Photo by Anabella Padula A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION OCTOBER 2023 VOL. 30 NO. 5 $15.00 INSIDE HIGH-END INCENTIVES SUSTAINABLE MEETING PRACTICES CREATIVE F&B MEMORABLE EVENTS UNDER BUDGET Hello Fears founder Michelle Poler, opening keynote speaker at FICP 2023 2023 PREVIEW PAGE 38©2023 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador. Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Rated ships: Celebrity Apex ® , Celebrity Flora ® and Celebrity Millennium ® . CALL | VISIT CELEBRITYCORPORATEKITCOM OR CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR There are endless reasons to choose Celebrity Cruises®, including 300 destinations and 16 stunning ships that represent the ultimate in travel for meetings, incentive trips, and corporate events. Our team will seamlessly coordinate the whole experience. And with virtually everything included—accommodations, Michelin-star dining, beverages, Wi-Fi, A/V, meeting spaces, entertainment, and activities, you and your aendees will have an exceptional experience. With sailings ranging from 3 to 8-night itineraries, we can tailor your cruise on our revolutionary ships to best suit your company’s needs. Come aboard and discover why Celebrity is the world’s first premium cruise line to be Star Rated by Forbes Travel Guide. Follow us on LinkedIn and contact us today to learn why the best planners trust Celebrity. INCENTIVE TRAVEL THAT REACHES FOR THE STARS FOLLOW US ON LINKEDININSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | OCTOBER 2023themeetingmagazines.com 3 OCTOBER 2023 Vol. 30 No. 5 12 30 42 34 departments features 12 4 18 22 30 26 34 42 High-End Incentives Keeping Participants Engaged With Memorable Experiences By Chloe LaBelle On Legal Issues How to Plan, Execute Meetings Effectively By Christine Loomis Building a Greener Future Embracing Sustainable Meeting Practices By Marlene Goldman Tempting Tastes Getting Creative With Your F&B By Maura Keller Giving Back The Benefit of CSR Efforts at Events By Chloe LaBelle Extravagant, Budget-Conscious Events Creating Memorable and Emotional Experiences By Maura Keller FICP 2023 Annual Conference Preview By I&FMM Staff 6 10 50 Publisher’s Message News & Notes Inside Job Five Ways to Unlock the Power of Your Employees’ Desires By Gary Harpst Corporate Ladder 26 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 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 Cyber-Tech Cruising Not to take anything away from land-based partners, but planning an incentive or meetings based cruise has never been easier, both on planner’s budgets and agenda goals. Once thought of only as an incentive option because of its many ad- vantages, an all-inclusive pricing structure, built-in entertainment and full charter capability — cruising has gone cyber-tech with cutting edge technol- ogy. Today, ships are outfitted to meet just about any technological challenge that might come up, including state-of-the-art video and audio systems to satisfy planner’s needs. Aside from the obvious, planners can customize everything from in-room televi- sion messages to information in multiple languages along with email, fax and com- puter modem capabilities. Cruise lines offer incentive program pas- sengers the most technologically advanced interactive on-board entertainment experi- ence available on any cruise ship. The pan- demic obviously canceled many incentive travel plans. However, now the excitement in the cruise industry is reflected by planner bookings, espe- cially with a diverse offering of ports, itineraries and activities. Obviously, land-based hotels and resorts are eyeing these developments with great interest. In fact, many hotels and resorts have entered into ar- rangements with cruise lines to offer pre and post stays for your meeting and incentive program participants. With new ships and itineraries choices becoming available, to help you navigate your way through the myriad of choices, planners should contact their favorite MICE cruise line representative to find out the itinerary to successfully book their program. Now is the time to join the new wave of incentive cruises as the future is now! 