Big City Nights or Deep Blue Seas: Meeting Options
August 24, 2007
Options for meeting locations vary from the tried and true, to familiar places with new faces, to one-of-a-kind odysseys
By Izabella Iizuka
In the budget-constrained reality of today's corporate world, person-to-person contact with customers—and even fellow employees—is among the first expenses to be eliminated. As a result, traditional meetings often are replaced by faceless conference calls and semi-faceless Webinars in order to meet budget constraints. Nonetheless, companies still need to train their people and offer perks that can attract and retain top sales professionals. What can a meeting planner do to make everyone happy?
The tried-and-true option of the traditional meeting is still available, and from New York to San Francisco, there are plenty of suitable destinations. Smaller cities like San Antonio or Cleveland offer lower costs, while more unorthodox destinations such as China or an island in the Caribbean are top choices for creating unforgettable experiences.
When it comes to choosing the best destination for a sales meeting, Las Vegas still comes to mind first. But is it really your best choice? Your attendees might be energized by the action, but it might also distract them and give them a reason to leave the meetings early.
According to Brad Weaber, executive vice president and CCO of Twinsburg, Ohio-based event planning firm Experient, "Chicago and San Francisco have shown a lot of activity lately. On the East Coast, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia are always good choices for corporations that are located in that region and don't want to go far for their meetings."
The most important thing for event planners is to keep in mind the objective of the meeting. "Start with the end in mind," Weaber says, echoing the sound advice given by Dr. Stephen Covey in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." Determining what you want out of your meeting beforehand will lead you to make the ideal location choice to meet those objectives down the road, he adds.
Keep in mind that sales meetings are different from incentive trips and require a completely different mindset. Locations for incentive trips, even if they are disguised as seemingly formal meetings, must offer a large quantity and variety of entertainment. Unfortunately, meetings whose primary goals are training, team building, or other intra-company activities have had their budgets consistently cut as companies look for a better return on their investment.
"Ask the right questions inside the organization to make sure the goal of the meeting is clear and everyone is in agreement, and keep your budget in mind," Weaber advises. "A lot of companies are re-evaluating the cost issue and choosing to stay local. Cost, rather than seasonality and entertainment, is driving a lot of the decisions today." Weaber also says that overseas meetings haven't been as popular as they used to be, except for locations such as China and Brazil, which offer a financial advantage due to the currency exchange rate and local cost of living.
One way to cut back on expenses is to choose meeting locations that offer inexpensive, easily accessible entertainment that attendees can undertake on their own. The more planning your staff has to do, the higher your costs are likely to be both before and during the meeting.
The Usual Suspects
 Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of the top 35 largest metro areas in the country, with more than 50,000 new residents a year. Its dazzling lights and glittering resorts makes it the ultimate playground for adults. While on the Vegas speedway, you can go from Paris to New York, from the pyramids of Egypt to the ruins of Rome, all in about five minutes. In addition to the glitter, Las Vegas also offers great choices for half-day trips, such as the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon, which are great entertainment for the occasional accompanying family members.
If you prefer a more secluded option that still offers access to the Las Vegas playground, there are plenty of unorthodox choices such as the JFDI Executive Retreat Ranch, which offers a positive learning environment in a 70-acre natural setting away from all of the distraction of the city but still close enough for a night of gambling.
 Miami
Miami's sub-tropical climate, azure sea, golden beaches, and eclectic mix of cultures could be a great choice for that winter meeting. Golf and tennis fans would be attracted by the PGA Tour and the NASDAQ 100 Open tennis tournament. If water is your element, Miami's world-class sport fishing, beaches, and boating will keep you interested. At night, simply sitting at an outdoor table in the Art Deco or South Beach districts can provide hours of people-watching entertainment.
Disney World, about four hours away by car, is the obvious choice for a day trip with the family, while the Everglades National Park, an untamed ecosystem unlike any other on earth, might fit the bill for the more adventurous.
Meeting venues abound, including Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, the Miami Convention Center in the heart of downtown Miami, and Coconut Grove Convention Center on the banks of Biscayne Bay. For smaller meetings, popular venues are the Biltmore Hotel, the Miami Beach Resort & Spa, and the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach.
 San Francisco
Referred to as "Everyone's Favorite City," San Francisco is consistently ranked among the top international cities by travelers and planners. San Francisco, all by itself, could produce record-breaking attendance for your meeting. Even with the higher California prices, San Francisco can be inexpensive for your company due to all of the inexpensive entertainment, including many family-friendly options, both in and out of the metropolitan area. Just hop on a cable car, stop here for a strong cup of famous Peet's Coffee and there for a bowl of world-class clam chowder. The sights and sounds, in the delicious context of San Francisco's laissez-faire attitude, can satisfy even the pickiest of attendees. The nearby Napa Valley is a good choice for a day trip.
 New Orleans
The soul is back! New Orleans is still a great place to visit, with its unique mix of blues music, rich history and eclectic culture, and the Big Easy is gradually recovering from the fury of Hurricane Katrina. The music and cuisine of New Orleans have few legitimate rivals, and its weather makes it a perfect destination any time of year.
