News Items From the Meetings and Incentives Industry
Automation:
Cvent Enhances Technology Relationship with Hyatt
Cvent, a provider of online event management, site selection and event sourcing solutions, has extended its alliance with Hyatt by integrating the Cvent Supplier Network, an electronic Request for Proposal (RFP) platform for meetings and events, with Hyatt’s proprietary sales application, Envision.
Sales representatives at Hyatt will be able to evaluate Cvent RFPs within the Envision database, which is expected to speed up response time and accuracy in quoting. The Envision database contains information about customers as well as Hyatt hotel facilities including guestrooms, meetings and banquet bookings as well as schedules for Hyatt properties worldwide.
“This integration allows for a seamless transfer of data between Cvent and Envision, so that all RFPs sent to full service Hyatt properties through the Cvent Supplier Network will automatically appear in the Envision system,” said Chuck Ghoorah, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Cvent.
Vegas Meetings Online Targets Small Meetings Sector
Vegas Meetings Online (VMOL) has launched version 2.0 of a product directed at providing a digital booking solution for the small meetings segment for Las Vegas Hotels and Resorts. The latest version provides a new user interface, designed to simplify navigation for both professional and non-professional planners, as well as those just requiring a block of sleeping rooms and no function space.
Meeting, event and wedding planners can book up to 25 rooms live from a variety of hotels. The meeting tools allow marketers to upload and store contacts, broadcast emails and surveys, and track results of the campaigns or event.
“The new interface provides an easy four step process that allows the planner to create a meeting, build an agenda, search and book hotel rooms and submit requests for proposal (RFP) to selected hotels,” said Mark Whitney, CEO of Vegas Meetings Online, adding that the site also offers booking options for Vegas shows, restaurant reservations, sporting events and golf tee times. (www.vegasmeetingsonline.com)
Event Planning Tools Application Introduced for Smart Phones
Cheryl Lawson, owner of The Perfect Date event planning and marketing firm and the personality behind the Party Aficionado brand, just launched an application exclusively for Google’s Android-powered smart phones.
The Event Planning Tools app is really two apps in one. The first is a meeting space calculator that will help users determine how many people can fit into a particular space, or how much space will be needed for a particular venue.
The second is an event budget calculator. Users plug in the number of attendees and include all of the expenses they expect to have, including baggage fees for staff, and the app will calculate cost per attendee.
While these tools have been around for years, Lawson felt that having a quick reference on a mobile phone was the next step in event management technology.
“A lot of people are out there planning their own events and meetings, and I thought to myself as an event professional, what tools would I want at my fingertips?” Lawson explained. “These calculators will help to keep you from making that extra purchase while you’re out shopping for décor. Furthermore, if you’re not sure how many people to invite to your event, these tools can help you make those decisions.”
For more information, e-mail partyaficionado@gmail.com.
Specials:
InterContinental Extends Meeting Promotions
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts announces two promotions — “Up To A Million Priority Club Points” or “10% Off Your Master Bill” — for meetings booked at InterContinental properties throughout the Americas.
The “Up to a Million Bonus Points” promotion offers Priority Club Meetings Rewards members the opportunity to earn up to a million bonus Priority Club points for an eligible meeting at an InterContinental hotel or resort. Meetings must be booked by September 30 and held at any InterContinental hotel or resort in the U.S., Canada and Mexico by December 30, 2010. Priority Club bonus points can be redeemed in a variety of ways — as meeting credits, airline miles, Reward Nights at InterContinental hotels, charitable donations and much more.
The “10% Off Your Master Bill” promotion offers both meeting planners a 10% discount for qualified meetings booked by September 30 and held at participating InterContinental properties in the Americas between now and December 30. Additionally, meeting delegates will receive 1,000 Priority Club points redeemable for future stays. (www.priorityclub.com/icmillion)
Queen Mary introduces S.O.S. Meeting Package
Long Beach, CA-based Queen Mary has introduced the S.O.S. Meeting package for programs operating in 2010 and 2011. RFPs must be submitted by September 1 to qualify. The “Save on the Ship” meeting package starts at $129 per night and includes:
* $60 Shipboard Credit per room
* VIP Treatment for top 2 VIP’s
* 75% pre-negotiated Attrition rate
* 1/40 Complimentary room ratio
The offers applies only to newly submitted booked business traveling Sunday-Thursday. Friday and Saturday rates start at $139. Credit is based on peak room nights. Minimum two night stay required for a minimum of ten rooms per night. Offer subject to availability, taxes and services not included.
For more information call (562) 499-1749 or submit an RFP at http://queenmary.com/index.php?page=salescontact.
Education:
PCMA Announces 2010 Education Conference
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has enhanced its popular Leadership Conference to create the 2010 PCMA Education Conference. The three-day program, slated for June 13-16 in Montreal, will feature:
* Increased emphasis on peer-to-peer learning, including 14 facilitated peer-to-peer sessions
* Crowd-sourced session topics
* The Big Exchange, where tools, tips and trends from all facilitated sessions will be shared at the end of the conference
* Five General Sessions
For more information, visit www.pcma.org/EduCon.
Openings & Renovations:
Wyndham Opens NYC’s Fashion 26
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts welcomed its newest location, the newly constructed, 280-room Fashion 26 – A Wyndham Hotel on West 26th Street in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood and nearby Fashion District.
The 22-story fashion-themed hotel offers radio-frequency guest room keys that unlock doors with the wave of a hand. It also offers meeting space for up to 80 attendees and a boardroom suitable for up to 14 people. (www.wyndham.com)
New Beach Resort Opens in Vietnam
Life Resorts has opened the 158-room Life Resort Da Nang, the first new resort to open on Vietnam’s central coast beach between Da Nang and Hoi An since the global recession. It fronts Bac My An beach, often referred to in the West as “China Beach”. The hotel, which celebrated its grand opening during the second week of April, can cater to meetings from 20-750 delegates, and features state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and high-speed ADSL in all rooms, along with WiFi in public areas. The city of Da Nang is situated close by and boasts its own international airport with daily flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. (www.life-resorts.com)
Cincinnati Conference Center Unveils Renovation
The 20,000 square foot, IACC-certified Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center at University of Cincinnati is undergoing a stunning renovation of the lobby and lounge of their downtown Cincinnati hotel. Completion is slated for early summer of 2010 and will boast an open, airy, sun-filled lobby that will bring new style, productivity and comfort to guests. A full renovation of their Cincinnati hotel rooms will begin at the end of 2010. (www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cvgkg)
Landmark Tropicana Las Vegas Begins Transformation
Tropicana Las Vegas, one of the last true landmark hotels in the city, has begun a $165 million Phase I transformation to be completed in April 2011. Situated on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas’ most famous intersection, the transformed property will feature a redesigned facade, all new rooms and suites, all new amenities, restaurants and bars, and entertainment and nightlife options that will bring the glamour, rhythm and style of South Beach to Tropicana Las Vegas. No corner of the property will remain untouched.
The conference center transformation is complete, with more than 100,000 square feet of versatile meeting and function space ready to accommodate up to 3,000 people. The conference center comprises a main ballroom with over 25,000 square feet with 11 breakout meeting rooms; a 10,000 square feet function space with eight smaller breakout rooms; and a 54,000 square feet indoor exhibition hall. (www.troplv.com)
