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October 2008

Shades of Green: The future is now

In a world where environmental sustainability is a hot-button issue, going “green” is increasingly important—as evidenced by some of the top leaders in our industry.

Business Response Card

Destinations

Alberta

Alberta provides the boundless backdrop

None other than travel guru Arthur Frommer recently returned from a trip to Alberta in total awe of the Canadian Rockies.

Phoenix

Greater Phoenix adds more dazzle

Just when you think the Valley of the Sun couldn’t get any more, well, golden, it up and surprises you.

Central California Coast

California’s Central Coast provides waves, wine and winning destinations

Choosing California for your next event is easy.

Napa and Sonoma

Napa and Sonoma provide fertile ground for exciting events

Northern California’s wine country, which includes both Napa and Sonoma counties, is a special place attracting visitors and meeting groups from around the world.

Vail

Always Peak Season

A discussion over the second-best ski resort in America might be compelling, but there’s not much debating about Vail’s prominence as the king of the downhills.

Features

Barrier-Free Meetings: How To Make Your Event All-Inclusive

As a meeting professional, you’ve likely dealt with accessibility challenges for one or several attendees at your various functions.

Shades of Green: The future is now

In a world where environmental sustainability is a hot-button issue, going “green” is increasingly important—as evidenced by some of the top leaders in our industry.

Smooth Sailing

Cruises can be easy on the budget—and easy on the planner

Columns

HEALTHY MEETINGS: Green Spa Best Practices

The thriving green movement shows no signs of wilting. Eighty-one percent of consumers think the current focus on environmental or green issues is here to stay rather than a passing fad, and 40 percent of consumers say they are more aware of environmental issues now than they were in 2006, according to a recent study by Insight Research Group, HGTV and the Natural Resources Defense Council. With stats like these, it should come as no surprise that meeting-goers are looking to be eco-conscious while traveling.

LEGAL BRIEFS: Making Contracts Legal

Planning a meeting or event is no walk in the park. And if it was, you would need to make sure that whoever ran the park knew you were coming, how many people you were bringing and how long you would be there.

VIEW FROM VEGAS: Evolution to Revolution

CityCenterAt least one property in the CityCenter mini-megalopolis is already taking meetings bookings for late 2009 and beyond. Vdara, a stylish nongaming hotel (pronounced “va-dar-uh”) will have more than 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a spacious 4,000-square-foot ballroom connected by a pedestrian walkway to Bellagio, and a pool and lounge that can be used for events for up to 1,500 guests (vdara.com).

Did You Know

Weather or Not

Though the weather is unpredictable, the success of a planned event doesn’t have to be. WeatherBill, a San Francisco-based online service, protects event hosts from the financial effects of bad weather with customized reimbursement programs. Available in many U.S. destinations, WeatherBill uses data from weather stations maintained by the government, each with more than 30 years of historic data, to determine the payout for the uncomfortable weather specified in the chosen policy.

Give Me 5

Interview with Christine M. Virsunen

Managing Director, Encore ProductionsLos Gatos, Calif.Christine M. Virsunen is the managing director of Encore Productions, an executive meeting management firm in Los Gatos, Calif. She founded the firm in 1989 after numerous years of first-hand corporate meeting planning experience in Silicon Valley companies such as 3Com, Applied Materials and Synopsys. Among her recent events are the Corporate EcoForum held this fall, and numerous CEO, marketing and investor conferences for Sand Hill Group. Clients also include Applied Materials, Synopsys and TeleSoft Partners. 

Smart Planner

Planning Green—A How-To

“Given the reality that thousands of business meetings and special events, with millions of guests, are held daily throughout the world, the event and hospitality industry is perfectly situated to have an extraordinary and positive impact on the environment. By planning events with enhanced awareness and by greening up each phase of the decision-making process, this industry can transform the way we do business.

Techno Files

CO2 + Calculator = Green

Green is the new black. It’s smart, it’s hip and it’s sleek. Everyone’s doing it this century, and if you’re not at least thinking about it for your meetings you’re falling off the cutting edge (don’t worry, you’re reading this, so you’re at least heading in the right direction).

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A publication tailored for you, the meeting planner professional. We focus exclusively on locations in the western United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Mexico and Canada.