A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION OCTOBER 2022 VOL. 29 NO. 4 $15.00 Sherri K. Lindenberg Senior Vice President Marketing Communications Crump Life Insurance Services See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2025 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account.INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | OCTOBER 2022 themeetingmagazines.com 3 OCTOBER 2022 Vol. 29 No. 4 10 18 28 22 departments features 10 22 28 4 14 18 Budget Blues The Uncertain Economy Makes Planning Meetings Difficult By Maura Keller The ‘Key’ to a Great Event Success Depends on Hiring Engaging Keynotes & Entertainment By Maura Keller Dealing with Stress Meeting Planners Must Handle the Pressures of the Job By Keith Loria Las Vegas & Reno Offering a Wealth of Entertainment, Activities and Food By Dan Johnson Florida Planners and Attendees Repeatedly Return for the Amenities By David Swanson destinations 6 8 34 Publisher’s Message News & Notes Reward & Recognize Why Your Company Should Have an Incentivized Travel Package By Crystal Zawilinski Corporate Ladder 14 ISSN 1095-9726USPS 012-991Harvey Grotsky 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 Cynthia Dial Dan Johnson Maura Keller Christine Loomis Keith Loria Nancy Mueller David Swanson PRESIDENT & CEO Harvey Grotsky VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Middlebrook david.middlebrook @ themeetingmagazines.com ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES 2500 N. Military Trail, Suite 283 Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322 561-989-0600 Fax: 561-989-9509 advertising@themeetingmagazines.com REGIONAL MANAGERS Gayle Massey Bob Mitchell Jo Neese Christy Spiegel Lisa Turner DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Michael Caffin 914-629-5860 michael.caffin@themeetingmagazines.com How is Your Morale These Days? With the COVID-19 pandemic recovery well underway and mid-term elections getting closer, most meeting planners seem to be upbeat about the future in our industry. However, for some reason, planner morale oc- casionally comes into question, often because of their organization’s lead- ership. Adding to that, lack of diversity and lack of advancement also of- ten contribute to low morale. In fact, low morale has been causing some professional planners to go job hunting — since there is a demand for planners as business continues to expand and booking demand continues to rise. Can you relate to these feelings? On another note, we are in the midst of a new meetings technology wave, which seems to offer new opportunities as some planners assess their careers. The longevity of a meeting planner ca- reer is, and will be, in the foreseeable future subject to changes from unexpected world- wide events and unpredictable weather, as we have recently seen in Florida. I have been bullish on the meetings industry from my decades of in- volvement in publishing magazines to serve meeting planners, and I can honestly say I was not only lucky, but in the right place when the meeting industry was on the verge of major growth with new destinations and ven- ues to satisfy planners’ needs. In these times of budget- and revenue-challenged constraints, it’s not what you previously did, it’s what you must do now to achieve your goals and success. We all need to learn new skills, especially as new technology is introduced to our industry, and perhaps most importantly, is the need to adapt to unforeseen circumstances that may affect the future of meet- ing planning. Unfortunately, some planners see the changing trends and choose to ignore them due to complacency. Insurance & Financial Meetings Management is published bi-monthly by Coastal Communications Corporation, 2500 N. Military Trail, Ste. 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322; 561-989-0600. Single copies $15.00 U.S.A.; back cop- ies $17. Yearly subscription price is $70.00 in the U.S.A.; $135.00 in Canada. Distributed without charge to qualified personnel. Periodicals Postage Paid at Boca Raton, FL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Insurance & Financial Meetings Management, 2500 N. Military Trail, Ste. 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322. Nothing contained in this publication shall constitute an endorsement by Coastal Communications Cor- poration (Insurance & Financial Meetings Management), and the publication disclaims any liability with respect to the use of reliance on any such informa- tion. The information contained in this publication is no way to be construed as a recommendation by I&FMM of any industry standard, or as a recommenda- tion of any kind to be adopted by or 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. Subscriber: Send subscription inquiries and address changes to: Circulation Dept., Insurance & Financial Meetings Management, 2500 N. Military Trail, Ste. 