Photo by Sam Morris / LVCVA A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION APRIL 2023 VOL. 41 NO. 4 $15.00 IN THIS ISSUE BANNING ALCOHOL AT MEETINGS UNIQUE VENUES STAYING CYBER-SAFE SMALLER MEETING TRENDS MIAMI ARIZONA GIVING BACK Global Meetings Industry Day 2023 PAGE 10 Caesars Entertainment team members volunteer during a Global Meetings Industry Day event in Las Vegas.For a Five-Star stay, let’s meet at Wynn 888 320 7117 WYNNMEETINGS.COM WYNN LAS VEGAS ENCORE LAS VEGAS Experience an elevated level of hospitality at Wynn Las Vegas, where new rooms and suites recently debuted to offer your meeting attendees exceptional comfort and the thoughtful details you expect from our award-winning resorts. At Wynn, we know business and pleasure can co-exist beautifully.VOLUME 41 NO. 4 | APRIL 2023 | ISSN 0739-1587 | USPS 716-450 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 5058 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 10 Snapshots 14 Perspective Adapting to the Future of Travel, Destinations, Hotels and Events BY SCOTT STEINBERG 16 Perspective Expert Cites New Rules for Professional Speakers (Live or Virtual) BY MERILEE A. KERN, MBA 18 Perspective You Can Stay in “Upper Brain” Mode in Tough Circumstances BY MICHAEL E. FRISINA, PH.D. 66 People on the Move departments destinations features Miami A Year-Round Destination for Memorable Events BY KATHY SINGLETON Arizona A Scenic Setting for a Grand Event BY MAURA KELLER TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | April 2023 3 Hit the Target Creating a More Strategic RFP BY CARMEN ANTHONY Hidden Gems Unique Destinations for Your Next Event BY CYNTHIA DIAL Buzzkill Alcohol May No Longer Mix at Corporate Events BY KATHY MONTE Stopping the Breach Combatting Cybercrime — From Stopping Phishing & Malware to Defeating Imposters BY MAURA KELLER Small, But Mighty Smaller Meetings Make Sense When Encountering Restrictions BY CHLOE LABELLE Clause & Effect What’s New in Contracts Q&A WITH ATTORNEY JONATHAN T. HOWE Going Global Meeting Abroad Offers More Options Than Ever BY MAURA KELLER IN THIS ISSUE 24 44 58Corporate & Incentive Travel (USPS 716-450) is published bimonthly by Coastal Communications Corporation, 2500 North Military Trail — Suite 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322; 561- 989-0600. Single copies $15.00 U.S.A. only. Yearly subscription price is $135.00 in the U.S.A.; Canada and foreign is $175.00. Back copies $17.00 U.S.A. only. Distributed without charge to qualified personnel. Periodicals Postage Paid at Boca Raton, FL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Corporate & Incentive Travel, 2500 North Military Trail — Suite 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6322. 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, 2500 North Military Trail — Suite 283, Boca Raton, FL 33431- 6322. 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. © 2023 How Is Your Morale Today? Do you relate to negative news on a daily basis? Are you energized by your position or business planning meetings and events, or do you have concerns about both? While some meeting planners are riding the digital wave with new op- portunities, others are reviewing and assessing their careers as the meet- ing and event industry seems to be ascending. For the foreseeable future, planners may be subject to radical changes from unexpected events. In these times of increasing costs, we all need to look at new avenues to create successful events and remain within budget. Unfortunately, it’s no longer about operating how you once did it, but what can you do now with the expertise you have. Planners need to learn new skills, especially with the ongoing introduction of new technology to expedite and make planning more efficient. Taking advan- tage of these new trends and adapting to unforeseen circumstances will always call for caution as planning meetings and events move forward. It would appear that many career meet- ing planners are aware of the changing trends, but do not act in a timely manner due to complacency, lack of courage or inexperience to change. The lack of action results from concerns about keeping things as they are since it worked in the past. Be in the know and gain access to the most comprehensive resources available today. I believe reading Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine can help you navigate the road ahead. 