renovation

By Matthew LaForge

DEPARTMENTS 5 EDITOR’S NOTE 8 INDUSTRY NEWS 23 CHEF’S SPOTLIGHT

Executive Chef Jean Soulard serves up Quebec’s history

By Habeeb Salloum

32 AV INSIGHT

Intelligable audio in large venues

By Ralph Niekamp

Corporate Meetings & Events | 3

editor's note

Corporate Meetings & Events Volume 10 Number 6

Publisher

Vaios Petsis

Editor

Matthew LaForge

Senior Designer

Annette Carlucci

Production Manager

Rachel Selbie

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Kevin Brown Chuck Nervick

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40063056 ISSN: 1919-1464 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Circulation Inquiries 5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000 Toronto Ontario M2N 6P4 416-512-8186 ext. 259 customerservice@mediaedge.ca Printed in Canada Reprint permission requests to use materials published in Corporate Meetings & Events should be directed to the publisher.

We’re the press; they’re the professionals

B

Be unique. It’s a special time of year and you, the planners, have a special job. It’s incumbent on you to do everything in your power to set yourselves, and by extension your meeting or event, apart from the crowd. By virtue of your being unique – uniquely resourceful, uniquely creative, uniquely conscientious – your events’ clients and end-users will feel likewise unique – uniquely informed, uniquely cared for, uniquely positioned to see tangible return on investment. A unique approach is reflected in a unique choice of venue; and if this issue’s cover story on non-traditional meeting venues (page 18) is of some help in this regard, then I’ll spend my holidays a happy man.

On to other matters. I trust you’ve noticed by now that the name written below these words is a new one. What you’ll find out upon turning the page is that mine is but one of 11 new faces around here. Between me and our newly convened editorial advisory board, the members of which are introduced in “The Team” on page 6, there’s an NFL team’s worth of new blood coursing through the veins of CM&E. Earlier this fall, I told the then-prospective members of board that they would be the cornerstone of what we wanted the new CM&E to be: a magazine that listens to its constituency; a magazine that forgoes the usual boilerplate and predictable clichés; a magazine that publishes content that those in the meetings-events-and-incentives business can, and will, actually use. We – I’m talking about CM&E staff – are the press; our expertise only goes so far. The people you’re about to meet are the professionals. We will rely on their knowledge of what’s truly important and in need of serious coverage.

What choice do we have? Frankly speaking, I couldn’t begin to do my job without meaningful input from people whose livelihoods cover.

The board’s membership comprises not only in-house and third-party meeting planners but also representatives from CVBs, trade associations, audio-visual vendors, and, of course, all manner of venues – from hotels and convention centres to resorts and casinos. They’ve convened to help me and the rest of our team make this the best and most relevant venue for discourse in Canada’s meetings-and-events industry. And already, in this very issue, they’re making their presence felt: C3 president Gilda Abdulezer offers writer Jamie Zachary her insights on selecting the right speaker (page 24); in our planner profile (page 26), Kathleen Paramonczyk, a former in-house planner at Franklin Templeton newly appointed to a similar role at BlackRock Inc., explains the challenges and advantages of working in the financial sector in times such as these; and Robert Giorgini of MPI Toronto Chapter tells us all about recent upgrades to his the homebase of his main employer, the London Convention Centre (page 28).

Matthew LaForge Editor

Corporate Meetings & Events | 5

advisory

The Team

Introducing the Corporate Meetings & Events editorial advisory board

The Corporate Meetings & Events editorial advisory board is our secret weapon.

Representing every segment of the meetingsand-events industry, as well as every region and both official languages of Canada, the board comprises a membership of the most informed, experienced, energetic, forwardthinking, and conscientious people we could find. These are the men and women who have and will continue to set the industry’s agenda, and their generous (and completely voluntary) donation of time and expertise will enhance and augment what we at CM&E are trying to do. Our ultimate hope is that, by delivering to you, our readers, a more savvy, information-rich, straight-from-the-horse’smouth publication, we can make your job easier – and maybe even a little more fun.

Gilda Abdulezer President C3 Communications Inc. As president of C3 Communications – a corporate meeting, conference, and event pl a n n i n g o r g a n ization boasting over 20 years of combined experience in the field of planning and seamlessly executing these experiences – Gilda brings a wealth of insight and experience to the development and implementation of meetings and events, having successfully held that mandate at Pharmascience Inc., a successful manufacturer of generic medications, for a number of years. Gilda and the team at C3 have successfully developed and implemented conferences for an extensive roster of clients, including the Climate Project Canada (featuring Al Gore), JTI Canada, Bayer Global, Reliance Protectron, Pfizer Canada. “Businesses must never miss an opportunity to use a meeting, event, or any kind of employee gathering to send a message,” says Gilda.

6 | December 2009

Christine Boon D i r e c t o r, B r a n d s Marketing – Canada Intercont inental Hotel Group Christine Boon overs e e s t he m a rke ting of IHG’s seven brands in Canada – InterContinental Hotels, Crowne Plaza Hotels, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn Hotels, Holiday Inn Express Hotels, Staybridge Suites Hotels and Candlewood Suites Hotels.

Prior to joining IHG in 2004, Christine held marketing-management roles at Mott’s Canada, Oetker Ltd., Dare Foods, and Esselte Pendaflex. Christine has a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Toronto, and resides in Mississauga, Ont. Rod Cameron President Criterion Communications Inc.; Executive director Convention Centres of Canada Rod Ca meron is president of Criterion Communications Inc., a strategic management and marketing consultancy based in Vancouver. He currently serves as executive director of Convention Centres of Canada, director of international development for the Brussels-based International Association of Convention Centres, and manager of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), an organization consisting of 11 major international meetings-industry associations. Rod brings a broad perspective to the development, management, and marketing of destinations and convention centres, having developed and managed projects and programs for a wide range of industry clients, including convention centres, meetings destinations, CVB’s, hotel chains, and both national and inter-

national convention-centre associations. He speaks and writes regularly on international convention centre development and marketing issues on behalf of both individual clients and a number of national and international groups, and carries out research projects and sector analyses in order to better serve his national and international clients.

Ken Datzkiw Marketing Manager Inland Audio Visual K e n ’s f a v o u r i t e quote, courtesy of the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein is “Everything that can be said, can be said clearly.” Hard to imagine anything more appropriate to a man responsible for making sure the spoken word is delivered and heard with crystal clarity. As marketing manager for Inland Audio Visual, Ken knows the ins, outs, and in-betweens of selecting, installing, and operating the stateof-the-art AV technology that is a necessary, though largely unseen, component of any successful meeting or event. Not many meeting planners are trained AV technicians, but Ken nonetheless believes that the industry will further embrace technology in order to develop more and better-quality events that educate delegates. Outside work, football is the Datzkiw family’s way of life: Ken’s two sons play on the same team, he’s head coach, his wife is team manager, and his oldest son is assistant coach.

Robert Giorgini Di rector Sales & Marketing, London Convention Centre; President, MPI Toronto Chapter In his role as director, sales and marketing, at the London Convention

Centre, Bob has obtained a career’s worth of knowledge, work ethic, and credibility, all of which led to his appointment as president of MPI Toronto Chapter for 2009-2010. He hopes to apply his experience and expertise in the convention centre world, as well as his sales acumen and association knowledge, towards achieving a senior leadership role in the meetings-eventsand-business-travel industry, whether at a local, provincial, national or international level. Bob is a collector of inspirational quotes, and among his favourites is one belonging to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani: “If a leader demonstrates competency, genuine concern for others, and admirable character, people will follow.”

Heather Lundy Director of Marketing Calgary Telus Convention Centre Heather graduated from the University of Toronto w it h a bachelor's degree in communications. She continued on the education road with an additional two years in a bachelor's of science program – quite a switch. After moving to Alberta it seems the “hospitality and tourism” bug got a hold and didn’t let go. Her career has included public relations and marketing with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, consumer marketing with Travel Alberta, and her current senior-management role at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre.

Francis Paré Account Manager Zeste Incentive Francis’s keen interest in the hotel industry led him to LaSalle C ol le g e, wh e r e h e

graduated from the hotel management program. This led to a life of travel and many memorable experiences. He was part of the team that opened Montreal’s chic W Hotel. From the W he moved on to a key role with a hotel management firm, which allowed him to further hone is expertise. Among Francis’s proudest accomplishments was his signing of his first major contract – a Formula One client, no less – and his having recently run a half-marathon in under t wo hours. Incidentally, he’s also a diehard NASCAR Fan. Kathleen Paramonczyk Sr. Operations Event Coordinator BlackRock Inc. Kathleen graduated from Wilfred Laurier Un i ve r s it y w it h a degree in political science and economics, and studied project management at the University of Toronto.

Fo r t h e p a s t 4 ye a r s, s h e wa s a n event specialist at Franklin Templeton I nve st me nt s, i n Toronto, whe r e she worked on a n assor t ment of event s, ranging from meetings with 15 clients to the annual Investment Outlook and Opportunities Forum, which attracts over 2000 people and is broadcast across Ca n ada. T h is yea r, she accepted t he position of senior operations event coordinator at BlackRock Inc. (formerly Ba rclays). She loves t he faced-paced nat ure of th is business, the constant changes, and the last-minute ideas that arise from working on a multitude of tasks – and taking a lead role in many of them.