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322. Give old and new addresses including zip codes. Enclose address label from most recent issue and allow five weeks for change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. © 2022 www.themeetingmagazines.com ROOM TO INSPIRE KATHY REAK, CFMP Vice President of Sales Kathy@VisitCOS.com | 719.685.7632 Welcome to Colorado Springs, Olympic City USA, where stunning, wide-open scenery is the backdrop to your next meeting or event. From unique venues and properties to outdoor adventure and delicious dining, Colorado Springs has what you need to create a memorable experience for your attendees. Here, you’ll find room to inspire, innovate and reconnect. The Colorado Meetings & Events Incentive program has been extended, offering a 10% rebate on eligible hard costs. See our website for details. Learn more at VisitCOS.com/meet 4 OCTOBER 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENTthemeetingmagazines.com PUBLISHER’S MESSAGEROOM TO INSPIRE KATHY REAK, CFMP Vice President of Sales Kathy@VisitCOS.com | 719.685.7632 Welcome to Colorado Springs, Olympic City USA, where stunning, wide-open scenery is the backdrop to your next meeting or event. From unique venues and properties to outdoor adventure and delicious dining, Colorado Springs has what you need to create a memorable experience for your attendees. Here, you’ll find room to inspire, innovate and reconnect. The Colorado Meetings & Events Incentive program has been extended, offering a 10% rebate on eligible hard costs. See our website for details. Learn more at VisitCOS.com/meetthemeetingmagazines.com 6 OCTOBER 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENTthemeetingmagazines.com 6 PHOENIX, AZ — JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa recently announced an $80 million transforma- tion as it celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Showcasing a fresh, modern design inspired by the surrounding destination, the expansive property, set across 316 acres of sweeping Sonoran Desert, introduces a refreshed lobby, beautifully redesigned guest rooms, and the resort’s new signature restaurant, Tía Carmen. Next year, the resort, which offers 240,000 sf of dynamic indoor and outdoor venues, plans to unveil a reimagined and expanded pool complex and another new restaurant concept. The resort’s 869 guest rooms and 81 suites were completely renewed and feature private patios or balconies with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that offer an abundance of natural light and spectacular views of the gardens, desert vistas, waterways or golf courses. Additionally, a selection of first-level rooms now feature private fire pits to gather and enjoy fireside s’mores or just to sit back and relax. Also next year, the resort plans to introduce a reimagined and expanded poolside experience designed to enrich mind, body and spirit. NASHVILLE, TN — The Breakaway League LLC and One America recently announced that tickets to The Profes- sionals’ Forum Financial Industry Sum- mit are now available for purchase. The summit is scheduled February 15-17 at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville. Created to be an elevated educational experience, the summit will bring together some of the financial industry’s most prominent company performers, including execu- tives, business owners, agents, interme- diaries and service providers with influ- ential executives from across the U.S. to learn from the best in the business. This event will gather approximately 650 attendees over the course of three days to cover 25 topics from a vari- ety of speakers. For more information about The Professionals’ Forum, visit TheProfessionalsForum.com. HOUSTON, TX — Houston has once again garnered global attention as one of the best places to live, work, invest and visit, according to the 2022 list of America’s Best Cities. Earning the No. 11 spot among 100 cities named, the country’s fourth-largest city made notable gains from its previous ranking. Home to the fourth-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country, the 2022 report also awarded Houston with a No. 4 placement in areas such as economic might and attraction. The city’s flurry of post-pandemic restaurant openings and ethnically diverse residents secured Houston a No. 4 spot on the exclusive list for restaurants, a No. 7 for culture and a No. 8 ranking for foreign-born population. Houston’s skyline WASHINGTON, DC — Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington D.C. Convention Center recently completed its full property, $30 million reno- vation that includes a complete transformation to the hotel featuring a fresh, modern redesign. The extensive renovation includes the com- plete overhaul of the property’s 388 two-room suites, fitness center and pool, lobby and pub- lic spaces, along with an upgrade to its 12,000 sf of meeting and event space, and a new on- site restaurant, Brickstones Kitchen & Bar. Con- veniently located at 900 10th St. NW, the hotel is in the heart of D.C.’s City Center, situated in the vibrant neighborhoods of Shaw and Penn Quarter, with easy access to the National Mall, museums, monuments, multiple Metro stations and walking distance to upscale shopping, din- ing and entertainment. The property features two-room suites, with king and double bed configurations, two HDTVs, kitchenettes with a mini refrigerator and microwave, a full-sized sofa bed and a private living area. The property enhancements include the addition of a 950- sf Hospitality Suite and 1,200-sf Presidential Suite that features two separate bedrooms with sweeping views of the city skyline. HOUSTON RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST CITIES IN 2022 INDUSTRY NEWS EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON WASHINGTON D.C. CONVENTION CENTER COMPLETES $30M RENOVATION FINANCIAL INDUSTRY’S MOST PROMINENT LEADERS SET TO GATHER FOR INAUGURAL FORUM JW MARRIOTT PHOENIX DESERT RIDGE RESORT & SPA DEBUTS $80M RENOVATION JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa has undergone an $80 million refresh. GET ONBOARD WITH YOUR BOLDEST EVENT YET Anticipation is an incredible feeling — and that’s what your attendees will be full of when you plan your next event with Royal Caribbean ® . Our 26-ship fleet uniquely blends