SMM Benchmarking Survey Shows the Majority of Corporate Meetings are Still Unmanaged
Initial results from StarCite’s Strategic
Meetings Management Benchmarking program show that the
majority of meetings, 68%, are small meetings of less than 50
attendees, but most of these meetings are still not managed.
Other key findings include:
- The average meeting spend of all of the
companies surveyed is $106 million
- The average amount of spend that is managed is 64%
- Most companies began managing their meetings with
attendee management technology followed by meeting registration
technology.
More detailed information from the survey
will be released soon. In addition to looking at overall
meetings management programs, the survey also provides a look at
how meeting programs differ within various industry sectors,
including pharmaceutical, financial services, technology,
manufacturing and consumer services.
Most respondents said that a capital improvement request was
necessary to get started with a SMMP initiative. StarCite’s
benchmarking survey provides the information you need to build a
robust business case for a SMMP investment. To participate in StarCite’s benchmarking survey and start your business case, click here.
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2008 Business Travel Costs to Grow
Published airfares will increase up to 4
percent next year, while hotel average daily room rates in
some markets may achieve double-digit increases, according
to the just-released BCD Travel 2008 Industry Forecast,
powered by Advito.
Read More
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| Feature Destination:
Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos |
Heaven On Earth
On the Baja
Peninsula, experience the very best of nature.
Los Cabos, a seamless fusion of sand, sea and sky.
“Lands End", the southernmost point of the Baja Peninsula, is the product home of Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos, a destination resort that exudes hospitality and luxury.
Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos offers a contemporary, casually elegant atmosphere that will stimulate the senses and please the most discerning event planners and their attendees.
For more information call 1-800-345-5094,
groupdesk@posadas.com or send email.
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Federal Compliance and Meetings Management
If your company is under federal investigation, you may find out with a knock on your
own front door. According to attorney Christopher Myers,
a former federal prosecutor who is a partner with the national law
firm Holland + Knight federal investigations
typically start with a visit to an employees’ home, early
in the morning or at dinner time. The next stage involves
a request for huge amounts of documentation. What meetings were
held? Who attended? How much was spent on each attendee? The
list goes on. In highly regulated financial
services, and pharmaceutical industries, the rules are even more strict. If you don’t have a good process in place to record your data
and ensure company wide compliance, your company could face big penalties.
Government investigations of pharma meetings are on the rise. Read how you
can protect your company in Holding Off the Feds in Medical Meetings.
Proposed gift
and entertainment guidelines could affect financial and
insurance meetings. Read
The Interpreter in
Financial & Insurance Meetings.
Visit StarCite’s
Online Knowledge Center to listen to
Chris Meyers' presentations on NASD's new 3060 Rule and Pharma regulations. |
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Spain
Get "inside" information to great meeting locations through StarCite's Free Destination 101 webinars.
Speaker: Josep Aixut
Spanish Heritage
Wednesday,
October 31, 2007
2:00 PM EST
Click
here to register.
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"Greening" Conference Shows
How to Make Your Meetings More
Earth Friendly
Are you interested in learning how you can make
your meetings more earth friendly? Learn how at the 2008
Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference, February 19-21, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia. StarCite is
supporting the
Green Meeting
Industry Council's second "Greening" conference. This
year's program theme is "Integrity, Impact, and Innovation:
Beyond the Four Walls" and breakout sessions will focus on the
impact of meetings beyond the conference room walls.
Learn from leaders in the field the benefits of green
meetings and the positive impact they are having. Whether you
have already incorporated green initiatives into your
corporate meetings, or want to learn where to start, the
Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference is a place to be
inspired. Interested in attending?
Click here to register or visit the
conference website to learn more.
If you would like to learn more about StarCite's
involvement in the Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference,
or how you can take part in this exciting event, please
contact Mike Concannon at
mconcannon@starcite.com.