Shelley Sechopoulos Director of Sales, Hotel and Convention Caesars Windsor S h e l l e y he ad s up a team of six who specialize in building sales and opportunities for Caesars Windsor in the areas of motor coach, packaged travel, corporate transient, catering sales, meetings convention and incentive travel. As a native of Chatham, Ont., and with a zest for our region, Shelley believes in creative partnerships, valuable product development and delivery, and is a truly passionate tourist. With a background in international business and marketing, and with many years in the travel industry, Shelley has held local, provincial, and national board-level commitments in the travel and tourism industry. Currently, Shelley is a committee member of the MC&IT board for the Canadian Tourism Commission, a peer reviewer and member of influence for the MPI International committee, and a dedicated member of the Windsor, Essex and Pelee Island Provisional Board.

Janelle Unrau Director of Convention & Event Marketing Tourism Saskatoon Janelle describes herself as a performancedriven marketing executive, and she has over 25 years of experience to back it up.

In her role at Tourism Saskatoon, which she has held since 2008, she develops convent ion marketing strategies, co-ordinates sales missions and tradeshows, leads the CVB’s steeri ng com m it tee, a nd directs the creation of national advdertising. She also holds two degrees, one in German and the other in voice performance, from Bethel College.

Corporate Meetings & Events | 7

i n d u s t r y n ew s TORONTO’S ALLSTREAM CENTRE OPENS ITS DOORS A r e storat ion of Tor onto’s h i stor ic Automotive Building has led to the official opening of the Allstream Centre, which will be the greenest and most energy-efficient conference facility in Canada. The 160,000 square-foot centre will serve as a flagship meet i ng-and-convent ion dest i nat ion centre and as a go-to venue for galas and special events. Among the highlights are the largest ballroom in Toronto, in which 3,000 guests may be comfortably seated for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and 20 secondfloor meeting rooms accommodating between 50 and 750 delegates who can enjoy natural light through large windows providing excellent vistas onto the city and the waterfront. An underground walkway links the Centre to underground parking and Direct Energy Centre. The Centre is wheelchair accessible.

The centre’s opening was overseen

by Toronto Mayor David Miller: “The preservation of this important building serves as a vital link between past and present,” he said.

ONTARIO TOURISM AWRDS RECOGNIZES TOURISM TORONTO Tourism Toronto was honoured twice at the 2009 Ontario Tourism Awards, winning Best Tourism Advertising and Best Interactive Marketing for its continued effort to position Toronto as a compelling holiday destination.

Tourism Toronto built on its successful holiday advertising of the past with a new campaign that encouraged consumers to “shake up their holiday season in Toronto.”

Using the creative theme of a snow globe, the campaign focused on shopping and a special offer. The creative was executed via print, television and direct mail and resulted in a significant number of telephone inquiries and visits to a unique website, along with considerable redemption numbers for the special offer.

NEW CONFERENCE CENTRE OPENS IN OKANAGAN The British Columbia meetings-andconventions industry received a boost in November, with the opening of the NK’MIP Conference Centre. The Osoyoos Indian Band had partnered with Bellstar Hotels & Resorts to develop the centre as an integral part of the continuing 8 | December 2009

development of Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa, which is located in B.C.’s so-called “Napa of the North.”

At 9,000 square feet, the venue is able to accom modate events of up to 350 delelgates, and, as such, is the the largest, full-service con ference centre in the South Okanagan region. The centre offers planners an on-site events co-ordinator, a nd t he f lex ibi l it y of b ei ng able to subdivide the space into three private meeting rooms. Those wishing to offer their group something out of the ordinary can make use of the 25-seat facility at NK’MIP Cellars Wi ner y, the 75-seat facility at the Spirit Ridge resort itself, and the 80-room stadium-seating conference facilities at the NK’MIP Cultural Centre.

VANCOUVER ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTRE HONOURED At a recent ceremony, the Vancouver Island Con ference Centre proudly accepted the Silver Service Award from MPI B.C. Chosen out of 180 venues, the conference centre received the service award based on a long list of criteria, including outstanding service and attention to detail.

The VICC was chosen for this award based on criteria met during an MPIsponsored event for British Columbia members on May 7th, 2009. Throughout the event the keynote speaker and event planner for Oprah Winfrey, Debi Lilly, consistently made an example of the conference centre when speaking about the importance of every detail of an event.

Lilly commended the centre for being right on the mark with its attention to detail. "We were honoured to host an event

planner as well-respected in the industry as Debi Lilly," said Denise Tacon, general manager of the centre. "We are very proud that it was this event that led us to win our first service award so soon after opening.”

FAIRMONT ADDS BMWs TO LOYALTY PROGRAM Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has expanded it s pa r t ner sh ip w it h BM W to of fer members of the brand’s guest loyalty prog ram, Fairmont President’s Club (FPC), complimentary access to BMW X5 xDrive 35d Sport Activity Vehicles during their stay. The new diesel-powered hotel courtesy vehicles, available at Fairmont’s world-class hotels across Canada, will be on hand to transport guests around the destination in style. Guests may be chauffeured for a range of purposes including attending meetings outside the hotel, exploring the local destination and much more.

“Providing Fairmont with a fleet of efficient and dynamic BMW X5 Advanced Diesels represented an excellent opportunity to showcase our growing product line of Advanced Diesel and ActiveHybrid technology to a highly coveted group of luxury travelers from around the world,” said Marc Belcourt, brand communications manager for BMW Group Canada.

Earlier this year, Fairmont introduced a complimentary hotel bicycle service featuring BMW Cruise Bikes at select hotels across Canada. The state-of-the-art bikes grant active and adventurous travellers the opportunity to tread lightly on the environment and explore the landscapes

i n d u s t r y n ew s of Fairmont’s distinctive locales on a dynamic mode of transportation.

RESEARCH CREDITS MEETINGS WITH $71 BILLION BENEFIT The MPI Foundation updated its 2006 Canadian Economic Impact Study (CEIS) indicates that meetings generated more than $71-billion in industry output per year and produced more than 673,000 meetings annually, with an average of 70-million yearly participants. Significantly, the 2007-2008 CEIS Update demonstrates that the economic contributions of meetings at the end of 2008 were slightly higher than the 2006 figures released in the original study – this despite the economic downturn.

The full report is available at http:// www.mpiweb.org/Education/Research/ CEIS.aspx

travel, companies realize $12.50 in i nc rement a l revenue a nd $3.80 i n profits • A 10 percent increase in business travel spending will produce an increase in the United States GDP of 1.5-2.8 percent • Curbing business travel can reduce a company’s profits for years. The average business in the United States would forfeit 17 per cent of its profits in the first year of eliminating business travel.

It would take more than three years for profits to recover

• More than half of business travelers stated that 5-20 percent of their company’s new customers were the result of trade show participation The findings were based on surveys of 500 U.S. business travelers and 700 corporate executives/business-travel decision-makers. According to Oxford, the results were based on a combination of the survey data, a review of related research, and an econometric analysis of the effects of business travel on corporate performance.

MEETINGS MEAN MONEY: U.S. STUDY Though most companies cut travel budgets in the wake of the economic crisis of the past two years, a recent report commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association shows that the cuts may have been premature and counter-productive. The report, prepared

by Oxford Economics, and entitled The Return on Investment Business Travel, included the following findings (all figures in U.S. dollars): • For every dollar invested in business Corporate Meetings & Events | 9

topstory

MPI and Ryerson University join forces Toronto chosen as site of new Global Training Center

By Matthew LaForge

At a recent press conference in downtown Toronto, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced that the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, at Ryerson University, would be the

Visitors Association – figured largely in the decision.

“I had the idea and then I reached out to David Martin. He was all over it. He said to me, ‘Bruce, this is what we do.’” around the world and that will help with Also on hand for the announcement the transferability and the employability of the new training centre was David of the planners themselves.”

Whitaker, president and CEO of Tourism Bruce MacMillan, MPI’s president and Toronto. “Meetings and conventions are CEO, made the trip from his Dallas office a vital component of a strong tourism to deliver the announcement. He said that industry,” he said. “They provide a solid MPI had selected the Ted Rogers School foundation of business for a destination, based on two prerequisites: one, that and having an MPI Global Training Center the university be in a city with a strong reinforces the strength of the industr y m e e t i n g - a n d - e v e n t c o m m u n i t y, a n d , here.” two, that it have not only a hospitality Classes are set to begin in February, orientation but also a strong business with summer term classes to follow in orientation.

June. Registration is open for the Global “ I n c r e a s i n g l y, w h a t w e b e l i e v e i s Cer tificate in Meetings and B usiness that meetings and events are all about Events Level II and Global Certificate in business. Reseach continually shows that Meetings and Business Events Level III, meetings and events are the number- both of which will run concurrently from one platform for marketing and client February 15 to 19, 2010. relationships today,” MacMillan said. “So Ryerson has the oldest hospitality and it’s not just teaching people how to design tourism program in Canada. Today, with the events; it’s teaching people how to more than 3,400 hospitality and tourism drive the performance of those events. graduates, the Ted Rogers School of All the schools in this network of training Hospitality and Tourism Management is centres will have this same commitment to recognized for its educational leadership both sides of the education.” and innovative, responsive programming MacMillan added that his professional in hospitality and tourism management. history in Toronto – from 2003 until his 2006 N u m e r o u s a l u m n i h a v e g o n e o n t o appointment to MPI, he was president successful careers in the meeting industry and CEO of the Toronto Convention and and are currently members of MPI.

location for the newest MPI Global Training Center.

