IN THIS ISSUE PLANNING FOR THE UNPLANNED HYBRID EVENTS DEMAND DILEMMAS DESTINATION ORLANDO 2023 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE THE ART OF ATTENDEE ENGAGEMENT PAGE 54 Courtesy of Scott Schoeneberger A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION NOVEMBER 2023 VOL. 41 NO. 11 $15.00VOLUME 41 NO. 11 | NOVEMBER 2023 | ISSN 0739-1587 | USPS 716-450 14 18 22 26 54 58 62 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 8 Perspective Is Your Company Headed for the Commodity Death Spiral? BY DAN ADAMS 10 Perspective If Your Employees Say Vacation Isn’t Worth It, Here’s What to Do. BY MICHAEL E. FRISINA, PHD 12 Perspective 5 Telltale Signs a Brand Lacks Emotional Intelligence BY MERILEE KERN, MBA 66 People on the Move On the Cover: Attendees at the Forbes 2022 Under 30 Summit. departments destinations features Orlando BY DAVID SWANSON TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | November 2023 3 Destination Attractiveness Planners Focus on Drawing Attendees BY MAURA KELLER Creating a Unified Community In-Person and Virtual Meetings and Events BY KEITH LORIA Pop-Up Situations How Planners Prepare for the Unexpected BY MAURA KELLER 2023 Awards of Excellence The Best of the Best CVBs, Hotels, Resorts and Conference Centers The Art of Attendee Engagement From Distractions to Hyper Focus BY MARLENE GOLDMAN Demand Dilemmas How Increased Leisure Travel is Impacting Meetings BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS IN THIS ISSUE 18 62 54Corporate & 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 A Tribute To The Best I would like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations to Cor- porate & Incentive Travel magazine’s 39th annual “Award of Excellence” win- ners. In this era of competitiveness, these outstanding venues have excelled in service, superior accommodations, smooth set-ups and arrangements for social functions. Once again the subscribers of Corporate & Incentive Travel have enthu- siastically cast their ballots from experience for their favorite hotels, resorts and destination CVBs. Beginning on page 26 of this issue, you will find some of the finest venues and destinations to host your next meeting or incentive program. The annual Award of Excellence program is a valuable tool, widely recognized by cor- porate meeting and incentive travel planners as a measure of some of the best venues and destinations available for your groups. Changing topics, with Covid in the rear- view mirror, just about everyone I know is anxious to go to meetings and conventions with an uptick in both domestic and inter- national destinations. That’s because events aren’t just about information. Realistically, they’re about meeting colleagues, vendors, etc, talking face-to-face and learning from the experience of others. They are about brainstorming and exchanging ideas. You don’t get experience like this from a virtual event. Obviously, given worldwide turmoil and safety concerns, I have no idea what the effect will be on future meetings and conventions; however, meet- ings mean business and your business may depend on it. 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 Maritza Cosano maritza.cosano@themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Cynthia Dial Marlene Goldman Dan Johnson Maura Keller Christine Loomis Kathy Monte 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 November 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Harvey Grotsky Publisher FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA linkedin.com/company/ CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel @CorpIncTravel facebook.com/ CorpIncTravelSIMPLIFY SUCCESS caesarsmeansbusiness.com | 855-633-8238NEWS + NOTES // 6 November 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com IMEX America Holds Biggest Show Ever LAS VEGAS — IMEX America wel- comed a record 15,029 participants to their latest event, held October 17 - 19 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, in- cluding 5,364 buyers – hosted buyers and buyer attendees – in what was IMEX’s biggest show ever. Over 4,000 of these were hosted buyers – 45% of which con- trol budgets of $5 million and above. The 3,443 exhibiting com- panies made for a favorable ratio of buyers to ex- hibitors, fueling the business momentum that was evi- dent across the show floor, at the 12th edition of the event. Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX, said. “Our biggest ever show was not only large in terms of size but also value created. It certainly felt as if the whole of our global industry was in attendance. The sheer scale of the show means that it provides an ac- curate reflection of the current state of our industry – and it was good to see such buoyancy and confidence evident in the many business connec- tions across the show floor.” The show’s success has generated positive momentum ahead of IMEX in Frankfurt 2024, to be held May 14 – 16, and the business event com- munity can register their interest at imex-frankfurt.com. Caesars Palace Las Vegas Unveils Newly Renovated Colosseum Tower LAS VEGAS — Caesars Palace Las Vegas honors its Roman roots with the debut of the renovated Colosseum Tower. Formerly known as the Forum Tower, the redesigned tower offers 440 guest rooms and suites with classically inspired yet modern décor. Designed by Michael Medeiros of RDH Interests, Inc., the en- hanced accommodations feature interiors with high contrasts of black and white, with pops of emerald and Roman red. The main focal point of the room is the upholstered headboard panel with inset mirrors that add a luxurious element to the space. Across the room, the dresser unit features a premium glass-front mini bar, a round table that doubles as a desk and a klismos-inspired dining chair. Guests can also relax on the Roman-style chaise lounge in the standard king room. The renovated bathroom boasts linear veined Marmara Striato marble floors imported from Europe and white quartz vanity tops and accent bands in the glass-enclosed shower. In the separate water clos- et, the wall covering features hand-sketched drawings of Greek and Roman classical orders of architectural columns. Adding rich contrast to the white walls and striated marble, the sink vanity consists of dark wood furnishings. Select rooms offer views of the Las Vegas Strip. Suites start at 800 sf, and larger room layouts include a living room with a couch, coffee table, chair and a dining or pool table. Suite guests can also enjoy a soaking tub in the primary bathroom. The Colosseum Tower is across from The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Reservations are now available at caesarspalace.com. Photo by Tory Kooyman SAN ANTONIO, TX — Grand Hy- att San Antonio River Walk provides groups with an eco-friendly experi- ence with several sustainability-fo- cused initiatives. From keyless mobile entry to special windows designed to reduce the Texas heat loads to reduce energy consumption, Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk provides several ways for groups to lessen their carbon footprint during a function. The hotel provides mobile check in available through the World of Hyatt app to help eliminate the number of plastic keycards handed out to en- courage plastic-free meetings. Addi- tionally, the hotel provides multiple water refill stations throughout the property where guests can fill reus- able water bottles for sessions or be- fore they head out for a day exploring the River Walk. For more detailed information, visit GrandHyattSanAntonio.com. Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk Provides Conserve Program Bauer The iconic Caesars Palace has made a number of recent renovations, including its main entrance (pictured).FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The highly anticipated Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel is accepting group booking requests for 2026 and beyond, and has tapped industry veteran Aar- on Weegar as Director of Sales & Marketing. Opening in late 2025, the 29-story hotel, located at 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, will be connected to the Broward County Convention Center, which is undergoing a major expansion and renovation. The prop- erty will offer 801 guest rooms and suites, multi- ple restaurants, a vibrant rooftop bar, pool, spa and fitness center. The hotel will also have over 120,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom, junior ballroom, 25 breakout rooms and pre-function meeting space with waterfront views. The Broward County Convention Center expansion will include an additional 525,000+ sf for a total of 1,200,000 sf of meeting space. Other upgrades include advanced conference technology offerings that will add value to the hotel’s efforts for attracting clients and business with the convention center. For more information, visit omnihotels. com/hotels/fort-lauderdale. Westin Washington D.C. Opens WASHINGTON D.C. — Westin Hotels & Resorts unveiled its latest offering in Washington, D.C. – Westin Washington, D.C. Downtown. After a nearly $80 million investment by ownership group Sunstone Hotel Investors, the 807-room hotel will offer a sophisticat- ed and contemporary blend of well-being experiences, designed for guests to feel inspired, to rejuvenate and to maintain their wellness routines while on the road. Designed by leading ar- chitecture and design firms Parts and Labor Design, and Leo A Daly, Westin Wash- ington, D.C. Downtown seamlessly balances the serenity