All posts by Timothy Herrick

Conference centers weathered the economic downturn due in large part to their business-focused, budget-friendly model. And now that the economy is on the upswing, the corporate demand for conference centers is rising right along with it.

As a leading revenue producer for associations and their events, education programs have never been more important.

Medical meetings may have survived the economic downturn, but 2013 brings additional challenges to pharma meetings in the name of the Affordable Care Act. The most sweeping federal health care legislation since Medicare in the 1960s, this controversial law has dominated political debates ever since its 2009 passage. Because most provisions of the law go […]

The theory of ethics may have been conceived by Aristotle, but defining what constitutes ethical planning behavior has never been more complex, and the potential impact on a career rarely so dire. Meeting planners have long worked under a code of ethics, but those lines defining ethics are not as clear they were a decade […]

Advancing through the meeting planning and incentive travel program profession now requires deciphering the alphabet soup of certifications. Like many professions, planners serious about their career must constantly prove competency by acquiring certifications, and augmenting job experience by participating in continuing educational programs. But making sense of the acronyms has gotten trickier. A range of […]

Environmental awareness has evolved from a well-intentioned notion to public and private policies and standards. However, before insurance and financial meetings professionals can even think about incorporating sustainability practices into their events, they must be prepared to measure and prove a return on the “green” investment.

In just a few short years, Las Vegas and Reno have successfully reinvented themselves, adapting to new economic realities.

When it came to cruise ships as a venue for incentive programs and meetings, the potential was long acknowledged, but far from being maximized. Cruise lines are now actively cultivating the meeting and incentive (M&I) market with new onboard amenities and services designed specifically for meetings and events.

Even if the meeting content is stellar — from the presenters to their presentations — the attendance is robust and the destination is unforgettable, when the food and beverage fall below expectations, the entire event is undermined if not forgettable.

New Orleans has been sprucing up. Throughout 2012, new hotels and significant renovations of classic properties came online, and new restaurants and attractions opened, augmenting the legendary dining and nightlife of the Big Easy.