Meeting News - September 22, 2008 - (Page 18) CVBs The Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau is enticing planners with discounts and special offers with its Chicago Select program, a “toolkit” found on its website that contains values on air travel and ground transportation, hotel accommodations, retail, and cultural experiences available during the first quarters of 2009, 2010, and 2011. The Chicago Select program has enlisted a roster of partner suppliers, including American Airlines (which has a hub at Chicago O’Hare); hotel chains Crowne Plaza, Hard Rock Hotel, and W; the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago History Museum; Blue Man Group; House of Blues; Gray Line; and Entertainment Cruises. The toolkit is found at www.choosechicago.com by doing a site search. Some of the deals—for groups By William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com Chicago Packs Punch with ‘Toolkit’ of Services and Discounts In a program called Chicago Select, American Airlines and one-stop-shop lineup of city partners ply special offers American Airlines is offering exclusive deals through the program, including up to 75 percent off its fares for groups traveling to the Windy City. For planners who can provide set travel dates, AA will guarantee fares up to 11 months ahead, block the space, assign seats, and delay ticket requirements. It will also offer free name changes up to 48 hours before departure, as well as a $50 discount off a new annual Admirals Club membership and 750 bonus points upon enrollment in the Business ExtrAA program. “As great a city as Chicago is, it is well known how intense competition is for travel and tourism,” said Thomas Aichele, AA’s central division VP of passenger sales. “Our partnership with the city will strengthen its position as a destination, and by extension help business for American Airlines.” of at least 10 attendees—are discounts of up to 30 percent on ground transportation to and from O’Hare and Midway airports, $10 group admissions at Shedd Aquarium, half-price on Field Museum Highlights Tours with a private docent, 30-percent discounts on event rentals at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and free admission in February 2009 to the Art Institute of Chicago. Fort Lauderdale Bureau Says Meeting Planners Can Plan.It.Green Group organizers can donate tree plantings on behalf of their companies to Broward County Parks The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, in conjunction with the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division, has established a carbon-offsetting program for meeting planners, called Plan.It.Green, that will replenish native trees and green buffers in Markham Park. The bureau is inviting meeting planners to be “meeting planters” at its booth at industry trade shows, where donations can be made on their behalf to help plant trees. Planners will receive handmade, biodegradable paper embedded with wildflower seeds that they can take home and grow. As part of the bid process for large meetings, the bureau will provide a Plan.It.Green donation on behalf of the group to Broward Parks. The CVB will also extend the same opportunity to planners that submit an RFP. For confirmed meetings, Lauderdale can arrange for voluntourism involving a treeplanting day at Markham Park, or groups can make donations directly to Broward Parks. Kiosk and interpretive signage in Markham Park will recognize the donors of the Plan.It.Green campaign. Certified properties in the Florida Green Lodging program are donating to the Plan.It.Green initiative, as well. Currently, there are 25 properties in the greater Lauderdale area awaiting Green Lodging inspection, and 14 are already accredited. www.meetingnews.com Tourism is significant “part of whoawe are; it now also helps us with who we will be. —Nicki E. Grossman, president, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB ” 18 MeetingNews September 22, 2008 http://www.choosechicago.com http://www.meetingnews.com
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