T he t rainin g ce nt re s are de s i gne d to deliver advanced, locally focused e du cation to b oth a spirin g p lanner s an d ex p e rie n ce d p rofe s s io n al s . M PI has already announced par tner ships with schools in San Diego, France, Hong Kong, and Qatar. Within two years, the organization expects to be operating 15 such institutions.

According to MPI’s and Ryerson’s joint press materials, the curriculum at the new training centre will be divided in accordance with MPI’s three levels of training, which will be recognized in all countries where the training centres are located. The first level, aimed at students, is mainly theoretical; the second, aimed at new professionals with less than four ye ar s’ ex p erience, is more prac tical and applied; and the third, reserved for experienced professionals, deals with contemporary business issues related to meetings.

“It’s really all about trying to enhance the people who are in the industr y currently and upgrading their education,” said David Martin, director of the Ted Rogers School. “ What MPI wants is to h a ve s tan d ard s t h a t are re co gnize d 10 | December 2009

Left to Right: David Whitaker of Tourism Toronto, David Martin of Ryerson, Bruce MacMillan of MPI.

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De s t i n a t i o n p r o f i le

Productive Paradise Aruba Marriott serves up business and pleasure

By Rachel Naud

Any meeting planner can attest that motivating and inspiring delegates can be a challenge.

After all, sitting for full days at a time – in an enclosed room under florescent lights while drinking bad coffee and eating stale pastries – isn't exactly thought-provoking. But you'd be surprised what a change of scenery can do.

12 | December 2009

Especially if it's in sunny Aruba.

Located about 12 degrees north of the equator, approximately 29 kilometres off the Paraguaná Peninsula of Venezuela, A r uba i s one of t he Lesser A nt i l les islands. It is about 30 kilometres long a nd eig ht k i lomet res w ide, w it h a n a rea of 193 squa re k ilomet res a nd a population of some 89,000. Renowned for its crystal blue water, white sandy beaches, and romantic sunsets, Aruba is what honeymoons are made for. But many meeting planners are finding out that Aruba is a destination as perfect for business as for pleasure. And when it comes to choosing a venue in which to

d e s t i n a t i o n p r o f i le

get the job done planners need not look any further than the Aruba Marriott.

The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino recently received a $50-million facelift – and it shows. Delegates will b e i mpre s s ed a s so on a s t hey wa l k through the glass doors that lead into t he moder n, Ca r ibbea n- ch ic hotel lobby, where accents of seafoam-blue and green chairs are a contemporary contrast to the espresso-coloured wood that dominates the refurbished room.

W hen it comes to busi ness, t he Marriott’s top-notch facilities and spaces are both effective and inspirational.

I n fac t, i n 20 08 t he A r uba Ma r r iot t Corporate Meetings & Events | 13

De s t i n a t i o n p r o f i le

RED{ DEER} nning guide

event pla convention &

hopping tainment/S ion t Enter ransportation t ransportat ess Services/T ns t Business ess Services/T ns t Busin mmodations t Busin mmodatio mmodatio ion t ts Sites/Acco ing & Events Sites/Acco ing & Events Sites/Acco Services/Transportat ing & Even ess Meet ces t Meet ces t Meet ns t Busin Services t Red Deer Servi Tourism Red Deer Servi t Tourism Red Deer ts Sites/Accommodatio t t Tourism Even tings & tings tings Gree t t Gree t Gree Meeting Checklist ing Checklist Services t t Planning ing t Plann t Tourism Red Deer ent/Shopp Entertainm ortation t Greetings ransp ces/T Servi

30A Riverview Park, Red Deer, AB T4N 1E3 p. 403.346.0180 | f. 403.346.0180 Toll Free 1.800.215.8946 www.tourismreddeer.net

14 | December 2009

received the Gold Platter Award from Meet i ngs & Convent ion s Maga zi ne, and was recognized as one of the best meeting hotels for outstanding foodand-beverage services. Also in 2008 the property received the Pinnacle Award from Successful Meetings, as well as its second consecutive AAA Four Diamond Award. There is 11,600 square feet of indoor meeting and function space for groups ranging in size from 10 to 500.

One of the most popular venues, the Grand Ballroom, offers 8,000 square feet of meet i ng a nd f u nct ion space, making it ideal for receptions of up to 800, or for banquets of up to 450 people i ndoors a nd over 350 outdoors. T he f lexible room can also accom modate 880 people sitting theatre-style, or 450 people in a schoolroom setup. The room is divisible into four sections, salons A through D, providing meeting planners with additional options.

For a breath of fresh air, events and t h e me d pa r t ie s c a n a l s o b e ho st e d outdoors, w it h t he cool blue waters of the Caribbean serving as a scenic backdrop. It’s the perfect setting for relaxation and team-building. There is a

diverse selection of impressive outdoor areas suitable for functions as small as 25 or as large as 500. Groups can choose from La Vista Terrace, the West Lawn, Tradewinds Beach, South Beach or the At r iu m Ter race for custom-t a i lored celebrations.

Before the meeting starts, a delegate can grab a coffee and a freshly baked Danish or muffin at the Lobby Cafe, a 24-hour spot that serves up delectable p a s t r i e s, s a n dw i c h e s, a n d g e l at o.

For a quick bite, the Ketsu Sushi Bar serves up fresh and innovative sushi a nd s a sh i m i. T he Lobby Ba r i s t he gathering spot where one can enjoy a pre- or post-dinner cocktail, especially the Marriott's sig nature Aruba Aloe Fa ntasy, t he perfect m ix of t ropical liquors and juices. Your only culinary o p t i o n s do n’t e n d t h e r e: L a Vi s t a showcases daily themed buffets, with both indoor and outdoor seating; Ruth's Ch r is Stea k House offers t he f i nest U. S. pr i me stea k s; a nd Si mply Fi sh stimulates guests’ senses by offering t hem mout h-wate r i ng s e a fo od a nd some warm sand underfoot.

All guestrooms, which at well over 500 square feet are considered the most spacious of Aruba's luxury resorts, have been fully refurbished with comfortable and inviting furniture, plush linens, up s c a le b at h r o om s, a n d h ig h -t e c h a me n it ie s, suc h a s t he Jac k Pac k, a dev ice t hat en ables g uests to watch videos stored on an iPod or laptop on t he ro om’s 37-i nc h LC D T V s c r e e n.

And every room has a 100-square-foot balcony.

To relax after a day of meetings the Marriott's Mandara Spa is the place to be. Recognized by Celebrated Living as among the top 10 international spas in both 2007 and 2008, the Mandara offers everything from rejuvenating facials and pedicures to relaxing massages and body treatments. Delegates looking for a night of fun can check out the Stellaris Casi no, wh ich is open 24 hours a nd boasts more than 15,000 square feet of gaming space. And those who’d prefer not to test their luck can make their way to the Marriott's pool, complete with waterfall and swim-up bar, where they can unwind, recap the day's events, and create some winning ideas for the next day's meeting.

a d v e r t i s i n g fe a t u r e

What you need to know about Las Vegas New constructions and renovations in 2009: Some key highlights in the meetings industry were the M Resort , the opening of new meeting space at Caesars Palace, the opening of new meeting space and towers at the Hard Rock Hotel, and, finally, the opening of CityCenter in December.

A complete list of construction activity can be found at URL: ht t p : / /w w w.lvc v a .com / get f ile / ConstructionBulletinJune2009.pdf?fileID=110

Mission statement: To attract visitors by promoting Las Vegas as the world's most desirable destination for leisure and business travel.

16 | December 2009

Regional partners: The LVCVA recommends that meeting planners reach out to the LVCVA first, so that they can determine the planner’s needs and point them in the right direction to ensure they have a successful event. The LVCVA has made a concerted effort to increase its presence and service in the Canadian meetings market. Planners looking to plan an event or get more information on holding an event in Las Vegas should contact Barb Finn, a LVCVA representative at VoX international in Canada, at barb@voxtm.ca, or by phone at 416-925-8212 (toll free: 1-866-925-8212).

LVC VA i s n o t a m e m b e r s h i p - b a se d organization, but a comprehensive listing of these type of partners on our website: http:// www.lvcva.com/meetings/services-support/ toolkit-vendor-services.jsp.

Major events in Las Vegas in 2009: • International Consumer Electronics Show – 115,000 delegates • Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (SEMA) – 110,000 delegates • National Association of Broadcasters – 98,000 delegates • MAGIC International (February) – 70,000 delegates • World of Concrete – 70,000 delegates MAGIC International (August) – 60,000 delegates • National Association of Home Builders – 60,000 delegates • World Market Center Las Vegas (February) Tips for doing business in Las Vegas: – 55,000 delegates • Don’t overplan your event . With the • Wo r l d M a r k e t C e n t e r L a s Ve g a s inherent entertainment options available in (September) – 50,000 delegates Las Vegas, it is best to plan on at least one • ASD/AMD (March) – 48,000 delegates free night for your delegates to experience • N at io n a l H a rd w a re S h ow – 4 5 , 0 0 0 the destination on their own. delegates • Wear comfortable shoes. While things in • Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Las Vegas may look close, they are farther Association – 40,000 delegates than they appear.

• ASD/AMD (August) – 40,000 delegates • Be prepared for the hot, dry conditions.

Drink plenty of water, use sunscreen when Capacities: outside, and use lip balm More than 10 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space in the destination and more than 140,000 guest rooms.

YOU DON’T COME TO SEE VEGAS,

YOU COME HERE TO LIVE IT. The nonstop lights are just the beginning of all the action. With so many of the world’s premier hotels, fantastic shows and top night spots all in one place, your clients will never run out of stories. Learn more and get certified as a Vegas Expert at VisitLasVegas.ca or call 1-888-297-9472.

