Meeting News - March 10, 2008 - (Page 68)

This is major: How to tailor force majeure clauses remember it like it was yesterday… I had a program located in the southeastern United States in August. The group was on site when we got the weather report: Tropical storms were brewing in the Caribbean and picking up speed. Hurricane-force winds were likely to hit my coastal destination city the following day. Attendees and exhibitors were clearly concerned—so concerned that about half changed their flight arrangements and hopped on planes to anywhere just to get out of the area. I or even in part—as it did mine—it’s good to be confident that you have a solid contract that will —Emily Lewis protect your interests. r Emily Lewis plans meetings for meeting planners—no easy task! She is the conference manager for MeetingNews and sister magazine Successful Meetings,organizing multiple Successful Meetings University events across the country each year. Planner Emily Lewis Like any good planner, I sat tight and briefed my team every hour with weather reports and evacuation plans. But I also had to make dramatic, lastminute changes to my program regarding how to move forward with F&B events, room nights, ground transfers, and a thousand details. It was a nerve-wracking process, to be sure. My headquarters property was extremely accommodating, given that the circumstances were totally beyond anyone’s control. But in the middle of reorganizing my program, the force majeure clause in my contract was not exactly the first thing on my mind. I just wanted to minimize the damage to my program. After the storm passed, though, I certainly thought twice about how to protect my programs better from these kinds of unexpected events, and I got in touch with a pro to help me refine the force majeure clauses for my programs. For our upcoming Successful Meetings University – Hawaii, I’m bringing the advice to you. John Foster, an attorney and counsel whose firm, Foster, Jensen & Gulley LLC, specializes in the legal aspects of meetings, conventions, trade shows, and special events, will present “Why Bad Things Happen to Good Meetings,” a great overview of what a force majeure clause typically covers for a meeting or convention and how planners can tailor this important contract clause to address the very real challenges that they face today: • Political upheaval or terrorist threats • Sudden and destructive weather (hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, snowstorms) • Infectious diseases, such as SARS or avian flu • Power outages • Major strikes and labor disputes Foster will discuss how planners can include allowances for partial termination and negotiate for more lenient program-performance standards in the contract language. He will also show planners how to be specific in the language of the force majeure clause while also being inclusive of unforeseen events. A force majeure clause isn’t meant to be an “easy way out” for either party of the contract. But should a catastrophic event affect your program as a whole, Join me… Successful Meetings University Marketplaces that Educate & Connect Successful Meetings University – Hawaii DATE: May 13-15 CITY: Wailea, Maui, HI PROPERTY: Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa *Optional Post Trips to Oahu, Kauai, or Big Island May 16-19 EXHIBITORS Big Island Visitors Bureau • Fairmont Kea Lani • Hawaii Convention Center • Hawaii Prince Hotels • Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau • Hawaiian Airlines • Hilton Kauai Beach Resort • Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio • Hyatt Kauai • Hyatt Maui • Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa • Kaua'i Visitors Bureau • Marriott International Hawaiian Island Hotels • Maui Prince Hotel • Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau • Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows • Polynesian Cultural Center • Sheraton Kauai Resort • Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa • Sheraton Maui Resort • St. Regis Resort, Princeville • Starwood Hotels & Resorts Waikiki • The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii • The Kahala Hotel & Resort • The Westin Maui Resort & Spa • Turtle Bay Resort • Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa • Weil & Associates Destination Update: Maui, Hawaii For the first time this May, the Successful Meetings University – Hawaii event will be held on the magical island of Maui. The boutique trade show will take place at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and attending planners will have ample opportunities to experience the resort as well as savor the island’s inspiring surroundings. From the dramatic Haleakala crater to the welltraveled road to Hana, Maui offers a diverse and picturesque backdrop for meetings. The program also features lunch at the Fairmont Kea Lani, an evening reception and torch lighting ceremony at the Sheraton Maui Resort, dinner at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa, breakfast at the Maui Prince Hotel, and an evening excursion to the historic whaling village of Lahaina. Visit our Successful Meetings University website, www.MeetingNews.com/SMU, for the latest information about these programs, and feel free to e-mail any questions about the events to emily.lewis@nielsen.com. We’re expecting to hear from you! 68 MeetingNews March 10, 2008 www.meetingnews.com http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/events/marketplace.jsp http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/events/marketplace.jsp http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/events/marketplace.jsp http://www.MeetingNews.com/SMU http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - March 10, 2008

Meeting News - March 10, 2008
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Advertisers Index
MN Webcast Report
Successful Meetings University
Live from the Forum
PASSPORT: Guide to Int'l Marketplace

Meeting News - March 10, 2008