of nature with the energy of the city. Meeting planners will find more than 70,000 sf of meeting and event space available, including a 19,000 sf ballroom, numerous breakout rooms and a rooftop terrace. Ask about their participation in Marriott Bonvoy, which allows members to earn and redeem points for their stay with them and any other Marriott Bonvoy brand hotel. To explore more, visit marriott.com/waswc. Courtesy Photo Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel Is Now Accepting Group Bookings Next Level Performance Announces Travel Partners of the Year NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Next Level Perfor- mance recognized their dedicated partners during the 2023 Travel Partners of the Year Awards. This year’s awards went to Pacific Destination Services, in the category of DMC Partner of the Year, and Fairmont Banff Springs, as their Hotel Partner of the Year. Pacific Destination Services (PDS) is an award- winning live event and destination management company founded in 1998. They are a leader in western Canada for live event production, virtual events and destination services. Fairmont Banff Springs has built a distinct reputation over the last 130 years. With 739 guest rooms, world-class golf and spa experiences, 78,000 sf of expansive conference facilities, and one of the largest food & beverage operations in North America, this “Castle in the Rockies” is located just a 90 minute drive from Calgary. For more information, visit nxlperformance. Courtesy Photos Courtesy of Omni Hotels Next Level’s Sarah Thompson awards Bronwyn Slade, Director, Global Business Development at PDS (above), and Dion Kiernan, Regional Senior Sales Manager at Fairmont Banff Springs (below), as Partners of the Year. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | November 2023 7O nce upon a time, your company’s founder was laser-focused on delivering superior, differentiated value to customers. Those customers had specific needs, and the company set out to fulfill them better than anyone else. But as the years passed and the business grew, that intense focus, well … drifted. Leaders got caught up in other priorities — say, tweaking productiv- ity or quality, forming a powerhouse sales force, or acquiring other businesses. If you allow this to continue, you’re left with me-too products. Customers start noticing your products are inter- changeable with your competitors’. They demand lower prices, and you must comply. You have to cut your R&D bud- get to keep profits up. (Ah, the perils of near-term financial thinking!) Now, you’re in the “Commodity Death Spiral” … and you’re not sure how to reverse it. If you can relate to this grim scenario, you’re not alone — I’ve seen it happen over and over when companies fail to make market-facing innovation their top priority. If you aren’t constantly working to create new products that deliver more customer value than competitors’ products, you’re eventually forced to compete on price. That way lies mediocrity, irrelevance, or even nonexistence. If you want to grow and thrive long-term, you’ve got to direct the lion’s share of your resources to market-facing innovation. I’ve done research that bears this out. In a survey of 654 publicly and privately held companies, I found that on aver- age, senior leaders allocate just 24 percent of their resources to market-facing innovation (product development). They spend another 16% of their resources on exploratory innova- tion (technology development), which serves to feed their market-facing innovation. Here’s the kicker: More resources are devoted to these two types of innovation at companies growing faster than com- petition (43 percent) than companies growing slower (36%). Companies that emphasize market-facing innovation tend to be headed up by Builders. In my parlance, a Builder is a leader who still thinks like a founder: driving profitable, sustainable growth by delivering differentiated value to cus- tomers, as they brush aside fads, short-term distractions, and financial gymnastics. Other types of leaders — most nota- bly the type I call “Decorators” — focus on looking good to investors, quarter after quarter after quarter. (To determine what type of leadership is driving your company, visit areyouabusinessbuilder.com for a quick and easy assessment.) So why is market-facing innovation so vital to long-term success? Here are three reasons: REASON 1 : This is what exceptional companies do. For their book, The Three Rules, authors Michael E. Raynor and Mumtaz Ahmed analyzed data on over 25,000 companies spanning 45 years.1 From this, they identified 344 compa- nies with truly exceptional performance. After extensive analysis, they were able to identify a small set of rules used at these