July 12th, 2010
Our Calgary Event Management Company is thrilled to be involved with the “Best Meeting in Canada”. Not only the Best Overall Meeting, but the Best Large Meeting as well.
The Travel Alberta Industry Conference was recently named “Best Meeting in Canada” by Meetings and Incentive Travel Magazine. We have been planning this meeting for the past 9 years and are working on year #10.
The finalists were nominated by attendees at the meetings which feels like an extra feather in our cap as it wasn’t just us thinking we did a great job on the meeting but the attendees too.
I think the Travel Alberta Industry Conference is a fantastic event but I’ve been reflecting on WHY. What besides the great education, fantastic networking and amazing location make it the best meeting in Canada? (Although those three qualities are certainly very good ones and ones that we try to achieve at every event we plan).
The answer I’ve come up with is that the team works together amazingly well. All the suppliers work together to put on the very best event year after year. And we work together to support the goals of our client. Having been planning this meeting for 10 years now – it’s like we’re all a family and it shows. The family effort puts on a great show. When we go to a planning meeting we help ourselves to coffee and put our dirty dishes into the dishwasher. It’s not about tidying up after ourselves but a comfort level that we have with a long-term client.
I would encourage everyone to treat their meeting planner as part of the family. Listen to what we have to say, take our advice. Family members won’t steer you down a wrong path (okay – some family members might but we like our clients and we won’t let you go down a bad path). And when hiring a planner (or other supplier) – make sure you hire someone who wants to become part of your family.
Posted in Event Management, Reasons to hire a planner, Uncategorized | No Comments »
May 4th, 2010
As independent meeting planners, often we are hired AFTER a contract with the venue has been signed. And then we see how what is standard to us as planners is not standard for the hotel to automatically give to other clients.
In Calgary, many meetings and events are planned by people without any training in negotiating with hotels. When we see these contracts we think “where is this clause?” or “why is this figure so heavily biased towards the hotel?”
I’m looking at a contract with a food and beverage attrition that states that the group is responsible for a minimum number of attendees for all meals. This is great for the hotel – but not so great for the group that may have a decline in numbers along the planning process or that may realize that not everyone gets up to eat breakfast.
There are other usual concessions that we ask for as planners that help save groups money. Such as a standard 1 complimentary room for every 40-50 rooms booked. Even if your group is only 100 people, those 2 rooms might save you the cost of a room for your internal team members.
Professional planners know the best ways to negotiate with hotels and venues and the clauses that are negotiable. It can only save a group money by bringing a planner into the team at the very beginning and letting us help you choose and contract your venue.
Posted in Event Management, Reasons to hire a planner, Venues | No Comments »
April 26th, 2010
I recently went to a fantastic event at Janice Beaton Fine Cheese here in Calgary. I must first of all admit that I have a huge addiction to cheese. And probably because of Janice Beaton I’m becoming more of a refined cheese addict. No longer will waxy, orange squares suffice. If I’m going to eat cheese – it darn well better be good.
So Janice Beaton Fine Cheese has opened a grilled cheese counter in their store. Not only did I go to a launch event, but then I went back a mere 4 days later to get a grilled cheese for lunch (please don’t tell my personal trainer & nutritionist).
These grilled cheese sandwiches are amazing! Have you ever had gorgonzola in a grilled cheese? Try it – delicious! And pair it with a beautiful zinfindel (not only were they doing grilled cheese tastings but they were pairing it with wine!) The entire evening took us to a new level of happy. (For the record it was gorgonzola, procuitto & a red wine fig spread)
Janice Beaton Fine Cheese and the accompanying restaurant also work to buy locally wherever possible and supporting suppliers in our province – this is especially true in Farm.
From an event perspective, I’m always hoping to bring in the Janice Beaton team to do cheese tastings – but now also grilled cheese tastings. Don’t we all want some comfort food when we are travelling? What could then be better than gourmet comfort food?
Although, I’ll warn you – you’ll never go back to using waxy, orange cheese in your grilled cheese sandwiches again.
Some other favourite combinations? Paillot de Cevre, Roasted tomato and Basil Pesto or the Oka Classique, 3 year cheddar, Tomato chili jam and arugula.
Go to Janice Beaton now. Don’t wait – amazing grilled cheese sandwiches are waiting.
Posted in Buy Local, Event Management, Green Meetings | No Comments »
April 15th, 2010
Today I was at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre for National Meetings Industry Day (NMID) .
- Our MPI Chapter clearly read the article in Biz Bash and provided newspapers for our morning meeting. I don’t know that they were read but the thought was appreciated.
- The Calgary Marriott is the exclusive caterer for the Convention Centre and had a fantastic breakfast! When was the last time you had a pancake souffle?
- Bison Benedict – need I say anything more? Or wait – yes – Bison Benedict on a white cheddar biscuit. Yummy!
- The panel was informative – unfortunately it is the same message we hear every year. Our convention centre is fantastic but too small. Calgary has a hard time competing with other cities because we don’t have the meeting space. We need leaders to have vision now to develop a better centre – and it’s too bad that we didn’t have leaders with vision 20 years ago. But the Convention Centre certainly has our support in researching and building new facilities. Let’s keep the greatness going and growing!
And the thing that really caught my attention??? The parking structure. I think they might be in the midst of installling this as it didn’t look like all the levels were done….but the parking stalls have little lights above them – a red light and the stall is full and a green light means it is empty. So you can look up the row and see where the empty spot is! How brilliant is that? Especially when you have a choice of turning to go to the lower level or going straight – you can now tell if there is any options open to you going straight!
It’s brilliant – good for the convention centre for installing this!
And back to my thoughts on the Calgary Telus Convention Centre – it’s a wonderful facility. There are 3 hotels connected to it so you don’t need to go outside on rainy or snowy days. And the food is great with chefs who are clearly innovative.
Thanks for hosting NMID!
Posted in Buy Local, Event Management, Venues | 1 Comment »
April 14th, 2010
Tomorrow is National Meetings Industry Day (NMID). In Calgary we are holding a breakfast meeting to mark the occasion and we will hear from a panel within the industry in our city. We don’t often get recognition of our industry from City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council – but on National Meetings Industry Day – we do. We need to stand up for our industry and make our city leaders recognize the value of meetings to the city. From the NMID website http://www.nmid.ca
NMID is first and most importantly an educational event. This MPI initiative has four objectives:
- to define and shape the meetings and events profession;
- to help raise the profile of the meetings industry and the benefits it generates for communities and institutions across Canada;
- to provide a networking opportunity to learn about and celebrate the role we as members of the industry all play in that regard;
- to educate chapter industry leaders and enable them to discuss the economic impact of meetings in their region with people who are outside of the industry.
Members from the Canadian Chapters of MPI celebrate with a variety of educational and networking activities focusing on the significance of the Canadian meetings industry and the value of meetings to the broader business community.
This evening I will start teaching Event Production at Mount Royal University. This is their last class before they do a final project and receive their Event Management Certificate. I hope to impress upon them the value of this industry, the economic impact of it and that is is truly a profession.
We are not party planners – although we can plan a fantastic party. We rarely plan it for the sake of just partying. Because a good event planner will start off with the question “why are you holding this event?”. And if you don’t have a reason – why spend the money?
Posted in Event Management, Reasons to hire a planner | 2 Comments »