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Be unique:

Meet unique An extraordinary venue can yield extraordinary results

By Matthew LaForge

18 | December 2009

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The worldwide recession’s effect on public perception of corporate meetings has been well documented, and in 2010, as it has been in 2009, the pressure will be on the shoulders of every meetings-and-event professional in the country. In addressing suppliers and clients, planners who want to keep their jobs would do well to adhere to two overriding priorities: one, that they ensure that their meetings and events achieve rigorously defined business objectives; and, two, that in doing so they ruthlessly control costs. All of this is so obvious and axiomatic that at this point it barely merits a mention.

But mention it I will, because there’s someth i ng counteri nt uit ive, or even slightly paradoxical, buried within the f r uga l-pla n ners-get-t hei r-pr ior it iesstraight-in-uncertain-times narrative.

T he fact is t hat ma ny pla n ners, u ndersta ndably concer ned about appearances, are now going to gravitate to traditional, vanilla-flavoured meeting venues. Now is not the time for sizzle, they might think to themselves, now’s the time to dutifully cook steak. But he r e’s t he t h i ng: a m ajor a sp e c t of ac h iev i ng busi ness resu lt s i s, so to speak, getting your delegates’ attention.

And, in many cases, an off-the-beatenpath venue constitutes a giant first step towards cutting through the end-users’ naturally occurring cynicism. It's a way to create excitement. Here’s a nother thing: nowhere is it written in meetingplanner scripture that to book unique is to book expensive.

In short, while your instincts might tell you that leaving the traditional meeting rooms is an exercise in frivolity and largesse, your rational, calculating mind will eventually retort that unique venues are not inherently non-conducive to business, and that, owing to their special ability to engage delegates, they are in some ways a more effective means of generating ROI.

Now that you’re ready to sell your boss on something a little different, have a look at the following review of some of Canada’s best and least traditional venues.

West Coast: Capilano Suspension Bridge Vancouver's oldest tourist attraction, originally built in 1889, stretches 137 metres across and 70 metres above the Capilano River. The site offers both indoor and outdoor venue space for meetings and events. Guests can experience spectacular, breathtaking views of the Capilano River, West Coast Rainforest and North Shore.

All event guests have the opportunity to visit the park on the day of their event.

This is ideal for meeting participants to stretch their legs and refresh themselves by exploring the park, crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge and visiting Treetops Adventures.

The site offers a professional specialevent-planning team and a variety of unique venues accommodating groups of 10 to 700 for social gatherings and corporate functions. The world-famous suspension bridge and its adjacent rainforests make the most unique venue in Vancouver.

Planners can choose from several event venues set against the beauty of the North Shore Mountains and Capilano Canyon.

These spectacular surroundings come Corporate Meetings & Events | 19

fe a t u r e with creat ive menus from Execut ive Chef Mark Lunn and impeccable service from the catering team.

The Canyon Lookout, located at the north end of the bridge, is a private area, suitable for 150 guests, situated 300 feet above the rushing waters of Capi la no R iver. T he Ca nyon Hou se banquet rooms are a popular venue for weddings, meetings, theme parties, or any social. The Canyon House seating areas, with a capacity of 110 guests, can easily accommodate intimate tables or large groups.

For more intimate gatherings of up to 45 people, the Bridge House Restaurant’s ra f ters a nd stone f i replace c reate a com fortable at mosphere. The Bridge House Gardens and Marquee Garden Tent are situated next to the heritage Bridge House Restaurant. Rhododendron t r e e s a nd g a rde n s b eg for outdo or weddings and receptions.

Prairies: The Calgary Stampede Calgary’s Stampede Park is the site of the Calgary Stampede, but it’s also host to 1,000 events and shows each year.

In fact, more people visit Stampede Park from August through June than during the 10 days in July, when the Stampede takes over. Over two million people visit Stampede Park on an annual basis. The complex has hosted a wide variety of events, many of which have a Western bent: private rodeos with live gunfighters to and black-tie bull riding events. It’s worth noting, however, that Queen Elizabeth visited the site as part of her 1959 tour of Canada From The Roundup Centre, the Big Four Building with meeting rooms, a dining room, lounge and casino, to the various other pavilions, theatres and arenas and Grandstand there is an abundance of choices for the next meeting and event.

The venues: • Exhibit halls - the Roundup Cent re has more tha n 200,000 square feet of contig uous space, divisible into fou r 50,000 -squa re foot ha lls. T he new addition of the Roundup Centre feat u re s t he Pa lom i no Room, a 12,0 0 0 - squa re foot f u nct ion room which can accommodate 700 guests for a gala di n ner -- or up to 1,000 people theatre style. Smaller function space with natural lighting is also 20 | December 2009

available to accommodate from 20 to 75 people.

• An arena - the Corral Centre provides 17,000 square feet of floor space as well as 6,400 unobstructed seats • Theatre - the newly renovated Boyce Theatre is a 500-seat amphitheatre auditorium with a built-in stage, house PA system and large screen • Character rooms - including a log cabin – the Rotary House; Ranahans, upscale private club; or the Lazy S! • Grandstand and Infield - perfect for hosting a private rodeo; displaying and demonstrating vehicles and outdoor equipment - this venue offers seating for more than 17,000 people.

“As host of the greatest outdoor show on earth each July, we are also open to national and local planners the other 355 days of the year,” says Laura Babin, business development manager. “When touring clients through our facilities it is wonderful to hear them comment on how beautiful and unique the facilities are.”

The catering staff can also rustle up enough grub for guests numbering as little as 10 to 10,000. The professional service staff will entice guests with specialty meals prepared by its outstanding chefs. Whether it is a casual gathering or a formal dinner gala, the catering staff provides a selection of hors d'oeuvres, fresh salads, beautifully presented entrees and desserts.

Central Canada: The Second City Toronto The Second City Theatre in Chicago is a world-famous incubator of comedic talent that launched the careers of Bill Murray, Chris Farley, and countless other masters of the laugh craft. The location in Toronto has arguably been just as influential, as no less than the likes of Martin Short, Eugene Levy, and other members of the famed SCTV cast – not too mention Mike Myers – owe their chops to the boards of the hallowed stage.

And the Toronto theatre has manged to make a name for itself as a meeting place.

The country’s most profitable companies – companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Bell Canada, a nd T he Hudson’s Bay Company – have put on functions there.

Imagine announcing to your would-be attendees that they’ll be spending an evening in the company of the funniest and most talented actors in Toronto. Talk about engaging the delegation.

The Second City’s corporate division’s services include learning and development, event support, marketing and multi-media as well as entertainment. Their team can help a company’s top executive get a message across to clients or employees in a novel and possibly hilarious way. The participants will laugh the day or night away, and client company might just laugh all the way to the bank. From speech-

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“Unique venues are not inherently non-conducive to business. They are in some ways a more effective means of generating ROI.”

w rit i ng a nd event-host i ng to g roup improvisational sessions, the comedy team will craft the appropriate message with just the right touch of humor.

“We would write a custom sketch that embodies the situation that that company is in at that time, that identifies a number of truths that people recognize about their industry,” says Bryce Moloney, account director at Second City Communications.

“It could be about the challenges that they face and it will put a smile on their face.

We will get them laughing about it and hopefully spark some dialogue within that audience.”

tour; the emphasis is on the history, music, hospitality, and sampling our beers.”

Of the 40,000 visitors it greets every year 5,000 are group bookings. Group attendees are treated to an abbreviated tour of the facility led by in-character guides; afterwards, the staff actors host a catered dinner, where presentations can be made, and awards can be given out, at the Stag's Head Inn hospitality room, located in the basement of Alexander Keith's first Halifax home.

The capacities at Ketih’s are variable.

Fixty to 60 people can be accommodated for a plated, sit down dinner, and up to 100 people for a buffet-style standing reception in the Stag's Head Inn. Larger groups, of up to 150 can request access

to the upper Brewhouse area for a more free-form, open-house-style event that excludes the brewery tour. While the facility doesn’t have traditional meeting rooms, presentations can be delivered in either the Brewhouse or Stag’s Head Inn. Screens are available to those visitors who bring a projector.

It wouldn’t be the five varieties of Keith's beer – Keith's India Pale Ale, Keith's Red Amber Ale, Keith's Premium White Ale, Keith's Dark Ale, and Keith's Light Ale – are provided to guests throughout the event at no additional charge. Those who might have to drive home are offered complimentary lemonade or iced tea.

With files from Scott Anderson

East Coast: Alexander Keith’s Nova Scoatia Brewery The Keith's Brewery was built in 1820

by Alexander Keith, the first registered Brewmaster in Nova Scotia and a threetime Mayor of Halifax. In 2000, parts of the original building were restored in such a way as to permit theatrical performances illustrating life in Halifax in 1863.

Planners made skittish by memories of Homer Simpson’s ill-fated tour of the Duff brewery should be apprised that the Keith’s experience is not designed to be a glorified pub crawl. “The Keith's Brewery tour is first and foremost a theatrical re-creation of Alexander Keith's legacy, led by actors in period costume and character,” says Meredith Lapp, tour and event manager at the brewery. “It is not a traditional brewery Corporate Meetings & Events | 21

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What you need to know about Regina In 2010: • Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers • E S SO Cup Midget Women’s Hockey Championships • IA AP – International A ssociation of Administrative Professionals Conference • PMAC – Purchasing Managers Association of Canada Conference • On Scene – Front line Protective Services Conference Capacities: • 3,300 Hotel Rooms • 98 0,0 0 0 square feet of meeting and tradeshow space

Mission statement: RROC Fosters economic prosperity for the Regina region by identifying, developing and selling opportunities for those who live, work, visit and invest in the Regina region

22 | December 2009

On June 29, 2009 Tourism Regina and the Regina Regional Economic Development Authority merged to form a new organization called the Regina Regional Opportunities Com mission ( RROC ) t h at focu se s on Tourism Attraction from Convention, Event and Leisure Travel markets and on Economic Development.

