May 2005

A MONTHLY DIGEST TO INFORM, ENLIGHTEN AND HUMOUR MEETING PLANNERS

SEE

What beat are they drumming to? PAGE 4 IN THIS ISSUE Book review Trends

6 7,11,19,22

Fitness gear for travelers

7

Bien Venue

8

Team building is not a game Loyalty

10 12-13

Chef’s Table

16

Hotel News

17

Datebook

18

May 2005 Edition

VOL. 3 ISSUE 4

Your invitations need impact Y

ears ago if you took the time to invite customers to visit your booth at a trade show, they showed up. Now, these same customers are inundated with show invitations and deciding which exhibit to visit has become a challenge.

Invitations do work for the exhibitors who take the time to prepare a pre-show promotion campaign. Here are some strategies that will give more impact to your show invitations.

1. Make the promise The look and feel of your invitation is crucial. Think back to an invitation you received for some social event. Perhaps a wedding, confirmation or just a family get-together. The invitation not only gave you the essentials - time, place and dress code, but the look and feel of the invitation let you know what the overall experience was going to be.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

NOTES

FROM THE EDITOR

A good idea

Published by:

There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.

Victor Hugo

2105 rue de la Montagne, suite 100 • Montreal, Quebec • H3G 1Z8 Telephone: (514) 849-6841 ext. 333 • Fax: (514) 284-2282 We welcome your comments: info@theplanner.ca

A

t The Planner we are trying to come up with articles that contain ideas, proven methods and a bit of humour to help planners in their day-to-day work and life.

From new hotel policies to survey results (see page 15) to tricks and ideas, the Planner is always trying to find out what planners need to know. All of this is possible through your contributions and your telling advertisers you have seen or heard about them through the Planner. So thanks for reading and providing us with great feedback.

Editor: Leo Gervais Assistant Editor: Nathalie Caron Proofreader: Keith Motton Translator: Dominique Lamarche Administration: Patrick Galvin, Julie Boisvert Sales: James Paulson, Camille Lay Contributors: Mike Auctor, Anne Biarritz, Thomas Chalmers, Peter De Jager, Robin Lee Kennedy, Aldo Mazza, Don Murray, Barry Siskind , Harriet Wezena

Coming in June

The Planner is a monthly publication distributed to 11, 500 professional meeting planners across Canada and the U.S..

Poste-publication No. 40934013

• Survey: Ideal cars for planners

Need to change your address?

• New hotel policies

What would you like to read about?

Please e-mail me at: lgervais@theplanner.ca

Email us at: info@theplanner.ca

• Planning an event in a tent

Our Mission and Goal Our mission is to inform and enlighten meeting planners.

Each edition will have no more than 30 to 35 per cent advertising (all of which will be informative) with the rest of the publication dedicated to articles to help meeting planners in their dayto-day activities. Our goal is to give out the accumulated profit as educational grants to planners.

• Personalization

April’s winner of the Langdon Hall contest:

Giving back Educational grants

Lesley Forbes

Congratulations to the lucky winner!

Ed. Note: The survey results are on page 15 of this edition.

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MAY 2005

The more information you gather the better CONTINUED

FROM

YOUR

1

5. Set appointments

Was the affair formal or casual? Was it filled with adventure or a more traditional approach? The invitation sets the tone and makes a promise of things to come. You can excite your visitors and whet their appetite or be just another show invitation they receive and ignore.

Another great addition to your campaign is to use the invitation as an opportunity to set show appointments. This is a benefit to both you and your customers. No one wants to wait around to have a few minutes of your time. But by prearranging meetings at your display you can increase your overall booth traffic.

2. Be creative In order to keep your name and exhibit “top of mind” you must capture the attention of those you are inviting. Here’s where your creativity comes into play. You can add animation, clever graphics, catchy slogans, scratch and sniff features or holograms. The list is endless.

Using your creativity means that there is a risk, but that’s what marketing is all about. Trying new ideas gets you a lot more attention that sticking with the tried and true.

6. Measure effectiveness Like all good marketers you need to measure the effectiveness of your pre-show promotion campaign. If you are using ballots then those you send ahead of time are coded to identify then as part of your campaign. You can ask customers to bring the invitation with them to redeem a prize or simply ask visitors for their reaction to the campaign. The more information you gather the better position you are in when it comes time to decide on future campaigns.

3. Include an incentive The incentive is an added motivator to ensure that your prospect visit your display. This can take the form of a ballot that is deposited in a draw box at your booth, a key that opens a door to win prizes or it could be a promise of a gift that awaits them at the booth. These added incentives often spell the difference between exhibitors that the customer wants to visit versus those they must visit.

7. Walk the talk Remember that the pre-show campaign sets the tone and promise. If your overall display doesn’t live up to that promise all is lost. Successful exhibiting is a careful orchestration of all the vital components of your exhibit plan. Pre-show promotion is one crucial step.

4. Send it more than once One invitation only puts you in the category of most of the other exhibitors. Multiple contacts keep you top of mind. Plan to send the first invitation two weeks before your show a reminder one week before and then two or three days prior you can send an e-mail.

There are other methods of sending invitations that should be considered. Ensure your field representatives are delivering invitations while making sales calls. Your customer service representatives should be talking about the show as part of every telephone conversation. Anytime you or your staff come in contact with the customer is an opportunity to reinforce your invitation.

MAY 2005

INVITATIONS PAGE

Barry’s newest book, Powerful Exhibit Marketing, is available in book stores everywhere or visit his web-site at: www.siskindtraining.com.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

Victor Borge

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Drumming your way to a more successful work environment experience and a powerful learning tool for the workplace.

Participants learn that they HAVE to be part of the ensemble and must not stand out or lead in any way unless they are put in the lead position (soloist). A soloist is then appointed by the drum facilitator at various times during the session. Here are some of the many benefits of team-building events in the workplace:

BY ALDO MAZZA

I

n recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the creation of team-building events spearheaded mainly by American corporations. With statistically proven results, the most successful of these events are “drum circles” or drum events. In fact, thousands of the world’s top corporations and increasingly companies of all sizes, are now regularly programming team-building interactive drum events in their conferences and meetings.

Group energy is the key to team work!

This unifying experience creates the perfect platform for teams to experience the power of all working together to achieve a common objective. Participants experience the synergy in a constructive and collaborative way. ˝Build your team... One Beat at a time” Everything in a drumming orchestra must obey the base rhythm. There is always something in a company, in a team, in a group, that represents that base rhythm. It can be about a company philosophy or company motto. The bass rhythm is the thing that binds. In a drum circle, one builds different rhythms in different sections, and when it is brought together, they form something greater than the sum of its parts.

Here is how it works: The drum circle is led by a professional drummer who is the drum “facilitator.” Each person (employees and executive members alike) plays on a hand drum, frame drum or African djembe and is shown simple rhythms. No prior drumming experience is required. From these basic rhythms, the facilitator orchestrates a number of different rhythms for the group to play. The concept that each player has to listen and fit in his or her own part to be in sync with the ensemble is vital to this

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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MAY 2005

Companies have rhythms just like music CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Group drumming is all about sharing, about listening to each other and about playing to the same beat . . . It’s about making music together as a company.

Participating in an exercise in communication, effective listening skills and the power of a truly synchronized team has great benefit for any business. Any feelings of isolation and dissent disappear, as the drumming experience bonds every participant in becoming a motivated and unified group. You have to be a team in order for the barriers of age, culture, language and gender to disappear.

Similarly, you have to have “teamwork” to make music together. Companies are made up of different rhythms. Those rhythms may be made up of different departments such as sales, marketing, administration, IT, accounting, etc.

When those different rhythms are able to play to the same beat, the same goals and vision and when those rhythms listen to each other, then as a company we can all make music together.

