August 2011

The Canadian

in

publication

for meeting and event planners

this

issue

4 ROI or ROO

There

has been an increased interest in whether face-toface marketing at shows produces a return. Barry Siskind helps us ask the right questions.

* A Mari Usque Ad Mare

Publisher’s Note

Let’s Get Real From time to time readers and advertisers ask us why we provide volumes of information in The Planner. The answer is simple; we feel that the information we publish will be useful in your work.

This month, we ask whether you feel that tattoos should be covered in the workplace (please see survey on p. 14) Why

6 What is your Slight Edge?

You might be wondering how to fit reading books into your already stressed and busy day. But when you think about it, how can you not?

9 Top Ten Wedding Trends As revealed by The Carolina Inn, the historic hotel on the UNC Chapel Hill campus, which hosts hundreds of weddings annually.

18 The 2011 Green Guide

A compendium

of articles to help you make better environmental decisions.

is this relevant? Not everyone is sure where to stand on that subject. By asking planners at large, we are able to present the general consensus for your consideration. How you act on that information is up to you.

The Planner is about providing planners with useful facts and tips that can help make you more effective every day.

Perception maybe the final result that you deliver to your client,

PLANNER

THE

The Planner is distributed to professional meeting and event planners across Canada with the goal of providing reliable and timely information to make better decisions.

P ublisher Michel Geoffroy, CMM mg@theplanner.ca

boss, and employees, but the real work is what you do to get

E ditor Don Murray, CMP dmurray@theplanner.ca

there. Suppliers may try to sell you perception, but experience

A ssociate E ditor Alice Dawlat adawlat@theplanner.ca

has shown that reality is the best basis for organizing any form

A ssociate E ditor

Camille Romanetti cromanetti@theplanner.ca

G raphic A rtist Matthew Riopel mriopel@theplanner.ca

of event - and it is reality that we strive to deliver.

S ales info@theplanner.ca

In the words of Tom Clancy: “The difference between fiction

C ontributors Jean-François Archambault, Carole Bourinet,

and reality? Fiction has to make sense.”

if you can’t find it, let us know

C irculation circulation@theplanner.ca

Jyl Ashton Cunningham, Marilyn Lazar, Chris Lister,

Tony Pollard, Barry Siskind, Sharon Worsley

2105, de la Montagne, suite 100 Montreal, Québec H3G 1Z8 Telephone: (514) 849-6841 poste 315 Fax: (514) 284-2282 Your comments are appreciated: info@theplanner.ca

The Planner is published ten times a year.

or E-mail us at info@theplanner.ca

Poste-publication No. 40934013 The Planner uses 30% recycled post-consumer paper.

*Canadian Coat of Arms motto “From sea to sea”

We acknowledge the financial support of the

Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 3

trade shows

ROI or ROO

By Barry Siskind

There has been an increased interest in whether face-to-face marketing at shows produces a return. Maybe it was due to the recession or simply because exhibit managers looking at the escalating exhibition budgets began asking the right questions.

M

ost often marketers look for a return on investment (ROI). Corporations rely heavily on the ROI calculation as a means of convincing the decision makers that the investment was worth the cost. ROI is a calculation of the profitability of the investment. The problem with using ROI exclusively in an event and exhibit scenario is that often, actual sales are not realized immediately.

Also, exhibit objectives are often “soft” and outside the scope of a reasonable ROI calculation.

This does not mean that a ROI calculation is not achievable but it is often based on assumptions such as the success ratio of leads to sales, the matching of sales and buying cycles and so on.

The other disadvantage of ROI is how it’s used.

The most common result of a ROI calculation is that it becomes the basis for reducing costs or increasing profits. If you could measure exhibit results the way you would the purchase of a new machine, then this would be well and good. But you can’t.

Exhibiting is part of the marketing process and doesn’t always lend itself easily to comparing dollars received against dollars spent. Marketing 4

looks at other issues such as branding, generating leads, customer engagement and so on, and whether these tasks have been completed successfully determines the success of the marketing exercise.

There are other measurements besides ROI: Return on Equity (ROE), Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Time (ROT), Return on Relationships (ROR), and Return on Objectives (ROO). Each calculation has its pros and cons but the measurement most often embraced by exhibit marketers is Return on Objective.

The first step in ROO measurement is to clearly articulate the exhibit objective. For example, if the objective is to reinforce the brand, you first need to ask, what is the brand message? You should be able to articulate your brand message in two or three clear and concise key messages.

Next, you need to answer the question: “Which attendees will be most likely to find value in my messages?” In most situations you don’t want to talk to each visitor at the trade show. What you need to do is to create a profile. While you may think you know the end buyer or user or your product, you might not know the people who

PLANNER | August 2011 | www.theplanner.ca

The

can influence that buyer.

With this information, you are in a good position to create a measureable objective. You might say: “I want meet 47 people at the trade show who fit closely into my profile and be able to introduce them to my three key messages.”

There is one more step. In order to know if you are achieving your objective, you need to build a testing mechanism into your measurement strategy.

Testing indicates whether the key messages you are conveying in fact were understood and are of value. Testing can be as simple as looking for spikes in web-traffic to exit surveys. It all depends on the sophistication you are looking for and the resources you have at your disposal.

The beauty of exhibit marketing is in the quality of traffic these shows attract. Measuring ROO then, puts you in a superb position to measure the quality of contacts rather than the quantity.

And, at the end of the day what’s more important?

Barry Siskind is North America’s foremost trade and consumer show expert. Visit his Web site: www.siskindtraining.com or e-mail him at: barry@siskindtraining.com.

the arts

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Timeless Words for a Timeless Issue Next time you’re stuck in traffic or the effects of modern day air travel take their toll, consider this romantic-era renunciation of the urge to take the road. It was written by world traveller and poet Lord Byron when he was 29 and already weary of travelling.

Weary O’ the Road So, we’ll go no more a roving So late into the night, Though the heart be still as loving, And the moon be still as bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath, And the soul wears out the breast, And the heart must pause to breathe, And love itself have rest.

Though the night was made for loving, And the day returns too soon, Yet we’ll go no more a roving By the light of the moon.

Ontarians Rate Importance of Music Ontarians would be willing to sacrifice everything from alcohol to their cell phones and newspapers in exchange for music in their daily lives, according to a new survey.

For one month, 47% would give up beer or wine, 36% would forsake their cell phones and 16% would sacrifice sex for music says a new Angus Reid Strategies poll.

“Ontarians told us that music, more than any other art form, has had the most influence on their learning,” stated Steve Rayment, TVO’s director of marketing.

So planners take note and ensure that music features largely at your events.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 5

e d u c at i o n

By Sharon Worsley

What is your Slight Edge?

Did you know that over 65% of college graduates never read another book after graduation? Wow. I was surprised when I heard about this statistic.

Imagine spending all that time and money to obtain a degree and a good job and then never again reading a book that might advance your career, or lead to personal growth.

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PLANNER | August 2011 | www.theplanner.ca

The

T

his week I started reading a great book called ‘The Slight Edge’ by Jeff Olson. The premise of the book is turning simple daily disciplines into massive success. In the book, Jeff discusses how important it is to continuously read books in areas like business and personal development to ensure that you are always at the top of your game, personally and professionally.

You might be wondering how to fit reading books into your already stressed and busy day.

But when you think about it, how can you not?

If you don’t keep up with the latest in your industry and leadership, there will be someone coming up behind you who has made this a focus, and they may soon overtake you. If you own a business, then how can you not continually look for new insights and tools to ensure that your business is running effectively and is set up for success?

When was the last time you invested in yourself by attended a seminar or taking a class in something that would upgrade your skills or knowledge? Even if your employer does not cover the expense, isn’t this a great investment in yourself? Too many times, we wait until it is too late to improve our skills so that we can keep up in our job or go for that promotion we want.

I was recently reading a career blog where the writer noted that more than ever, employers want subject matter experts who have jobspecific knowledge. She then went on to talk

about the importance of assessing your current skills, and mentioned that in this economy, there is no place for complacency, something that we can all often be guilty of. The writer felt it was important, as do I, that we continously update our knowledge base so that we can remain competitive in the marketplace; to discover any weak points and then develop a plan to shore up the gaps.

Once you have decided to take some courses, listen to CDs or read some books, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with all the new information. Instead, just look for two or three great ideas that you can start to implement immediately. Look for ways that you can apply the new concepts you learn and work out ways to integrate them into your personal life and work environment.