Major events in Regina in 2009: • World Junior Hockey Championships • APCO – Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials Conference • CUTA – Canadian Urban Transit Association Conference • CIPHI – Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors Conference • On Scene – Front line Protective Services Conference

New constructions and renovations in 2009: Cooperators Centre at Evraz Place added six new ice surfaces that can be utilized in a number of different ways and configurations from tradeshows to sport events.

Regional partners: To u r i s m S a s k a t c h e w a n , E n t e r p r i s e Saskatchewan Special incentive programs: Stay & Play (Casino and accommodation package) Other interesting info: Regina is home to Canada’s only training academy for the RCMP – Depot Division and the RCMP Heritage Centre, where you can have a very interactive experience with RCMP history. Regina is home to many attractions including Wascana Park, which includes a huge lake in the middle of the city and Canada’s second largest legislative building. There are so many pre- and post-conference and event opportunities in and around Regina.

CANADA’S MOST VIBRANT CITY

Planning and facilitating a conference in our beautiful city couldn’t be easier! A Host City Agreement of Success, created by the Regina Convention Team, is sure to get any planner excited about bringing their event to Regina. Your conference will experience amazing community exposure and VIP treatment unlike anywhere in Canada. We invite you to explore all the premier facilities, accommodations and unique extras that only Regina has to offer. When planning your next conference destination THINK REGINA!

WWW.STAYINREGINA.COM WWW.TOURISMREGINA.COM

Stand and deliver

Picking a speaker can make or break your event

By Jamie Zachary

24  | December 2009

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Picking the right speaker or trainer is often seen as the cherry on top of a successful corporate meeting or event.

Yet industry experts warn that, without the right ingredients, planners might get their just desserts.

“The thing people remember more than anything else is when stuff goes wrong,” says Shelle Rose Charvet, 2009 president of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS).

“So if the speaker is unprofessional, not a n e x p e r t, a nd h ad no i mpac t, then people might feel like they were prisoners in an event.”

Get it right, though, and everyone is a hero.

“The meeting planner is a hero, and the organization that invited the speaker is a hero,” says Charvet. “The participants and audience are heroes, because they feel uplifted, they feel in formed and inspired, and they are actually motivated to go and do something differently.”

Set objectives – and communicate them

The key to getting it right starts with the determining of objectives: What do planners and their clients hope to get out of a speaker or trainer? CAPS, for example, suggests identifying the issues or concerns that the meeting or event needs to address. Is it morale? Skills?

Recruitment?

I f pl a n n e r s a nd t h e i r c l ie nt s a sk themselves beforehand what they want their delegates to leave their events with, then that will help them narrow down the right t ype of speaker, says Gilda Abdulezer, president of Montreal-based C3 Communications Inc. “The importance in choosing the right speaker is really based on understanding t he ob je c t ive s of t he con fe r e nce, understanding the audience and the client, and finding the right speaker who will send the message that the client wants the audience to retain,” she says.

In understanding a meeting’s objective, planners and their clients better equip themselves to determine the extent of a speaker or trainer’s role, whether that be afternoon-session leader or evening keynote speaker “I f t he sp ea ker i s t he m a i n d raw in getting people to register for your conference, then it’s important to have somebody who is going to have that type

“The thing people remember more than anything is when stuff goes wrong. If the speaker's unprofessional then people might feel like they were prisoners in an event.” of draw and appeal,” says Abdulezer. “ B u t i f i t ’s p a r t o f t h e o v e r a l l conference, I think that’s less important.

You can have a meeting all about the environment, but Al Gore doesn’t have to be your keynote speaker.”

If Gore is, i n fact, the best choice, it’s important to consider how hiring him will affect your budget. Many of the today’s top speakers and trainers charge upwards of $20,000. In the case of someone like Gore or Bill Clinton, the fee climbs up to six figures.

While the thought of having someone l i ke Gore or C l i nton at a n eve nt i s t e mp t i ng , it ’s not a lways t he r ig ht fit – nor, in many cases, is a cheaper alternative, says Charvet. “One of the things you want to think about is how much you r spea ker is goi ng to cost relative to a lunch, for example,” she says.

“If you’re spending $30,000 to $50,000 on meals and accommodation, and you’ve got $1,000 for a speaker, you’re way out of whack. You want to look at bringing in the absolute best that you can afford for your group.”

Finally, once the speaker or trainer is in place, it’s vital that planners and their clients communicate the intended objectives, says Abdulezer. While that might not mean combing over ever y line of a speaker’s speech, it does mean ask i ng t hem key quest ion s, such as whether their presentation is set in stone or modifiable according to di fferent requirements.

The time taken to review these types of details – seemingly minor at the time – can

pay off in the long run, says Abdulezer, who recalls a meeting experience when some of these questions were overlooked: “We did not really discuss with the speaker what our overall objectives were for the meeting,” she says. “So we made some assumptions, and because of who the speaker was, we thought that it was kind of obvious as to what his message would be. Lo a nd behold – when he stepped in front of our audience, it was a completely different message and not at all what we wanted. So communication, pre-work, consultation with the client is of the utmost importance.”

Mind the details

It’s also important to review logistics. You need to know how much time a speaker or trainer will need, whether there will be time for a Q&A, and whether any additional materials are required.

“In order to make sure everything fits and that you’re not scrambling at the last minute to compensate for something, spend t he t i me w it h t he spea ker discussing what they need and what you need in terms of the venue,” says Charvet. “As an example, for someone like myself, who’s two centimetres under five feet, if you put me in a flat space with round tables, only the first row is going to see me. So if you can book your speaker first, and then look at how to arrange the venue around what the speaker needs, you have the best chances for putting together a great event.”

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F e at u r e

Planning for the best BlackRock’s Kathleen Paramonczyk runs a tight ship in a tough market

By Matthew LaForge

Your intuition might tell you that, in all of business, financial institutions are the best-equipped to negotiate a bad economy.

But your first-hand experience in the past two years might tell you something else.

It is, however, safe to say that an event planner working in-house for a financial institution knows as much as anyone about what recession-battered clients can be expected to demand – and that he or she knows how to deliver it. Kathleen Paramonczyk is just such an event planner.

She spent four years in the Mississauga office of Franklin Templeton Investments, and has recently accepted the position of senior operations event co-ordinator in the local offices of BlackRock Inc., the former Barclays Global Investors. I recently spoke to Kathleen about pulling it altogether on behalf of some of the most bottom-linedriven people around.

Tell me about your background and education. How did you get to where you are?

I did a degree in economics and political science at Laurier, and then I worked for a cruise line for about three years. I was manager of youth programs. That

26 | December 2009

experience in customer service gave the most and best experience I could ask for.

Whether it was the people on vacation or the people I worked with, all of whom came from a multitude of backgrounds.

I worked for Royal Carribean, which e mploy s p e o pl e f r o m 5 0 d i f f e r e n t countries. I really was working with a cross-section of cultures, and we were all living and working together to cater to people on vacation. I learned how to help people get along and get on the same page.

Franklin Templeton came later and it was my first event-planning job.

If you’re the senior operations event co-ordinator, does that imply that there will be a team working under or with you?

There’s actually only three of us right now who support the director of marketing.

My hope is that it grows, but that remains to be seen.

What can you tell me about the position you’re leaving?

I feel like I’m still interview mode, because that’s what I’ve been doing for the past couple weeks! I was there for about four years. I learned a lot. They do a lot of stuff: Franklin Templeton focuses a lot on road shows, and my position was very aligned with the sales department and various lines of business there. It was a role that was designed to be very supportive of all the lines of business; we had institutional clients, we had sepa rately ma naged accounts, and we had our retail audience.

T h e e ve n t s p o s it io n t h e r e, w it h i n marketing, not only had a marketing function but was also meant to support the sales teams. It was a lot of client events, a lot of road shows – getting portfolio managers in front of investment advisors, finding the best way to help the sales team deliver the portfolio managers to their clients. Our largest event that we would do was in the summer: the Investment Outlook and Opportunities Forum. We’d attract 1,000 advisors in the morning, and 1,000 investors in the afternoon.

I’m sure the events varied widely, but could you describe a typical event you would have been planning for Franklin Templeton?

The bulk of my workload was on what we called pull events. These involved a portfolio manager who would go to a city – either his or her home city or somewhere

out on the road – and get in front of a large group of investment advisors. So that could happen in, say, Toronto, where you put out a mass invite and 100 people show up to have lunch and hear portfolio managers speak about the markets and about what they anticipate for their funds.

We did a lot of that throughout the year, and those could happen anywhere from B.C. to Halifax.

What is unique about doing your job in the financial sector, especially in this economy?

People, the sales force, are not coming to our events to be entertained; they’re coming for the content and because they need to relay that content to their clients.

They want to make sure they’re getting in there, getting the information they want, and then getting back to work and delivering the information to the people calling them. In the last year, advisors have been very busy and have a lot of questions, and it’s vital to their businesses that they can go to a place and hear from people who have the answers for them.

