Catherine Chaulet, President and CEO, Global DMC Partners DESTINATIONS PENNSYLVANIA FLORIDA LAS VEGAS A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 VOL. 39 NO. 5 $15.00 IN THIS ISSUE IMEX AMERICA PREVIEW AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE Planners Must Have the Ability to Adjust on the Fly SURVIVE &THRIVEYou master a million details and make it look easy. Our hats are o to you. We know you create a back-up plan for the back-up plan and a checklist for every occasion. You have countless tricks up your sleeve when the moment calls for a little magic, and we love supporting you while you do what you do best. Now more than ever, your group is looking to you to provide safe and memorable meetings. When you’re ready, Hilton properties around the globe look forward to the chance to partner with you. Thanks to you, our light shines brighter. DEAR EVENT PROFESSIONALSVOLUME 39 NO. 5 // OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 12 16 20 52 IN THIS ISSUE features 30 38 44 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 8 Perspective How Leaders Can Convince Reluctant Employees to Return to Work BY RICK GRIMALDI 10 Perspective The Future of Workforce Training: 7 Skills Employees Need to Know BY SCOTT STEINBERG 66 People on the Move destinations departments Pennsylvania The ‘Keystone State’ Offers Rural Charm and Urban Flair BY MAURA KELLER Florida A Destination With Sun, Sand and Something for Everyone BY DAVID SWANSON Las Vegas & Reno Hosting a Meeting in Nevada is a Sure Bet BY KEITH LORIA TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | October/November 2021 3 Survive & Thrive Planners Must Have the Ability to Adjust on the Fly BY DAVID SWANSON 2021 Awards of Excellence The Best of the Best CVBs, Hotels, Resorts and Conference Centers BY C&IT STAFF Budget Business Budgeting Strategies Are Fluid Due to the Pandemic BY KEITH LORIA IMEX America Preview 2021 The Largest Meetings Industry Trade Show in the U.S. Returns to Las Vegas BY C&IT STAFF 44 16 20 52 30 38 ISSN 0739-1587 // USPS 716-450It’s Time to Move Forward After a trying year for event professionals, the meetings industry has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with innovation and agility. Focusing on getting a positive response from attendees has eluded some planners. However, overall, the desire to meet face-to-face is gaining acceptance to connect in person once again. The pandemic challenges have shown that the meetings industry is made up of creative individuals, adapting to whatever situations arise. The pandemic, while disrupting the meetings industry, has no doubt made all of us more flexible. We now have a willingness to learn and understand event technology, which has been very important and helpful in overcoming planning obstacles. New technology has evolved to offer many possibilities to help achieve successful planning. Recent reports indicate an increase in meeting requests as planners navigate new challenges from health-and-safety requirements and destination availability. Adding to supply-and-demand problems, changing airline schedules bring additional challenges for planners. The latest information we have is that planners are frantically working to get year-end events back on their calendar, and they are moving forward expeditiously with 2022 events. For the sake of attendee health and those around them, following health and safety guidelines will enable us to successfully reconnect with purpose and opportunities. PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE // A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harvey Grotsky harvey.grotsky @ themeetingmagazines.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kristin Bjornsen kristin.bjornsen @ themeetingmagazines.com MANAGING EDITOR Henry Fitzgerald henry.fitzgerald @ themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sophia Bennett Sara Churchville Cynthia Dial Maura Keller Christine Loomis Nancy Mueller Patrick Simms David Swanson PRESIDENT & CEO Harvey Grotsky VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Middlebrook david.middlebrook @ themeetingmagazines.com ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES 2700 N. 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Nothing contained in this publication shall constitute an endorsement by Coastal Communications Corporation (Corporate & Incentive Travel), and the publication disclaims any liability with respect to the use of or reliance on any such information. The information contained in this publication is in no way to be construed as a recommendation by C&IT of any industry standard, or as a recommendation of any kind to be adopted, by or to be binding upon, any corporate/ incentive travel planner or agent. Reproduction of any portion of this publication by any means is strictly forbidden. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. However, the publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited photographs or manuscripts. Subscribers: Send subscription inquiries and address changes to: Circulation Department, Corporate & Incentive Travel, 2700 North Military Trail — Suite 120, Boca Raton, FL 33431- 6394. Provide old and new addresses including zip codes. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. © 2021 4 October/November 2021 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Harvey Grotsky Publisher FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA linkedin.com/company/ CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel facebook.com/ CorpIncTravelFOR SAFETY INFORMATION VISIT UOMEETINGSANDEVENTS . COM Meetings & Events Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.NEWS + NOTES // 6 October/November 2021 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com EXPANSION Caesars Entertainment Unveils Official Renderings of Caesars Virginia DANVILLE, VA — Caesars Enter- tainment shared official renderings recently for Caesars Virginia, its $500 million resort expected to break ground by the end of the year in Dan- ville. Following incredible support by the voters of Danville last November, Caesars Entertainment has been hard at work developing plans for Cae- sars Virginia, which will include 500 rooms with spa, pool and fitness cen- ter; a casino, including slot machines; table games; WSOP Room and Cae- sars Sportsbook; a 2,500-seat, state- of-the-art live entertainment theater; 40,000 sf of meeting and convention space, as well as exciting new restau- rant and bar concepts. “Caesars Vir- ginia will be an economic driver for the region, both as a tourist and enter- tainment draw and through the more than a thousand good-paying jobs the resort will create,” says Anthony Cara- no, president and COO of Caesars En- tertainment. For more information, visit caesars.com/destinations or face- book.com/CaesarsVirginia. POLL RESULTS Delta Variant Clouds Business Travel Industry Sentiment ALEXANDRIA, VA — Despite continuing to report an overall willingness and optimism for the return to business travel, business travel industry sentiment con- tinues to waver, due to ongoing uncertainty around the Delta variant and other variants. However, indicators show companies and their corporate travel managers may be looking at new focus areas and ways of working for their business travel program, according to the lat- est poll from GBTA, the world’s largest business travel association and worldwide leader in education, re- search, networking and advocacy for the industry. For more, visit GBTA.org, select Research & Tools, then COVID-19 Member Polls. SURVEY FINDINGS New Survey Finds Post-Pandemic Travel Will Pose Challenges NEW YORK, NY — Results of the Wise International Travel Survey, assessing U.S. international travelers’ at- titude and willingness to travel abroad, show that 82% of U.S. travelers say as things get back to normal, in- ternational travel is one of the things they’re looking forward to most, while 72% expressed they are cur- rently planning an international trip. “While the Delta Variant still presents challenges for international travel, consumers are keen to go abroad again,” says Lindsey Grossman, director of product, North America for Wise. Wise is one of the world’s fastest-growing tech companies, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker, WISE. RENOVATIONS Upgrades Set for Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa BONITA SPRINGS, FL — Hyatt Re- gency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, an award-winning resort in Bonita Springs, near the city of Naples, is planning a multimillion-dollar guest room renovation in recognition of its 20-year anniversary. The updates will include a complete transforma- tion of the property’s 426 rooms and 28 suites. The project is expected to be completed later this fall. Throughout the past 20 years, the resort has hosted more than 4 million guests, held more than 12,000 meetings on-site, vol- unteered more than 19,000 hours to the local community through philan- thropic work, and donated 1,000 gift certificates and 2,000 room nights to charitable causes. Showcasing Flori- da’s sunny, year-round weather, Hy- att Regency Coconut Point features a waterfront getaway on the state’s Southwest coast. The resort provides a 3-acre water park with a lazy river lined with shady palm trees, five wa- ter slides, including a pair of dueling slides, and pools.F or a while it looked like remote work was here to stay. But with the availability of the COVID- 19 vaccine, some employers have realized having people in the office is better for business. Some employees are happy to come back, but others are not as willing. What’s an employer to do? Of course, you could force people to come back, but you don’t want to lose good employees — and, frankly, it’s better for everyone if people don’t come back begrudgingly. That’s why the best approach is to convince the reluctant returners. We all know the old school command-and-control style of leadership doesn’t work any longer, and that includes the issue of determining where people work. Instead of drag- ging employees back against their will, it’s better to entice them with a collaborative, happy, innovative work envi- ronment they can’t resist. In other words, if you build the right case for coming back, you can pull them in your direc- tion — no pushing required. Read on for some strategies to incentivize your employ- ees to come back to the office. Be sure everyone understands the “why.” Be very clear about your reasons for bringing people back to the office. If having people on-site increases productivity, share that. If profits took a nose dive once people moved to remote work, be transparent and give them the facts. When you level with them about your reasoning instead of giving a command with no explanations, people are more likely to respect those reasons and comply. If you have changed your mind, address that. Some companies are just now seeing the value of having people in the office. Be honest about this. Tell employees: “We didn’t realize at first that face-to-face interaction was so pivotal to our success. The past year has shown us that it really is.” They will appreciate your candor. Make your workplace a place they want to be. Employees don’t want to work in offices with bad cultures. But unfortu- nately, many workplaces were unhealthy prior to the pan- demic, and workers may now fear returning to their former toxic, drama-filled, high- stress work environment. It’s not too late to cultivate a culture where people want to be. Focus on building col- legiate, close-knit, trusting, inclusive and uplifting teams that inspire a sense of belong- ing in people. When people feel they have a “tribe” they will want to come to work. After all, camaraderie is the antidote to burnout — some- thing many remote workers are currently suffering from. Employees need an atmo- sphere of psychological safety to do their best work. Make sure your workers feel free to speak with candor, are allowed to make mistakes without blame or retaliation, and can deliver bad