work, play and an incredible place to stay on global itineraries ranging from short, productive 3-night events to full throttle 7-night programs. Host your gatherings from big to small in visionary venues that meet any need. Offer record-breaking thrills that deliver unparalleled team building. Savor dining to impress even the most demanding foodie. Experience entertainment straight from the Broadway stage. And enjoy customization and personalization options at every turn to make your event identifiably you. Contact our Corporate Sales Managers today and let’s make your event the event of the season. Wonder of the Seas SM Social EventsReceptions & Meetings at Studio B Awards & Events at Main Theater Features vary by ship. All itineraries are subject to change without notice. ©2022 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships’ registry: The Bahamas. 22004904 • 8/23/2022 Contact us today and learn more 800-258-5111 (select 2, then 1) • RoyalCaribbeanIncentives.com BEST CRUISE LINE OVERALL CARIBBEAN 19 YEARS RUNNING Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards AND IN THEGET ONBOARD WITH YOUR BOLDEST EVENT YET Anticipation is an incredible feeling — and that’s what your attendees will be full of when you plan your next event with Royal Caribbean ® . Our 26-ship fleet uniquely blends work, play and an incredible place to stay on global itineraries ranging from short, productive 3-night events to full throttle 7-night programs. Host your gatherings from big to small in visionary venues that meet any need. Offer record-breaking thrills that deliver unparalleled team building. Savor dining to impress even the most demanding foodie. Experience entertainment straight from the Broadway stage. And enjoy customization and personalization options at every turn to make your event identifiably you. Contact our Corporate Sales Managers today and let’s make your event the event of the season. Wonder of the Seas SM Social EventsReceptions & Meetings at Studio B Awards & Events at Main Theater Features vary by ship. All itineraries are subject to change without notice. ©2022 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships’ registry: The Bahamas. 22004904 • 8/23/2022 Contact us today and learn more 800-258-5111 (select 2, then 1) • RoyalCaribbeanIncentives.com BEST CRUISE LINE OVERALL CARIBBEAN 19 YEARS RUNNING Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards AND IN THEWhy Your Company Should Have an Incentivized Travel Package BY CRYSTAL ZAWILINSKI I t’s that time again to begin planning for the new year. Can you believe it? For companies, this is prime time to think about adding an incentivized travel program to your budget or revamping your current plan. An incentivized travel plan is a corporate program that offers employees and customers rewards in the form of travel as an incentive to reach a goal. These plans can be very beneficial for companies as they can motivate people to work harder and achieve more. In addition, travel can be a great team-building experience and can help strengthen relationships within the company. In today’s post-COVID-19 world, after the pandemic forced everyone to slow down and reflect, values have changed for many people. There is a renewed sense of self-care and family commitment, and many people are open to incentives that share this commitment. Companies who embrace this cultural shift with their employees will be leaps and bounds ahead of those who fight it. Companies with an incentivized travel plan can see an increase in employee performance. According to The Incentive Research Foundation, academic researchers reviewed 45 high-quality studies to conclude that companies can actually see a 22% increase in employee performance when providing an incentivizing reward program such as a travel package. That level of an increase in performance can make a big difference for a company when all of its employees are putting in a renewed effort toward the same goal. Once you consider how a travel plan also helps with addressing the pandemic-initiated workplace culture shift and with creating team experi- ences to build organizational culture, a comprehensive travel plan becomes pretty hard to debate. Why does offering travel instead of monetary rewards work so well? The answer is straightforward — while money is great in the short term to get people to work toward a goal, it is purely transactional and is often easily for- gotten once spent. Something like an all-expenses paid trip for an employee or customer who would not otherwise be able to afford it on their own is a tangible gift that becomes an unforgettable memory. Simply put, it holds 8 REWARD & RECOGNIZE CRYSTAL ZAWILINSKI is the sales director of meetings and incentives for Fox World Travel, a premier travel company in the United States. Zawilinski has more than two decades of experience in the event planning industry. She is certified in Meeting Management (CMM), Meeting Professional (CMP) and Exhibition Management (CEM). For more information on how your company can book an incentivized trip with Fox World Travel, visit foxworldtravel.com. themeetingmagazines.comOCTOBER 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY INSIDERmore weight than monetary rewards. Traveling is one of life’s most enriching experiences, and it also allows for unique networking opportunities. If your employees earn a trip to a resort, think about the other vaca- tioners on that same trip that they’ll forge connections with. A simple ice-breaker conversation, such as why they are at that resort, can turn into what their career is, what your company