Successful Meetings - September 2008 - (Page 38)

Planner’s Workshop > On Site What Do Conventioneers Really Want? By Michael Sullivan From my observation of all the groups I’ve worked with during my career, during their free time, attendees pretty much want what all tourists want—a destination that’s convenient to navigate, offers value for their tourism dollar, and provides opportunities for unique experiences. Meeting those first three requirements certainly falls to the organization, corporation, or association planning the meeting, especially when it comes to tangibles such as educational opportunities, after-hours event planning, and speaker selection. But the second set of requisites— convenience, value, and experiences— are often best addressed on the local level—from transportation and logistical considerations to bundled hotel and space rates to creating unique experiences that exceed a visitor’s expectations. How a city’s meetings and convention community interprets and responds to these needs can make or break its Convenience attractiveness for repeat conventions and leisure visits, word-of-mouth buzz and, ultimately, the overall health of the city’s convention industry. HOW MEETING PLANNERS GET PROMOTED. MEETINILLINOIS.COM With a huge variety of crowd-pleasing destinations throughout the state, we can meet the needs of your meetings, no matter how big or small. And now you can customize your search for venues, request a proposal or download the Illinois Meeting Destination Guide online. To plan your magniﬁcent meeting, go to meetinillinois.com or call 1.800.201.0298. THE MAGNIFICENT MILE® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF GNMAA. © 2008 ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, BUREAU OF TOURISM TTY: 1-800-406-6418. 22707_IDC-DMT-M82112-R1.indd 1 8/7/08 12:07:08 PM http://MEETINILLINOIS.COM http://MEETINILLINOIS.COM http://meetinillinois.com http://MEETINILLINOIS.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - September 2008

Successful Meetings - September 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Supplier News
Technology
Calendar
Incentives
Association News
Corporate Meetings
Independent Planners
Management Matters
Meetings Law
Mouth for Sale
Planner Spotlight
Pre-Event
On Site
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Where All That Glitters May Bring Gold
Stepping Up in Class
Going for the Green
10 Great Drive-To Destinations
Charter Members
Night at the Museum
Places & Spaces
Charleston and Savannah
Los Angeles
Phoenix/Scottsdale
Rocky Mountain Resorts
Caribbean
Monaco
Malaysia
Gurus

Successful Meetings - September 2008