As a member of the executive committee of the Destination & Travel Foundation (the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the Destination Marketing Association International, which is holding its annual meeting this week in Atlanta), it’s been my pleasure to observe up closethe management styles and skill sets of several of the industry’s leading destination marketing executives. Since the vast majority of DMOs receive public funding from hotel occupancy tax revenue and nearly a third of them receive some form of state tax dollars, the DMO CEO not only has to manage a paid staff and volunteer board, but also has to manage key funding relationships with the mayor, city council, city manager or state-level funding source. As a result, DMO execs are thrown into a political role by virtue of their reliance on funds controlled by these governmental entities.

What makes all this even harder is that in the case of hotel occupancy taxes, for example, funds that were originally intended to be primarily reinvested in marketing to stimulate additional visitation are increasingly being diverted for uses other than destination marketing. Because it falls to the DMO executive to be the chief advocate for travel in his or her community, the DMO CEO can, on occasion, end up at odds with the destination’s political leaders. While every savvy DMO executive knows the importance of building support for the DMO among those in political leadership positions, the best laid plans of nonpartisan political education are often not enough to make DMO funding sacrosanct.

For more information on the important role of the destination marketing industry, click here to access the digital version of “Why Meetings Matter,” which we recently published in conjunction with DMAI.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

Several hospitality industry leaders we interviewed recently regarding the state of the travel industry agreed that association meetings and sports-related travel are two of the few bright spots on the travel-industry horizon. The roundtable session featured Loews Hotels Chairman & CEO Jonathan Tisch; Roger Dow, president & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Michael Gehrisch, president & CEO of Destination Marketing Association International; J. Stephen Perry, president & CEO of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau; and Maura Allen Gast, Executive Director of the Irving (Texas) Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The comments of our roundtable participants echo those of many people in the travel industry that we have spoken with during the past six months. In times like these, destinations and hotels need to target the markets that are most likely to produce business for them and two of the best markets to be targeting right now are association meetings and sports-related travel.

The complete roundtable discussion will appear in the July issues of SportsTravel and Association News magazines as part of a special section produced in conjunction with Destination Marketing Association International titled Why Meetings Matter. To request a copy of this special section, please e-mail me.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

President Obama recently announced an ambitious plan for a new system of high-speed rail service that would run on 10 corridors across the United States, connecting many population centers. The planned routes would have the potential to change the way large numbers of people travel, much like the construction of the interstate highway system did a half-century ago. High-speed rail is defined as a rail line that reaches at least 90 miles per hour. There is currently only one such line operating in the U.S., Amtrak’s Acela Express, which runs between Boston and Washington.

For state and regional association executives and sports-event organizers concerned about the ease with which people can travel to meetings and events and for destinations that have suffered reductions in air service, high-speed rail may be a godsend. For more information on the proposed high-speed rail routes, visit www.fra.dot.gov.

A final reminder: The July issue of Association News and SportsTravel will include a special section titled Why Meetings Matter: Everybody Wins When Groups Travel. Produced in conjunction with Destination Marketing Association International, this special section will be distributed at numerous industry events during the coming year. For more information or to advertise in this special section, please e-mail me or call us toll-free at (877) 577-3700.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

The July issues of both Association News and SportsTravel magazine will include our annual special section produced in conjunction with the Destination Marketing Association International. This year’s special section will be titled “Why Meetings Matter: Everybody Wins When Groups Travel.”

This special section will include:
• The importance of face-to-face meetings at a time when the convention industry is under siege
• Successfully combating the diversion of hotel occupancy taxes to general fund purposes
• An exclusive Q & A with industry leaders on the future of the travel industry

The meeting and event planners who will receive “Why Meetings Matter” generate 106 million hotel room nights annually. In addition, this special section will be distributed at industry events throughout the coming year. Extra copies will also be made available for anyone who wishes to use it for their own industry advocacy efforts. For more information on this once-a-year opportunity to reach both the state and regional association meetings market and the sports-related travel market with a single advertising buy, please call us toll-free at (877) 577-3700 or send me an e-mail today.

Last week, I had the pleasure of serving as the keynoter at the annual “Partners in Tourism” dinner organized by the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau in Oakhurst, California. The dinner brought together all of the stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry in Madera County and I enjoyed making the case for why all of us need to be working together to help promote the value that meetings and group travel bring to destinations large and small.

