Corporate Travel Destinations

The world is peppered with event destinations and conference centers. Almost every large city has several, and even smaller towns are starting to create event space or renovate older buildings to bring conference visitors. However, many of them are reusing unique sites and unusual existing buildings ad business for convention space. Brussels is one of the best examples of this unique venue space.

Brussels Events Brewery

Brussels is one of the world centers for brewing “liquid bread.” The Events Brewery provides space for up to 40,000 people, and offers high tech support and sound proof walls for space division.

Van Buuren Museum

Featuring some of the world masters, this art museum also has space for smaller events. After attending an event in the garden or their art deco lounge, participants can enjoy five hundred years of world-class art.

The Atomium

Engineer André Waterkeyn designed this amazing building, which was renovated in 2004 and is now available for meetings and receptions. For an idea of just how remarkable this building is, go to www.atomium.de.

The number of wonderful event centers in Brussels does not end here. Many museums, breweries, hotels, historical buildings, and more make Brussels an ideal choice for a European destination meeting or conference. Check with Belgian tourism groups for more information, or simply do an internet search to find the many choices available to you in this beautiful country.

You’ve heard the term “finding a needle in the haystack.” You’ve probably experienced its meaning firsthand several times over, especially if you are a corporate meeting planner who has had to look for activities and diversions outside the meeting. However, sometimes it’s not enough to find a needle–it needs to be a certain kind of needle, a golden one that will make sure your client never forgets you (in a good way). Think about activities like this when you are trying to find the perfect diversion for your travelers.

Historic Tours

There are almost always tours of a city sponsored by a historical society or foundation. These are often by bus. Some tours are not guided, such as the various tours of San Francisco–you just get on the streetcar and follow the signs, getting off when you wish to view the area in more detail. Continue reading »

Lately it seems that a lot of countries–including parts of the United States–are suffering from bad report cards on crime safety. Mexico may be suffering more than most with the reports of drug cartel violence and kidnappings. However, if a traveler uses common sense in all situations–and is aware of his or her surroundings–the environment becomes much friendlier.

First Step to Safety–Leave Valuables at Home

You don’t need a diamond necklace on a trip to Cancun even if others in your group have told you they are bringing theirs. They may get theirs stolen but you won’t. The same goes for identification. Get a passport holder that stays close to your body on an elastic strap, but only take the identification you need–you likely don’t need to bring your social security card. Continue reading »

Whether your conference attendees are going to Las Vegas or Moscow, you will need to provide lots of information for them regarding health and safety. While a great source of up-to-date information is the United States State Department, you should also have a counterpart in the host country who can give you the details of the culture your travelers are entering.

Safety

In general, there are overall safety tips for all travelers. Leave valuables at home, keep your money and credit cards close to your body in a traveler’s pack, don’t bring any more identification than is necessary (and for the love of Pete leave your social security card home), among others. However, make sure your attendees know what areas of the town and country are unsafe, where hospitals and police stations are, and equipment them with emergency numbers.

Health

If they are traveling out of their hometowns, states, or the country, they need to make sure their insurance will cover doctor and hospital stays if there should be an accident or illness. They should also be well advised on pre-trip preparations as well as where the local health clinics are that serve outsiders. Many foreign countries actually have American hospitals. Make sure they have phone numbers and maps.

In general, while you are not responsible for the safety and health preparations of your client’s travelers, you want to provide a thorough service. However, the best reason for preparing all of this for them is that you care. Your client will remember that.

So you have planned a meeting on foreign soil. It’s not even that foreign, it’s Canada for Pete’s sake. What can go wrong?

If you have ever said those words in those circumstances, you already know how wrong that was. No matter where people are traveling outside the U.S. borders, there are rules and regulations. It’s difficult–if not impossible–to know them all, and they change frequently

In the May, 2009 issue of “Smart Meetings,” John Anderson illustrates that  point very well with an example from Canadian entry regulations in his article “Bienvenidos Bienvenue and Welcome.” Not only does one now need a passport to travel into the country by any means, Canadian officials can deny a traveler entry for having a criminal record. And who could blame them? However, it becomes important in that case to understand what a criminal record is. Continue reading »

If you have a client who wants a special activity included in a meeting package–and there is a river in that city–your problem is solved. Many people who would not normally enjoy a cruise on the seas might love a river cruise, and almost any city with a major river in or near it will have a wonderful river cruise package.

Some of the favorite river cruise packages for business meetings include regions like Egypt, Europe, and even China. These destinations are exciting anyway, but adding a river cruise makes the experience unforgettable. Participants will see the beauty that seems to line riverbanks all over the world, learn about local cultures, and enjoy great food and beverage selections. Continue reading »

To supplement housing for this prestigious meeting, where leaders of 53 Commonwealth countries will convene to discuss global, political and economic issues, Landry & Kling has secured two ships on behalf of the GORTT, Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas and Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess, which will be docked within walking distance of the Hyatt Regency, the host venue.  In addition to supplementing local accommodations with up to 2,500 more sleeping rooms, the ships will also function as adjunct convention facilities and dining venues to complement the Hyatt Hotel.  A host of meetings will be held on board the two cruise ships, and a casino will be transformed into a trade show with up to 20 table-top exhibits.

During the recent Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Princess Cruises’ “floating hotel” Caribbean Princess was the venue for 2 days of Plenary Sessions, luncheons, and Closing Ceremonies for the Private Sector Forum and for all Youth Forum Events on April 15-16. The ship was docked adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.