Energizing and boosting your conference Traditionally, drumming has been used as a prelude to community functions. Drumming can be used to great effect to both open and close conferences—drawing people together, celebrating success and ensuring that the delegates leave feeling invigorated and motivated. At the beginning of a conference, people are coming from different areas within an organization and some times from different parts of the world.

Corporate team building and entertainment facilitators get these gatherings off to a great start, by creating an energy which in turn creates a bonding and a breaking down of barriers both vertically and laterally. At the end of a conference, it is important for the attendees to leave with memorable impressions, a sense of accomplishment and a sense of having had a good time. Having a drum circle open or close your conference, allows people to leave with memorable impressions of a sense of bonding and a great time.

MAY 2005

Why choose drumming?

Here are the top 8 reasons: 1.Unity: Drumming is a powerful experience of unity for a group, it brings people together, and it is a common focus.

It leaves people with a sense of belonging to a large orchestra. It is a unique way to get really large groups to do something very enjoyable and interactively together.

2. Mental Shift: The effects of drumming on people’s mental state is very profound in that the focus, stress release and group energy after a team building drum circle all add together to leave people feeling both stimulated relaxed and receptive. This is a highly effective tool to create an ideal environment for speeches and awards, for example.

3. Physical SHIFT: Drumming, being a very physical activity, can be a great stress release. It breaks the ice and leaves people feeling relaxed. It can be equated to a meditation and therefore very rejuvenating especially after hard work.

4. Fun: Drumming is simply a really fun way to do something together.

Everybody will be smiling and in a great mood. This form of corporate entertainment breaks the ice unlike any other. It’s a real celebration. People lose inhibitions, and allow them selves to experience the moment.

5. Unique: Using drumming for a corporate entertainment or team building event is very memorable since it is such an unusual thing to do. Most people will have never drummed before, and certainly would not have seen a large group formed into an instant orchestra. It’s a great way to get a large group dong something that is truly together.

6. Skills development: Drumming is a great way to highlight the learning of a new skill, and to be able to embrace change as the session evolves. Not only do people really learn to listen to each other, but they work in a cooperative rather than competitive way. It is a great way to feel the way your group carries you, and there is a sense of belonging. It is a great way to teach coordination to people, which is actually beneficial to them in their lives.

The understanding of the importance of rhythm in all areas of life can be a great insight. Left and right brain are used at the same time which really stimulates creativ5

ity and increases concentration.

7. Cultural Diversity: Drumming is a great way to open people up to the beauty of diverse cultures. It is a universal language and therefore showcases the power of diverse cultures. An entire event can be done without saying a word in English, French or another language, but using only body language .

8. Breaking barriers: Drumming is successful in groups of very diverse participants. Old young, male or female, any religion and in any language, EVERYONE can do it together and it is a very universal activity. In any company, it is healthy to do something together with other departments where the playing fields are levelled.

Aldo Mazza is a recognized international artist and events organizer who just finished a ten-day visit to Canberra, Australia where he performed, gave clinics and master classes for the World Rhythms Week at the ANU School of Music. He is a percussionist, educator, events’ creator, artistic director of the prestigious KoSA International Percussion Workshops in Vermont, Cuba, and director of the KoSA Academy and World Music Centre.

For more information and insight, please visit www.kosamusic.com or email him at: info@kosamusic.com

BOOK REVIEW

Fitness for Travelers by Suzanne Schlosberg

BY HARRIET WEZENA

I

f you lack the motivation and resources to exercise while on the road, get ready to be armed with the appropriate ammunition to stay fit during your travels.

“Fitness for Travelers: The ultimate workout guide for the road” is the book that will help you adopt a workout mindset for the road and shows you exactly what, where and how to sweat it out with ease.

Suzanne Schlosberg, author Of Fitness For Travelers with the American Council of Exercise, had the idea to write the book after she struggled to find a gym while she was traveling in Morocco. It was borne out of the realization that there are probably a lot of travelers who can use some guidance to overcome the usual workout obstacles on the road — lousy equipment, lack of motivation, time constraints, jet lag and so on.

The book is divided into four parts.

Part one helps you overcome what Suzanne refers to as the top five travel workout obstacles which include: “I have no time,” “I’m too jet-lagged,” “I’m too tired,” “There’s no equipment,” and “I don’t have the motivation.” If you don’t seem to have the time, she suggests you should workout early in the morning, work while working out like reading that presentation you are going to make, or exercise while you explore your new environment by walking instead of taking a taxi. To minimize jet lag and tiredness you should aim to arrive at your destination in the early evening (local time) if possible, start your trip well rested, drink plenty of fluids and as soon as you board set your watch to the time zone of your destination and plan your sleeping schedule accordingly.

Staying fit on the road To stay fit on the road, not only do you need the right mindset, but also the right stuff in your suitcase. A few well-chosen items can mean the difference between

staying in shape and letting your fitness fade way. Some of the exercise gadgets mentioned in the book, according to Suzanne, will “…guarantee you a great cardio or strength workout even if you’re nowhere near a health club”. The three must-haves are: an exercise tube, a jump rope and an inflatable kickboard and pull buoy.

An exercise tube, “is the most useful strength-training gadget you can pack,” Suzanne writes. If staying at a hotel, bring a door attachment and you can mimic all the cable pulley exercises you do at the gym to work on your muscle groups in both your upper and lower body. For the jump rope, a speed-rope is recommended because it is thin, light weight and made of soft plastic and offers you a great cardio workout.

Gyms and pools on the road For motivation and comfort, Suzanne suggests you get a pedometer that measures walking or running distance, a workout log for instant gratification, a portable CD player, hydration pack and weight-lifting gloves.

So how do you find gyms, trails or pools on the road? When booking your flight, ask specific questions about the availability of a gym, type of equipment and the hours of operation, advised Suzanne. Look in the phone book under “health clubs” and “gyms”, use the internet to find national gym chains, ask the concierge and locals. Check out these websites of dominant chains— healthclub.com, 24hourfitness.com and goldsgym.com – all with over 300 plus clubs in the U.S and worldwide. To find pools, check out the online guide for swimmers on swimmersguide.com.

Chapter four of the book “Eating on the fly” focuses on nutrition and healthy eating. Schlosberg stresses the importance of making healthy eating choices and eating in moderation. To avoid gorging on junk food at the airport, don’t leave home hungry; bring healthy snacks such as baby carrots, grapes and energy bars.

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In the absence of any weight machines, Suzanne says, you can get a decent strength workout right in your hotel room doing pushups, crunches, etc.

So use your hotel room and do not go to “the hotel bar for a set of biceps curls with the bottle of Amstel Light,” advised Suzanne.

As a traveller, flexibility exercises can help you avoid much of the tightness and lethargy that come from staying immobile in confined quarters. “You’ll feel invigorated and refreshed, and over the long haul you’ll have better mobility, better posture, and a lower risk of back pain.” As guidelines, stretch as often as you can, exhale as you slowly move into position, hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds without bouncing, and stretch only to a mild tension, never teethclenching pain. The shoulder, chest, neck, hamstring and hip stretches are the basic. For a variety you can add some simple yoga moves like the bending bear, the child’s pose, cat back and modified sun salutation.

The book also provides useful web sites for the fit traveller such as where to buy fitness products, health clubs, jogging routes, pools and fitness and nutrition information. They include the following useful websites: amazon.com, bodytrends.com, hydrofit.com, ymca.net and acefitness.org.

On all fronts, “Fitness for Travelers” comes to the rescue of who ever takes a trip: business travellers and vacationers, fitness novices and veterans, tourists going in the four-star route or those venturing around the cheap. No more excuses to skip your exercise on the road, it is doable.