If you think you are too old to go back to school or take a seminar to learn something new, then let me tell you about Phyllis Turner from Canberra, Australia. At 94 years young, this great-great-grandmother who left school at the age of twelve became the world’s oldest person to receive a master’s degree. You’re not going to let Phyllis show you up are you?

Sharon Worsley believes that you have to be a leader in your own life before you can ever lead other people. She is the author of the upcoming book “The 4 Diamond Leader…Leadership Lessons Learned At a 4 Diamond Hotel That Will Transform You and Your Organization’. Contact Sharon at info@sharonworsley.com

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Beauty comes at a price Montreal also earned top marks for shopping, with 67 per cent describing it as excellent, followed by Edmonton at 62 per cent, Calgary at 51 per cent and Quebec City at 49 per cent.

People in Toronto (15 per cent), Calgary (14 per cent) and Edmonton (13 per cent) were among the most likely to describe their cities as lousy places to take in cultural activities.

On the subject of job opportunities, Calgarians were most satisfied, with half describing them as excellent and more than one-third describing them as good.

V

ancouver may be the “nicest” city, according to a new survey, but when it comes to livability, major cities in La Belle Province take top marks.

The recent study, commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, found Quebec City and Montreal outrank other cities in Canada when it comes to cost of living, culture, shopping and meeting people.

According to the survey, one-quarter of Quebec City residents said the cost of living in their city was excellent, while another 70 per cent described it as good.

Montreal came second in the category, with 16 per cent describing it as excellent and 65 per cent saying it was good.

While a recent Postmedia News report indicated that one-quarter of Canadians chose Vancouver as the overall “nicest city in Canada”, association executive director Jack Jedwab said it ranked dead last when it came to cost of living, with 57 per cent of respondents describing it as poor.

The Greater Toronto Area, Edmonton and Calgary rounded out the list of least affordable cities. When it comes to cultural activities, more than 95 per cent of Montreal and Quebec City residents rate their cities as excellent or good.

They also were the most likely to describe their cities as excellent places to meet people and make friends.

Meanwhile, one-fifth of Ottawa residents said their city was a bad place to meet people and make friends.

Quebec City came a close second with 47.6 per cent answering excellent but another 42.9 percent describing them as good.

A whopping 36 per cent of Torontonians rated job opportunities in their city as poor, followed by 29 per cent of Ottawa residents and 25 per cent of Vancouver residents.

Quebec City, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal earned top marks for recreation and outdoor activity, while Toronto and Vancouver did well for climate.

The survey of 1,513 Canadians was conducted last month via web panel by Léger Marketing.

An equivalent telephone survey would have a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

industry news

Longer Wait Times At Airports: No improvement In Sight

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority’s 2011 annual report says lack of government funding means longer wait times at Canadian airport security checks are not expected to improve any time soon.

The report states a lack of government funding could result in longer wait times, “particularly at the busiest airports that are already experiencing pent-up demand.”

These include airports in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

“Given the evolving security threat environment, forecasted growth in passenger traffic, inflationary pressures and current long-term funding constraints, CATSA’s ability to sustain its current level of operations may be impacted in the long-term,” the report says.

The report says that annually, more than 62,000,000 pieces of baggage are screened, along with 51,000,000 passengers. There are 303 screening lanes at 89 airports across Canada.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 7

comment

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Outdoor festivals and weird weather

The stage collapse at Ottawa Bluesfest is yet another example of the hazards of summer in Canada, when uncontrollable storm systems can descend on unsuspecting folks out to have a good time.

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t’s extremely lucky, says everyone involved, that more people weren’t hurt. The wild gusts that brought down Bluesfest’s main stage felt like a freak weather occurrence – an uncontrollable act of nature.

But in Canada, extreme weather is a fact of life, says Environment Canada meteorologist Dave Philips. And severe weather season, between April and October, also happens to be prime season for outdoor events that grow larger every year. Southern Ontario alone can expect to get hundreds of squall lines and microbursts every year, especially as temperature rise (as they’ve done this summer).

“The potential exists for these things to keep occurring,” Mr. Philips said. “They’re not foreign.

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They’re not an American kind of thing. They’re very much part of the Canadian landscape in the summertime.”

Two years ago, a similar burst of intensely powerful wind hit Camrose, Alberta’s Big Valley Jamboree, moments before Kevin Costner and his country band Modern West were about to take the stage. When that stage toppled, a falling speaker killed a spectator.

Planners need to bear this in mind when organizing outdoor events. Always consider the worst case scenarios and have a plan in place for swift action. Credit is being given to organizers and security at the Bluesfest for the way they handled the situation and prevented worse consequences from occurring.

PLANNER | August 2011 | www.theplanner.ca

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Costs on the Rise A word of caution to companies planning events in Brazil: The country’s major cities are now also the most expensive.

Sao Paulo has the 10th-highest cost of living on the planet, zooming up from 21st place last year, according to Mercer’s annual survey, just released. Rio de Janeiro leapt to 12th spot from 29th place in 2010.

The two South American cities are now more expensive to live in than Oslo, London or Seoul as inflation has ballooned and Brazil’s currency, the “real”, strengthened.

The survey covers 214 cities on five continents and tracks the cost of 200 items such as housing, transport, food, clothing and entertainment. It helps multinationals plan compensation allowances for staff working internationally and can be useful for planners in preparing a budget for a foreign destination.

Canadian cities changed status as well. Toronto has become the most costly place to live in Canada, surpassing Vancouver “due to relatively high rental costs”. It’s now 59th in the world, up from 76th last year.

Vancouver is in 65th place, up from 75th, followed by Montreal and Calgary. Ottawa is the least expensive Canadian city on the list.

The world’s least expensive city, for the second consecutive year, is Karachi, Pakistan.

World’s most expensive cities: 1- Luanda, Angola 2- Tokyo 3- N’Djamena, Chad 4- Moscow 5- Geneva 6- Osaka, Japan 7- Zurich, Switzerland 8- Singapore 9- Hong Kong 10- Sao Paulo, Brazil

trends

Top Ten Wedding Trends…

“It’s all about telling your story” said Heidi Werner, director of catering at The

… as revealed

by The Carolina Inn, the historic hotel on the UNC Chapel Hill campus. The renowned venue has been hosting weddings for the past 87 years more than 125 annually.

Carolina Inn. “Brides and grooms really want to showcase who they are as a couple and are creating their wedding receptions based on their lifestyles and interests. Wedding rules are out the door and replaced with trends of comfort and community. A whole new generation has ushered in limitless options of originality.

1. A Favoured Cause. Brides and grooms are opting for a donation to their favorite charity -- breast cancer awareness, SPCA, UNICEF and Disaster Relief in lieu of providing their guests with favours.

2. Photo Booths. Nothing better than a vintage tradition of allowing the guests to take a minute and capture the fun they had on this special day.

3. Lighting. From custom-cut gobos of monograms and graphics to projected wallpaper, wedding designers are using lighting to add a whole new dimension to the decor.

4. Originality. Brides want a variety of locations within their venues where they can create different moods and experiences for their guests. Gone are the days of being stuck in your chair for two hours.

5. The Food Truck. The idea of having something special at the end. Weddings are taking it to a whole new level by having a coffee truck or Krispy Kreme show up to top off the party.

6. Comfort. It’s less about trying to impress and more about having fun. Think choosing flip flops vs. high heels.

7. Lounges. Comfortable seating is not just for high-end receptions anymore.

8. Feasting Tables. Perfect for family-style service ... another hot trend.

9. Don’t Take the Cake. Brides are opting for wedding cake alternatives such as cookies, gelato bars, cupcakes, whoopee pies and French macaroons.

10. Go Green. All items have a sustainability factor as brides strive to be environmentally responsible.

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www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 9

industry news

transport

Air Canada fined by U.S. for ‘deceptive’ price advertising Air Canada was fined $50,000 (U.S.) by the U.S. Department of Transportation for violating “deceptive price advertising” rules in online ads.

“When passengers buy an airline ticket, they have a right to know how much they will have to pay,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a recent news release announcing the fine.

The Transport Agency found that Air Canada displayed ads on its websites in early 2011 that didn’t disclose taxes and fees in its advertised fares.

