Star Alliance Deepens Mtgs. DiscountsThe Star Alliance network of 15 carriers, including United Airlines and US Airways, had modified its Conventions Plus global meetings and convention product to offer deeper discounts throughout its network. Conventions Plus fare discounts now range between 10 percent and 20 percent off the published fare, depending on the type of fare, class of travel and the combination of airlines used. Previously, all Conventions Plus discounts were 10 percent off published fare, regardless of class of travel.
The program is limited to meetings of at least 1,000 attendees from at least three different countries and two continents, with at least six months of lead time. Announced last month, the modifications coincided with US Airways' official entrance into the alliance. "Our new network strengths on the eastern U.S. seaboard, in the Caribbean and into Eastern Europe vastly improve accessibility to a whole new range of attractive convention locations," said Star Alliance vice president of commercial Horst Findeisen. "We know for a fact that many cities in the new European Union member countries are interested in attracting convention business." Conventions Plus debuted in 2000, but was reengineered in 2002
(Meetings Today, May 13, 2002).Last November, American Airlines and British Airways-led alliance Oneworld introduced a meetings and conventions program similar to but less stringent than Conventions Plus
(Meetings Today, Nov. 10, 2003). The third major airline alliance, the Delta Air Lines and Air France-led SkyTeam does not offer a specific meetings and conventions alliancewide product.
CIC Creates Green Meetings PracticesThe Convention Industry Council has developed a series of guidelines and suggested best practices for buyers and suppliers concerned with their events' impact on the environment. The report suggests that, at minimum, suppliers should develop and follow specific environmental policies, take measures to conserve energy and purchase biodegradable products. CIC's green meetings task force recommends that buyers choose suppliers that follow those procedures and include clauses in contracts that suppliers will comply with buyers' requests related to conservation and the environment.
"This has been an important project for CIC to lead," said CIC president Mary Power. "Not only is the report an incredibly valuable toolkit for the industry, but it will raise industry awareness of some simple environmental solutions that are appropriate in today's world." The task force was comprised of members from several industry and environmental groups, as well as the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The full report can be downloaded from CIC's Web site.
MPI Establishes Canadian FoundationThe Meeting Professionals International Foundation, the research and fundraising arm of MPI, recently announced it will create a new foundation to serve the association's six chapters and more than 1,200 members in Canada. The decision to form a Canadian foundation, an association spokesperson said, "stems from continued growth of the meetings industry in Canada and a desire to expand education and research opportunities for its members."
The new foundation begins with C$500,000 (US$364,193), raised through contributions, dedicated to the development of local programs designed to strengthen and promote the profession and its strategic value, in accordance with MPI's strategic plan, officials said.
Last Call For Best Mtgs. PractitionersThe deadline for nominations for Meetings Today's annual Best Meeting Practitioners issue has been extended to June 14. In the Aug. 2 issue of BTN at least three corporate meetings buyers or managers will be honored as best practitioners in particular fields, including, but not limited to, air programs, hotel programs, internal consolidation, meetings policy construction and compliance, relationship with corporate transient programs and use of technology, for initiatives begun or completed in 2003.
Please send nominations of corporate meetings buyers by June 14, along with a brief explanation of why they—or you—are deserving, to Meetings Today editor Chris Davis at cdavis@btnonline.com or call (646) 654-4437.
Chris Davis