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 EDITOR Ray Parker ray.parker @ themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sophia Bennett Cynthia Dial Dan Johnson Maura Keller Christine Loomis Kathy Monte 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 MANAGER Bob Mitchell 630-541-3388 bob.mitchell@themeetingmagazines.com DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Michael Caffin 914-629-5860 michael.caffin@themeetingmagazines.com 4 April 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Harvey Grotsky Publisher FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA linkedin.com/company/ CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel facebook.com/ CorpIncTravelFunded in part with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds. Downtown San Diego Meet in a Place Where Ocean Waters Double as Think Tanks San Diego’s shores a ract the best and most creative minds from all over the world. They come to soak up the innovative spirit and bask in the beauty of our vibrant community. Looking to bring out the brightest in your a endees? Plan your next event in America’s Brightest City. Visit SanDiego.org/meetings or call 877-973-6338 to start planning today. “ The Best Place to Hatch Big Ideas ” - SunsetNEWS + NOTES // 6 April 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com INDUSTRY MPI Survey Results of its 2023 Global Meetings Industry Day: Virtual Experience DALLAS, TX — Meeting Profession- als International (MPI), the world’s largest meeting and event industry association, recently released this year’s annual Global Meetings In- dustry Day (GMID): Virtual Experi- ence. Over 4,000 industry meeting professionals registered for the event, with participation from around the world. Attendees were able to access a live-stream chat-feature, a digital wall, where they could post updates all at- tendees could see, and direct messag- ing among attendees. Here are key stats from MPI’s 2023 Global Meeting Industry Day: Virtual experience: • GMID continues to drive high satisfaction. A total of 4,118 meetings and event professionals registered, of which 2,395 attended, giving it a 94% satisfaction rate and a Net Promoter Score of 45. • Engagement from attendees was strong. Cumulatively, attendees consumed 305,540 minutes of programming. Throughout the broadcast, 127,730 attendee in- teractions took place across the Webex platform (i.e., messages, profile views). • There were 1,725 chat entries between the attendees. • In total, MPI delivered just over 40 individual educational segments. • The MPI Foundation, the phil- anthropic arm of MPI, held a campaign with ALHI in which it aimed to match up to $10,000 for anti-human trafficking ef- forts. By the end of the GMID broadcast, nearly $3,000 had been raised and donations con- tinued being accepted. OPENINGS Horseshoe Las Vegas Celebrates Grand Opening LAS VEGAS, NV — Horseshoe Las Vegas recently honored the history and legacy behind the Horseshoe name, while celebrating its future and the culmination of a year-long transformation dur- ing its grand opening. Jack Binion, whose family opened the original Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas, presented a special horseshoe from his family’s ranch to Caesars Entertainment leadership. The Horseshoe Casino started in 1951. Caesars Entertainment now operates 10 Horseshoe properties throughout North America. The new 44-acre Horseshoe consists of two 26-story hotel towers with more than 2,800 rooms. INDUSTRY Knowland Reports Nearly 80% Yearly Growth in U.S. Meetings and Events WASHINGTON D.C. — Knowl- and reports that the Washington, D.C.-Maryland -Virginia market led the U.S. meetings and events industry by volume for March. Second place went to Chicago and Los Angeles- Long Beach in third. The leading in- dustry driver for meetings was nation- al associations across four of the top five markets. Washington D.C. jumped ahead of other markets with its Nation- al Cherry Blossom Festival from March 22-25. The market averaged 200 attendees per meeting and 5,468 sf of space used, and an average of 16 bookings per property for the month. • Year-over-year comparison – March 2023 event volume in- creased 79% over March 2022. • Top five markets (by event volume) – Washington D.C.