Consumers who clicked on the ads were taken to Air Canada’s website, but could not find details of the additional taxes and fees unless they scrolled down to the fine print at the bottom of the page, the department said.

Beginning in January, carriers will be required to include all government taxes and fees in advertised fares.

Air Canada said it modified the banner ads within 24 hours of being notified to “improve clarity.”

WestJet’s profits soar like its planes WestJet has seen its second-quarter profit soar almost 275 per cent, as higher fares and cost controls helped offset increased fuel prices, the Western Canada-based airline recently stated.

“We saw improvements in our key operational metrics this quarter and also kept our controllable costs in check, which contributed to our strong results,” president and chief executive officer Gregg Saretsky said in a release.

WestJet said its profit was $25.6-million, or 18 cents per share in the quarter, up 274.7 per cent from a profit of $6.8-million or five cents in the same 2010 quarter.

Revenue was up 21.4 per cent at $742.3-million, from $611-million in the 2010 period.

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Air Canada, WestJet look to fill seats with lower fares Canada’s two largest airlines are lowering airfares after running into consumer resistance to price hikes. Last month, there were more empty seats on Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. airplanes, following a series of fare increases since the beginning of the year.

Airline industry observers now think that travel bargains could emerge this fall and winter, particularly if oil prices soften.

“Pricing power for Canada’s airline industry appears to have reached its limit and demand is now starting to suffer,” says Ben Cherniavsky, aviation analyst for Raymond James Ltd.

Porter to expand

Porter is aiming to expand domestically and also has plans to start service to Washington Dulles International Airport within 12 months.

Another possible U.S. destination is Philadelphia International Airport, while options in Ontario include Timmins, North Bay and London.

Porter reported record-high passenger loads for June, helped along by a rebounding economy, increased awareness of its growing network and a three-day strike at Air Canada.

Lufthansa begins biofuel flights Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Europe’s secondlargest airline, became the first carrier in the world to offer regular scheduled flights running on biofuel, with four daily round trips on an Airbus A321 between Hamburg and Frankfurt. The airline will use a biofuel blend containing 50 per cent so-called hydrotreated renewable jet fuel. The fuel is made from inedible plants and wood chips.

Air France-KLM Group operated the world’s

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The

Since May 1, Porter has competed headto-head at Billy Bishop against Air Canada on the Toronto-Montreal route, but Porter’s load factor – the portion of seats filled by paying customers – surged to 64.6 per cent in June, up from 52.2 per cent in the same month in 2010. Last month’s load factor set a new high for June for the carrier, and also established a record at Porter for any month, easily eclipsing its previous mark of 63.9 per cent last August.

Porter flew 203,000 passengers in June, up from 136,000 travelers in the same month of 2010. For 2011, Porter forecasts that they will carry nearly two million customers across its regional network of 12 Canadian cities and four U.S. destinations. The airline flew 1.56 million passengers last year, including 1.26 million people through Billy Bishop.

first commercial biofuel flight last month, using a blend of recycled cooking oil to drive a Boeing 737-800. Finnair OYJ plans to test planes between Amsterdam and Helsinki soon.

industry news

hotel

It’s not all about price: Guests less happy with overall hotel experience

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esults of the 2011 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, released recently by J.D. Power and Associates, found that overall satisfaction with hotels over the last year has slid to 764 from 771, based on a 1,000-point scale.

Despite paying about 4% more for rooms, customers were actually more satisfied this year than last with costs and fees, the study found.

But they were less satisfied with other aspects of their stays, such as reservations, check-in and check-out, guest rooms, food and beverage, services and facilities.

In an interview, J.D. Power Vice President Stuart Greif said that although room rates are up, they’re still shy of what they were a few years ago. Meanwhile, customers are feeling the effects of recession-driven reductions in staff, maintenance and investment. Those effects weren’t so apparent when hotels had

One King West: multi-million dollar hotel revitalization complete Known for its business-functional suites, ideal location and architecturally inspiring event spaces, One King West has reinvigorated itself and added environmentally responsible upgrades. Among the spaces that feature the greatest improvements are the lobby, the venue spaces and the Business Centre.

Venue space renovations: • Improved lighting in all meeting spaces with increase in lumens and lighting control • Increased power capability (incorporated power drop for AV needs) • Improved heating and cooling through energy project and installation of new windows • Restoration of historical clock in Grand Banking Hall

more empty rooms. In fact, last year’s study had shown an increase in overall guest satisfaction with hotels. ”With lower occupancy, check-in times were shorter, you got upgrades to nicer rooms and getting on that first treadmill in the morning was not as much of a challenge,” Greif said.

But as business has bounced back a bit, making more demands on service, lines have grown, upgrades have become scarcer and other shortfalls more noticeable. Facing an uncertain economy, hotels remain reluctant to add staff, he said.

The study by J.D. Power, a marketing information services company in Westlake Village, Calif., was based on responses gathered between June 2010 and May of this year from more than 61,300 guests who had recently stayed at a U.S. or Canadian hotel.

• Resurfacing of original wood floors • Increased capacity of the hotel’s prime venue space, the Grand Banking Hall, by partitioning the room with the adjacent Manager’s Boardroom • Renovated restrooms • Installation of glass doors on 3rd floor hallway to improve noise abatement and improve HVAC system in Grand Banking Hall Also new - modern private meeting space in late Summer 2011, offering three meeting rooms for groups of up to 20 people and features the following: • Built-in projector and motorized projection screen • Full Audio & Video playback • Teleconference & Video conference ready • High Speed Wired/Wireless Access • Windows that open and lots of natural light

100 million by 2015 Hotels will soon be offering a more Asian flavor to the breakfast buffet, as the world’s largest hotel chains step up efforts to attract Chinese customers.

Starwood Hotels and Hilton Hotels both said they will start to provide guests travelling from China with tea kettles, Chinese tea and slippers in their rooms, along with a selection of familiar foods at the breakfast buffet, such as congee and dim sum.

Starwood is offering the services at 19 hotels in cities such as New York, Paris, London, Bangkok and Sydney.

Hotels are currently embracing the sentiment that it’s the little things that count, such as a friendly smile, rather than trying to lure guests with fancy freebies. (Editor’s note: The freebies may attract you the first time but the smiles keep you coming back.)

Hilton Worldwide calls its program for Chinese travellers huanying, which means “welcome” in Chinese.

It will roll out the concept to 30 hotels next month.

Starwood estimates the number of people travelling from China will reach 100 million by 2015. There are presently 25 million going abroad for the first time each year.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 11

industry news

c o n n e ct i v i t y

Ritz-Carlton Connects Concierges to Foursquare

Google launches latest foray into travel sector Google has launched a new tool for finding hotels in the US. Hotel Finder is still an experimental search tool designed to help users locate and book hotels, Google software engineer Andrew McCarthy stated in a recent blog post.

Hotel Finder, which is restricted to the United States for now, allows users to refine their choice by geographic area using Google Maps, and to select hotels using various criteria including price, the number of stars and user ratings. Users can create a “shortlist” of options before deciding to book a hotel directly or through online companies such as Priceline, Travelocity, Expedia or Hotels.com.

More is likely to follow, as Google purchased flight data company ITA Software in April.

Google is certainly positioning itself to dominate the lucrative online travel market.

Luxury hotel brand Ritz-Carlton is putting the knowledge of its global concierge team on Foursquare. In a move which the company claims is a first for the luxury industry, concierges from all 75 Ritz-Carlton hotels will take to the location-based social networking site to offer tips on their locale to travellers.

The list will be updated every week with the best things to do and see in the destinations they represent. To access the tips, Foursquare users can follow Ritz-Carlton on the site or check into a location which has been featured by the brand in the past, where tips will also be visible.

Last minute bookings: slight risk for substantial savings Mobile apps are making it easier for travellers to book hotel rooms and rental cars at the last-minute, sometimes with interesting savings.

More companies are developing mobile apps to help travellers make hotel reservations en route, or find a good restaurant when they arrive. Using a Smartphone, iPod or other mobile device, it’s possible to book a rental car as you step off the plane, or a hotel room near the restaurant where your dinner is winding down. Of course, you might end up car-less or bed-less for the night. But, travelers say the flexibility they gain by booking last minute is worth the risks. And there are potential savings: Some hotel chains, eager to fill empty beds, offer special discounts to travellers who book

while in town. Apps also make it easy to cancel a reservation at the last minute and reserve a cheaper room elsewhere.

