THE BENEFITS THE BENEFITS OF CAE OF CAE CERTIFICATIONCERTIFICATION PAGE 26 IN THIS ISSUE TRADE SHOW SECRETS PLANNING ACCESSIBLE EVENTS SAVVY SCHEDULING BAHAMAS & CARIBBEAN LAS VEGAS TEXAS Courtesy of Tracy Ginsburg A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION MARCH 2024 VOL. 17 NO. 2 $15.00Elevate your next meeting in Marina del Rey, L.A.’s favorite seaside playground. Seven resort-style waterfront hotels and dozens of dockside restaurants strike the perfect balance between Los Angeles’s chic sophistication and SoCal’s coastal style – all just four miles from LAX. VisitMDR.com26 DEPARTMENTS DESTINATIONS FEATURES 44 34 18 VIEWPOINTS 12 Innovation + Connection A New Recipe for Meeting Engagement BY LUX NARAYAN 18 Modern & Experiential Exhibits Trade Shows that Sparkle with Engagement BY MAURA KELLER 22 Game Changer Inclusive & Accessible Gatherings BY MAURA KELLER 26 CAE Certification Great Benefits to an Association Planner’s Career BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS 30 Savvy Scheduling It’s Not What You’re Spending, But How You’re Scheduling BY MARLENE GOLDMAN 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 50 Career Track 34 Bahamas | Caribbean Sun-Seekers Come Together in the Caribbean BY MAURA KELLER 40 Las Vegas Meetings Buzz Escalates at Entertainment Capital of the World BY DAN JOHNSON 44 A Taste of Texas Where Business and Leisure Mix Beautifully BY MAURA KELLER 16 Why Is “NO” So Painful? Tips for Entrepreneurs Who Can’t Slow Down BY JULIE BEE ISSN 21628831 | USPS 003500 | A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION | MARCH 2024 | VOLUME 17 | NUMBER 2 MARCH 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 3 ISSUECONTENTSA 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 Alana Castillas 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. 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Provide old and new addresses including zip code. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. ©2024 Harvey Grotsky Publisher Opening Late 2024 28,670 SF Indoor Space 11,177 SF Outdoor Space 5,600 SF Pre-function Space 6,000 SF Pool Deck Space Fifteen Meeting Rooms Three Ballrooms Meetings & Events FORT LAUDERDALE Spectacular waterfront events are on the horizon... PIERSIXTYSIX.COM linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMARCH 2024 PUBLISHER’SMESSAGE 4 Cultivating an Effective Barometer of Professionalism in the Workplace H ave you ever thought about how working in this age of instant gratification and immediate compliance differs from the years gone by? Our society’s inbred impatience has led to such wondrous innovations as high-speed computers, AI and other technology advances to facilitate planning meetings and conventions. How- ever, there is a downside to this modern-day compulsion. In more personal terms, a measure of this “I want it right now” mindset has crept into the thought pro- cesses governing our everyday routines, actions and practices. We are people, not machines. And as such, we don’t come factory-equipped with on/off switches. Our consciousness defines the cumula- tive total of our daily actions as life itself. Where is all this philosophical scene-set- ting taking us? Right into the heart of the association meeting planner workplace, that’s where! Association meeting plan- ners are not very different from any other association professional charged with administering a major function of their association’s operations. Meeting plan- ning and management is a barometer of professionalism and should be recognized as such. But how does one acknowledge professionalism? The professional learns what is needed to succeed, doesn’t stop until the goal is successfully completed and excels because they won’t accept a job done poorly. Prioritizing your efforts and apportioning your time efficiently can help you plan successful events. It may not be recommended to take work home, but working for success is considerably more than a 9-5 job.Opening Late 2024 28,670 SF Indoor Space 11,177 SF Outdoor Space 5,600 SF Pre-function Space 6,000 SF Pool Deck Space Fifteen Meeting Rooms Three Ballrooms Meetings & Events FORT LAUDERDALE Spectacular waterfront events are on the horizon... PIERSIXTYSIX.COMthemeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMARCH 20246 NEWS & NOTES Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority Welcomes New President NEW ORLEANS — Governor Jeff Landry has appointed Russell W. Allen as the new President of the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority, the governing board of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Con- vention Center (NOENMCC). Allen is founder and CEO of K-Solv Group LLC, a Houston-based group of eight businesses operating throughout the country that is focused on maritime, energy, environmental and industrial interests comprised of businesses Allen either founded or acquired. The portfolio includes a globally recognized chemical distribution entity ranked 14th in the United States, a nationally recognized environmental response company, a renewable fuels company, safety supply business and an oilfield service company. In addition to Allen’s professional expertise, he serves on the board of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and is an active member of the National Association of Chemical Distributors. Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB Appoints Jay Tusa as Tourism Director NAPLES, FL — The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has announced that they have appointed Jay Tusa as their new Tour- ism Director. With more than 25 years of experience in the travel industry, Tusa most recently served as Assistant Air- port Director, Strategy and Development at Pensacola International Airport. Prior to this role, Tusa served as the Execu- tive Director of Visit South Walton. He also served as Director of Marketing for Explore Ashe- ville, as Corporate Director of Marketing for St. Joe Hospitality, as Director of Com- munications and Research for Louisiana Office of Tourism, and as Executive Direc- tor of River Parishes Tourist Commission. Throughout his career, Tusa has also been actively involved in various notable indus- try associations. WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Travel Asso- ciation Exec. VP of Public Affairs & Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued a statement applauding Congress for directing funding to address exces- sive visitor visa interview wait times and urging the State Department to deploy these resources as quickly as possible. She also urged Congress to consider other critical measures like the Visa Processing Improve- ment Act (S.2632) to modernize the entire visa process. WASHINGTON D.C. — ASAE will hold its Executive Leadership Forum 2024 for senior-level association leaders June 23-25, 2024, at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The two-day Exec- utive Leadership Forum (ELF) is designed as a concentrated learning and networking opportunity for association CEOs and C-suite leaders to explore challenges and opportuni- ties facing their organizations. Highly interactive in format design, ELF fos- ters conversations and peer-to-peer engagement to increase understanding, knowledge sharing and insightful application. Leading the forum is ELF provocateur Lori Anderson, FASAE, CAE, president and CEO, International Sign Asso- ciation. “ASAE is excited to work with our partners at Destination Canada Busi- ness Events to bring ELF to Toronto for 2024,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. For more information about ASAE’s Executive Leadership Forum, please visit asaecenter.org. ASAE’s Exec. Leadership Forum Coming Soon Tusa U.S. Travel Applauds Much-Needed Funding to Lower Visitor Visa Wait Times Mason AllenMARCH 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 7 CHICAGO, IL – On March 22, United Airlines made an announcement that the Federal Aviation Administration will step up their examination of multiple areas of their operation. This follows recent issues that have taken place affecting safety, includ- ing an engine fire, a plane losing a tire and the outer fuselage falling off of a jet. Sasha Johnson, United’s vice president of corporate safety, said in a note to employ- ees, “Over the next several weeks, we will begin to see more of an FAA presence in our operation. We welcome their engage- ment and are very open to hear from them about what they find and their perspective on things we may need to change to make us even safer.” A spokesperson for the FAA said that their oversight “focuses on an airline’s compliance with applicable regulations; ability to identify hazards, assess and miti- gate risk, and effectively manage safety.” CEMA Announces New Leadership CHICAGO, IL — PCMA and CEMA president and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE announced Brian Mason as CEMA’s Vice President, Strategy and Operations. Mason joins the CEMA team follow- ing 14+ years as a senior- level global event strategist with Salesforce. “The CEMA community continues to create indus- try-leading educational content and high-impact professional networking opportuni- ties, while driving groundbreaking thinking to help advance the global business events industry,” said Karamat. “Brian’s leadership will be integral with PCMA and the CEMA Advisory Board as we continue to collaborate to develop new value opportunities for members and business partners that leverage the combination of two of the global business events industry’s most pow- erful communities.” AMEX GBT To Acquire CWT NEW YORK, NY — American Express Global Business Travel, which is oper- ated by Global Business Travel Group, Inc., a leading B2B software and services company for travel and expense, has announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CWT, a global busi- ness travel and meetings solutions pro- vider. After the acquisition closes, CWT customers would have access to Amex