Meetings & Conventions Magazine interviews AMI CEO, Andy McNeill about planning a corporate meeting or event on the slopes. Andy McNeill talks about the best way to integrate a ski environment with the educational component of your meeting or event.
AMI is excited to announce the roll-out of our newest attendee marketing solution; AttendeeBuilder.com integrates your direct mail and email campaigns with personalized landing pages, SMS Text, Survey pages, QR Codes and social media. Experience the power of AttendeeBuilder at www.attendeebuilder.com.
If you’re looking for a breathtaking resort for your next sales incentive, meeting, or corporate employee rewards trip you might want to consider The Regent Palms in Turks and Caicos. It is a fabulous choice. With many different activities for you attendees, they can enjoy horseback riding on the beach, and world class diving right yards off the hotel!
The Regent Palms in Turks and Caicos is a 72-suite resort that is only steps away from the flawless white sands and sparkling sapphire waters of the Grace Bay Beach, which is rated as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
The resort has luxury facilities that can hold up to 150 people. The beachside deck, croquet lawn, and grandeur of the Messel Ballroom, are all extraordinary areas for any meeting or conference. All of these areas can be altered to fit the size and design of your event.
Todd Bludworth, AMI COO, commented on the property, “We highly recommend this destination for organizations who are looking for a quite get-a-way with a very special feeling. It is a fanstastic property at an amazing destination”
The Regent Palms also has many activities and incentives to the resort that are desirable to any guest:
World class snorkeling and Diving The Regent Palms in Turks and Caicos is one of the most desirable, hidden treasures in the Caribbean! If you’re looking for a luxurious facility, that’s located in paradise and has plenty of activities, The Regent Palms is the perfect choice for your next meeting or event
If you are interested in The Regent Palms in Turks and Caicos for your next event or meeting email AMI at bd@americanmeetings.com Feel free to visit our website at www.mtgshealth.wpengine.com
Expanding China, Sunshine Physician Reporting in Pharma, and a slow and steady economic recovery will all impact the meetings industry next year.
By Andy McNeill & Todd Bludworth
As we move towards the 4th Quarter of 2012, it’s time to start looking forward and searching for trends in the meetings industry. Each year, we analyze and summarize what hoteliers, travel and meeting industries professionals are saying and doing. That, in addition to monitoring the economic indicators from around the world, assists us in forecasting and budgeting for the upcoming year’s meetings and events. Doing this has become an increasingly important value for our clients with the financial uncertainty over the last few years.
What we are seeing are overall positive signs. The meetings industry is a good forecaster for the overall economy as most meetings and events are planned four to six months out on average. Currently, we are not seeing any signs of a downturn, with bookings for 2013 matching those of 2012. With the economies of North America showing steady improvement, significant growth is not expected and should help assist in keeping the meeting line items spending of accommodations, food and beverage, promotional products and other soft goods in line. However, according to Carson Wagonlit, a major supplier of air travel, increase consumer demand of airline tickets will cause an uptick in airline fees of 2.8%. Plan accordingly when budgeting your airline spend.
Latin and South America continue to grow, especially on the incentives front. Look to Costa Rica and Argentina for great value and getting more for your money. Fueled by the economic growth, hotels in Brazil are outpacing price increases compared to others in the region, and will not provide as much value as tier 2 countries.
If you are looking for value, look to Western Europe. The European debt crisis has created uncertainty in markets such as Ireland, Spain and Greece. Tourism boards in affected countries are implementing huge pushes to fill room blocks. For example, Ireland is promoting an event called “The Gathering” to encourage family reunions to fill unused hotels rooms from lost corporate group space on the Emerald Isle. If you have an incentive program for 2013, Ireland will provide tremendous value for your dollar. London’s post-Olympic boom will bring down prices in the city, though still more expensive than lower tiered cities in the region.
Moving down to the Middle Eastern and African countries, economies are relatively steady, which should keep any price increase in hotel, travel and soft goods modest. Plan accordingly. Dubai and Abu Dhabi hotel booms are back on track. For companies looking to have meetings in these regions, hotels are outstanding and very western friendly.