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. © 2023 www.themeetingmagazines.com Reintroducing the South’s grandest destination. Make your next meeting anything but conventional. Discover The Omni Homestead Resort, a destination unlike any other, recently revitalized with an extensive $150 million investment. Special rates available for January - May 2024. THEOMNIHOMESTEAD.COM 888-796-5838 An American ENCORE. themeetingmagazines.com 4 OCTOBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE |Reintroducing the South’s grandest destination. Make your next meeting anything but conventional. Discover The Omni Homestead Resort, a destination unlike any other, recently revitalized with an extensive $150 million investment. Special rates available for January - May 2024. THEOMNIHOMESTEAD.COM 888-796-5838 An American ENCORE.MCLEAN, VA — Through an expanded agreement with Tesla, Hilton announced that beginning early next year, up to 20,000 Tesla Universal Wall Connectors are slated to be installed at 2,000 hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, making Hilton’s planned EV charging network the largest of any hospitality company. With at least six chargers at each of the selected hotels, Hil- ton will become the first choice for the dramatically increasing number of travelers who drive electric vehicles. This announce- ment follows the recent launch of Tesla’s Universal Wall Connec- tor, a product designed to seam- lessly charge any North American vehicle model, expanding Tesla’s efforts to make great charging available to all EVs. “We applaud Hilton for their leadership in the space and look forward to continu- ing to ramp this critical program with other industry leaders,” said Rebecca Tinucci, senior director of charging infrastructure, Tesla. For more information, visit stories.hilton.com/ev. BOSTON, MA — Meet Boston, formerly known as The Greater Boston Conven- tion & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB), has- shifted from a membership model to a partnership model. The purpose of the shift, according to Meet Boston Execu- tive Vice President Hilina D. Ajakaiye, is “to continually expand our partnership network to businesses and attractions of all sizes, in a variety of sectors, and all neighborhoods of Boston and beyond.” Meet Boston aims to bring the promise of the visitor economy to a broader con- stituency, creating more equity in how visitor dollars get spent throughout the entire destination. Meet Boston provides industry net- working forums, acts as a conduit to local leadership, and shares specialized, educational workshops. Longstanding programs will be supplemented by new initiatives, including quarterly educa- tional programming and workshops. RENO, NV — Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV, announced what will be the largest private capital investment in the city’s history. Plans are underway to infuse approximately $1 billion into the existing 140-acre property over the next decade. The centerpiece of this visionary project is a cutting-edge arena, designed to host various events such as concerts, special events, basketball VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA — Following the release of the 2023 annual Global Destination Sustainability-Index (GDS- Index) results, there are 20 Canadian destinations participating in the Index, according to an announcement by Destination Canada. Sixteen cities are participating in Destination Canada’s Canadian Business Event Sustainability Plan. This not only speaks to the cities’ commitment to be sustainable hosts for international events but signals the beginning of the final phase of the plan. Launched last spring, this plan is a first- of-its-kind national program aimed at improving the economic, socio-cultural and environmental sustainability practices of business events hosted in Canada. The GDS-Index is the world’s leading sustainability performance program for urban tourism and events destinations worldwide. Using 69 indicators as its guide, the index evaluates destinations across four key areas from environmental and social progress to supplier and destination management performance. HISTORIC $1 BILLION PRIVATE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR GRAND SIERRA RESORT CANADA EMERGES AS A SUSTAINABLE HOST FOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS MEET BOSTON ENHANCES PARTNERSHIP MODEL WITH UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS HILTON’S EV CHARGING NETWORK TO BE LARGEST IN INDUSTRY themeetingmagazines.com 6 OCTOBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | INDUSTRY NEWS | CAESARS MEANS BUSINESS 7340661-8.125x10.875-mtg-insuranceadresize-v1.indd 14/17/23 11:39 AM games, and other sports, with a capacity exceeding 10,000 seats. The Arena will span approximately 300,000 sf and offer contemporary amenities, including suites and premium hospitality clubs. In addition, there will be a com- prehensive beautification of Grand Bay, including the creation of a golf facility and entertainment destination, a scenic walking path and a captivat- ing water show. Plans are also in place for an 800- room hotel tower and parking garages. To learn more about the new Grand Sierra Resort arena, visit renoarena.com. Each of the selected Hilton hotels will have at least six chargers. © 2023 HILTON A 10,000-seat arena will offer contemporary amenities, including suites and premium hospitality clubs. COURTESY PHOTOCAESARS MEANS BUSINESS TucsonOnUs.com See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2026 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account. FIND