- MD-VA was in the lead hosting national associations, followed by education and healthcare. The following four markets, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego and Dallas, rounded out the top five markets. • Top Five Markets (by percentage growth) – Raleigh-Durham- Chapel Hill, NC; Fort Myers, FL; Oahu Island, HI; Jacksonville, FL and Memphis, TN. Courtesy PhotoBOOK YOUR MEETING IN NEW ORLEANS © 2023 New Orleans & Company All Rights Reserved. NewOrleans.com | @VisitNewOrleans Here, our musicians give the city its sound with every breath. The voices and instruments of brass and soul, jazz and funk, are what makes New Orleans Built to Host. They fill our meeting spaces, venues, street corners, and festival stages, all while preserving our rich cultural history and welcoming your group with a soundtrack you’ll never forget. Call the New Orleans & Company Convention Sales Team at 877.393.5836 email at cnvsales@neworleans.com or visit neworleans.com/meetings to find out how you can incorporate this world-class entertainment into your next event.8 April 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com INDUSTRY Las Vegas Tourism Industry Hits Record High: $79.3 Billion in 2022 LAS VEGAS, NV — The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reported visitor spending reached a record $79.3 billion in 2022, a 24 % increase from the previous re- cord set in 2019. The annual report outlines economic impacts associated with the region’s tourism industry and convention travel, including visitor spending on rooms, dining, shopping, sports, local transportation and others. Las Vegas has experienced dra- matic growth in recent years with the addition of new resort properties, expanded convention and meeting space, professional sports teams and new venues such as Allegiant Stadium. The report also notes the tourism industry remained the largest regional employer in 2022, directly employing an estimated 229,440. Other key findings include: • The total economic output re- lated to visitor spending in 2022 (including direct, indirect and induced impacts) reached an all- time high of $79.3 billion, equiva- lent to about half of the region’s gross economic output. • Per-trip visitor spending climbed to an all-time high of $1,156 in 2022, 3.3% higher than 2021. APPOINTMENTS Rose Noble Named New President & CEO of Visit Spokane SPOKANE, WA — Rose Noble will become the new president & CEO of Visit Spokane on May 15. Before, Noble was the president & CEO at Galena Country Tourism in Galena, IL. Visit Spokane Board Chair Meg Barbieri says tourism is a $1.2-billion in- dustry in Spo- kane County, and she praised Noble’s skills in marketing. Noble ex- ecuted the orga- nization’s strategic planning initiatives while at Galena. She was an active Illinois Council of Convention and Visitors Bureau member and current board member with Destinations In- ternational. She is working on her ac- creditation as a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) and volunteers with various community organizations. RENOVATIONS Waldorf Astoria Orlando Undergoes Redesign ORLANDO, FL — The Waldorf As- toria Orlando will undergo a com- prehensive redesign expected to be completed in December 2023. The project follows an extensive reno- vation of the hotel’s meeting and events spaces last year. The new project will encompass the resort’s rooms and suites, lobby space, se- lect culinary outlets, spa and 18- hole golf course. The design of guest rooms and suites is being spear- headed by the interior design firm, Parker Torres Design. Enhancements began last year with the unveiling of the new Central Park Ballroom, which has an 8,000- plus sf ballroom, nearly 2,600 sf of pre-function space and a planned 8,700-sf, covered-outdoor patio. This addition brings the hotels meetings and events space to nearly 60,000 sf. The work will be completed in phases to minimize disruptions to attendees. Noble DepositPhotos.com Courtesy PhotoUNEXPECTED Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly. DISCOVERPHL.COM discover THE BRING YOUR NEXT MEETING TO PHILADELPHIA AND WOW YOUR ATTENDEES A city known for its rich history that’s forging a bright future, Philadelphia challenges the expected and defies convention. We prioritize sustainability, celebrate diversity and boast a community of thought leaders ready to inspire. Philadelphia offers countless attractions that double as special event venues. From historic meeting spaces to custom experiences for your attendees — your next meeting will be one to remember.Next >