Spreading the message of the importance of meetings has never been more important given the recent torrent of critical coverage of corporate meetings and events. I am pleased, therefore, to announce that the July issues of both Association News and SportsTravel magazines will include a special section titled “Why Meetings Matter: Everybody Wins When Groups Travel.” Produced in conjunction with the Destination Marketing Association International, this special section will include an exclusive roundtable discussion with travel-industry leaders as well as tools for meeting planners to use to help substantiate the return-on-investment of face-to-face meetings.

For more information on this once-a-year opportunity to reach both the state and regional association meetings market and the sports-related travel market with a single advertising buy, please call us toll-free (877) 577-3700 or send me an e-mail today.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

We’re always touting the power of association meetings and sports-related travel and last week I had the opportunity to experience that strength first-hand. As a presenter at the annual meeting of Running USA, I was pleasantly surprised to not only find an association meeting where the attendance was not off at all from last year but also to discover that many of the race directors in attendance are actually planning to either expand their current events or launch new events in the coming year. Attending the meeting was much like entering a parallel dimension where economic gloom and doom was not the order of the day.

While no sector of the economy has escaped the effects of the current economic downturn, we are grateful that the state-and-regional association meetings market and the sports-related travel market are—relative to other group travel markets—weathering this economic storm. Destinations, hotels and other travel providers looking for sources of group business during this challenging time should consider anew these two markets. For more information, please call us toll-free at (877) 577-3700 or feel free to leave your comments below.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

The buzz in the corridors at the annual meeting of the Professional Convention Management Association last month in New Orleans was all about the economy. Many of the hotel marketing and convention bureau executives I spoke with indicated genuine concern about the short- and long-term prospects for group business. Several have seen double-digit decreases in bookings and attendance numbers for corporate meetings and incentive groups. As a result, many hotel and destination marketers are confronting either the possibility or reality of seeing their own budgets reduced.

Against this tumultuous backdrop, if you ask a convention bureau or hotel marketing executive which markets are holding up strongest, the answer usually includes association meetings, particularly the meetings of state and regional associations. Relative to the other group-travel markets, the 59 million hotel room nights generated by state and regional associations have become even more important in today’s volatile environment. That’s because in times of turmoil, the meetings of state and regional associations are more heavily relied upon by members who look to their associations for information that will help them survive and prosper despite the challenging times.

Just as the importance of state and regional association meetings has grown, so too has our commitment to serving this community. We are pleased to announce two new offerings designed to increase the level of service we provide to association executives nationwide: the relaunch of AssociationNews.com and the launch of a digital version of Association News magazine.

The Web site has been given a completely new appearance that reflects the design sensibilities of our printed magazine while also providing interactive elements to enliven your Association News experience. For example, our online Site Selector makes finding in-depth information on destinations and meeting venues as easy as clicking your mouse. We’ve also created an online Resource Directory that serves as a complement to our printed directories as well as an online version of our popular People & Places department. Finally, our Web site’s new search feature makes it easier for you to locate the industry intelligence you need to be more successful.

Concurrent with the redesign of our Web site, we’ve also launched a digital edition of Association News. The digital edition allows us to expand the reach of Association News to include more association readers than are served by any other meetings publication. To subscribe, please visit AssociationNews.com.

All of these changes and enhancements reflect our continued belief in the importance of state and regional associations. While we encourage our readers to make use of the new Web site and digital edition, we also encourage convention bureaus, hotels, hotel chains and others that benefit from the meetings activity of associations to consider increasing their support of the state and regional association community. In these challenging times, investing in one of the few markets that continues to provide solid returns can be just the economic fix you’re looking for!

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

In this week of civic renewal, we’re pleased to announce the relaunch of AssociationNews.com. The Web site has been given a completely new appearance that reflects the design sensibilities of our printed magazine while also providing interactive elements intended to enliven your Association News experience.

In addition to the redesigned Web site, we’ve also launched a digital edition of Association News. The digital edition will allow us to expand the reach of Association News to include more associations at the local, state, regional, national and international levels than are served by any other meetings publication.

 
The digital edition also allows you to save Association News to your laptop’s hard drive (handy for busy executives who enjoy reading while on the go). You can also use the page notes feature of the digital edition to add you own thoughts and bookmark material for future reference or sharing. Subscriptions to the digital edition are complimentary for qualified subscribers, so click here to subscribe to the digital edition today.

These latest changes are the result of feedback we’ve received from our readers and your comments on our redesigned Web site and the digital edition of Association News would be greatly appreciated. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. For information on advertising in Association News—in print or online—send me an e-mail or call us toll-free at (877) 577-3700.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

The current economic downturn has affected every area of the nation’s economy. With reports of cancelled corporate meetings becoming too numerous to track, it seems that the modus operandi for American businesses is to draw in their horns as they try to ride out the storm. Fortunately, we have not yet seen such a dramatic retrenchment in the association meetings market.

Indeed, in previous downturns, the association meetings market—especially the state and regional association meetings market—has remained incredibly strong in comparison with corporate meetings. That’s because in times of economic uncertainty, the value of association meetings and face-to-face interaction with peers from your profession or industry becomes even more important.

A recent article in the newsletter of the International Economic Development Council included the following suggestions for positioning your organization for success during these difficult times:

1. Given current economic circumstances, review your strategic plan for opportunities and challenges. What was relevant to your organization two to five years ago may not prepare you for today’s challenges. Do your homework, make adjustments and invest more where your efforts are going to make the biggest difference.

2. Work to solidify your organization’s value proposition. This is where a strong catalog of past successes and outcome measures prove their value. Craft a sharp message that builds on your efforts to date and provides a convincing argument for continuing them.

3. Meet with key supporters to secure your funding base. Now is the time to meet with those who provide your organization’s funding to convey the importance of maintaining—if not increasing—investment in your organization. It is important that the message you send in these meetings is one that is clear and confident. The key message should be: You can’t cut your way to prosperity!

• The time to invest is now. If you don’t stay invested, you lock in your losses and miss out on the rebound.

• Investing now is an opportunity to differentiate yourself. As others cut back on marketing and promotion, companies and organizations that stay in the game have less competition and more opportunities.

Whether your organization is an industry association, professional society or convention bureau, the applicability of these suggestions from the International Economic Development Council should help drive home the fact that associations of all kinds are, on some level, involved in economic development.

Embracing and communicating that aspect of your association during this critical period should help increase your relevance, not only among your members but also in the wider communities in which you work. For further information, please visit the International Economic Development Council’s Web site at www.iedconline.org.

On behalf of the staff of Association News, SportsTravel and the TEAMS Conference, best wishes for the holiday season and for health and prosperity in the coming year!

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

As the economy continues to fluctuate in a way that perpetuates fear, the job of motivating staff and volunteers becomes even more complicated for association executives. Joe Takash, author of the recently released “Results Through Relationships: Building Trust, Performance and Profit Through People,” suggests that encouragement, optimism and honest communication from the chief executive are essential during trying times.

As Takash points out, it is always a prudent investment to help people perform at a higher level. Takash suggests that taking the following four steps can help tremendously:

1. Practice emotional control. Takash cautions leaders to watch out for the inner and oftentimes impersonal autopilot that kicks in when times are tough. He suggests counteracting the autopilot syndrome by connecting with others in a respectful, timely and competent manner. Takash also suggests that executives should demonstrate compassion and understanding while maintaining clinical objectivity.

2. Provide frequent updates. Takash believes many executives create unnecessary stress and resentment by not sharing what’s going on with the organization. Takash suggests that a great way to keep teams and individuals informed is to designate time on your calendar to share your knowledge. Takash says these updates should be initiated by you, the leader, and should involve honest disclosures of what you do know and what you don’t know.

3. Become an exceptional listener. Takash points out that getting people to perform in tough times requires understanding and that requires listening. His checklist for listening includes encouraging others to talk, clarifying for certainty when they speak, and eliminating distractions. According to Takash, if you listen at a deeper level, you’ll create more committed and confident performers.

4. Lead with (realistic) optimism. Leading during turbulent times, says Takash, can bring home the sobering reality of negativity, anxiety and stress. Because bad attitudes and the behaviors that go with them are contagious, Takash suggests that leaders need to paint pictures that are reflective of the truth, but they must also speak about the possibilities and opportunities that might be buried in the challenges the organization faces.

That point has certainly been driven home by the many hospitality industry professionals who are facing a decline in their corporate meetings business as a result of the problems in the financial sector. Many association executives may soon find the relative value of their meetings increasingly important not only for their members (who need the information and professional networking that associations provide even more when times are tough) but also for the hotels and convention bureaus who are looking for group business to replace that lost from the corporate sector.

To order Joe Takash’s book, “Results Through Relationships: Building Trust, Performance and Profit Through People,” visit the online bookstore at www.AssociationNews.com. For more information on Takash and the consulting services he provides, visit www.joetakash.com.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company