It’s really about business, then, not bells and whistles?

Yes. And we as an organization were not there to make it pretty or to have caviar out there. I mean, people were coming on their lunches, so, yes, we’ll give them lunch, or we’ll get them in early so that they can have breakfast and get back to work. But we are very much concerned with the bottom line and, while we want to make sure we’re treating our clients right, we don’t want to spend excess dollars on things that aren’t necessary.

How would you go about establishing an event’s objectives, how would you go about measuring its results, and how would you go about reporting the results to the people paying for the event?

I report to sen ior management. Our objectives, really, are about finding the venues that can offer the most and best services for the best price. A lot of that is determined by a venue’s delivery in the past; if we use a vendor once, and they delivered good service and were able to adapt to our needs, we’ll go back there. We want to make sure that clients are being treated well on site, so we look around – we make sure we’re calling various venues and comparing quotes. We never go with

fewer than three quotes for any one event.

It’s a very simple question of getting bang for our buck What does someone in such a position, working in your sector, need from suppliers?

My vendors need to be very flexible. I need flexibility in a venue and I need them to offer all the in-house functions. A place like, for example, the National Club will have everything inside: they’ll have AV, they’ll have catering – they do this kind of stuff all the time, so you know you can put your faith there. When it comes to trying out a new venue – say in a city I’m not familiar with, and where perhaps all the hotels are booked, we might have to try out a new event space that has to bring in catering, bring in AV. That’s a risk you don’t want to take. I want vendors who are ready for anything, because we don’t know what might come up. We tend to go with hotels exactly because they tend to be best able to provide all this.

What circumstances do you suppose are unique to the planning of financial events in a bad economy?

You k now, it has been di ff icu lt. We tried to reduce our costs as much as we could. We looked at moving to alternate, c h e ap e r ve nue s, b ut t h e c h a l le n g e was not assuming any additional risk, because that would cost us in the end.

I will say that because we were so lean to begin with – because our costs were always so low – it made it possible to do the things we’ve always done. And that mentality of keeping costs low probably has something to do with working in the financial sector.

What do you think a planner’s role is, both in the market you serve and in the Canadian economy at large?

It’s organization. It’s not rocket science.

It’s about making sure that all the pieces are put together so that you can deliver something. Anybody in a planner’s role is grabbing aspects from various people. In my world, I’m dealing with the marketing department, with communications, with the sales team and their clients; there’s so many things to pull together that you really do need one team to own it and to deliver it in the way that all those people want it delivered. That’s why I think we as planners are there.

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New and improved

The London Convention Centre’s recent renovation has solidified its aready sterling reputation

By Matthew LaForge At an open house in September, guests got their first look at the results of the recent upgrades made to the London Convention Ce nt r e. T he upg rade s, wh ic h we r e conceived in January 2008 and begun in June of this year, were part of a long-term strategic plan that, according to Lori Da Silva, the facility’s general manager, was concerned with three objectives: “The local economy, the guest experience, and the environment were the three E’s of this project,” she said at the time.

The upgrades at the LCC, which boasts 70,000 square feet of meeting space, included installing over 40,000 square feet of new carpet. Acoustic wall coverings and state-of-the-art light i ng desig n, including energy-efficient HID lights, were also major components of the reno.

All upgrades were evaluated and chosen on the basis of environmental impact. The lighting upgrades significantly reduced energy consumption and even the new carpet is carbon-neutral.

Two months on, the marketplace has had a chance to see how the new elements perform in the real world. I recently spoke with Robert Giorgini, the LCC’s director of sales and marketing, about the various rationales for, as well as the early reaction to, the renovations.

things we pride ourselves on – and I was just talking to a client about this last evening – is that clients really appreciate the quality of our product and the level of service that we bring to the table. We don’t have to be the biggest or flashiest; what we have to be is consistent and good all the time. And it’s about small features like doing these continuous improvements to our facility, never really lagging or waiting until it’s too late to do cleanups or cosmetic upgrades. We want to be proactive with all those things, so that people don’t even see the transition.

It is, instead, a perpetually fresh product.

You talk about being proactive? Is it more or less difficult to be proactive What does your facility stand to gain in a down economy? from this project, given that you’re in It’s fun ny – we made the decision to a secondary market? undertake the upgrade before we knew Being in a tier-two market – some might see it as a disadvantage but we see it as an advantage, because we can offer a great product at a great price, and because all the secondary services and products, the things you need to book an event, come at a better price in London. One of the 28 | December 2009

the market was in trouble. About 18 months out, we saw the booking levels begin to lag. They weren’t at pace. So we made the decision to accelerate the schedule and not wait the couple years we had planned to wait. We knew that is was taking a chance, but the numbers

were soft at the time, so it made sense to take the chance. And it really did work in our favour. Not only did we not displace business by shutting down our inventory over the summer months, but we actually saved money when it came to the trades – the trades came at a better price because the market was down. Our dollar went further: we were able to do a couple extra things that the original plan didn’t allow us to do. To say that we knew this was going to happen would probably be a little dishonest, but we did look ahead and we did go ahead at what we thought was the best time, and in the end there were some secondary benefits that came with that timing.

It’s probably too early to say for certain, but have you noticed a tangible effect on business?

I do think it’s a little too early to be measurable, but the initial comments from our customers since the re-opening in September have been very positive.

They’re very happy with the diversity of lighting, and they appreciate that we’ve become more energy-efficient. We donated all the carpet we pulled out of the facility to Habitat for Humanity, and I’d be lying if I said we didn’t get some PR mileage out of that, but all the same it was just the right thing to do. From a customer’s perspective, they like what we’ve done. And I think that’s because we didn’t do anything over the top. We freshened the look; we added some extra elements. Now our numbers do look very good, they’re very favourable, but is that solely because of the reno, or is it that combined with our reputation and service levels? We’d prefer to think that it’s a combination.

Extraordinary Meetings & Special Events Over 38,000 sq. ft. of function space • Award winning, French inspired decor • Abundance of natural light throughout • Outdoor courtyards • Soaring 30' beautifully detailed ceilings • Complimentary Hi Speed internet Complete Meeting Package available • Over 600 complimentary parking spots • Strategically located in Vaughan at HWYs 7 & 427 • Hotel accommodations within 1 km • Minutes to Pearson International Airport

To book your next meeting or event, contact: 905.851.2200 / 800.533.3009 • inquiry@lejardin.com • www.lejardin.com

Le Jardin Conference & Event Centre Toronto Airport North 8440 Hwy #27 (at Hwy #7), Woodbridge, ON.

a d v e r t i s i n g fe a t u r e

What you need to know about York Region Mission statement: York Region Tourism's mandate is to market York Region and promote the Region's nine municipalities as an integrated travel destination in partnership with the tourism industry and other levels of governments.

Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Major events in York Region in Conference Centre and Spa 2009: Ferrari Club of America International Meet (at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Vaughan Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Toronto-Markham Howard Johnson Inn & Suites Toronto East Centre & Spa and Eagles Nest Golf) Novotel Vaughan Large companies that regularly Radisson Hotel Toronto East host meetings and events in York Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn Toronto/ Markham Region include: Westin Prince Hotel Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM IBM Unique features of York Region: Johnson & Johnson York Region is a highly accessible location Royal Bank of Canada offering a wealth of outdoor recreation TD Bank opportunities with all the amenities of a Registered Nurses of Canada big city. York Region not only offers urban Sony centres and historic main streets but also a wooded wonderland with over 1,200 square Capacities: kilometres of environmentally protected 5,051 hotel rooms Over 500,000 square feet of meeting space land, which makes doing business here much different than doing so in Toronto. York Region specializes in unique team-building activities New constructions in 2009: that inspire teams and support discovery by Holiday Inn Express and Suites Newmarket escaping the everyday. Some quirks or points Holiday Inn Express and Suites Torontoof differentiation include: Markham (in Richmond Hill) • a plethora of golf courses Novotel Vaughan • The Oak Ridges Moraine offers over 115 Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing kilometres of trails, and the Oak Ridges Trail Arts Association can plan the perfect outdoor team-building event or group activity.

Special incentive programs: York Region Tourism is proud to introduce • Kortright Centre for Conservation and the Archetype Sustainable House - www. the Trees in Trust program, running from trcaparks.ca September 2009 to December 2010. For each new meeting booked at one of the • Big Top School of Circus (www.bigtopcircusschool.com) par ticipating York Region and Toronto Northeast hotels, 280 square feet of the • Canada's Wonderland Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve will be dedicated in the name of your company, event or meeting. In addition, you can save 10% on your meeting costs for new meetings booked at these participating hotels: Comfort Inn Markham Toronto Northeast Hotel Courtyard by Marriott Markham Courtyard by Marriott Vaughan Delta Markham Delta Toronto East Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Vaughan

30 | December 2009

Executive Chef Serge Jost Offering fine cuisine at Fairmont Le Château Montebello

By Habeeb Salloum

L

32 | December 2009

Located on the shore of the Ottawa River halfway between Montreal and Ottawa, the log-built Fairmont Le Château Montebello offers rustic elegance and fine food in Montebello, Quebec, one of Eastern Canada's leading year-round holiday destinations. An enticing resort famed for its rugged luxury, Le Château Montebello is one of the world’s largest log castles.

It is also one of Eastern Canada's top conference resorts and an ideal destination for a family outing or a couple’s romantic weekend: besides offering a fine spa, the area surrounding the huge, luxurious log cabin features a fine spa, an 18-hole golf club, and 26 km of cross-country ski trails, as well as fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, kayaking, and snowmobiling. It offers the astute traveller original and unique experiences, ranging from outdoor adventures to the renowned gastronomy of Executive Chef Serge Jost.