culture is like, why they value their employer and much more. This networking could result in added business connections or even act as a recruitment tool. Having a travel incentive also allows employees to build a stronger sense of loyalty to your company and strengthens the relationship between your company, its leadership team and the individual. That said, if you’re looking to implement an incentive travel program, it’s important to include it early in your fiscal plan- ning year. Why? Because finding a destination is half the bat- tle. With a current pilot shortage expected to last into 2024 and many common destinations booking up quickly, thinking outside the box is best. For instance, if you typically set your company trips to occur during the winter or early spring, let’s say March, you might want to consider changing that timeline. March is a very popular travel time for people in cold climates looking to find a warm getaway in more tropical destinations. If you want to stick with that timeline, consider a differ- ent location. Go to Europe instead of Mexico, for example. Changing up the location keeps the trip exciting for employ- ees and can increase the amount of effort they put into earning that trip. If it is possible to adjust when the trip takes place, you could move that Mexico trip that has always happened in March to a couple of months later. Employees understand needing to wait a little longer for a trip, so moving the timeline slightly does not impact company participation. Setting up an incentivized travel plan is a very profitable solution for a company, but it must be well thought out. This is why putting a plan like this in place now makes so much sense. The first step is having a thorough understanding of how your company makes money. You must sit down and really look at how your business generates revenue. Maybe you want to target your sales team with an incentivized trip. If this is your goal, the trip could be awarded to someone who hits the target sales goal or for your top-selling item. By doing this, your company could generate more revenue because there is a renewed effort from your sales team to sell more of your most profitable item or service. And in turn, the top-selling employee or employees get a trip. You can see why it is critical that companies understand how they make money so they can make sure the trip is paid for and there is also profit involved. Additionally, a trip for your employees will only be incen- tivizing if the trip itself is worth the work you are asking of them. Don’t be cheap. Work with a travel adviser and set up a memorable and exciting experience for the person who is going. This will allow them to feel rewarded for their efforts. Also, they will return and naturally provide a testimonial for the experience. Other employees in your company will want to have an amazing experience too, and that means the next trip will only get that much more participation. You want these experiences to be well received and talked about amongst your employees in a positive way. Another way to increase incentivized travel participation is by getting your employees’ families involved. An option to consider is sending a postcard in the mail to all eligible employees. Outline where the trip will be and what they can expect. Fox World Travel worked with a company that did this, and there was an employee whose wife kept a heat thermom- eter on their fridge to track the different goals her husband needed to achieve to receive the incentive. She would color in this thermometer in anticipation of it getting closer and closer to the top as he approached his sales goal to win the trip. There is nothing quite like family support to motivate an employee to earn a destination vacation. Travel incentives are utilized in the sales industry, but they can be just as rewarding in other fields. For instance, a com- pany in the service industry wanted to reward its delivery drivers, servers, etc. These people served as the backbone of their workforce, and the company could not function without them. The company worked with Fox World Travel to organize a vacation and set up an incentive program where employees were encouraged to nominate their co-workers for the trip. After all was said and done, the company realized they had never seen a group of people more thankful to have received recognition at this level. This may leave you wondering, how did the company make money with an incentivized program that did not produce added profit? The employees felt so valued and appreciated, they ultimately went above and beyond in their day-to-day efforts for the company going forward. It created a sense of loyalty between the company and its employees and, yes, brought on increased performance. The final point to consider when setting up an incentivized travel program is to make sure you do this with a licensed travel adviser. This is critical, especially for a company trip. A travel adviser can ensure the trip is memorable, runs smoothly and address any hiccups that may arise in the planning pro- cess. Additionally, a travel adviser knows the intricacies of the travel industry, such as which hotels work well for group trips versus individual trips. It’s best to allow a travel expert to coordinate everything, allowing you the freedom to focus on growing your company and your relationship with your employees. I & FMM INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | OCTOBER 2022themeetingmagazines.com 9 Setting up an incentivized travel plan is a very profitable solution ... but it must be well thought out.Next >