Travel companies say the goal is to develop go-to apps that travellers will use as digital guidebooks or concierges. Apps, with their basic designs and pared down functions, are simpler and faster to use than websites. The companies recognize that while mobile-app users may be looking for deals, they also tend to focus more on proximity than value when making last-minute decisions-meaning they might splurge on a nicer hotel if it’s nearby. Mobile bookings represent only about 4% of overall travel bookings, but travel analysts and executives estimate the percentage could reach 15% by the end of 2012.

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Increased social networking capabilities intensifies the competition Facebook Inc. is now offering free video calls over its site through a partnership with

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Skype Technologies SA. Adding video calls puts Facebook in competition with Apple Inc., which introduced the feature on its iPhone in June 2010, and with Google Inc., which offered Web calls through Gmail in August. Partnerships with Skype and other multimedia services are aimed at growing Facebook’s audience and getting users to rely more on their social connections.

“We’re using the best technology that’s

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out there for doing video chat with the best social infrastructure that’s out there in order to create some really cool new scenarios,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive officer.

Social networking rivalry intensified when Google unveiled a new service to compete with Facebook. The site, called Google+, includes Google’s maps and images, messages, comments and other content from selected groups of friends.

summer

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Best Summer City the votes are in Well-known travel publication “Lonely Planet” posed this question: Among the many cities that come alive in the summer, which is the very best? That is, which city should be crowned the World’s Best Summer City?*

A New Place to Connect in Many Ways

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hey put this query to their Facebook and Twitter followers, and the debate heated up like a dashboard on a hot summer day. Should it be a city that is cold most of the year and only warms up for a short, glorious period? Or should it be a city that is nice almost any time of year, but gets truly spectacular in summer? The votes tell the story:

%

of total votes

The top two vote-getters were Barcelona and Sydney, cities that could easily be described as year-round destinations. At the peak of summer, both cities can also be unpleasantly hot, overly expensive and crowded, which is why Lonely Planet guidebook authors generally recommend visiting a bit earlier or later in the year.

Voters started talking some sense at 3rd place: Montreal, London, and Chicago. These cities really come alive in the summer. Residents endure months of dreary cold and then explode in fits (and festivals) of joy that last throughout the summer. Locals and tourists alike grab opportunities to attend outdoor events.

Holiday Inn Hotels officially launched its innovative design of ‘’The Hub’’ at the Holiday Inn Gwinnet Center in Georgia.

The Hub at Holiday Inn is the answer to the changing needs of travellers. The 5,000 square-foot space integrates existing but separate public areas into one cohesive space designed to help guests easily connect with others and enjoy a variety of experiences outside their hotel room.

“We know the Holiday Inn guest is social and enjoys interacting with others,” said Verchele Wiggins, vice president global brand management, Holiday Inn Family of Brands. “In keeping with the philosophy of doing things on the guests’ terms, we designed The Hub at Holiday Inn to be an innovative and open space where travellers can connect with others as well as eat, drink, relax, work or just have fun. The Hub at Holiday Inn is all about bringing good things together.” ‘’The Hub’’ will focuses heavily on three areas that really sets it apart from similar concepts; an enhanced bar experience for eating and drinking, the ability to have fun via the gaming area and being able to relax either at the outdoor cabanas and fire pits or in the media lounge. Between the restaurant, bar, coffee shop, market, media center, games and outdoor patio, Holiday Inn hopes to make it easy for guests to unwind. For information about The Hub at Holiday Inn visit the Holiday Inn Facebook page.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 13

survey

The Planner Survey The Planner asked… and you answered.

As tattoos become more and more socially acceptable it brings up the following questions.

English Canada

French Canada

In a professional setting in general and in our field in particular, should tattoos be visible?

In a professional setting in general and in our field in particular, should tattoos be visible?

Are for (yes): 32% / Are against (no): 68%

Are for (yes): 41% / Are against (no): 59%

Broken down by age group • Among the 25-30: 90% for; 10% against • Among the 30’s: 33% for; 66% against • Among the 40’s: 26% for; 74% against • Among the 50 and over: 31% for; 69% against

Broken down by age group • Among the 25-30: 80% for; 20% against • Among the 30’s: 29% for; 71% against • Among the 40’s: 60% for; 40% against • Among the 50 and over: 100% against

We also asked:

We also asked:

If you were going to be tattooed with a fruit or a vegetable, which would it be?

If you were going to be tattooed with a fruit or a vegetable, which would it be?

Fruit: 99% Strawberry (1st), Cherry (2nd), Star Fruit (3rd), Apple (4th)

Fruit: 100% Strawberry (1st), Cherry (2nd), Apple (3rd)

If you were to have a hotel logo tattoo, which would you choose?

If you were to have a hotel logo tattoo, which would you choose?

Fairmount (1st), Hilton (2nd), Delta (3rd), Ritz (4th)

Ritz- Carlton (1st), W (2nd)

A few of the comments we received •

“What a fun survey!”

•

Although tattoos are more acceptable “these days” there is usually still a certain stigma attached to the wearer of tattoos. So ~ in the hospitality and service industry I do believe that understanding what can be conveniently covered by the appropriate clothing would be the parameter to follow!

•

•

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Clients come from all demographics and not all generations or cultures find tattoos socially acceptable. So often we expect our own socially acceptable norms to translate over onto other age groups and cultures which is more often than not a mistake and could potentially cost us our job or contract.

Whether or not tattoos should be visible I think depends primarily on three

PLANNER | August 2011 | www.theplanner.ca

The

things: 1. Dress code. If the dress code is “business” where suits are required then I do not think showing a tattoo is appropriate. The emphasis is on formality and conservation and tattoos I don’t believe fall into that category. However, if the dress code is “business casual” then an odd tattoo showing here or there I do not think is a big deal. 2. Industry. Industries like media or advertising tend to be more casual and “cutting edge” so a tattoo or two showing may actually be welcomed.

However, if you are in say finance where the environment is strict professionalism then tattoos may not be as acceptable.

(Ties in with dress code). 3. Content of tattoo. If the tattoo itself is graphic or profane then regardless of the dress code or business environment, the tattoo should be covered out of respect for coworkers and their beliefs.

•

I think there’s a time and place when displaying a tattoo is acceptable however I think it’s important to be able to cover it up for those times when it isn’t appropriate.

•

Tattoos have become more and more acceptable in the workplace. They don’t bother me but I think they should be covered – at least in a professional setting

•

Nice topic!

I have to admit the issue is becoming harder to “manage” as it becomes more socially acceptable. I do believe it is a trend and it will fade with time, but what do I do in the meantime?

•

This is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever sent. I don’t appreciate you wasting my time with such garbage. As far as I’m concerned tatoos are not acceptable for professionals, period.

green guide

Vancouver Convention Centre

Takes Home Award

The Vancouver Convention Centre earned the 2011 IMEX Green Supplier Silver Award, presented at the IMEX Gala Dinner in Frankfurt, Germany.

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he award recognizes environmental excellence and innovation within the meetings industry and represents the highest accolade for environmental responsibility among meetings and events industry suppliers.

“We are honoured to be recognised by IMEX for leadership in environmental excellence and innovation,” said Claire Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Vancouver Convention Centre. “Environmental sustainability is not only at the core of our day-to-day operations, it is strongly reflected in the unique design of our facility. As the world’s only LEED Platinum certified convention centre, we’re committed to our ongoing sustainability efforts and to help set new standards in our industry.”

IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom, commented on the impressive standard of entries received in this category this year. “It demonstrates a clear goal across the sector to drive environmental change and ensure that this remains at the forefront of all that we do. Awareness of environmental issues continues to take precedence today and those suppliers that have green credentials listed as a

high priority gain a notable advantage over their competitors,” he explained.

produce cooling for the building during warmer months and heating in cooler months

Highlights of the Vancouver Convention Centre’s environmental sustainability programs and features include:

• natural light and ventilation maximized throughout the building

• an extensive facility-wide recycling program averaging 180,000 kilograms of materials annually, nearly half of the total volume of waste generated • a ‘scratch’ kitchen, utilizing primarily fresh, local products • a six-acre ‘living’ roof, the largest in Canada and the largest non-industrial living roof in North America • a sophisticated drainage and water recovery system, which has successfully reduced potable water use by 72.6% • purchase of green power electricity generated from low-impact renewable sources • a seawater heating and cooling system that takes advantage of the adjacent seawater to

• a green housekeeping program The only two-time winner of the International Association of Congress Centres’ APEX award for “World’s Best Convention Centre,” the Vancouver Convention Centre opened in July 1987 after originally serving as the Canada Pavilion at the World’s Fair in 1986. Since inception, the facility has demonstrated a constant commitment to service, technical and culinary excellence, as well as environmental sustainability. In fact, the Centre’s West building has received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, and is the only convention centre in the world awarded the highest level of LEED designation. With its expansion complete, the Centre has tripled its size to cover 1.1 million square feet (or four city blocks) for a combined total of 466,500 square feet of pre-function, meeting, exhibition and ballroom space.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 19

green guide

What Colour of Green Would You Like!