Chef Serge began life in the French town of Dorlisheim, near Strasbourg, in Alsace, where his family ran a country inn and restaurant. The culinary world around him inspired him to follow a kitchen career, as did his grandfather, a fine epicurean.

He explains: ''I grew up watching my parents and grandparents and dreamt of working in a kitchen like them. Since then, my love affair with cooking has continued to grow.''

Chef Serge studied at L'école Hôtelièrede Strasbourg before beginning his professional training at Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels in Germany and France, enhancing his culinary skills at the famous Ritz, in Paris, and the Buerehiesel, in Strasbourg. In the early 1990s he was appointed chef de cuisine of Restaurant Petrus at the Island Shangri-La hotel in Hong Kong.

After returning to France to run the family business, he moved in 1996 to Montreal, where he worked as executive chef at the Westin Mont-Royal and, later, as executive ous-chef at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. In July 2006, Chef Serge moved in as executive chef at Le Château Montebello, bringing his lifelong passion for cooking to the idyllic topnotch hotel.

Today, his culinary vision – that of combining European and Quebecois cuisine traditions to create dishes that also evince an Asian flair – is

presented at Montebello in a manner suitable for the 21st century. Describing his own cooking, Chef Serge says, ''I believe in healthy, uncomplicated cuisine, presented in an understated and elegant manner that allows the natural flavours, colours, and textures to stand on their own as a complement to each other.''

In addition to Aux Chantignoles, the hotel's restaurant, Chef Serge oversees seasonal outdoor BBQ and golf course outlets, as well as banquets, in-room dining, an outside catering service, and the hotel’s new free-standing meeting facility, which features a fabulous state-of-the-art kitchen. He also trains new chefs and supervises a staff that in high season swells to more than 70 people.

Chef Serge’s dishes have a regional touch and are defined by their simplicity and freshness – it is some of the finest gourmet cuisine in the region.

Three of his favourites: savoury cassolette of snails in L'Ermite de Saint Benoit sauce, slow-roasted Boileau deer shank, and fresh Papineauville goat cheese with grilled-watermelon salad.

Under Chef Serge’s watchful eye, food for all types of group events has been served at the hotel. He has catered such groups as the 2007 North American Leaders Summit, whose menu (“It’s delectable.”) is now offered to other groups. Chef Serge also offers set menus to groups with names such as Girls Getaway Experience, Wine Maker’s Weekends, and Fabulous Weddings. For all these events, he tries to, as he says, “ensure that the memory of the meal will last a lifetime.” Another stalwart of his special menus is the “100 Mile Dinner,” prepared from ingredients found within a 100-mile radius of Montebello. “It allows us to work with our local producers and bring a taste of the region to our guests,” he says.

Chef Serge’s loves his work: “I love the fact that no matter how long you are a chef, you can continue to grow, learn, and develop to ensure that you remain on the culinary edge,” he says. “My greatest pleasure is to make guests happy through the art of cuisine.”

Deneen Perrin, Director, Public Relations, Fairmont Château Laurier and Fairmont Le Château Montebello. Tel: 613-562-7001. Fax: 613-562-7033.

E-mail: deneen.perrin@fairmont.com.

a d v e r t i s i n g F e at u r e

What you need to know about Thunder Bay MISSION STATEMENT Thunder Bay promotes itself around the “ Superior by Nature” brand statement and capitalizes on its connection to the outdoors by promoting ourselves as the “Unconventional Convention” destination by inspiring convention itineraries that balance work and adventure such as sailing, kayaking, angling, golfing, skiing and other activities that encourage convention and meeting participants to explore the city.

renovation program, beginning with a number of room remodels • Best Western Norwester Resort has recently completed renovations to the entire guest room compliment

SPECIAL GOVERNMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AND SEASONAL DISCOUNTS • Free conference delegate information support

(delegate bags and visitor magazines) • Conference planner support – hosting planners and providing transportation and advisory services and meeting venue tours free of charge.

• Beginning in 2010, Tourism Thunder Bay offers financial sponsorship support to tourism focused motor sport rallies and conventions and select catalyst sport tourism events through their local organizing committees.

MAJOR EVENTS IN 2009 • C I S M e n ’ s U n i v e r s i t y H o c k e y Championships • T h u n d e r B ay B l u e s f e s t s aw 15 , 0 0 0 international Blues followers descend on the city’s waterfront.

• Trophy Garden’s RV Summer Reunion – 225 Texas-based RVs held their summer reunion and convention in the city for five days in August.

• Re c re at io n a b l e – O n t a r io I n c l u si ve Recreation Forum • N ishn aw be A sk i Deve lopme nt Fund Aboriginal Business Awards.

• Thunder Bay is hosting the 2010 CIS Men’s University Hockey in March and the World Junior Baseball Championships in July 2010.

CAPACITies • 6 convention hotels • 16 u n i q u e c o nve n t i o n a n d m e e t i n g destinations including the iconic For t William Historical Park • 160 meeting rooms locally from 10 to 1,000 capacity • 1950 hotel rooms • 600 is the largest single room hotel banquet/ convention capacity (Valhalla Inn) • Lakehead University and Confederation College each have 1000 capacity dinner/ meeting rooms.

• Fort William Historical Park features a 53 000 seat outdoor amphitheatre for hosting major outdoor events and festivals.

NEW RENOVATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION • Valhalla Inn has embarked on the first phase of a complete room remodelling program, having completed 2 floors in 2009.

• Victoria Inn has begun a multi year room Corporate Meetings & Events | 33

a d v e r t i s i n g fe a t u r e

What you need to know about Winnipeg centres featuring stores like Sephora, Aritzia and Town Shoes.

When it comes to activity and adventure, Winnipeg has it all. From rugged hiking trails to pristine golf courses to Polar Bear day trips to Churchill – Winnipeg is your gateway to the great outdoors.

Book your next Corporate Meeting or Event in Winnipeg today and start planning your ultimate experience in the Heart of the Continent.

Winnipeg Convention Centre Square Footage: • Total Square Footage 160,000 • 78,000 sq. ft. of pillarless exhibit space • 5,100 sq. ft. presentation theatre with movie theatre screen and sound quality Imagine a city where arts and culture are celebrated on every corner, a city whose multiculturalism shines bright, a city with award-winning culinary creations from some of the best chefs in Canada and home to some of the country’s most celebrated fashion and jewellery designers. Welcome to Winnipeg – the Heart of the Continent.

Home to 730,000 people, Winnipeg is a culturally diverse mid-sized city represented by 100 ethnic groups speaking 80 different languages.

The cit y ’s diver se cultur al m ake up shines brightly through the globally inspired cuisine found in almost every Winnipeg neighbourhood. With one of the highest restaurants per capita ratios in North America -- Winnipeg has over 1,100 restaurants, diners and delis specializing in any kind of cuisine you can think of, from regional Canadian fare to fiery hot dishes from the tropics to gourmet cuisine from award-winning chefs.

As the 2010 Culture Capital of Canada, Winnipeg is a city where people truly can experience a wide array of world-class arts & culture on every corner. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet , Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra , Manitoba Theatre Centre and Prairie Theatre Exchange, just to name a few, are some of the many arts organizations in the city.

In addition to the scheduled performances, many of Winnipeg’s arts groups are available for private function bookings or cap of your 34 | December 2009

event with an unforgettable live performance by home -grown t alents such as Randy B ac h m a n , B ur t on Cu m ming s , Ch a nt al Kreviazuk and Neil Young.

Meanwhile, several galleries and museum such as the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Museum and St. Boniface Museum offer stunning and provocative local and international exhibits.

Winnipeg is also proud to be home to the much-anticipated Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the first federal museum to be located outside of the nation’s capital. Its purpose is to engage visitors to learn, reflect and discuss human rights issues that people have faced throughout the years in Canada and across the world.

The site of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the Forks, cannot be more fitting. For over 6,000 years, First Nations people have gathered at The Forks – a National Historical Site featuring 50 unique shops and restaurants.

W hile in Winnipe g , e x pe r ie nce t he tranquility and relaxation with the Indigenous Hot Stone Massage at the Riverstone Spa or indulge in a day at Ten Spa’s hamam – a co-ed Turkish bath experience that can be booked for a group or individually.

For fashionistas—Winnipeg offers a variety of shopping destinations from designer outlet malls to unique boutiques to large shopping

Total Number of Guest Rooms in Winnipeg: • 6400 Total Number of Guest Rooms in Downtown Winnipeg: • 2600 Total Square Footage of Meeting Space: • 312,632 sq. ft.

• Largest Meeting Room • 13,750 sq. f t . ( Vic toria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre) Off-Site Venues Estimated Total Square Footage: • 125,000 sq. ft.

Closest Airport Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport • 15 minute drive to downtown Other Winnipeg Selling Points • Located in Central Canada • Winnipeg is the 2010 Cultural Capital of Canada • Winnipeg’s restaurants are noted in “Top 5” and “Top 10” best lists in Canada • 28 Golf Courses in and around the City

bedtime

Four sessions, three new friends, five hours ago.

Who needs sleep when networking is this much fun?

With great event venues to host 5 to 5,000 delegates, a state-of-the-art Convention Centre for getting down to business, a world of dining and entertaining things to see and do – when you’re in Winnipeg, every minute is memorable. Got more time? Explore Manitoba’s beauty for even more memorable moments.