••• Book: Fitness for Travelers: The ultimate workout guide for the road Authors: Suzanne Schlosberg with The American Council on Exercise Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company (April 29, 2002) Price on amazon.com: US $10.50

MAY 2005

New fitness gear Industry Trends Billions for B.C. for the traveler

More people are visiting British Columbia, according to year-end Canadian tourism revenues. The westernmost province received nearly 22.5 million overnight international, Canadian and B.C. visitors who generated nearly $9.5-billion in tourism revenues last year.

“More international visitors discovered this province is the world’s gateway to Canada and chose B.C.-based vacations in 2004,” said John Les, Minister of Small Business and Economic Development and minister responsible for tourism.

He added there is renewed optimism, confidence and belief in what they can achieve “during this golden decade for B.C’s tourism industry.”

BY HARRIET WEZENA

I

love rope jumping but I hadn’t indulged in it for years until only two weeks ago. At the gym I would rather sweat it out on the treadmill or the stationary bike than jump rope because I get the instant gratification of seeing my calorie consumption.

With the emergence of the Calorie Counting Jump Rope, after a-15 minutes session of rope jumping, you will know exactly how many calories you have dispensed.

Its features, allows to reset/resume, enter your weight, time (workout alarm), laps, and displays your calorie consumption at the end of your workout. The manual shows you in simple straightforward instructions how to input all the necessary information for your workout.

The counter and time will start automatically when you start jumping. When the workout alarm is set, a “beep!” will sound when time is up. Three seconds after stopping the jumping, the calorie consumption value will be displayed. Fantastic!

It is made for your comfort and convenience, with its lightweight plastic rope and cushioned padded handles easy on your palms. It is battery powered and can be changed anytime. It will be the perfect exercise gadget to have at home or on the road.

The Calorie Counting Jump Rope is distributed by Sports Leisure Technology Corp, Yonkers, NY and Star Case in the U.S and Canada respectively. Both under license from Bally Total Fitness, a fitness chain with over 300 clubs across North America.

For more information on this product, go to ballyfitness.com.

B2B becoming more prevalent Still think business-to-business sales on the Internet is a fad? Think again.

On-line sales by Canadian companies and government departments jumped by almost 50 percent in 2004 as companies did more business with each other over the Net, Statistics Canada reported recently.

Total on-line sales rose to $28.3 billion in Canada last year.

The private sector accounted for 93 cents of every dollar of goods and services sold on-line, while the public sector accounted for 7 cents, the government agency said.

In related news, StatsCan also noted that almost eight out of 10 Canadian companies maintained a website last year. In 2004, 37 per cent of Canadian firms had a website, up from 34 percent in 2003. And almost three-quarters of the 17,000 enterprises surveyed were using high-speed Internet, up from just under 50 percent in 2001.

Is that a new skort?

The new fashion trend for ladies in fitness is the running skirt, or skort (shorts and skirt). Material has a 15 inch skirt with a side slit and loose-fitting shorts underneath (US$70 in various colours), available at www.materialusa.com. New Balance offers the Andare Run Skirt, with a slightly flirtier A-line cut and a pieced V-shaped waistband, at US$45 through www.nbwebexpress.com.

He who hesitates is last.

Mae West

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MAY 2005

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Bien Venue... or how to choose a venue

BY DON MURRAY, CMP

T

hey always say that four eyes are better then two, and that it is always valuable to have someone with a different point of view give their input. We can all look at the same room and see totally different things dependent on where our perspective lies. That is exactly why I believe it is important to get your audio visual company involved early on in your decision process when choosing a venue for your upcoming meeting or event.

Of course, you could argue that I am

Sight lines are crucial if you intend to have visuals biased because I work for an audio visual company, but I would argue that my reasons are based on smart decisionmaking rather than bias. Who better to have look at a venue that you need to function in a very specific way than the people who will help make that possible? There are certain problems that can be avoided up front but you must be aware of what you are looking for.

Your AV company should not only see the venue for how it is but also for how it will be and what its limitations are. It is of no real value to you as a meeting planner to try to use a venue for something it was not intended to be. There are no real bad venues, however there are venues that not only pose challenges but which have very defined limitations.

When looking at a venue you must also look at what you don’t see. If there are inadequate load-in facilities you should be aware of that up front. If there is no elevator or the elevator was not designed to transport equipment, that will be a problem if your event is not on the main floor. If there is a need to have

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an electrical drop or even a generator you need to know that in order to properly budget for your event.

If the venue is booked either directly before or directly after your event this must be planned out before. This will cause limitations in just how elaborate the changes to the venue are. Time is something you cannot cheat, and if you do not have ample time allotted before and after your event you will have to adjust. Initially, choosing your venue is the time to make certain of these details based on what you intend to do there.

Sight lines are crucial if you intend to have visuals. Windows, chandeliers, mirrors, lighting, and ceiling height all play a role in considering what will work best.

There are no shortcuts and just because you do not notice something up front does not mean it will not affect you later.

What is the point of spending all that money if people can neither hear nor see what you are trying to show because the venue just isn’t working the way you intended it to work.

What I will see as an Audio Visual person is in no way exhaustive, it is however different from what you will see as a meeting planner. As you know, perspective is always in the eye of the beholder, and I believe in this case perspective will prove to be invaluable when choosing a venue for your next event or meeting. My perspective may not see everything from A to Z but it will cover A to V. ••• Don Murray is the Operations Manager for Avtec Professional Audio-Visual Services.

He can be reached at: dmurray@avtec.ca

MAY 2005

Websites of interest www.westin-hotelsathome.com Have you ever stayed at a really nice hotel and wondered how you could bring the terry cloth robe, the pillows, or the bedspread home? Well, now you can just order from Westin Hotels & Resorts. This site offers a full line of products from the hotels, including the aforementioned as well as slippers, shower heads, a dog bed, and even a bridal registry. So Go Westin, young man (or lady) and you’ll find heaven (or something close to it).

www.conferenza.com When it comes to high-tech, you need to keep up on trends, and one of the best places to do that is at conferences. But no one can attend every important conference, so how do you get the info from conference you don’t attend? Conferenza.com offers summaries of most big-time (and many not-so-big-time) hi-tech events, so you can work in the office but get the most out of the conferences just the same. The site offers “event intelligence” on scores of recent gatherings. Each entry includes a review by a conference attendee, along with ratings based on “context,” “content,” “logistics,” and “schmooze.” And the site’s “Event Navigator” displays a scrolling list of upcoming conferences.

www.thecenterforhospitalityresearch.org If you are looking for information on the hospitality industry, this site based out of Cornell University in New York offers lots of data on many aspects of the industry. It recently cited Travelocity as the discount leader among travel websites, for example. It cited Travelocity as the site with the lowest cost and also the lowest variation in additional costs.

www.timeandplacehomes.com This site offers exquisite homes and apartments available for short term rental—for both corporate and vacation travel.What makes them different? They offer a personal concierge, specialized tours, a personal chef... in short, this becomes your Private Hotel. Their locations include: Nantucket Island (near Cape Cod); Palm Springs, Calif.; Naples, Fla.; and Paris France. They also have a newsletter you can sign up for, and the site has lots of related stuff to navigate through. Site is under renovation at the moment.

MAY 2005

www.thetravelinsider.info In a world of billions of websites (with thousands more each day), it is wonderful to find one with really useful content about travel that will actually help save you money. Look no further than the Travel Insider, a well-designed site run by former Kiwi Dave Rowell who really has his finger on the pulse of what travelers need.

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Team building isn’t a game

BY PETER DE JAGER

T

here isn’t an employee in North America who at one time or another has not suffered through the indignities of “Team building” exercises. There is this weird myth that if we can play Monopoly™ together without killing each other, then this will aid in our ability to work well together on a real life project.