By Jyl Ashton Cunningham, CMP

Are Hotels and Venues Measuring up to the True Green?

We’ve all experienced the Towel on the Floor/Towel hanging up scenario at some point or another on our travels. I’ve tried everything in many different hotel chains, to keep my bathtowel for more than one night; from folding it back up as carefully as possible to make it look like I haven’t used it, to draping it over the shower rail, to precariously looping it on the hook behind the door. It’s become a bit of a game for me, yet despite my best efforts, I always come back to a fluffy (and dry) selection of many-sized towels.

joking, but she was really affronted. I asked her if she got clean sheets at home every day and she said of course not, but at hotels it was expected.

I had never heard of changing sheets daily for the same guest, unless they had been in-house for a few days, or were long term guests. Then sure enough on a later hotel visit, I was reading one of the little cards (not printed on recyclable paper) that boasts about a hotel’s “Greener than green” reputation, and there it was in full colour nonvegetable ink, “If you do not want your sheets changed every day, leave this card on the bed. If you do want them changed, leave them on the bathroom floor”. I’m just kidding about the last sentence, but it was an equally pointless request.

Are we really so spoiled that we consider daily changes of linens a necessity? Why should a hotel even have to ask if we could use the same towel or sheets twice?

The trouble is that it’s becoming more difficult to take some hotels’ Green mantra seriously when the little claims like linen conservation don’t always ring true. So many guests complain about the non-environmentally friendly plastic bottles of shampoo and body wash, yet they are still very present and in some hotels are practically full sized, in an attempt to appear luxurious. A newspaper that was not ordered, miraculously appears at my bedroom door and a turn-down service, complete with six lights and a radio on, in one room, often takes place without my asking for it.

I

think I’ve figured out one of the reaons why this happens. If I hang a towel over the shower rail, the housekeeper likely gets slapped in the face with a damp piece of terry that has dried someone else’s body as she tries to clean the bath and shower, so in a moment of irritation she whips the towel off the rail and onto the floor, thereby giving her a legitimate reason to change it.

A logical solution would be to install a decent sized towel rail on the wall, to allow a towel to be aired properly. Or reinstate those cute little 20

washing lines that used to unravel and hook onto the opposite wall of the subway tiled walls of the Montreal Ritz Carlton bathrooms and other older establishments (Green before their time?).

Or just have two towels in the room instead of six or eight, then there would be more space to store the ones that actually get used.

I used to work with someone when I first moved to Toronto who complained one day when we were on site at a conference because her bed sheets had not been changed. We had only been in the hotel for one night and I thought she was

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I was recently at a hotel in western Canada which was obviously trying really hard to become green.

They were doing a pretty good job too, until I noticed that many of their promotional signs in the lobby were made out of vinyl and foamcore, two not very sustainable materials for companies professing to be walking the walk.

In these eco-conscious times, hotels need to be more pro-active than ever if they want to maintain their claims to sustainable practices.

It’s not enough to wait until guests arrive in their hotel room to get the message across. As well, more hotels need to inform planners of all their green initiatives at the proposal stage and a

green guide

“greening initiatives can only be one hundred per cent successful if everyone adopts them” more consistent standard needs to be attained to make greening the norm rather than the exception. Planners love to be educated and to be kept in the loop about what hotels are doing to enhance the short-term experience of a few nights away from home, whilst remaining ecofriendly. Highlights from some of the major chains on how they are improving their carbon footprint include: Starwood’s Aloft and Element properties, built to LEED standards, with an ambitious plan to reduce energy consumption by 30% by 2020.

Marriott new properties are also adopting green building practices and Marriott supports initiatives in many impoverished countries as a way of giving back. Hilton, Delta and Fairmont each have impressive greening programs and a recent visit to the Fairmont Le Reine Elizabeth included a tour of the eco-roof garden, using special planters that practically water the herbs and vegetables themselves, with minimal waste.

The Convention Industry Council (The body

responsible for the CMP designation among many other initiatives) recently announced that the APEX-led initiative to create standards for environmentally sustainable events is almost complete at the draft stage. There are nine standards covering all facets of event planning and management: Accommodations, Audio-Visual, Communication & Marketing, Destinations, Exhibits, Food & Beverage, Meeting Venue, On-Site Office, and Transportation. The standards have been in intense development since the project was initiated in 2008 and if all goes well, could be completed later this year.

Once the APEX standards are in place across North America, hotels and venues could become even more pro-active and work with planners still more effectively on creating green events. The Green Meetings Industry Council is currently setting up their first Canadian Chapter in Toronto and we can look forward to some significant developments in sustainability practices in the

coming months as a result.

Kudos to Metro Toronto Convention Centre which has to be one of the most efficient at spreading and keeping, the green word. Their simple explanations on how they can help planners and clients to manage Zero Waste events are clear, concise and true; from partnering with Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army, to providing tools to help planners calculate their event’s carbon footprint and then ideas on how best to minimize it. www.mtccc.com The bottom line is that greening initiatives can only be one hundred per cent successful if everyone adopts them as the norm. Let’s all work together and set ourselves a goal to make a significant difference in sustainable practices by 2015.

Jyl Ashton Cunningham, CMP, is a Toronto conference and event planner. She welcomes your comments and can be reached at info@jaacevents.com

Hats Off To Tablée Des Chefs

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a Tablée des Chefs is a non-profit organization involving chefs, cooks and confectioners from Quebec with a mission to give back on three levels: redistribution of food surpluses, preparation of ready-to-eat meals for Quebec food banks and teaching nutrition and culinary skills to underprivileged youth.

Jean-François Archambault founded La Tablée des Chefs with the following idea: if all restaurateurs, chefs, hoteliers and event organizers offered their surplus food, they would help meet the needs of food banks in Quebec.

Unfortunately, food bank needs are on the rise.

To combat this trend, La Tablée des Chefs, with the support of many partners, has established a sustainable food recovery and brokerage service for the hotel and restaurant industry.

The organization helps institutions to better manage their surplus food, allowing organic waste reduction and increasing food recovery.

La Tablée des Chefs wants to raise awareness among companies in order to help them meet their goals and increase their sustainability.

One way is to enable them to distribute food surplus generated by their events. Quebec’s food banks receive 150,000 portions annually from La Tablée des Chefs, of which 60,000 is

donated by the Bell Centre. The other 90,000 portions are donated by the service’s institutional members and by occasional donors.

Visit courtage.tableedeschefs.org to consult the list of participating institutions. La Tablée des Chefs anticipates expansion of its service outside Quebec and across the country to meet growing needs.

Jean-François Archambault, managing director and founder. For more information, contact Sylvie-Anne Guertin, coordinator for sustainable food broking services: sylvieanne.guertin@tableedeschefs.org On the web: www.tableedeschefs.org

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 21

green guide

The Hotel Association of Canada’s

Green Key Global Program Continues to Advance! selected the Green Key Global Program as “the most cost effective and relevant for hotels. Green Key provides a turnkey and highly-respected program to get them started or to elevate their performance.”

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f you are running a green property, the best way to let the public know is through certification. During the economic downturn the environment remained high on the radar. Today, the Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key Global Eco-Rating Program has a total of 2,729 member hotels with 1,368 in Canada, 1,324 in the United States and 37 others around the world; a 3 fold increase since 2008. Early in 2011 Green Key Global marked another milestone by having a member hotel in every State of the USA. The American Hotel and Lodging Association

The Green Key Program was developed specifically for the lodging industry and is a graduated rating system recognizing properties committed to improving their environmental performance. The comprehensive audit, designed to provide a property with an overview of where they stand with respect to their current environmental practices, explores the 5 main sections of its operations; Corporate Environmental Management; Housekeeping; Conference and Meeting Facilities; Food and Beverage; and Engineering.