OUT MORE | TucsonOnUs.com WIDE OPEN SPACES themeetingmagazines.com 8 OCTOBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT BROWARD COUNTY, FL — The first new- build terminal in decades for the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Air- port (FLL) has just broken ground, mark- ing the start of construction on the site of the airport’s new Terminal 5 (T5) project. T5 is a two-level, five-gate domestic terminal with check-in/ticketing areas, arrival/departure baggage processing, a security screening checkpoint, and retail/food and beverage concessions. The estimated $404 million state- of-the-art facility will connect to the existing onsite Cypress parking garage and Terminal 4 through multi-level pedestrian bridges or walkways. Preliminary work on the approximately 230,000 sf terminal set to rise on the east side of Terminal 4 has commenced. Con- struction should take about three years for a targeted completion in mid-2026. T5 will add incremental gate capac- ity at FLL that, together with other upcoming capital development projects (earmarked to provide more gates), will better position the airport to meet future aviation demand. Industry forecast mod- els project FLL to grow from 35 million annual passengers today to nearly 52 million within 20 years. The new termi- nal will accommodate 4-5 million pas- sengers annually. The carriers expected to operate in T5 will be determined later. MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Meet Minneapolis has announced that the final week of the summer recorded the highest weekly demand for hotel rooms in Minneapolis since just before the pandemic began. More than 56,000 hotel rooms were occu- pied from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, thanks to events throughout the city and region, including the 2023 Gay Softball World Series. That week capped a successful summer as major events — many of which were booked by Meet Minneapolis — translated into significantly improved overall performance for Minneapolis hotels. From Memorial Day to Labor Day this year, demand for hotel rooms in Minneapolis increased nearly 11% compared to last summer. Last June, with Taylor Swift concerts, the Twin Cities Pride Festival and the Kiwanis International Convention all taking place in the city, Minneapolis set a new all-time record for total hotel rooms occupied on a weekend with 19,531. KINGSTON, JAMAICA — Ranked as one of the world’s leading destinations for tourism, Jamaica is one of the “Top Islands” in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 in ‘The ‘Caribbean & The Atlantic’ category. Several Jamaican hotels and resorts were recognized in this year’s top 10 awards. In addition, seven hotels and resorts were voted to be among the best. In the Best Caribbean and Central American Hotels category, S Hotel Jamaica took the #1 spot of the top 10, followed by Jamaica Inn at #7. S Hotel Jamaica was also ranked #16 in the Best Hotels in the World category out of 50 hotels that made the list. A total of five Jamaican resorts were also ranked in the Best Caribbean Resorts category, including Half Moon (#10), Round Hill Hotel & Villas (#18), Rockhouse (#31), Sandals South Coast (#33), and Sandals Negril (#35) out of 40 that were ranked. To see all the win- ners, visit cntraveler.com/inspiration/readers-choice-awards. DALLAS, TX — Freeman, the global leader in events, announced a part- nership with 42Chat to introduce conversational AI chatbots to sup- port attendee engagement for trade show and conference organizers. The conversational AI solution will pro- vide Freeman customers with web and SMS AI chatbots for pre-show, during and post-show communica- tions to help attendees with real- time needs like finding registration, locating an exhibit and much more. “We are thrilled to partner with Freeman,” said Bob Caldwell, co-founder of 42Chat. “Freeman works with the leading brands and organizers in the industry, and this partnership will introduce 42Chat to new organizations and allow for easy setup and deployment of our system across a wide-cross sec- tion of events.” For more information about Freeman, please visit freeman. com. To learn more about 42Chat, visit 42chat.com. FREEMAN PARTNERS WITH 42CHAT TO DELIVER AI CUSTOMER SERVICE SOLUTIONS MINNEAPOLIS SEES HIGH DEMAND FOR HOTEL ROOMS JAMAICA RANKS AMONG TOP ISLANDS IN READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS FLL AIRPORT HOSTS GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW TERMINAL A rendering of new Terminal 5, a $404 million state-of- the-art facility. COURTESY PHOTO PHOTO BY LANE PELOVSKY / COURTESY OF MEET MINNEAPOLIS COURTESY PHOTO Half Moon Resort, Montego Bay, JamaicaTucsonOnUs.com See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2026 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account. FIND OUT MORE | TucsonOnUs.com WIDE OPEN SPACESNext >