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StarCite Webinar: Making the Case for Green Meetings
With climate change and corporate
social responsibility dominating the headlines, it’s good
business practice to learn how to better manage
green meetings and events. On October 30, StarCite will
host a webinar focusing on how to do just that. Experts will
discuss topics including how to sell green meetings to senior
management, plan and execute green meeting practices, and
measure the return on your green investment. It's time to embrace
eco-friendly measures, like green meetings and events, that
promote sustainable economic growth. Register today! |
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Environmental Protection Agency Goes Green
Recently, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency announced a new green meetings initiative that
requires any EPA employee responsible for meeting planning to
abide by a 14-point environmental checklist.
Read full
article |
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| Feature Destination:
Austria |
A
Perfect Blend of Traditional Culture and Modern
Sensibility
Located
in the heart of Europe, Austria perfectly blends
traditional culture and modern sensibilities to
create
 an exciting mixture of experiences for every
meeting, incentive and conference.
Austria’s nine
provinces offer a panoply of options for planners,
from picturesque countryside to cosmopolitan cities,
such as Vienna, Linz, Innsbruck, Graz and Salzburg.
The country also scores high marks when it comes to
accessibility and security—in fact, it has earned a
top safety ranking from the Global Competitiveness
Yearbook.
But it's the country’s unique experiences,
competent partners, and exquisite hotel network that
have earned Austria a permanent place among the top
10 destinations worldwide—and that make it the ideal
place for your next meeting or incentive program.
Client Educational Trips to Austria
StarCite, in
conjunction with Austria Meeting Partners-Austria
Trend Hotels, Grand Hotel Wien, and Welcome
Touristic Vienna- is offering a client educational
trip to Austria. Send a representative from your company to join
us November 10-15, 2007. Please
click here to register.
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StarCite's SMM Benchmarking
Survey |
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Federal Compliance and Meetings Management |
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Make Your Meetings More Earth Friendly |
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EPA Goes Green |
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2008 Business Travel Costs to Increase |
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| Learn more about StarCite at these upcoming industry events: |
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October 21-23, 2007 |
ACTE's Global Education Conference
Munich, Germany
Solutions Showcase Exhibitor |
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November 27-29, 2007 |
EIBTM
The Global Meetings & Incentives Exhibition
Barcelona, Spain
Stand F570 |
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Send an email if you are attending one
of these events and would like to schedule an appointment to meet with a StarCite
representative. |
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Health Journal Television, features CardioReady
Everyday, 900 people in the United States die from sudden cardiac arrest. With proper training, an automated external defibrillator can be quick and effective, and most importantly, make a difference between life and death. CardioReady
strives to reduce the number of deaths caused by Sudden
Cardiac Arrest by educating, certifying, and promoting the
proper use of Automated External Defibrillators.
Recently, CardioReady
Co-founder, Norman Norris sat down for an
interview with General Norman Schwarzkopf to discuss the
CardioReady initiative, the current state of cardiac
emergency preparedness, and its
impact on multiple industries, including the business
travel industry.
The Health Journal Television
segment includes the real-world success story of Terex
Corporation's Gregg Austin, who suffered sudden cardiac
arrest at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. His life
was saved by hotel staff immediately using one of the
publicly accessible automated external defibrillators
located within the property. The General Manager of the
property, Robert Cartwright, comments on how their small
investment of four AEDs has already saved three lives.
The episode will air on Bravo! and CNBC as paid programming on October 31, 2007. For air times and more information about Norman Schwarzkopf's program, visit the Health Journal Television website.
CardioReady Featured Properties
The Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa
A Santa Fe resort located in its own private valley just
five minutes outside of the Santa Fe Plaza. This hideaway is
ranked by Travel & Leisure as one of American's best
retreats.
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
One part posh, one part party, ten parts pleasure. So
stylish it hurts. The new Hard Rock Hotel has taken shape
and is turning up the volume in San Diego.
Hot Springs Convention Center
The Hot Springs Convention Center offers 360,000 square feet
of cutting edge meeting facility that can accommodate the
needs of the most intimate gathering as well as conventions
or tradeshows that require seating for thousands.
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