For more information on planning a meeting or convention in Winnipeg, call 1.800.665.0204 or visit www.destinationwinnipeg.ca.

1.800.565.7776 | www.wcc.mb.ca

a v i n s i gh t

Filling the room How to ensure intelligible audio in large venues

By Ralph Niekamp

T

The intelligibility of audio at an event is crucial.

An associate has a section of a presentation where he highlights the importance of audio.

First, the PowerPoint screen goes black but he keeps talking to his audience. Though people might prefer to follow visuals, he is understood.

Then the screen comes to life and he stops speaking. After a few PowerPoint slides with no narration, his point is well understood.

Producing intelligible audio in a large venue can be a challenge. It is much more complicated than just getting more powerful amplifiers and bigger speakers. There are several issues with placing a bigger sound system at the foot of the stage. The people in the front rows will find 36 | December 2009

the sound too loud while those at the back will find it too quiet or unintelligible. The loud sound waves hit the walls, floor, and ceiling surfaces, and are reflected back into the room.

These many reflections muddy the sound and render speech unintelligible. Some controlled reflections provide warmth to the audio – as in a concert hall – but they can also be overwhelming.

As sound moves outwards from the speakers, volume is reduced at a rate of six decibels per doubling of the distance between speaker and listener. This is why using a large speaker cluster at the front of a large room is not ideal for a corporate event. The attached photo and

diagram illustrate that approximately 200 feet lie between the video screens and drape and the last row of tables.

The front row of seats is about 10 feet in front of a speaker stand. If the sound level at the front row is an ear-splitting 100 db (which is recognized by experts as the pain threshold), it would be less than 70 db at the last row. This difference is lost in the room’s ambient sound and via the reflected sound. Ideally, a corporate event would have even sound pressure levels of between 85 db and 88 db.

One way to approach this challenge is to use a greater quantity of speakers. This reduces

the overall movement of sound energy in the room and minimizes unwanted reflections.

While using several rows of speakers throughout the room solves one set of issues, it also introduces another challenge. Sound moves through air at 1,130 feet per second, and the same sound moves through the speaker wires at the speed of light – which, for all practical purposes, is to say that it moves through wires instantaneously. Thus, people sitting at a distance from the stage will hear sound from the speakers nearest to them sooner than they will hear the same sound from speakers farther away, and the result will be poor audio intelligibility. A digital delay device can be used in order to ensure that sound waves produced on stage emanate simultaneously from all speakers in the room.

Ralph Niekamp, Inland AV Saskatoon General Manager addresses audiovisual considerations important to event planners. As a branch manager, Ralph brings a unique perspective as he is involved in both permanent systems design and integration and AV rentals applications

a d v e r t i s i n g fe a t u r e

What you need to know about Tourism Saskatoon Capacities: • 604,000 square feet of non-hotel meeting space (Credit Union Centre, TCU Place, Prairieland Park, and the University of Saskatchewan) • Over 150,000 square feet of hotel meeting space • Over 3,300 hotel rooms

Mission statement: We are Greater Saskatoon’s destination management organization, expanding our economy through tourism.

38 | December 2009

Major events in Saskatoon in 2009: Jan. 7 – 11 Canadian University Press National Conference Feb. 1 – 4 Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association Annual Conference Mar. 9 – 12 Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities Annual Conference M a r. 19 – 21 S G I I n s u r a n c e A n n u a l Conference M ar. 2 2 – 24 A ssociation of Workers Compensation Board of Canada Annual Conference Mar. 29 – 31 National Congress on Rural Education Annual Conference Apr. 5 – 7 Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations Annual Conference Apr. 22 – 23 Western Canadian Livestock Expo May 22 – 25 Canadian Association of Labour Media June 5 – 7 Mennonite Church of Canada Annual Assembly Jul. 13 – 16 Chicken Farmers of Canada Summer Meeting Aug. 15 – 16 Cameco Canada Remembers International Air Show Aug. 16 – 19 Canadian Medical Association Annual Conference Oct . 7 – 9 Western Canadian Ha zmat Conference

New constructions and renovations in 2009: • The Radisson hotel celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2009 with a $5 million floorto-ceiling renovation of all 291 guest rooms, as well as updates to their meeting space.

• The Sheraton Cavalier Hotel Saskatoon is currently renovating the Cavalier Tower, previously used as an apartment building, into a new 35 room wing of suites and extended suites complete with multiple bedrooms and kitchenettes • Credit Union Centre is in the process of completing the addition of 3,800 seats, new office space, renovated dressing rooms, a training area for the Saskatoon Blades (WHL) • Prairieland Park has just completed a 58 ,0 0 0 -square -foot addition to their convention space.

Regional partners: Conve nt ions S a sk at oon ! is a wor k ing committee of the Tourism Saskatoon Conventions and Event M arketing Department, their members are: Credit Union Centre, Prairieland Park, TCU Place, University of Saskatchewan, Delta Bessborough, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Hotel Senator, ParkTown Hotel, Radisson Hotel, Sheraton Cavalier, Best Western Inn, Country Inn and Suites, Heritage Inn, Sandman Hotel, Ramada Hotel and Golf Dome, Saskatoon I n n , S a s k a t o o n Tr a v e l o d g e H o t e l , Champetre County, Odeon Events Centre, Souleio, Western Development Museum, Willows Golf and Country Club, Wilson’s Entertainment Park, Boffin’s Private Club, Living Skies, MyTravel Sinfonia, On Purpose Le adership Inc , RSV P Event Design , Turner Coben Event Marketing, Creative

B r e a k

in

f r o m

Saskatoon!

Create a convention with a difference!

Here’s a place whose enthusiasm is infectious, a place whose heart is as big as the prairie sky, where service, fun and sophistication are blended into an unforgettable conference experience, where an unconventionally

dedicated thirty partner

Convention & Event team will assist.

Fly direct to the heart of the country!

Conference attendees are thrilled with Saskatoon’s air access. Direct flights from Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Minneapolis, Denver, Chicago, and beyond arrive daily.

Call Dave to get started... 1-800-567-2444 ext 30.

To u r i s m S a s k a t o o n : 1 0 1 – 2 0 2 F o u r t h Av e n u e N o r t h , S a s k a t o o n , S K S 7 K 0 K 1 P h o n e : ( 3 0 6 ) 2 4 2 - 1 2 0 6 Fa x : ( 3 0 6 ) 2 4 2 - 1 9 5 5 w w w. t o u r i s m s a s k at o o n . c o m Proud host of CSAE 2011 National Conference and Showcase

- Best Western Director of Hotel Operations Ottawa, Ontario

The world’s largest hotel chain does business everywhere you do.

At every Best Western®, your clients will discover amenities that business travelers want.

We offer a collection of standard amenities and services including free high-speed Internet*, hot or continental breakfast at all locations* and in room coffee/tea. With our rewards program, “Best Western RewardsSM,” it is easy to earn points toward rewards, and with 4,000* locations worldwide, chances are there’s a Best Western right next to where your business client needs to be.

www.bestwestern.com | 1.800.WESTERN® ALBERTA Calgary Best Western Village Park Inn 888-774-7716 Hinton Best Western White Wolf Inn 800-220-7870 Leduc Best Western Denham Inn & Suites 800-661-3327 Lethbridge Best Western Heidelberg Inn 800-791-8488 BRITISH COLUMBIA Courtenay Best Western The Westerly Hotel 800-668-7797 Kamloops Best Western Kamloops 800-665-6674 Quesnel Best Western Tower Inn 800-663-2009 Tofino Best Western Tin Wis Resort Lodge 800-661-9995

Vancouver Best Western Chateau Granville 800-663-0575 Best Western Sands 800-661-7887 Vancouver Airport Area (Richmond) Best Western Richmond Hotel & Convention Centre 800-663-0299 MANITOBA Winnipeg Best Western Pembina Inn & Suites 877-269-8811 NEW BRUNSWICK Edmundston Best Western Edmundston Hotel 888-735-0001 Moncton Best Western Moncton 888-887-8788 NOVA SCOTIA Dartmouth Best Western Dartmouth Hotel & Suites 800-780-7234

Truro Best Western Glengarry Hotel 800-567-4276 ONTARIO Brantford Best Western Brant Park Inn & Conference Centre 877-341-1234 Dryden Best Western Motor Inn 888-394-2378 Jordan Best Western Beacon Harbourside Inn & Conference Centre 888-823-2266 Kingston Best Western Fireside Inn 800-567-8800 Midland Best Western Highland Inn & Conference Centre 800-461-4265 Orillia Best Western Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre 800-461-0283

THE WORLD’S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN.® Ottawa Best Western Macies Hotel 800-268-5531 Best Western Victoria Park Suites 800-465-7275 Stratford Best Western The Parlour Historic Inn & Suites 877-728-4036 Toronto Best Western Roehampton Hotel 800-387-8899 Best Western Travel Inn Toronto Airport 866-459-1234 Waterloo (St. Jacob’s Area) Best Western St. Jacobs Country Inn 800-972-5371 QUEBEC Montreal Best Western Europa Downtown 800-361-3000

*Free high-speed Internet access in North America only. High-speed Internet access may not necessarily be available in all guest rooms or public areas. *Either continental OR hot breakfast available (many complimentary). *Numbers are approximate and can vary. Best Western Rewards is formerly known as Gold Crown Club® International. See www.BestWesternRewards.com for additional terms. Each Best Western® hotel is independently owned and operated. Best Western and the Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2009 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved.