Delta Books Zone, Mtg. Fares OnlineDelta Air Lines last week introduced the ability for meeting attendees to book domestic negotiated meeting and zone fares through its Web site. The new functionality, which also will allow corporations to achieve contracted soft-dollar benefits like free tickets and upgrades, is an extension of Delta's Exclusive Discount Program online portal for corporate clients that includes booking, tracking and data aggregation functions. Attendees can access negotiated meeting and zone fares, using EDP through Delta's Web site, with a meeting-specific password, limiting, though not eliminating, the potential for transient travelers to use such fares, a traditional concern of airlines. Delta general manager of business development for agency and segmented sales Bob Gallagher said any such exposure would be limited.
The most likely corporate beneficiary of such a program are those corporations that hold large trade conferences that involve external attendees. "The interest (from the corporate market) in the program has been there, but it has not been overwhelming," Gallagher said.
MPI Raises $5M, Ups Chapter RebateAt its Professional Education Conference in San Antonio last month, Meeting Professionals International announced a handful of new policies and initiatives, including the successful realization of its foundation's fundraising goals. The foundation raised $5 million, surpassing the original $3 million goal of its Envision 2003 campaign. Campaign funds will be used for research that advances the science of meeting planning, enhances MPI programs and initiatives and supports future operational needs of the MPI Foundation. The campaign was inaugurated in August 2002 with a $500,000 contribution from Hilton Hotels Corp.
The association also announced it would increase the rebates it issues to each individual chapter to 18 percent of dues collected. This represents a real dollar increase for U.S. chapters of $6 per member, from $52 to $58, and an increase for European chapters of e6 per member, from e70 to e76. Officials said the change to a percentage-based system for chapter rebates will grow chapter revenue as dues revenue grows. The PEC drew 2,070 attendees to San Antonio, a slight increase from attendance levels at the 2003 PEC held in Orlando.
GEP Creates European DMC Co.Five years after its creation to provide a single point of contact for dozens of destination management companies throughout North America
(Meetings Today, Jan. 25, 1999), Washington, D.C.-based Global Events Partners earlier this month created a new company to provide the same service throughout Europe. GEP Europe is a partnership of 16 independently owned and operated DMCs throughout the continent.
The company is designed to generate business primarily from European clients, officials said. Headquartered in Belgium, GEP Europe will be led by former InterContinental Hotels executive Caroline Stas.
"With command of seven languages and extensive sales experience, Caroline has the experience and set of skills to lead the GEP Europe office," said GEP chairman and CEO Chris White.