The latest hires, promotions and meetings industry announcements:
Tara Gordon was named vice president of meetings, conventions and incentive travel (MCIT) for the Toronto CVB.
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) named Ole Bo Larsen director of European operations.
Scott Gutz became chief operating officer of Amadeus North America.
Jim Fausel, CMP, CMM, 73, passed away of complications [...]
Hotels and resorts from coast to coast are coming up short-staffed as the federal government seeks to reduce the number of foreign-born workers who typically fill housekeeping, kitchen, front desk and banquet positions.
Not even the City of Lights can escape the major credit crunch that is jeopardizing three major Las Vegas Strip projects.
JetBlue Airways is expanding its CompanyBlue program incentives so individuals attending a meeting or seminar do not have to be coming from the same location or paying on the same bill to receive a discounted rate; individuals access the rate by entering a group code.
The Houston Convention Center Hotel Corp. has put its 1,200-room convention center hotel up for sale. Any purchase would have to be approved by the City Council, which may use sale profits to fund the construction of a second convention center hotel on the north end of Discovery Green, an idea the council bandied about earlier this year.
Gaylord Entertainment Company terminated its agreement to purchase the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, paying a one-time penalty of $12 million in lieu of the $252.2 million it offered in November 2007. Originally, Gaylord planned to expand the resort and reopen it as a Gaylord in 2010.
When the $221 million Raleigh Convention Center opens this fall, its capacity will be for groups of up to 5,000 people. There’s one hitch. There may be a housing shortage. Demand for downtown hotel rooms is at an eight-year high, but increased borrowing costs have delayed hotel openings, affecting 500 planned rooms.
Advantage Rent A Car says it will become the first major American rental company to have a 100 percent “green” fleet of cars within the next 24 months, subject to manufacturer’s assistance and vehicle availability. On a local level, companies such as Elite Green Car in Atlanta already have converted to 100 percent eco-friendly fleets; national carriers such as Enterprise are converting portions of its fleet in select cities. But Advantage aims to make a nationwide commitment.