The HAC took the Green Key Global Program to a new plateau in April of this year when it launched, in partnership with MPI Foundation Canada, Green Key Meetings. This new program has been created with meeting planners in mind.

The Program identifies a hotel’s level of commitment to sustainability and answers the needs of meeting planners. This self-assessment is about sustainable meeting operations, adding value to the bottom line through conservation and brand management; and positively influencing the supply chain and relationships.

Meeting Professionals International is widely recognized as the global leader in the meeting and event industry. The HAC is confident the Green Key Meetings Program will become an important part of the hospitality industry’s efforts to protect and preserve the environment.

By becoming a Green Key and Green Key Meetings rated property, hotels save money since energy costs go right to the bottom line, and gain marketing ability. At the same time the hotel is provided with the tools to reduce their environmental footprint.

Tony Pollard, President Hotel Association of Canada On the Web: www.hotelassociation.ca

Green Approach to Stormwater has Positive Spillover

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ainy days are rarely welcome and in the US, where more than 850 communities rely on ageing sewer systems, a downpour can be especially bleak. These cities collect stormwater and sewage in the same pipes, which means that when sewers are overwhelmed, raw sewage floods directly into rivers and streams. New York City, for example, spills 520m gallons (2 billion litres) of sewage into waterways each week, on average, according to Riverkeeper, a local advocacy group. As pipes erode, the problem gets worse.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered a number of cities to upgrade their treatment of stormwater. The typical solution is for a city to build larger pipes and a giant underground tank to hold the excess water

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until sewers can handle the flow. But this is expensive and often ineffective. Milwaukee, for example, has spent around $4 billion over two decades on storm water management, but still dumps billions of gallons of sewage into Lake Michigan every year.

In order to meet the EPA’s clean water standards, a city like Philadelphia would need to spend an estimated $8 billion on a new underground tank. However the cash-poor city has crafted a less expensive and potentially far more beneficial scheme, which may set a new precedent for urban storm water management, called “Green City, Clean Waters”. The plan outlines a comprehensive $1.6 billion, 20-year investment in green infrastructure - everything from “green roofs” covered with vegetation to

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street edge gardens to keep excess water from entering sewers in the first place.

Though Philadelphia’s plan is the most ambitious to date, the green-infrastructure trend has finally taken root in North America after decades of progress in Europe.

In 2010, Toronto became the first North American city to require green roofs on parts of all new developments with more than 2,000 square metres of gross floor area; As of April 2012, the bylaw applies to new industrial projects as well. Research into green infrastructure has shown that it not only helps cities handle their run-off problems, but also helps to cool and cleanse urban air, cut energy costs, reduce asthma and create new jobs.

green guide

Business Meetings and Green Spas:

Corporate Performance the Natural Way

f.y.i.

New ISO 20121 Event Industry Standard Thousands of events are held around the world each year. Despite their obvious positive social, economic and environmental ramifications for host cities, they can also generate adverse effects, particularly with respect to the environment.

Sustainable development is the subject of many business discussions.

But, how can sustainable development become a priority in the context of corporate activities? By opting to hold business meetings in a green spa, of course!

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epending on the level of commitment of spas, many actions can be taken to enable companies to reduce the impact of their corporate events on the environment.

A Commitment Based on Values A spa’s commitment to making sustainable development a priority depends primarily on the personal values ​​of its leaders. Only then can we hope that these values will be transferred to its employees which guarantees the consistency of the approach as each employee must do his or her part. This process is based on serious team work. Anything else is only superficial greenwashing.

Each department of the company must incorporate environmental awareness gradually, although initially everyone may not necessarily be enthused; until they realize the impact and influence of every little action. In addition to going green at work, this causes employees to make the shift themselves to greener living at home. Hence, a ripple effect is started.

The Benefits of Holding an Event in a Green Spa For business people who are already contributing to the environmental challenge, the choice

of a green spa is a natural way to encourage the efforts of the spa that welcomes them. For the event organizer it is a subtle, but very effective, way to educate colleagues about environmental issues. Participants have the opportunity to learn about the many ways to promote sustainable development such as the importance of focusing on organic or local produce, the decision not to serve certain types of fish, making good use of food preparation residues by composting and ultimately the pleasure of having a lush garden that is overflowing with fragrant herbs, fresh vegetables and edible flowers thanks to organic compost.

Obviously, a meeting in a green spa also provides a healthy environment that is relaxing and stimulating, conducive to fostering creativity and reflection for all those involved.

Prepared by Spa Eastman Spa Eastman is certified 3rd Level – Performance, by Recyc-Quebec’s Program «ICI ON RECYCLE». It was voted in the Top-10 Best Spas in the World for it Environmental Practices

by Spa Finder Readers Choice Awards in 2010 and 2011 and Phenix Award Winner for sustainable development in 2008.

In 2007, the British Standards Institution created BS8901 (Sustainability Management Systems for Events) and amended standards ISO 14001 and ISO 9011 (already in wide use by major corporations). Updated again in 2009, BS8901 has been warmly received by the world’s events agencies, with some 50 having adopted it.

The International Standards Organisation (ISO) has now decided to transform this standard into ISO 20121. The new norm will serve to promote sustainable development in event design, management and production. It will apply to all types and scales of organizations involved in event organization and to every kind of events.

ISO 20121 will focus on each facet of event design (venue selection, operating procedures, logistics, procurements, communications, transportation and so forth).

The standard will, through its flexible and innovative approach, tailor itself to the event sector’s specific need. ISO 20121 should enable organizations that apply to streamline their operations and achieve continuous improvement of their performance in line with their goals.

ISO 20121 should be completed in 2012 to coincide with the London Olympics. It will become the only international benchmark enabling event organizers to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable development.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 23

green guide

Ask The Av Expert In this series of articles, Darren Battle (Inland AV, Calgary) addresses audiovisual issues faced by event planners.

The Best Green Saves Energy, Increases Productivity & Enhances Communications

Green ideas that also save money and improve an organization’s productivity and communications are quickly being adopted. AV Control Systems save heating and cooling costs as well as improve communications and productivity. Other AV products that have multiple benefits include videoconferencing and LED lighting.

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he AV Control System originated from a need to organize the multiple remotes that were on the typical training and boardroom shelf. It started with separate remotes for the TV and DVD player and quickly escalated. There are now systems available at many different levels of budget and sophistication with the more sophisticated systems offering a plethora of features and benefits.

Many AV Control Systems are small wired or wireless touchscreens that run customized software. This software enables you to book board24

room, meeting room and training hall sessions.

A room could have several types of events that regularly happen. For example: a boardroom may have different AV requirements for a daily sales meeting, executive briefing and monthly board meetings. These can all be pre-programmed so the set up happens automatically.

When the meeting is scheduled to begin the AV equipment (audio and video systems) are turned on and projectors and screens raised or lowered into place, the lighting and window shades adjusted, the temperature for the room set and the computer is powered up. This means that

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when a room is not in use the temperature can be adjusted to maximize energy efficiencies and just prior to the scheduled meeting, the temperature can be raised or lowered for a comfortable meeting environment. The automatic set up of the AV equipment for a particular meeting style means that the facilitator does not have to spend time setting up equipment (increased productivity) and the communications system is optimally set up. Many systems can be monitored and controlled remotely from within the network or via a smart phone.

Some AV Control Systems can recognize when office areas have people working late and automatically adjust the lighting and temperature in their area while the rest of the building is set to maximize energy savings. The system can even keep specific parking lot areas illuminated so that the staff can safely leave the building at night and then the building reverts to the normal settings for the time of day. A virtual conference

green guide

“The unified communications technologies continue to improve and there are now many options for any budget.” (unified communications) compared to a face-to-face conference that requires significant travel saves a lot of energy costs, improves productivity and is a better communications tool than email or a telephone conversation. The cost and carbon footprint of travel can be significant. Productivity is increased as the travel time is reduced: transportation to the airport, waiting at the airport, air travel time, transportation to a hotel or meeting venue, conducting their meeting and then repeat.

An organization can use these collaboration tools to deploy specialized expertise where it is needed, when it is needed without the costs as well as the wear and tear on the expert. With a robust unified communications system an expert can help solve problems all around the world and still be home for supper and attend their child’s soccer game.