Unfortunately, team building isn’t a game.

Time and time again I hear people asking for “Team building exercises”, usually with the added condition it must be fun.

There is seldom any description of what the problem is, no details on how the team’s performance is not meeting expectations, and certainly no explanation of what those expectations are, just a pre-determined prescription to a problem yet to be diagnosed. If doctors operated in this manner, we’d all object to being used as guinea pigs.

What is a team? A useful definition is comprised of three parts. The first component is a well defined goal. The second is an identified group of people who wish to jointly achieve that goal. And the third part is a shared understanding of the roles of each individual as they work towards that goal.

While simple enough, there’s enough complexity here to keep any manager busy. Does everyone understand the goal definition in the same way? Does everyone really want to achieve that goal? And are everyone’s roles clear to everyone, not just the person with a specific responsibility?

On top of all of this, there is the reality that some goals are detrimental to the career goals of certain team members. Facing those realities, and balancing the books so all members benefit equally, will tax the problem solving abilities of the very best managers.

In this definition of team, there’s something conspicuous by it’s absence… nowhere does it say that the team members have to like each other, or even play well together. Although that type of team spirit is always a bonus.

If a team isn’t working well together, then look first to the definition and find out what part hasn’t been explained properly.

Most of the time, teams that require a “tune-up” really only need refocusing on the task.

There are occasions when people just aren’t working well together because of either intentional or unintentional interpersonal conflicts. Occasionally the reasons people don’t work well together are extremely mundane.

A case in point? A severely dysfunctional team was ‘fixed’ by privately and politely pointing out to an employee that closer attention to personal hygiene would make it easier for people to work with her. No rocket science involved, certainly no team building exercises, just a matter of uncovering the thing nobody was willing to talk about.

Before attempting to fix anything, finding out ‘why’ it isn’t working as expected is a mandatory first step. Anyone facilitating a team building exercise before understanding, or even asking what the real problem is… is pulling a fast one.

Interpersonal conflicts can, and do, create dysfunctional teams. When that happens, it’s time for some deliberately targeted “team building exercises”.

Even with a well defined common goal and clearly delineated responsibilities, working with other people can be a bit difficult at times. Let’s use myself as a slightly (only slightly) exaggerated example. I’m an impatient, highly focused, one task at a time, get the job done now, dedicated problem solver.

Place me in the same cubicle with a laid back, big picture, task juggling, next week is soon enough and oh! isn’t that interesting even if doesn’t have anything to do with what we’re working on person… and the sparks will fly.

Unless of course we’re both aware we have different styles of working, and that both approaches are useful at different times, and we BOTH know we have to accommodate the other’s idiosyncrasies. If that’s the case, then we’ll work well together, even if we privately think the other is two knights short of a chess set.

If team members are having difficulty overcoming each other’s personal weirdness, (sorry! I meant to say ‘work styles’), then team building exercises designed to highlight why we’re different, and what we can do about it, can solve those problems. Exercises that focus only on playing together and having fun, will do little if anything to solve real issues.

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MAY 2005

Industry Trends Lufthansa takeover of Swiss carrier will offer opportunities for points Business travellers can look forward to more opportunities to earn and redeem air miles following confirmation that Lufthansa will, indeed, take over Swiss International Air Lines. The two carriers plan to dovetail their frequent-flyer programmes, although no detailed timetable for the move has been announced.

Meanwhile, KLM and Air France, which have already merged, are to combine their frequent-flyer programs in June. Existing members of the airlines’ schemes will retain their miles.

Finally, US Airways and America West Airlines are in advanced merger talks to create a national low-cost airline rivaling discount king Southwest Airlines in size, according to recent media reports.

Obstacles to the merger include the fact that US Airways Group is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and other complications with some of its creditors. In addition, the two airlines’ unions would have to agree to rules for merging their members. But if a deal comes together, it could be the start of a new wave of consolidation in the airline industry which has suffered since 9/11 and struggled more recently with pension costs and brutal ticket-price wars.

US Airways is the seventh largest carrier and America West is No. 8. The two airlines posted a combined loss of US

$700.9 million last year on revenues of US $9.35 billion.

Low-cost air carriers muscling in on major U.S. network airlines Low-cost airlines such as Ryanair Holdings PLC and JetBlue Airways account for one eighth of flights worldwide, double the number from before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and increasing pressure on full-service carriers.

Discount airlines now operate 12 percent of the more than 2.27 annual million scheduled flights worldwide, according to U.K. –based Official Airline Guide. The number of flights now exceeds the first quarter of 2001, before the attacks battered demand for air travel, the guide said.

As reported on Bloomberg News, competition from low-cost carriers contributed to combined losses of US $9.2-billion for U.S. network carriers last year. Southwest Airlines, the world’s largest low-cost carrier, is the only major U.S. airlines to remain profitable since the terrorist attacks and earned US $133-million last year.

WestJet, others show losses WestJet Airlines Ltd., Canada’s no. 2 airline, swung to a first-quarter loss as it struggled with high fuel costs and lower fares in the industry. WestJet is discontinuing service to LaGuardia Airport effective July 4, 2005. WestJet will continue to operate two flights every business day

until July 4, 2005 when it will withdraw from the New York area.

For the quarter, the Calgary-based carrier loss per share was 8 cents, compared with a year-earlier profit of $512,000 or break-even on a per-share basis.

Delta Airlines reported a US $1.07 billion loss for the first quarter, also triggered by high fuel costs and weak ticket prices.

Northwest Airlines was battered by the same problems as its loss doubled to US $450 million in the latest quarter, and Alaska Airlines parent Alaska Air Group Inc. reported that its loss grew to US $80.5 million, also about double from 2004.

Discount airline JetBlue Airways saw its first-quarter profit tumble 54% to US $7 million but it has stayed profitable since going public in 2002.

Visa fees to increase 1% Planners, get ready to pay higher credit card fees when you travel abroad. In the past, MasterCard and Visa added a 1 % fee for converting the purchase from the merchant’s currency. This surcharge typically didn’t show up separately on a consumer’s creditcard statement but instead was added into the transaction amount. The banks would also add their own fees bringing the total currency-conversion charge to as high as 3%, but consumers didn’t pay the fee if they paid in dollars that were converted at foreign merchants. Beginning in April 2005, Visa USA Inc. plans to levy a 1 % charge fee on every charge that’s made outside the cardholder’s home country. Mastercard will begin levying similar charges in October, while American Express already charges 2 %.

Call us for your corporate events!

MAY 2005

11

Loyalty is the key to an orderly society

T

he loyalty of people to other people, to institutions and ideals, has always been crucial to the conduct of an orderly society. Is it dying? No, the desire to be loyal is just as strong as ever, but loyalty will never again be blind...

The audience at the seminar was made up of managers and professionals in human resources. The speaker was a wellknown industrial psychologist from the United States. The subject was the new breed of North American worker. The mood was sober, if not downright grim.

The speaker reported: "It is more difficult [than in the past] for companies to motivate employees to identify with corporate goals because they have no feelings of attachment to the employer." He went on to cite research findings which indicated that similar attitudes were prevalent among young people in their relationships outside of their work.

In fact, he said, they tend to shy away from lasting attachments of any kind, regarding their most intimate ties as being subject to severance unilaterally and without notice. How, he asked, could people with so little sense of permanence be expected to dedicate themselves to a job they may easily leave?

In discussing this phenomenon, the psychologist made liberal use of the jargon of his profession, referring to detachment, alienation, and disassociation. A less expert and more old-fashioned person might simply have said that these people lacked loyalty.