news without fear of your reaction. Finally, make it clear that the workplace is a bully-free zone. The best workplaces today do not allow anyone — including lead- ers — to dominate, demean or belittle their workers. Add policies that make sense for today’s workplace. Jettison those that don’t. The pandemic changed a lot about the way we do work. Organizations found ways to digitally transform overnight, companies shifted to remote work and flexed to stay afloat. And in some cases, those changes and It’s better to entice employees back with a collaborative, happy, innovative work environment they can’t resist. PERSPECTIVE // DepositPhotos.com The Case for Coming Back: How Leaders Can Convince Reluctant Employees to Return to Work BY RICK GRIMALDI 8 October/November 2021 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comnew habits have made the workday run more smoothly. Figure out which of the new practices that you adopted during the pandemic are worth maintaining — and which old practices you can let go for good. For example, if you got rid of your daily morning meetings during work from home and opted instead to meet only twice a week — and it is working well for the company — you might decide to make that change permanent. Talk with people one-on-one to understand their hesi- tancy to come back to the office. A candid discussion with individual employees can help you dig deeper to find out why they may not want to return. Is it a child-care or elder- care issue? Is it about safety? Is it something else entirely? Their reasons may not even be what you think they are. But once you understand their reservations, you may be able to help them manage their concerns or solve the problem. One-on-one interviews can help you get a sense of where people are coming from. You can learn who is burned out, who might be planning to leave, and who has new ideas around the future of work in the post-COVID era. It’s a great way to take peoples’ temperature and work together to find solutions to make the transition back easier on everyone. Make a case for mentoring opportunities. Remote work- ers don’t get a lot of face time with leaders who could give them valuable career insights. Further, younger remote workers are less likely to pick up strong communication and professional skills, establish career goals and build a network that they can rely on for years to come. But mentoring oppor- tunities are abundant in an office setting. Young workers will benefit from the incredible wisdom and experience of senior employees, and more seasoned workers can rely on millenni- als and Gen Zers to help them develop digital skills, learn to use social media for marketing campaigns, and adjust to an increasingly diverse and inclusive work environment. Play up the return of trust. Just ask your remote workers: It can be very difficult to build trust-based work relation- ships when people only communicate over Zoom meetings and email. Without daily face-to-face interactions, people never get to know their colleagues and build strong relation- ships. But spending time with colleagues at work allows for the informal exchanges that help people get to know one another and eventually build trust. Highlight the power of in-person collaboration. Collab- oration is necessary for innovation. But chances are your employees aren’t getting a lot of chances to collaborate remotely. The best brainstorming and innovation happens in person — and anyone who wants to hustle and harness that creative energy will be eager to show up in person to do so. Offer more flexibility around when and where people work. Just make sure it works for both leadership and staff. During the past year, many employees have gotten used to being able to pick up their kids from school or take an aging parent to medical appointments. Naturally, they don’t want to give this up. The solution may be to offer a hybrid model that allows people to be in the office part time and remote part time. Or consider allowing them to be flexible with stop and start times. Often, you can set up a system that works for both lead- ers and employees. Leaders can get the face time they need to manage and ensure workers are productive, and employees get more of the work-life integration that they crave. Finally, by staggering schedules and shifts, or allowing a hybrid model, you can meet your goals while keeping people as safe as possible. Make workplace safety a top priority. Even though vacci- nations have driven down COVID cases nationwide, employ- ees are still concerned about safety at work. To ensure that you are complying with established safety practices, check out guidelines posted by OSHA and the CDC. A laser focus on safety not only helps companies prevent disability and discrimination claims and avoid OSHA fines, it sets them up to recruit and retain top talent. Not only will these strategies entice people to come back to the office more quickly, they will also help your organi- zation attract top talent. When you make your business a place people want to work, you are more likely to maintain the competitive edge that leads to innovation, creativity and success. C&IT RICK GRIMALDI Rick Grimaldi is a workplace trends expert and the author of “FLEX: A Leader’s Guide to Staying Nimble and Mastering Transformative Change in the American Workplace.” His unique perspective comes from his diverse career in high-ranking, public-service positions, as a human-resources and labor-relations professional for an international hi-tech company, and presently in private practice as a partner with Fisher Phillips, LLP, one of America’s preeminent management side labor and employment law firms. For more on this subject, check out his recent interview with Wharton on Sirius XM Radio at rickgrimaldi.com. “ We all know the old school COMMAND -and- control style of leadership DOESN’T WORK any longer, and that includes the issue of determining where people work. ” TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | October/November 2021 9 Next >