Conventions and meetings are returning to New Orleans due to many cost-reducing promotions meant to stimulate the city's economy. "As an event planner, you have to go and see the city in person," says Experient's Weaber. "Flights are coming back, there are many promotions and costs can be negotiated. Right now there is value there, and I recommend it to meeting planners frequently."
The core of New Orleans was not flooded and is mostly debris-free, open and thriving. The French Quarter is practically intact, the Warehouse Arts District is open for regular business, and the historic Harrah's Casino offers a taste of Vegas. The famous Aquarium of the Americas and Café Du Monde remain must-see attractions. The Superdome and Convention Center are in full operation, and the cruise ships are back in port. There's even a post-Katrina advantage few know about: According to the New Orleans Police Department, overall crime is down more than 50 percent.
 Seattle
While the weather could put a damper on your meeting during certain times of the year, Seattle is anything but dreary. The origin of world-changing cultural movements like grunge rock and commercial success stories like Starbucks, the city feels slightly European, with plenty of pedestrians and outdoor cafés. Seattle holds special appeal for the adventurous, offering beautiful views of the Pacific ocean, the opportunity to hike up Mt. Rainier or take a walk in the Olympic rainforest. A short drive awaits those willing to cross the border into Vancouver, one of the top five highest-scoring cities in the world on the Quality of Living index.
For the City Folk
Companies located in large metro areas that want to stay local will have to contend with the higher prices, but might be able to offset some of that expense by providing free time for attendees to find their own entertainment. With built-in cultural, culinary and architectural options, Boston and New York are natural choices for a productive summer meeting. Chicago, although thought of as a working city by most, offers extensive culinary and cultural entertainment as well as Lake Michigan, with its high-end marinas and lake cruises. Don't miss the Magnificent Mile, where you'll find some of the world's finest restaurants, hotels, and several of the world's tallest buildings.
Captivate Your Audience
If sharing the same space throughout the meeting will serve your purposes better, you might want to consider less traditional options such as a winter meeting in the mountains of Colorado or Vermont. According to Brad Weaber, "We held a very successful meeting in Quebec City once, with all activities revolving around the winter—skiing, dog sledding, and such."
For any season, except perhaps the hurricane season, a cruise is a very interesting choice that has been around for more than 30 years but still sounds fairly eccentric. Offering the first-class treatment of a resort combined with the excitement of exotic travel, these seafaring adventures are becoming more popular. A cruise offers a very controllable, self-contained process, and your audience will be completely involved in the meeting. Further, because it's a ways off the beaten path, people will be excited to go. If you pick your ship and itinerary carefully, you're sure to have all the necessary equipment and space, as well as an environment that is not disruptive to your goals.
Richard Weinstein, vice president of corporate and incentive sales for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, says, "In the past five years, we've seen a lot of growth in the meetings segment. Ships now have dedicated spaces and pay closer attention to what meeting planners want and how some meetings differ from incentive programs—particularly with the dedicated meeting space, the equipment onboard, the setup of the room, and the availability of a convention services coordinator."
Cruises provide a major change of scenery for those who always have held their meetings in the more mainstream destinations. But that's not even the greatest advantage that cruise ships offer.
In addition to the fact that your audience can't stray very far, all of the meals and entertainment are included in the package, which makes planning much easier and almost completely eliminates unexpected expenses.
"Menu planning is much easier, with vegetarian or low-salt options for those with special dietary needs. All of those contingencies are covered," Weinstein says. "With all of the entertainment and food included, your cost per person tends to be a lot lower." With all that work off their hands, meeting planners can dedicate more of their time and attention to the other aspects of the meeting.
"Before 1985, meetings on cruise ships were fully tax-deductible, but changes in the tax law disallowed these deductions," he continues. "However, although cruises are not directly tax-deductible, you can gross up the cost, charging the attendee fair market value; they pay the tax themselves, and you give them money to cover it." Some companies choose not to deduct cruise meetings at all because they offer such good value compared with land meetings. "With all of the entertainment and meals included and the easier planning, it tends to be a 30 percent savings over land-based meetings. The savings are worth the non-deduction," Weinstein points out.
There are some risks associated with cruise meetings, however. In addition to possible seasickness, there also might be fewer breakout rooms available. But for general sessions, the showrooms—with their great audio visual setups already in place—offer the best production capabilities that any meeting planner could ever want.
Planners can choose different lengths and itineraries to suit various types of meetings. The cruise setting is ideal for meeting programs that don't require 24-hour space holds and can use unusual rooms such as the bars and smaller reception rooms. Group sizes range from 50 for a seminar to a full ship charter, which can host as many as 3,000 people.
"If your group will take more than half of the ship, you have to charter the whole ship," Weinstein says. That is because passengers usually are split into two groups for several activities—when one half is dining, the other half is at the shows, and vice-versa. This reduces the possibility of disruption from the other ship guests because the different groups won't run into each other all that much, except for the "after hours" activities.
In addition to being very impressive, a privately chartered ship allows you to have virtually every aspect of the cruise customized for your group.You can decide which ports the ship will call on, what dishes will be offered on the menu, and which shore excursions will be available. The most important thing is that your guests enjoy the meeting and look forward to coming back for the next one. No matter what your meeting recipe calls for, all ingredients are available in different sizes and packages, on land or water.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
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