Corp. Clients Shape Register123 UpgradeThe new version of San Francisco-based Certain Software's Register123 online attendee management application includes several features developed at the behest of its corporate client base, officials said. For example, said Vanessa Vlay, Certain vice president and chief marketing officer, new roommate-matching and room-sharing tools were developed upon the request of Weyerhaeuser Corp.
(Meetings Today, June 7) and Borland Software Corp., both Register123 clients. "About 50 percent of our development is due to client requests, and the rest is due to what we see as the future," Vlay said. Other modifications to Register123 include the ability to track all changes to attendee profiles and to invite previously registered attendees to new events. Also, Vlay said, due to requests by several financial and insurance clients, including the CUNA Mutual Group and Accenture, Certain upgraded application servers to Java-based platforms to enhance security. By year-end, Vlay said, Certain expects to add more applications to enhance data consolidation features. "Consolidation has been a key request, whether it's consolidating room nights and finances or destination management companies," she said. "Clients want that leverage." Though Register123 does not have a direct interface with an online self-booking tool, Vlay said the company is exploring that possibility with several travel management and online booking providers.
Air France-KLM, Accor Offer Event PackageThe sales and account management program for multinational corporate accounts introduced by the newly merged Air France-KLM includes a meeting component that features a deal with the Accor Group hotel chain that offers standard rates at two properties, the Dorint Sofitel Amsterdam Airport and the Sofitel Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Both properties offer meeting packages with daily rates of e99 (US$120) per attendee, which include some food and beverage and technological options. The account management program, dubbed One Corporate Travel Solution, debuted last month after Air France and KLM officially merged in May
(BTN, June 7). The merged carrier will continue to offer the respective meetings programs the two airlines formerly offered when they were separate entities.
PKF, IACC: Conf. Center Demand Set To SpikeA joint publication of the International Association of Conference Centers and PKF Consulting predicted significant growth in demand for conference center space throughout 2004. The study also projected that occupancy gains in 2004 will translate into rate growth in 2005, to the point where average revenue per available room will increase by 3 percent to 4 percent in the following few years. "The level of booking activity for most markets in the fourth quarter of 2003 was substantially greater than in the prior year and greater than in any other quarter of the year. Early returns for 2004 indicate this increased level of activity is being sustained," said David Arnold, executive vice president of PKF Consulting and an advisor to the IACC board. "Most importantly, the recovery has taken hold, and most meeting planners that we have recently spoken with believe their activity will increase this year." Other PKF findings include a geographical basis of recovery with both domestic coasts faring better than the nation's midsection and less impact of Internet rates on conference centers than hotels.
~Chris Davis