GBT’s proprietary software and services for travel and expense, including Neo1, Neo and Egencia, in addition to Select, which enables customers to integrate with leading technology partners. Cus- tomers would have access to the broadest portfolio of professional services, includ- ing meetings and events, consulting and sustainability solutions and Amex GBT’s marketplace would provide access to the most comprehensive and competitive content in the industry. FAA To Step Up Oversight On United Airlines Get the lowest price when you book direct at www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hhhrshh Retreat to our isle of renewed paradise at Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa Hilton Head. Relax in our well-appointed guest rooms and enjoy a sea of outdoor activities. Take in a round of golf at our Championship courses. Soak up exquisite beach vistas from your private balcony and enjoy an unforgettable stay by the shoreline. Come For The Meeting, Stay For Everything Else Masonraise the bar in bourbon city. GoToLouisville.com/MeetNEWS & NOTES WEBSTER, TX — A brand new Great Wolf Lodge is opening October 18 in Webster, Texas. This is the second one in Texas and the 22nd Great Wolf Lodge overall. The water park is the marquee location for every Great Wolf Lodge. At this 95,000 sf water park, guests can careen down slides, jump over waves, float down a lazy river and get drenched. The water park’s centerpiece attraction is Otter Cave Waterworks, a multi-level, interactive water play structure with intertwined “leaking” water pipes, spray jets, four twisting body slides and Great Wolf Lodge’s signature, 1,000-gallon tip- ping bucket. In total, the indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge Texas Gulf Coast will feature 13 slides, three pools and two interactive water play zones. This expansive 532 room resort sits on 27 acres of scenic land. In addition, they have 13,351 sf of meeting space and two breakout rooms available. For more information, visit great- wolf.com/webster. GBTA Launches Industry’s First Global Sustainable Procurement Standards WASHINGTON D.C. — The GBTA Foun- dation has launched GBTA Sustainable Procurement Standards, an educational resource that corporate travel buyers worldwide can utilize to make informed procurement decisions and deliver on their organization’s sustainability objectives. They help ensure suppliers are better pre- pared to respond to procurement-related requests in a harmonized way by providing a standard set of questions for assessing the sustainability practices of current or potential vendors, partners and suppliers. The standards are a list of relevant ques- tions and considerations adaptable to companies’ environmental, social and gov- ernance (ESG) priorities and development level. An educational guide is included. The Sustainable Procurement Standards are available on the GBTA Foundation website. Additionally, GBTA is hosting a Sus- tainable Travel Management course at their convention for corporate travel managers to learn more about the practi- cal application of climate action and the management, reduction and tracking of carbon emissions from business travel. To learn more about the GBTA Foun- dation, go to www.gbtafoundation.org. BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — Radisson Hotel Group has unveiled its pioneering Radisson Meetings Unbound value proposition and AI- powered Radisson Meetings Dream Machine. Planners will be able to use technology to generate new ideas, share event inspiration and bring their imagination to life. The group’s Radisson Meetings Dream Machine is an AI tool that allows planners to create visually stunning representations of their dream event spaces, and more. The group is also organizing a series of workshops and “infin- ity rooms” in key destinations. This is an immersive experience designed to help planners step out of their comfort zone. Entering an almost pitch-black meeting room, participants are led through a series of deep-focus visual- ization exercises to help them think about the current challenges they face when organizing meetings and how to navigate these constraints, by placing emphasis on sensory experiences such as lighting and sound. As organizers progress through the event planning process, the room gradually lightens, revealing infinity patterns designed to facilitate collaborative innovation. In-house event teams can also show different meeting room set-ups in real-time through smartphones or VR goggles. For more information, visit radissonhotels.com/en-us/ meeting-conference-hotels/ meetings-unbound. Radisson Hotel Group Launches Visionary AI Technology For Planners Located near Houston, TX, the Great Wolf Lodge will open this fall featuring a 95,000 sf indoor water park kept at a perfect 84 degrees year-round. Great Wolf Lodge Second Texas Resort Unveils New Opening Date COURTESY RENDERING COURTESY PHOTO MARCH 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 9Next >