But then, that same old-fashioned person might wonder whether anyone under the age of 35 had ever heard the word, let alone grasped its full meaning. Looking around our society, it often seems as though loyalty has become obsolete, surviving only as a quaint reminder of a more innocent age.

Even the terms used to describe it have an anachronistic ring. The primary definition of "loyal" in the Oxford Concise Dictionary is " true, faithful, to duty, love, obligation ..." It has been a long time since people have spoken of "being true" in the sense of standing steadfastly by an ideal or a leader. It has been equally long since "duty" has figured prominently in the civilian vocabulary of the western world.

Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary reaches even further into the past for its interpretation of what it means to be loyal.

Its leading definition of loyalty is "unswerving in allegiance."

Derived from Middle French, allegiance originally meant the obligation of a vassal to his "liege lord" under the feudal system. In medieval times, that system was the dominant form of social organization for countless millions of people in Europe, India, China and Japan.

Feudalism owed its very existence to loyalty. The higher nobles pledged their fealty to the top ruler, the lower nobles to their overlords, and so on down to level of the serf. In its purest form, feudal loyalty was an exchange of commitments.

According to one historical account, when a fief or grant of an estate was formally conferred, "The vassal, kneeling before the overlord, put his hands in those of the lord and declared himself his man, and the overlord bound himself by kissing the vassal and raising him to his feet."

What the overlord "bound himself" to do was protect and generally look after the underling. The underling, in turn, bound himself to pay rent in money or kind to the estate, and serve in the overlord's cause in time of war. It was all based on the theory that loyalty is a reciprocal affair.

No doubt the theory of feudalism all too commonly differed from the practice. The loyalty of vassal to lord could be secured under brutal duress. Yet the system could not have been without its sincere practitioners among the barons who held the power. Feudalism was widespread, and it lasted for many centuries. If it had proved a bad bargain for the mass of the people it covered, more major revolutions presumably would have occurred.

Not blind, but not good at seeing the other fellow’s point of view In any case, the concept of political loyalty which evolved under feudalism did not disappear along with the system. Today, in countries around the world, people continue to swear allegiance in the age-old manner to the symbol of supreme authority, whether a monarch, a president, a constitution, or a flag.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

12

MAY 2005

Familial ties and blind obedience CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 In the armed services and other uniformed organizations, allegiances are displayed in emblems and ceremonies of gothic provenance.

To a practical person, all this may seem irrelevant and not to make much sense; but it does, because loyalties are crucial to the conduct of civilized society.

They perpetuate the most important of all human relationships, among couples, relatives, colleagues and friends. They serve as the guarantors of civil order. In countries where oaths to constituted authority are not taken seriously, constant power struggles occur.

Flags, uniforms and the like are the visible expressions of the pride people take in their associations. Human beings have always drawn a good part of their identities from the institutions to which they adhere: their country, religion, etc.

Usually our institutional loyalties are to the representative agencies of others of "our kind" - our compatriots, co-religionists , people with a common ethnic background or compatible political opinions. The drawback to such common causes is that those who are not of our kind stand to be despised, dreaded or hated in the course of forming faithful relationships with our associates.

Loyalty has often been described as being "blind;" if it is not, it certainly tends to be incapable of seeing the other fellow's point of view.

Nothing so seals the loyalty of one person to another as a common enemy.

In time of war for a good cause or bad, loyalty becomes the stuff of valour.

Unfortunately, it is also the stuff of the bigotry that so often causes wars in the first place. Short of actual hostilities, it is an ingredient in the poisonous racial and religious rivalries that wrack so much of the world.

The belligerence associated with loyalty is in keeping with the theory that it has its roots in the family. In prehistoric times, every family group had to protect itself against hostile marauders, if they were not actually marauders themselves.

In circumstances of mortal peril, it was imperative to be able to trust absolutely in the others in the group.

MAY 2005

So it was tacitly agreed that as head of the family, the father or grandfather must enforce that trust by punishment of those who were disloyal or who were deemed to be. The usual punishment for treason was death, which shows how seriously loyalty was taken. Next to that was banishment, which drew its deterrent effect from a natural horror of being ostracized as a traitor to one's kind.

When people transferred their familial ties to political, economic or spiritual authorities, the role of the patriarch as law-giver and enforcer was carried over into the broader society. Thus the king became the surrogate "father of his people," the priest dispensed parental blessings, and the company proprietor saw himself as the head of one big happy family. Because these father figures were seen to be responsible for keeping the order that was necessary to the survival of the community, the common folk bowed to their will.

The Scots and loyalty The trouble with patriarchal authority is that not all fathers are good fathers.

Fallible men are likely to extort obedience by force and betray their trust. An example of this was once found in the Scottish Highlands, where the people were intensely loyal to their clan chiefs.

An English observer in the early 18th century wrote: "The ordinary Highlanders esteem it the most high degree of virtue to love their chief and pay him blind obedience although it be in opposition to the government, the laws of the kingdom, or even the law of God." Originally, all the clan's lands were held in common, but later they became the property of its head, whose particular family had risen to dominance out of the ranks of his relatives. An implicit understanding existed between him and the clansmen. As John Prebble explained it in his 1961 book Culloden , "If he had the right of life and death over his people, he was equally responsible for their welfare, and most chiefs honoured this obligation. As landlord, father-figure, judge and general-at-arms his power was great, but it was not always absolute, and on occasions he would 13

debate major issues with the leading members of his family and clan."

By the time of which Prebble writes 1746, when the clans made their forlorn last stand against the English crown at Culloden - many of the chiefs had come to abuse their kinsmen's fealty. No longer did they consult on policy. For their part, men were no longer necessarily willing to die for the chiefs in battle.

Many who fell for the Jacobite cause at Culloden had been forced into service under the threat of having their houses burned.

The final betrayal of Highland loyalty came gradually over the next century, as described in Prebble's subsequent volume, The Highland Clearances . One after another, the chiefs rudely evicted their kinsmen from their ancestral lands and replaced with them with more profitable sheep.

Ed. Note: This is the first in a two-part series on loyalty.

Reprinted with kind permission from the Royal Bank of Canada. Visit their website: www.royalbank.com

FIVE-MINUTE LIFE COACH Write Here. Write Now.

BY THOMAS CHALMERS

A

few years ago I met Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling. In fact we spent an afternoon together, talking about books. She has read mine, you know!

Allow me to turn back the pages . . .

I have always enjoyed reading our sons a bedtime story and although they are old enough now to read their own books there are still occasions when I read something I know they’ll enjoy and we laugh till we ache: a joke book or an hilarious nursery rhyme or even one of my (hilarious?) articles. Children speak from the heart and I have always valued my sons’ comments and feedback. If you think that you’re too wise to learn from your children – wise up!

In 1996, after having read a multitude of bedtime stories, I had this notion that maybe I could write one of my own and dedicate it to the boys - something from their dad that they would cherish and remember for ever. The notion became a desire . . . a dream . . . and one night I just sat down and penned a short children’s story about the adventures of a fishing boat entitled, ‘Bobby Boat and His Fishmates – The Big Catch.’ It took me one night and it was one side of one A4 page. And on the next night, I sat down and penned the second story, ‘Bobby Boat and His Fishmates in Trouble at Sea.’

Having written the two ‘books’ I visited my local library to find out what I should do next. I knew that my chances were slim . . . but I had a dream and the dream drove me.

With no experience of publishing whatsoever I posted my manuscripts to a Scottish Publisher who, to my utter

Making that first move is like jump starting a car... amazement, loved the characters, loved the stories and wanted to publish. It was as simple as that. Within a year or so I was a published children’s author. I dedicated the first book to our sons and the second to my wife, Liz, who supported me throughout the process.