The unified communications technologies continue to improve and there are now many options for any budget. Facebook and Skype video chat, Apple iChat, GoToMeeting and WebEx (just a few examples) are free or low cost, user-friendly entry level applications. As people want a better experience they can look at the ever expanding products and services from unified communications manufacturers such as Polycom, Cisco and others.

Many organizations purchase videoconference systems but there are also other options. Public videoconference rooms are available in most major

cities and many AV companies have mobile systems that can be set up in conference halls allowing a speaker to deliver keynote sessions and interact in a regular Q & A session.

LED lighting is becoming an integral part of events. LED lighting uses much less electricity than regular lighting instruments. Besides saving energy a very important fact is that LED lights can run off of a regular wall plug as opposed to requiring 220 volt service. This creates many new locations where an LED instrument can be placed. Think of all the “up lighting” that is now setting the room ambience. It is very green and now provides more creative options.

AV professionals get excited about LED lighting as they offer many creative ideas to an event. LED lights can produce a wide range of colours as opposed to a traditional lighting instrument that is restricted to the colour of the gel placed in front of it. LED lights can shift colours automatically or can be programmed for a custom effect. It is easy to visually brand an event using LED lighting.

Event planners should consult with their AV firm for ideas that are not only green but increase productivity and deliver new communication channels.

Contact Darren with your AV related questions at dbattle@inlandAV.ca.

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Easy to Implement Tips on

Green Battery Use A simple and effective means of keeping some of the billions of batteries discarded each year out of landfills is to buy rechargeable batteries for all your battery-operated devices. A rechargeable battery can be used several hundred times, which also provides cost-efficiency. While there is some energy expenditure with the recharging, it is significantly less of a factor than the enormous waste of non-rechargeable batteries.

Of course, you can also invest in a solar battery charger and stay 100 percent green with your battery use. PowerFilm® makes portable solar-powered battery chargers (www.solardirect.com) or try PDA solar battery chargers from Silicon Solar Inc. (www.siliconsolar.com). You can also use an in-car charger which utilizes what would normally be wasted energy from the engine.

By the way, nickel-metal hydride batteries (aka Ni-MH), as well as Lithium-ion (aka Li-ion) rechargeable batteries, are among the most highly-recommended, longest-lasting batteries you can buy today.

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 25

green guide

By Chris Litster

Take the Challenge:

Five Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint cost effective and environmentally friendly way to reach your audience without ever pushing the print key. Email allows you to share detailed information with attendees, while social media can help you extend the reach of your promotional efforts as a result of social sharing—a winning combo that allows you to engage with attendees pre-, during, and post-event.

4. Mobile Check-in.

A simple and easy smartphone app can streamline the event checkin process while also eliminating registration sheets. These apps are growing in popularity because they also allow event planners to get out from behind the registration desk and keep in touch with attendees during and after the event.

5. Co-Market with Your Sponsors.

While we’re all acutely aware of the impact of our carbon footprint on the environment, it seems as if it’s somewhat unavoidable at events.

Sure, we use both sides of the paper, fill recycle bins and use electronic communications as much as possible to further reduce paper waste.

But is it enough?

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he good news is North American consumption of printing paper has dropped by more than 33 percent since 2000. Yet we still manage to cut down four billion trees each year to produce 300 million tons of paper.

You can take your event website to the next level by making sure it also accommodates mobile devices. Since most attendees are usually carrying a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet, why not post all of your conference materials online.

So how can an event planner reduce their environmental footprint even more? By carefully reconsidering when and where to use technology to replace what were once paper-based processes. Going beyond the more obvious approaches, following are five ways to further reduce paper consumption and any unnecessary costs at your next event.

2. Reward Online Registrants.

1. Optimize Your Event Website.

3. Engage Your Audience through Email and Social Media: The combina-

Many planners are already in the habit of creating special web pages to promote their events.

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Online registration and electronic payments are becoming more of a standard, but paper-based forms still exist. You can further reduce the use of registration forms by rewarding attendees for committing early and online. Offer them something special—like reduced admission price or a free drink ticket—to entice them.

tion of email and social media marketing is most

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While sponsors can be a critical aspect of an event, there are more environmentally friendly ways to spotlight their commitment that don’t include banners, swag, and other paper-based marketing collateral.

In exchange for sponsorship, consider different ways to include sponsors in all of the event marketing activities. This can include podcasts, guest blogs, videos, and other creative ways to raise their profile while lowering their environmental impact.

Even better, these longer-lasting communications vehicles allow your sponsors’ messages to carry on well after the event and will have a greater impact than a banner displayed for a short period of time.

Consider the challenge and rewards of reducing your environmental impact by adopting these five approaches to managing events. After all, each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water.

Chris Litster, Vice President and General Manager, Event Marketing at Constant Contact

green guide

You will remember our two young students who wrote for us in our first Green Guide in 2007, when they were just entering high school. Well they’re back and now in their last year of high school, and here are their thoughts for 2011.

Impact Attraction

Holding on by a string.

Simple ways to make a beautiful difference

By Jeremy Murray,

By Emily Dias Geoffroy, Trafalgar School for Girls.

Heritage Regional High School.

In the hustle and bustle of the modern world, living green lives is a lot easier said than done. Here are a few simple ways to beautify your environment and keep it healthy at the same time.

1.

Does your office or meeting room need livening up? Nothing sets a positive and refreshing atmosphere like potted plants.

2.

If you’re leaving your computer for a while put it on “sleep mode”.

3.

Trying to make a fashion statement at a business cocktail? Switch in the designer brand and opt for something fair trade made.

4.

Trying to look for healthier lunchtime meals? Instead of buying something high in carbs and fats, try buying fresh produce from local farmer markets. Not only will you be encouraging the local economy, you’ll be staying healthy.

5.

Program your printer or photocopier to print on both sides of the page.

The environment, as many know, is a fragile and delicate balance that is easily upset. Environmentalism is the philosophy of trying to protect and improve that balance. Many people seek for the government and corporations to change how everything is run and to be more environmentally aware but the reality is that for that to happen, people need to change.

“Be the change you want to see” because if you want to see the world change around you it needs to start with you as an individual making small choices.

Only once the people change can everything follow their lead.

These simple acts will make a big impact.

Reduce Stress, Reuse Xerox Resources, Recycle Great Ideas.

Xerox provides all the Products, Support, Supplies and Service that you need for short-term document production.

We are your one-stop for document solutions. Our rates include a wide range of high quality black & white and color technology with copy/print/fax/scan functionality, Xerox supplies (paper, toner, etc.), reliable service, fully trained staff (optional) – all from terms of 3 days to one year.

Short Term Rental: Ontario: 905.672.4758 • Quebec and Maritimes: 514.939.8105 • Western Canada: 905.672.4759 1.800.275.9376

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 27

green guide

Club Med continues to be a leader in the world of tourism.

They are going green and getting eco-certified. of a strong determination to act to preserve the environment.” This is an ambitious approach that involves many players. From the GO working in the commercial and operational offices to all the teams in the resort ‘’, adds Carolyne Doyon, Vice-president Canada.

Green Globe-Trotter initiative to kick-off Club Med has its ambassadors of sustainable development. Their mission: Go to the Club Med resorts around the world to begin the process of ecocertification. “The diagnostic phase consists of finding out the Club Med resort position according to the Green Globe criteria’s , what have already been done and what needs t be improved”, pursues Carolyne Doyon.

F

or over 60 years, the preservation of the exceptional sites where Club Med operates, in compliance with host communities of its resorts, the contribution to economic and social development of their countries has been a priority. «Our efforts must be strengthened. This is the meaning of the certification. To get an eco-label as serious as Green Globe is an interesting challenge for an institution as important as Club Med. By 2012, we wish to have 100% of our resorts ecocertified «explains Carolyne Doyon, Vice President Canada. Club Med is not far from the goal. As sustainable development, respect and responsibility are embedded in the culture of the French company, this challenge can be repeated and become a Club Med standard All are committed to the success of this unifying project, which is the result

Club Med On

Also, Green Globe can count on a key partner: The Green Globe coordinator. Chosen among the GO in the resort, his role consist of insuring the process of certification by coordinating the actions in the resort. The Green Globe coordinator’s program is rich: motivate teams, verify the implementation of training, control the recycling process and update the information transmitted to auditors.