“We are thrilled and honored to have been chosen to play a pivotal role in making this important gathering a success,” said Joyce Landry, CEO of Landry & Kling.  She added, “This project has been months in the making, and we look forward to putting our creativity and expertise to work on behalf of this prestigious event.”

As with any meeting of global governments, and particularly one as multifaceted as this is, there are a number of key aspects beyond the housing element that come into play for the Landry & Kling team, such as government protocol, security, multiple event logistics and the efficient flow of thousands of people from venue to venue to ensure a seamless operation.

While the actual CHOGM retreat will take place from November 27-29, the ships will arrive in Port of Spain on November 22nd and 23rd, as will participants for parallel events such as the Youth Forum and the Commonwealth Business Forum.  To accommodate the week-long activities, Landry & Kling will be staffed 30 strong in strategic locations – the airport, cruise terminal, accreditation centers, and on board the ships – to ensure the event is staged with exact precision and flow.

As the premier company organising cruise events around the globe for more than 27 years, providing additional housing where demand for accommodations outstrips supply, has been one of Landry & Kling’s hallmarks.
What the concept of floating hotels means is that port cities and destinations around the world who never dreamed of hosting world class events and meetings can now vie for their share of the pie.

Beverly Khan, Deputy National Coordinator for the National Secretariat said, “Landry & Kling was the invisible force that brought it all together” during the Fifth Summit of the Americas.  She noted that the cruise event specialists provided close to 3,000 rooms for attendees and a venue for pre-Summit events and planning sessions ranging from 400 to over 1,000 people for various parallel events including a live simulcast onboard the vessels for the opening ceremony followed by receptions onboard.

About Landry & Kling

Landry & Kling, cruise event specialists and pioneers of the meetings-at-sea concept, provide turnkey solutions for the planning and implementation of global meetings and events-at-sea.  Throughout its 27-year history of creating and delivering highly personalized, results-driven and unforgettable cruise events, Landry & Kling’s services and expertise has been in incentive travel, ship buy-outs, multiple dockside ship charters for global events and other on-board corporate functions, from site selection and ship sourcing, to contract negotiations and custom cruise planning.

In April 2009, Landry & Kling co-founders Jo Kling and Joyce Landry were inducted into the CLIA Hall of Fame, recognizing their significant contributions and innovations in the cruise industry.  The company, which is based in Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, is certified as a diversity supplier by WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and was been named among the Top Small Businesses in the United States by DiversityBusiness.com.

In an unprecedented move that will revolutionize the cruise industry, this fall Landry & Kling will debut Seasite.com, the only online cruise platform for meeting and event planners.  (www.seasite.com)

For more information on Landry & Kling, visit www.landrykling.com or call 800-448-9002.

If you think of the color light tan when someone mentions Egypt, you’re simply not thinking enough. Sure, lots of Egypt is that color, including the sand and some of the ancient man-made structures. But there is so much more that the pyramid-and-sphinx cliché just doesn’t do it justice anymore.

First of all, there are some world-class properties in Egypt. Not only will you find hotels like the Four Seasons in Cairo, there are plenty of river cruise ships that are accommodating enough to hold meetings, entertain travelers, and display Egypt’s extraordinary beauty–you can book your travelers’ entire meeting trip on one of the river cruises.

Although some folks complain about the vendors hassling travelers all the time–and admittedly it can be a little aggravating–some of them actually have gifts you might want to bring back for the folks left behind. The vendors do try push as much on the tourist as they can, but understand it’s how they feed their families, and they won’t waste time following you around if you ignore them. Time is money to them. Continue reading »

Every now and then we get a chance to do something special in life. If you are a corporate meeting planner, you may get the opportunity in the form of booking a meeting in a foreign country. If your client is leaning towards Europe, your job is not complete until you have researched Portugal.

Lisbon, Portugal

One of the biggest concerns to travelers is a friendly atmosphere. Portugal is positioning itself to be important in that regard by offering great properties, resorts, service, and even private guides when appropriate. Running a close second is concern about food. Portugal and neighboring Spain are world-renowned for cuisine and a wide range of foods.

On top of all that, Portugal is home to world-class scenery, complete with old-world architectural flair. You can tour the cities as much as you like and never run out of things to see. You can also get out into the countryside, where you will see the lush wineries of Portugal. Everything from port to white wine is made there, and day trips with tastings are always popular activities for travelers.

As with other foreign destinations, make sure your travelers are aware of entry and exit requirements, have the proper identification and passports, and are informed about currency exchange and other details. Then turn them loose to enjoy the riches Portugal has to offer.

On any given day, you can see evidence of just one more way that the H1N1 or so called Swine Flu has changed travel. Any agent who doesn’t wonder where it will stop is not very informed. While the answer to this question remains open and changes often, one thing is for certain: no one wants to go to a foreign country for corporate travel and be quarantined.

It is more than understandable that countries use quarantines to stop the spread, especially in places like China, where many of the people live in close quarters. However, H1N1 pops up in various places anyway. The May 11, 2009 issue of “Travel Weekly” printed an amusing sidebar about all the strange things people have done in response to the scare, especially the World Health Organization (WHO). They not only changed their definition of “pandemic” to me less definite (?), but even more peculiar one of their representatives suggested that there should be a contest to see if someone can come up with a “more user-friendly name” for the disease.

If you are expecting an answer here to the question of how your job as planner will change over the coming influenza months, you will be disappointed. However, it can be said with confidence that you will need to stay abreast of all H1N1 developments as well as keep yourself updated continuously on how foreign countries–as well as the U.S.–are handling incoming visitors. The last thing you want is to send a large group of people from a prominent company to a foreign country, only to have them cooped up until after their event is over.

Be informed and be successful.