How may people say to themselves – I could write a book – and yet they never do, quite simply because, they never sit

14

down and put pen to paper?

A friend once said to me that the most difficult part of going out for a jog was putting on his trainers. The analogy is accurate. No matter how long the journey, you must be prepared to take that first step: lift the pen, put on the trainers, say ‘I love you’, ask for the business, send the C.V., swing the club, join the club!

Making that first move is like jumpstarting your car. You need to bring your leads: your dream, your desire and your energy to the starting point. And believe me - once you have ignition, your passion will drive you, so long as you focus on the destination.

Following publication of ‘Bobby Boat and His Fishmates’, I was invited to The Edinburgh Book Festival along with another two first-time-published children’s authors. We were to interact with a packed audience about our respective books and our experiences of getting published. Before the event, the other two authors received copies of my books, as I did theirs’ and one of those authors turned out to be none other than J.K Rowling! We had a superb afternoon and at one point Joanne Rowling told me that her daughter loved ‘Bobby Boat and His Fishmates.’

If you’ve always wanted to do something . . . anything . . . but never taken that first step then I urge you to do it today. Write here. Write now . . . before the writing . . . is on the wall.

Website: www.idealife.co.uk

MAY 2005

Checking in on YOUR schedule With the current 24-hour retail economy that has evolved in the United States and spread rapidly around the globe, many travellers wonder why many hotels are stuck in the Stone Age when it comes to their rigid checkins and checkouts.

Technology is enabling hotels to get a lot more advance information on the schedules and preferences of arriving guests and that coupled with more hotel rooms is slowly changing the paradigm of the 3 p.m. checkin and 11 a.m. check out.

The United States seems most eager to brace this change, with Europe much slower to get with the times, although some hotels in London are apparently getting better. In addition, hotels are reportedly rethinking late checkout fees as “profit centres,” especially since loyalty programs are so important to hotels in today’s market.

The Planner asked its readers:

NO

YES Should hotel check-outs be on a 24-hour basis?

42 %

58 %

What’s a PDA?

!

Jargon Buster Techno babble demystified sponsored by Avtec Professional A/V Services

PDA: Short for personal digital assistant, a handheld device that combines computing, telephone/fax, Internet and networking features. Sometimes called smartphones.

The first PDA was Apple’s Newton in 1993.

HERE, “HANG TEN” IS A BUSINESS TERM. Where else but White Point Beach Resort can you play nine holes before breakfast, accomplish your agenda, try surfing, then linger over freshly-planked salmon and a glass of fine, local wine? Where else do meeting rooms have natural light and windows that open to greet fresh, sea air? White Point.

Only 90-minutes from Halifax, yet worlds away from a culture that relies on words like; traffic, hurry and elevator.

For more information call: Anne Stevens, Director of Sales

902.423.8887 anne@whitepoint.com

www.whitepoint.com MAY 2005

15

Meeting “dans la cuisine” is in

BY ANNE BIARRITZ

H

ow often do you have to organize a dinner to welcome your clients, entertain a group or even thank your work team?

If group dinners always seemed exciting at the beginning, the majority of these events seem to have one thing in common: they can become boring. So how can you transform the typical dining episode into an enlightening and fun experience?

Rosemary Naccarato, National Customer Marketing Specialist at Sun Microsystems of Canada, says that organizing a chef’s table is the best way to engage people around a table. “I generally plan a chef’s table at the beginning or the end of a big event to attend a corporate meeting or thank my team. The food is excellent and it is a nice treat for everybody. A chef’s table is much more intimate and personalized and the price is usually worth the quality.”

The Chef’s Table at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto.

Chef Austriaco will do his best to match the required atmosphere and will create a five to eight-course dinner.

Originally, from the Philippines, his journey through several world cuisines (Canadian, American and French) he illuminates his guests’ table: refined dishes, contemporary cuisine with exotic touches and his specialty, delicious desserts!

So what makes a chef’s table so special? Each tasting has a culinary comment A chef’s table usually takes place in the kitchen of the restaurant, in semi-private dining quarters. If this is not an option, you can enjoy a chef’s table in the main dining room or a private area, arranged especially for the occasion. Many restaurants offer limited seating in their kitchens, with the personal attention and company of the chef. What an honour!

The chef’s table then becomes the center stage in the theatre of the kitchen.

Guests literally witness a unique gourmet show as they are in the heart of the activity and enjoy a tailored and themed menu that differs from the dining room menu.

Although there is no specific number of guests required for that type of event, a chef’s table is enjoyable for groups between 2 to 30 people. If you want to have the benefit of an exceptional quality food and the exclusive consideration of the chef, it’s best to treat a group of a dozen people at a time.

If you’re not familiar with the concept, Chef Alex Austriaco, from the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto, shares with us his experience which turns his tables into real success. His custom-made menus can be created one to two weeks before the dinner. During an interview with his client, he will inquire about the type of celebration, the allocated budget and the number of people attending.

When the dinner occurs in a separate dining room, the chef visits his table at every service, explains Loïc Chazay, chef at the restaurant Les Caprices de Nicolas in Montreal. He says each tasting is preceded by a short culinary comment that will announce the selected products and the flavours in the dishes. To reserve the best quality products for his guests, Chef Chazay will determine their preferences and will personalize the dishes offering the best of his know-how. Although being a chef is a very demanding job, his presence in the dining room with his guests is possible thanks to his team who will be in responsible for preparing the next creations. The quality of the food, number of services during the dinner and the wines chosen to perfectly match the food will put the price of a chef’s table varies between $150 to $300 (or more) per person.

This unique experience allows the lucky participants to see, smell and taste as the cook goes along. Although the guests don’t participate in the cooking themselves, they come away with enough information to duplicate the Chef’s efforts in their own kitchen. The chef’s table is a fun and entertaining concept to dazzle business clients and friends.

For information and reservation, please contact The Windsor Arms Hotel (416) 971-9666 in Toronto and Les Caprices de Nicolas (514) 282-9790 in Montreal.

This unique experience allows the lucky participants to see, smell and taste as the cook goes along.

16

MAY 2005

Hotel News from around the world A nickel and a suite

The Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, Calif. has a system that lets travelers troll around for weather and airline fares at no cost. Local calls are 75 cents, however. The Mandarin Oriental in NYC lets travelers in groups use its phones to conference each other using VOIP (voice-over-Internet Protocol). VOIP typically transmits data over high-speed broadband connections).

Anyone who presents a newly retooled Jefferson bison nickel can use it to pay for an upgrade from a standard room to a king suite when checking in to the Jefferson, a 100-room Loews hotel in Washington, on Friday or Saturday nights from June 3 to Sept. 5 (subject to availability). Weekend room rates range from $199 to $259 a night (normal weekend rates for king suites range from $419 to $689 a night). Prices do not include taxes. For details, call the hotel at (202) 347-2200.

Take it personal, please!

Hotels are always trying to find an edge, a way to attract and keep their customers, especially in the post-9/11 economy. Some examples of recent innovations: A full hangover recovery program at the Loews New Orleans for people who imbibe too much in the infamous French Quarter (we’re talking foot creams, Alka Seltzer, and face mists); Intercontinental Hotels (which runs many hotels including those under the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands) hired a doctor to design a program for jetlagged guests that includes eye shades, scented oils, and drape clips to keep the room pitch black; and the Scottsdale, Ariz. property of Toronto-based Fairmont has a golf concierge on staff who can recommend courses and create an itinerary for those who know all work and no play makes any planner tired and grumpy.

Hilton and Marriott showing a profit for 1Q of 2005 Hilton Hotels Corp. said its first quarter profit rose 73 percent, mostly attributed to a recovery in business and leisure travel that fueled higher room rates. Net income rose to US$64 million from US$37 million a year earlier. Hilton operates hotels under the Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites brands, as well as its flagship hotels. It also owns star property the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, where the lodging recovery is the strongest.

Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, recently posted higher first-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations, as increased occupancy, which rose by 1.1 percent to 69 percent, lifted results. Income for the quarter jumped from US$145 million to US$114 million. Analysts currently see a 2005 profit of $2.83 per share on US$10.65 billion of revenue. Marriott earned US$2.48 per share and had revenue of $US 10.1 billion in 2004.

Chateau Lake Louise makeover The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Banff National Park has unveiled the first 106-room phase of a $12 million renovation . All of the hotel’s rooms and corridors on the eighth floor, as well as the fifth and sixth floors of the Barott Wing, were completely renovated (including air conditioning and new furniture, flooring and bathroom fixtures) over the past five months.For more info, visit: www.fairmont.com/lakelouise/.

Talk about Fancy Schmancy...

Monte Carlo Inn expansion

The most expensive, hard-to-use hotel appliance—the inroom telephone—is trying to make a comeback. With the advent of the cel phone, hotels are going hi-tech in trying to create a ringy-dingy that guests will actually use, and pay for. Hotel Commonwealth in Boston offers a cordless handset with a PDAsized screen that guests can carry anywhere on the property with the same extension if they are repeat guests. It can also call up local movie times.

MAY 2005

Closer to Toronto, The Monte Carlo Inn—Airport Suites in Mississauga is going through a major construction project. Built in 1991, this property formerly had 64 rooms, a small restaurant, and one small meeting room. They are adding 40 new executive suites, an 84-seat restaurant with winter garden and 3,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. The project is set to be completed

by June, 2005. For more info, visit: www.montecarloinns.com.

17

DATEBOOK Upcoming Events MAY 26 International Association of Conference Centers Amazing Meetings: Discover the Magic, Englewood Conference Resort & Spa, Itasca, Ill. www.iacconline.org, (314) 993-8575.

JUNE 12-14 Association for Convention Operations Management, Summer Leadership Conference, Wynn Las Vegas, Nev. www.acomonline.org, (609) 799-37124.

JULY 9-12 Meeting Professionals International World Education Conference, Miami Convention Centre, Florida. www.mpiweb.org, (972) 702-3000.

JULY 11-15 Trade Show Exhibitors Association TS-2 The Trade Show About Trade Shows, Washington (D.C.) Convention Centre, D.C. www.tsea.org, (703) 683-8500, ext. 221.

famously entertaining

CANADA’S LARGEST SOFT-SEAT THEATRE …

18,900 sq ft lobby and 3223 soft-seat theatre perfect for Business Meetings, Client Entertainment, Product Launches, Motivational Speakers, Press Conferences, Receptions, Graduations, Trade Shows, Weddings …AND GREAT SHOWS! Visit www.hummingbirdcentre.com or Contact

DON QUARLES MARK HAMMOND Food and Beverage Manager

Director of Programming

416.393.7457 416.338.8854 donq@hummingbirdcentre.com

mark@hummingbirdcentre.com

One Front Street East, Toronto

Industry Trends More good stuff, less spam For the first time in four years, the amount of unsolicited email (spam) declined in 2004 a recent survey

by Ipsos-Reid said. Tougher antipornography laws, stricter guidelines governing electronic marketers, increased use of spam filters and a growing unwillingness by Canadians to open junk mails are credited with the decline.

Unfortunately, spam is still alive and well: In the final quarter of last year, Canadians received an average of 177 emails per week, 87 of which, or 49 percent, were spam the report said. But it’s still better than 2003 when 134, or 68 percent, of the weekly average of 197 emails were spam. The amount of spam had been doubling every year since 2001, when there were only 30 spam messages a week.

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Alco Tee : a tee for the first hole and a breathalyzer for the … 19th hole s an organizer of a golf tournament , you have a legal responsibility and you must take all the precautions to take care of your guests. Recently, some companies have been sued and it is your responsibility to offer ethical solutions to your guests.

A

To that end, why don’t you forget golf balls and offer your golfers an innovative promotional article and nice giveaway: the Alco Tee. It is a small package that includes a tee and a breathalyzer. The breathalyzer provides an accurate measure of the blood alcohol level in your body. By offering the Alco Tee, you can protect your company against lawsuits and you will impress your customers or employees. In addition, you can personalize the Alco Tee with your logo and a corporate message like “ Don’t drink and drive.”

You can either give away the Alco Tee at the beginning of the day or put it in the plate at dinner time.

Whether it is MADD or a human resources association, we now suggest to be very careful when alcohol is served. The Alco Tee is a certified product ISO 9001 and has been marketed for more than five years . The test is confidential and done within two minutes. It is a unique and innovative product manufactured by a company that has been the official supplier to many provincial governments and police departments around the world.

For more information : 1-800-361-1771 Or visit our web site at www.alcotestquebec.com 18

MAY 2005

Destination Planner comes of age in T.O. Tourism Toronto first in North America to go digital with a CD-ROM designed to assist planners and operators

T

ourism Toronto recently announced the launch of its new digital destination planner — Digital Toronto — specifically designed to meet the evolving information and service needs of its meeting professional and tour operator clients. This easy-to-use digital tool has everything meeting, convention and leisure trade professionals require when considering Greater Toronto as a destination. Tourism Toronto is the first convention and visitors bureau in North America to partner with desktop software developers MultiView to create such a tool.

After careful consultation with its client advisory board, Tourism Toronto addressed an industry need for up-to-the-minute information online and off with the new Digital Toronto desktop application. Replacing the traditional printed destination planner which becomes outdated almost as soon as it’s distributed, Digital Toronto is an updatable, searchable tool that clients can take with them from office to boardroom to hotel room.

“Our clients have asked us for a new way to keep up to date on Greater Toronto’s constantly evolving products and experiences,” said Bruce MacMillan, President and CEO, Tourism Toronto.

“Digital Toronto is an innovative, remarkable tool that will keep our city top of mind, at their fingertips _ and that bodes well for our members and community.”

MAY 2005

Easy access to all Toronto has to offer Distributed as a CD-ROM, Digital Toronto will allow planners and operators to obtain essential travel information, search a Tourism Toronto member product and services directory as well as print off information sheets and event calendars at the click of a button. Once installed on a user’s desktop, Digital Toronto provides easy access to all that Toronto has to offer including monthly updates and, when online, direct connections to products and services on the www.torontotourism.com site.

Digital Toronto is currently being distributed to Tourism Toronto members and clients and is available through an online request form in the Meeting Planner and Leisure trade sections on Tourism Toronto’s useful website, www.torontotourism.com.

Tourism Toronto is the official destination-marketing organization for Greater Toronto’s tourism industry. Tourism Toronto focuses on promoting and selling the greater Toronto region as a remarkable destination for tourists, convention delegates and business travellers. Officially operating as a not-for-profit association, Tourism Toronto has over 900 members and is a partnership of public and private sectors.

To reach Tourism Toronto call (416) 203-2500 or visit our website at www.torontotourism.com.

19

Can cold cause a cold?

No. A cold is caused by a virus. In the winter you may feel cold, but you won’t catch one. But of course you can freeze to death in the cold from overexposure (hypothermia).

Hypothermia is the lowering of the body’s temperature to dangerous levels. Few viruses can survive in the air for more than a few minutes after being expelled by the human body, especially in cold weather.

However, if you are exposed to cold weather you must burn more calories and use more energy to keep warm. This energy loss and drain upon your body could lower your immune system defenses against whatever viruses with which you might have come into contact.