“With the mobilization of all the ambassadors of the label certification on the ground, the Club Med resorts will soon be one of the few tourism stakeholders to have a completely eco-certified offer“, confirms Carolyne Doyon About Green Globe Green Globe is an international label for the travel and the tourism industry and its criteria’s are based on the engagement taken by the tourism industry during the Johannesburg summit in 1992.

resorts ecocertified:

the first quarter of

2011, Club Med

had

6

resorts eco-certified:

France

Opio

Mexico

en

Provence, Chamonix

Ixtapa Pacific, Cancun Yucatan

Malaisia

Cherating

Bahamas

Columbus Isle

Turks & Caicos

Turkoise

Brazil 7 Club Med

Rio villages are in the process of becoming

Ile Maurice France Marocco 28

PLANNER | August 2011 | www.theplanner.ca

The

Green Globe La Pointe

das

Pedras

eco-certified: aux

Canonniers

et

La Plantation d’Albion

Tignes, Val-d’Isère, Serre-Chevalier Marrakech La Palmeraie

et

La Medina

green guide

f.y.i.

Low Tech, High Results!

20,000 and counting literally

Event planning is the process of planning a festival, ceremony, competition, party, or convention. Each planner hopes for a successful, memorable event. The most cost effective method in achieving this is the use of candle lighting. Ambient lighting provided by candle is an inexpensive, integral tool in setting a mood or tone for your event.

V

arious candle types are available to event planners. Wax based candles and liquid wax candles are amongst the most popular. Wax candles are available in numerous colours and shapes usually found in the form of floating, pillar, votive, taper and within filled glass containers. A fairly new product that is very convenient and more event friendly are the liquid wax candles which are made from liquid paraffin and are filled inside plastic cartridges with a wick that is used for lighting.

Product options that we were able to find and are designated as ‘Event Planner and Caterer Friendly’ are the recently popular and ‘Ecoconscious’ glass and wax candle product called the BioLight. It is a glass filled with plant wax that lasts 8 hours, making this ideal for the most common length of time allocated to an event which is usually 4-6 hours.

Similarly, the 8 hour oil candle/liquid wax, with no spillage in your holders or on table linens a common complaint that usually comes with hard wax product. Rechargeable LED style candles have gained popularity; however can be an expensive alternative. Candle holders increase

the safety of burning any candle by protecting the flame and keeping it out of harm’s way.

Available in various styles and are made to hold specific candle sizes to ensure proper burn time and quality.

In the interest of safety it is best to ensure that the candle flame is contained well inside the candle holder – at least 1.5”-2” below the top opening of the holder. Use the packaging as another point of safety reference where you will find additional tips and instruction for proper burning.

Changing the color of glow can be achieved by simply choosing to use a holder in blue, red or frost colour glass. Keep in mind that the colour of the candle can also be extremely effective and more cost effective. Colour selection is not limited to holders as wax candles are available in a selection that will make Picasso salivate At the end of the day the soft glow that candle lighting provides is guaranteed to enhance your event and helps set the desired mood.

Contact John Douldouras, Neo-image at john.d@neo-image.com or at 905-273-3020 x.26

The home page of Novotel Ottawa’s website has a counter that records the number of trees the company is committed to planting along Quebec’s Yamaska River, and it goes up every time a customer books a room online. The goal is to plant 25,000 trees in order to stabilize the river banks. By mid-July of this year, the tally was headed toward the 20,000 mark. At this rate, Novotel should reach that goal within a few months. This is tangible evidence of the Novotel Hotel’s commitment to environmental initiatives – a commitment that includes community action, as well as a range of sustainable practices.

“It’s an example of thinking globally and acting locally,” says Janak Bhawnani, general manager of the Novotel Toronto Centre.

“Travellers expect green initiatives today,” explains Bhawnani, adding that many customers – including firms looking to book meetings – actively seek out green-certified hotels. “We are able to give visitors the assurance that our hotels meet rigorous standards,” he says.

For example, Novotel, which is part of the European-based Accor hotel group, has been involved in the EarthCheck certification program since 2008. The company’s goal is to have every one of its 400 Novotels around the world certified by the end of next year. (EarthCheck, formerly known as Green Globe, is a worldwide environmental certification program, developed for the travel and tourism industry.) All Novotel hotels in Canada – there are seven – are also certified by the Canadian Green Key Program; most of them hold a rating of four out of five.

On the web: http://www.novotel.com/

fr/discovering-novotel-hotel/earthcheck. shtml

On the web: www.neo-image.com

www.theplanner.ca | August 2011 | ThePLANNER 29

green quiz

How Big Is Your Eco-Footprint?

So, just how “green” are you? Most people want to tread lightly on the planet, but they really aren’t sure how big an impact they are making. If you are curious to see if you are a help or hindrance to the planet, take this quiz and find out. Just pick the answer that best suits your lifestyle.

The Questions 1. How often do you recycle? a. I am a recycling nut. I recycle everything I can: paper, aluminum, printer cartridges, you name it. b. I recycle when it’s convenient as long as it doesn’t require any excessive thought or effort on my part. c. I don’t have the time or the patience to recycle. I’m a very busy person.

2. Do you use recycled products? a. I try to reduce what I need, but when I do have to make purchases, I opt for recycled products whenever possible. b. If I remember to look for the recycle triangle logo, I will usually buy that product. c. So that’s what they’re doing with all the stuff other people recycle

3. How many of your appliances have the Energy Star label? a. Every single one of them that’s available with the Energy Star label. I only buy products that are energy-efficient. b. When I’m out shopping, I look for the Energy Star label. I try to purchase efficient appliances, but I won’t sacrifice what I ultimately want. c. I buy the appliances I want and need regardless of whether they’re efficient. If there’s an Energy Star label on once of my appliances, it’s pure coincidence.

4. How much of your house is made from sustainable materials? a. My entire house is made of recycled or sustainable materials. In fact, it is LEED certified. b. My house wasn’t built using sustainable materials, but every time I renovate, I use sustainable and recycled materials. c. I leave all the purchasing decisions to the builders. If they want to use sustainable or recycled materials, they can. It doesn’t mater to me.

5. Do you use any form of renewable energy in your home? a. I purchase renew energy from the local utility that’s generated from landfill gas. Otherwise, I’d have a windmill or solar cells. b. I’m evaluating different options. My local utility just started a renewable energy option. It costs a little more, but it’s worth it. I’m also looking at adding solar cells to the house. c. I think I heard something about the local utility using renewable energy, but I think it costs more, so I don’t think I’ll sign up for it.

6. What kind of gas mileage does your car get? a. I don’t own a car. b. Fifty miles to the gallon, baby! c. I think not really sure, but I’m guessing about fifteen.

30

PLANNER | August 2011 | www.theplanner.ca

The

7. How often to do you eliminate car trips? a. I don’t own a car. My primary means of transportation are my feet, my bike, and mass transit. b. I try to eliminate at least one car trip a day by riding my bike or walking.

I also try to carpool when car trips are really necessary. c. My car is an extension of me. I wouldn’t think of using any other kind of transportation.

8. How often do you eat meat? a. I really don’t eat meat. Sometimes on rare occasions, I’ll have a taste. b. I do eat it regularly, but I try to buy local meat that’s raised organically. c. I eat meat like Cookie Monster eats cookies.

9. What kind of seafood do you eat? a. I rarely eat meat, seafood included, but when I do eat seafood, it’s usually clams or mussels. b. I eat seafood every couple of weeks, and it’s usually shrimp that’s been caught in the wild or farmed in the United States. c. I love Atlantic halibut and flounder and eat it every chance I get.

10. What kind of pet do you have? a. I got my two dogs from the local animal shelter. I got my cat from a purebred rescue group. b. My dog came from the animal shelter, but I really wanted a purebred cat with papers, so I bought it from a breeder. c. I checked, but my local animal shelter didn’t have any Amazon parrots, so I bought some online. I had a boa constrictor, but it got too big I let it go.

Scoring For every a) answer, give yourself 2 points For every b) answer give yourself 1 point.

For every c) answer give yourself 0 points.

How Big Is Your Footprint?

If you scored: 20 to 15 points: You have a petite and delicate footprint. Earth needs more inhabitants like you!

14 to 9 points: Your footprint shows potential. Just a few more ecofriendly acts and you’ll be reducing your shoe size.

8 to 0 points: Your footprint rivals that of Sasquatch. You are hereby challenged to stop stomping on the planet.