companies, but not at lower-performing ones. These exceptional companies followed three rules. According to Raynor and Ahmed, Rule 1 is “better before cheaper.” Their research showed the exceptional compa- nies competed more on non-price factors like product per- formance, while low performers competed more on price. Rule 2 is “revenue before cost” — in a nutshell, it’s better to generate more revenue through growth than to try to cut costs. Rule 3 is “there are no other rules.” This confirms my findings: Builders focus on innovating for their custom- ers (better before cheaper) so they can grow faster (reve- nue before cost). Is Your Company Headed for the Commodity Death Spiral? BY DAN ADAMS PERSPECTIVE // 8 November 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comREASON 2: We’re now in the Innovation Wave (so plan for- ward, not backward). Recent history has brought us three “waves”: the Quality Wave, started in the 1950s (associated with Dr. W. Edwards Deming and Toyota), the Productivity Wave (which grew out of Toyota’s success and featured Lean and business product design), and the Innovation Wave — which is the stage we’re in now. The first two waves applied to current operations, so they reached a point of diminishing returns. What do you do next if you have zero defects or a fully automated factory? You immerse yourself in the Innovation Wave, which impacts future sales and has unlimited potential. Figure this out and you reach that holy grail of business: profitable, sustainable growth. The key is to plan forward. Many generals have been guilty of planning for the previous war. Quality and produc- tivity improvements are fine, but they were the last century’s war. Today’s battleground is the Innovation Wave, and the key to winning is superior market-facing innovation. REASON 3: Nothing else drives profitable, sustainable growth. It’s a simple truth: Senior leaders have many initia- tives to choose from, but only market-facing innovation can lead to profitable, sustainable growth. Consider how other popular initiatives fall short of such growth: • Productivity increases can improve profitability, but they don’t impact the revenue line needed for growth. A point of diminishing returns is eventually reached. • Quality improvements may help revenue growth, but not to the extent they did a few decades ago. Today, reliable quality is usually considered table stakes. • Cost reductions, when carelessly applied, can damage a business’s growth capabilities and have a negative — not neutral — effect on sustainable growth. • Sales training can boost revenue growth and lead to better pricing for increased profitability. But it lacks sustainability. If a business doesn’t keep delivering new value, customers will eventually buy from competitors’ well-trained salespeople. • Acquisitions will boost revenue and perhaps prof- its. But if the business doesn’t know how to grow the companies it acquires, it’s just building an unsustain- able house of cards. I’ve heard leaders say, “Last year we implemented pro- ductivity improvements, and this year we’re going to focus on market insight for better innovation.” Market-facing innovation shouldn’t be an initiative you turn on and off. Understanding and meeting market needs should define your company. This is what Builders do. So, let’s say you suspect your company is in the Commod- ity Death Spiral. Is there anything you can do to turn things around? Yes — it won’t be easy, but you’ve got to start restor- ing the Builder’s spirit that brought you to the party. It’s vital to breathe new life (and pour more funding) into your market-facing innovation efforts. This is non-negotia- ble if you’re to differentiate your offerings and stop com- peting on price. But also, you need to adopt the Builder’s mindset and start thinking long-term rather than trying to placate myopic investors. This is a journey, not an overnight fix. But like the adage goes, every journey begins with a single step, and you shouldn’t wait another day to take yours. C&IT DAN ADAMS is the founder of The AIM Institute and author of the books “Busi- ness Builders and New Product Blueprinting,” as well as the blog Awkward Reali- ties and video series B2B Organic Growth. He is a chemical engineer with a listing in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dan has trained tens of thousands of B2B professionals globally in the front end of innovation and works with senior execu- tives on driving profitable, sustainable growth. For more information, please visit theaiminstitute.com. If you aren’t constantly working to create new products that deliver more customer value, you’re eventually forced to compete on price. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | November 2023 9Next >