The Asia-Pacific, which has kept pace with North America, will continue to see modest increases. According to Zacks, “China is set to fuel a recovery in global tourism, and by 2020 is expected to be the world’s most popular travel destination. Both Starwood and Marriott generate their second largest revenue chunk from China. Apart from China, India is another hot spot for the western hoteliers. India possesses a compelling investment proposition with its rising importance as a global business hub, where the demand for moderate-tier as well as upscale branded hotels is expected to considerably outpace the supply. “
Finally, 2013 will show growth in some industries and contraction in others. Consumer product and technology based meetings will continue to slightly pace ahead of the economic recovery, though cost containment is still a strong focus. The Sunshine Physician Reporting Act goes into effect in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device industries. Companies have had over two years to prepare, but meeting spend will be scrutinized like never before. The great unknown is the physician response to the reporting. Will it affect their decisions to attend meetings? We have seen little negative indicator in 2012 as data was required to be collected (but not reported for this year). It did not affect recruitment. Continue Medical Education (CME) continues to see a restriction in grant approvals, which is down as much as 15% from 2011. Medical Education conferences are looking to other avenues, such as registration price increases, and cost containment to overcome the deficit.
Overall, 2013 looks to keep pace and may even grow faster than the prior year. Meeting buyer confidence is understandably guarded, but we are definitely seeing a sign of encouragement as the global recovery continues to take hold.
Andy McNeill, CEO of American Meetings, Inc. was interviewed by a journalist of GovExec Magazine in regard to the scandal that has recently made national headlines about overspending by Federal Departments, specifically, the GSA Conference. McNeill pointed out that the program seemed “out of scope” for a meeting or event of this size and in the government sector. McNeill also commented that if an internal or third-party conference planner was engaged for the project, “they certainly did not have the best interest at heart, of the GSA.” McNeill also provides a brief comparison… “we recently concluded a program in March where we did a bike team building event, similar to the one detailed in the allegations for over half the cost charged to the GSA.”
Read the full article here: https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2012/04/gsa-turmoil-will-live-congressional-hearings/41667/?oref=top-story
McNeill after seeing all of the national coverage of the GSA incident predicts more whistler blowers will come out on other Government Conferences. McNeill, who advises multi-national corporations on strategic meeting strategy commented that a third party corporate meeting planner, who is under contract to manage expenses can be a great assett to an agency, especially on corporate meetings such as these.
Our Team member Safari McDoulett who was our first Director of Marketing at AMI 2005-2007, was killed in a tragic car accident late last month. Safari had moved back to her home state of Oklahoma. Safari had a special way about her, with a positive uplifting attitude that was infectious. She was a hard worker, loved her AMI family, and did a fantastic job representing us. She will be missed.
OBITUARY
McDoulett Sept. 23, 1975 – Feb. 20, 2012, OKLAHOMA CITY Safari Belay McDoulett was born to John Wesley and Patricia “Miss Patty” Bryant McDoulett on September 23, 1975, in Oklahoma City. She died February 20 in a tragic automobile accident in Norman. Safari graduated from U.S. Grant High School in 1994 and from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Minor in Women’s and Minority Studies. She worked as director of community relations for Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan, where she was well known for her many community outreach activities with civic and community groups. She was also director of the SHINE for Students Program which in its first year encouraged young people to engage in some 100,000 hours of community service. Safari was preceded in death by her father, John McDoulett, and by a brother, Chess Tanner. She is survived by her mother, “Miss Patty”; by her fiance, Cory Symes and his children, Tory, Trevor and Kyle; by her sister, Cinnamon and husband Mike Scully; by brothers, Race and his wife Summer McDoulett and Jade and wife Jennifer McDoulett; and by many adoring nieces and nephews, as well as a large extended family and many many friends. In lieu of flowers or other memorial tributes, the family has asked that donations be made to a newly created Safari McDoulett Scholarship Fund to help deserving young people. Donations may be made to the Fund c/o MECU, 101 N. Walker, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, at Southern Hills Baptist Church, 8601 S. Pennsylvania, at 2 p.m.
