Plan Your Meetings

The holidays are over, but the crunch to catch up is on. In addition to the stress of getting back in the swing of things, there are all those new resolutions to keep. Here’s a list of ways to start your day that will give you enough energy to tackle your to-do list.

Hotels are getting very sneaky with fees these days, so be sure to read the fine print.  Depending on where you book, mandatory gratuities, resort fees, hotel taxes and other hospitality fees can drive up each attendee’s bill by as much as 20 percent.

Check out this article about how to avoid these hidden fees.

Hotels are much more than a place to rest your head at night. They are social gathering places, places of commerce, luxury indulgences and much more.

A new book, “Hotel: An American History” by A.K. Sandoval-Strausz, traces the rise of the hospitality industry and how it helped shape the way we work and live. It’s a fascinating story of rags to riches; from the mostly dirty, uncomfortable “flea bags” that served the first dignitaries of our new country to today’s well-appointed hotels.

While many savvy travelers may be familiar with the story of the rise of railroad hotels and vacation resorts, they may not be familiar with the controversy surrounding them, including the perceived threat to American domesticity and child-rearing. Beyond the abundant and interesting history, the author delivers some thought-provoking ideas that might make you shake the “head in beds” attitude prevalent in the corporate world, while reinforcing the “hospitality” in the industry’s name. Referring to none-less than Immanuel Kant, “the father of the modern philosophy of international law and human rights” who is quoted as saying that “international conflict could be ended only under ‘conditions of universal hospitality,’” the author suggests that Kant’s “state of perpetual peace would make hosts and guests into its ambassadors, and hospitality into one of its defining ethics.” The book may just make you think about your next hotel stay in a broader context — say, world peace.

Hotel, An American History, by A. K. Sandoval-Strausz, Yale University Press

Time moves so fast, especially when you’re planning seasonal events every year. It seems as if we just finished planning our annual fall expos and our holiday events planning is almost over (except for last-minute details and the actual event). 2008 is already here. Well, not quite.

Every city has seasonal happenings, and some make good tie-ins for meetings. October’s Taste of Atlanta, an annual outdoor festival, proved to be a big hit with a group from Florida. They had fun, socializing in a relaxed environment, and experienced samplings from some of the city’s top restaurants — more than they would be able to visit in one trip. A highlight for the group was the cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, who later signed copies of his latest cookbook (a nice little additional “take-home” to remind them of their visit). The best part? The meeting planner did not have to provide anything but transportation and tickets to the post-meeting entertainment, a great ending to a busy conference.

Make sure to check with your destination’s Convention and Visitor Bureaus for their calendar of events, and find out what’s going on when you’re planning to be in town. It’s a great way to learn about local dining, shopping, culture and history.

Have a wonderful New Year!

Karen McCullough, keynote speaker at Plan Your Meetings’ Southeast Expo in Atlanta this past September, is on YouTube. See Karen in action in these clips from a presentation about one of the hottest topics in business today, “Generations in the Workplace.” Then, watch for more on the subject in the 2008 edition of Plan Your Meetings’ magazine, which is devoted to Technology & the Future of Meetings. One of the features is entitled, “The Generation Gap: Crossing the Divide.”

If you’re not receiving our print editions, sign up. It’s free for you.

For more Karen, check out her keynote speech from our recent Expo. The topic: “YOU the Brand.”

On Generation X

On Baby Boomers

“Bumping the light” — meaning to raise the performance level. Louie Gravance used the term when speaking to meeting planners at the recent VISIT FLORIDA Encounter at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Gravance, a Walt Disney graduate who now teaches “Showmanship in the Workplace” to large corporations, urged planners to “bump the light” and, as an example, pointed to the artful luncheon centerpieces — fish bowls on silver trays, surrounded by white sand, shells and starfish — that symbolized the area’s beautiful beaches.

What are some ways you’ve “bumped the light” at your events?