PEC-Europe 2005 in Monaco

BY NATHALIE CARON

M

onaco is a principality of 197 hectares and 32,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Mediterranean, and it can welcome major meetings and conventions thanks to its 22,000 rooms, seventeen palaces and hotels and 170 restaurants.

Monaco is also known as the Capital of Luxury, and the most elegant boutiques can be found in the famous Gold Circle in the heart of the city. The Grimaldi Forum is the renowned modern convention centre, replete with multi-function meeting rooms and an esplanade equipped with the latest technology.

After 18 months of preparation, the Monaco chapter of MPI officially welcomed its first delegates on April 10, 2005 for the annual PEC-Europe 2005 that was held at the Grimaldi Forum.

Even with the national mourning for Prince Rainier, the recordhigh 515 delegates benefitted from the educational and networking opportunities available.

The first networking event was held during a dinner cocktail at the HSH Prince Rainier Antique Automobile Exposition.

Laurent Perrier Champagne and wine accompanied succulent hot and cold appetizers of Asian and Mediterranean origin. It was a great start to what ended up being a great conversation.

On Monday morning, the PEC-Europe began with the famous breakfast show, and the two hosts joined John S. Parks of Leadership Synergies, LLC to discuss and explain Career Pathways which allows, among other things, for MPI members

to follow their career path. Another person explained the collaboration of the offices of meetings and tourism for the American market and how MPI supports the future of the industry through the future leaders forum.

A variety of sessions The sessions covered many subjects like creative potential, how to be more efficient, starting your own business, trends in the planner-supplier relationship, doing business in America, site selection (presented by Karen Massicotte of Calgary), corporate language, the trend towards commercialization of events, changes in the European Hotel industry and strategic management of your accounts.

The delegates met for the lunch prepared by the chef of the Fairmont Hotel Monte Carlo who acquired this property about three months ago. Les Oiseaux du Paradis gave two performances from their repertoire, an elegant aerial ballet on a rotating mat invented by the two performers.

No networking activity had been scheduled before the Foundation Party that evening, which was cancelled due to the passing of the Prince.

The delegates met the next morning for sessions including one half-day executive path session for relatively experienced planners to skillfully interact with senior executives.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

20

MAY 2005

Planners enjoyed a variety of sessions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

Monaco was the site of the PEC-Europe 2005.

CAREERS SALES/MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE

It was the first time that training at this level had been offered in Europe. The subject dealt with procurement and ROI. The breakfast was sponsored by the upcoming host chapter of the PEC Europe 2006 in Davos, Switzerland. A snow-capped mountain summit appeared in the middle of the room, and boxes of chocolate were on every table, the Swiss flag was projected onto the walls of the room as well as a film of the amazing Swiss countryside. During the meal, a speech was given by two representatives of the Swiss chapter extolling the merits of Switzerland and its inhabitants and why we must ABSOLUTELY participate in the PEC-Europe in 2006 in Davos. The last networking event of PEC-Europe 2005 was the gala dinner that took place in the Star Room of the Sporting Club of Monte Carlo.

Throughout the conference I asked delegates whom I spoke with whether or not they enjoyed their participation in the PEC-Europe and everyone confirmed they totally enjoyed it.

One Swedish planner told me she worked most of the time in Sweden for her clients, however she appreciated exchanging with other planners to compare the problems inherent in every country. For many, networking was the key aspect of the PEC. The next MPI event to take place will be the WEC 2005 in Miami from July 10-12, 2005. For more info: www.mpiweb.org.

THE COMPANY: Established in 1987, Paul Chacra Entertainment Inc. is a leader in providing high quality entertainment services for special events in the Corporate /Convention milieu as well as the Social and Private sectors.

THE CHALLENGE You are career oriented with a proactive attitude.

You will be involved in the following: • Booking different types of entertainment such as live musical groups.

• Developing entertainment concepts and packages.

• Participate in the development of marketing tools such as multi-media and promotional materials.

• Nurture and further develop existing relationships.

• Develop new business.

• Expand and develop roster of entertainers and services offered.

• Event management.

THE CANDIDATE • Resourceful and proactive in nature.

• Experience related to the event/entertainment industry.

• Bilingual.

• Superb communication skills (oral and written).

• Sales and Marketing experience.

• Computer literate.

CONTACT US AT : Tel : (514) 747-7245 or Fax : (514) 747-9916 21

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EDUCATION

Industry Trends Vacation with vocation: Voluntourism

Leadership in Project Management Project Management June 15 - 17, 2005 This seminar explores proven techniques to create effective project teams, meet critical deadlines and avoid cost overruns. Learn how to set realistic budgets and schedules in the project planning stage, and the importance of human relations and communications throughout the project life cycle. You will also benefit from the instructors’ diverse knowledge and personal experiences in managing projects within numerous industries. Conforms with the internationally recognized framework and terminology of the Project Management Institute and represents 21 PMI® professional development units.

Faculty of Management McGill University 1001 Sherbrooke Street West, 6th Floor Montreal, Quebec Canada H3A 1G5

T 1 514 398 3970 or 1 888 419 0707 F 1 514 398 7443 or 1 888 421 0303 E executive@mcgill.ca www.executive.mcgill.ca

PROFESSIONAL

TETLEY LAWYERS Immigration to Canada & the U.S.A. for • Work permits • Investors • Entretrepreneurs • Study permits • Skilled workers • Caregivers

Tel:(514) 875-0805 Fax: (514) 875-4999 tetley@cyberglobe.net

Looking to do more on your vacation than sit on the beach drinking margaritas or seeing the Big Mouse? There’s a new trend for people who want to actually accomplish something with their leisure time: voluntouring. Half cultural immersion and half international aid, voluntouring allows those keen to volunteer their skills and labour to experience far away lands in the process. The average short-term trip costs about US $1,000.

Recently, a group of eight Americans and Canadians visited Peru to work with more than 60 deaf and mute children at an orphanage in Cuzco, the capital. The youngsters were taught job skills that they could use for future sustainability and the voluntours beautified the lacklustre courtyard by repainting the games, fixing the swing set, and providing a new volleyball set.

If you want to voluntour, contact the following organizations: Globe Aware (www.globeaware.org), which offers oneor two-week voluntour vacations in places like Peru, Costa Rica, and Thailand; Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org) builds homes for the poor; Earthwatch (www.earthwatch.org) gives its voluntourists a chance to assist scientists in the field.

White Lie aimed at women This month, Napa Valley vintner Beringer Blass Wine Estates will be launching a new label aimed directly at women called White Lie. The US $10 chardonnay will debut in 12 states at stores like Albertsons, Wal-Mart, and possibly Target.

An all-woman team at Beringer, after learning that 80 percent of U.S. wine purchases are made by females, decided to harvest grapes early in the season to create a low-calorie wine with less alcohol. The new label is backed by a US $2.7 million marketing campaign. The name was developed as a means of breaking the snob barrier so prevalent in wine, making it fun and accessible, said Tracey Mason, Beringer’s Director of Innovation in a recent press release. For more info, visit: www.whiteliewines.com.

New travel gear for planners There are new products constantly being put on the market for travellers, but here are two that caught our eye: The Easy Spot Universal I.D. is designed to identify any item with your personal marking. The bright colours make any item easy to spot and pick out as yours. Easy Spot offers an easy way to identify your personal belongings. Easy Spot handle wraps work perfectly for any item with a strap or a handle including luggage, laptops, camera and CD holders, backpacks and anything else that needs to be identified as yours. It retails for about US $12.99.

The SearchAlert is a new re-settable combination lock that offers two unique innovations in luggage security. SearchAlert can be opened with a device used by the American Transportation Security Administration to avoid having your locks cut off your bag during security screenings. The locks also have a security window that changes colour when override devices are used. It retails for US $9.99.

Visit www.protravelgear.com for more information.

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