Making the New Year Better
Travel Gifts for Comfort and Fun
Good Deeds, Great Events: Backpacking in Mexico
The Insider Poll: How is the economy affecting you?
Around the Industry
Krisam & GEP News

Making the Best of the New Year
A Message from the Chairman & CEO of GEP and Krisam

Doubtless, there is no one among us who will be sad to see 2008 depart leaving behind memories of an endless, sometimes bitter, presidential campaign, and the start of a major financial crisis.

Surveys show that meeting professionals expect the economic down turn to have a negative affect on our industry in 2009. And how could it not. Yet, there are some hopeful signs and ways to lessen the impact.

• First, our new president has a clean slate and is intent upon tackling the nation’s financial woes as his first action.
   
• Second, in down times, the companies that maintain consistent marketing efforts are those who fare the best. That means meetings and incentives are tools to counter the impact of the bad economic news.
   
• Third, GEP and Krisam are well positioned to help you succeed in difficult times. If your budget and your staff have been cut, using a GEP member DMC increases your buying power so you can get the best rates for venues and services. Using a DMC also is like adding staff for the duration of your event. Through Krisam, you can find the hotel that’s best for the size of your group and your budget, without sacrificing your desire for something really special.
   
• Fourth, MeetingsCollaborative.com is up and running with peer reviews of hotels to help you make the best decision, forums so planners can share concerns and solutions, insights by meetings expert and contributing columnist Joan Eisenstodt, and job postings if you are looking or seeking. Check it out at meetingscollaborative.com.

Neat Travel Gifts for Comfort and Fun

Can’t sleep with a night light but need one when you wake up in a strange hotel when nature calls? There’s a travel gift for you. Always forgetting something when you leave your hotel room? There’s a travel gift for you. Worried about bad air and coughing passengers making you sick on an airplane? There’s a travel gift for you.

Whether you are looking for last minute holiday gifts or anytime presents for frequent travelers, the Internet has a host of new items to offer, which you may want for yourself, too. Here’s the latest in online items to fit any itinerary.

Good Deeds, Great Events: Community Service in the Meetings Industry
Back Packs Give Good Kids a Boost

The Awards program for top sales people at the OptumHealth and Ingenix divisions of United Health Group is called “Altus”. The name is Latin for “lofty”. Thanks to a community outreach program on a recent awards trip to Mexico, the participants returned with high spirits, matching those of some deserving children who benefited from the program. Here’s more on a good deed that helped make a great event.

The Insider Poll: Is the economy affecting your events?

One day the stock market is down nearly four digits, the next day it’s up. One step forward, and two backwards. None of the experts is willing to say how long the down turn and seesawing will last. But from big corporations to the small retailers, businesses are hurting. Advertising and Marketing during a downtime is supposed to help you make the best of the worst. (See Chris White’s advice above.) But take our poll and let us know how the weak economy is affecting your work thus far.

Results of the Last Insider Poll.
The Middle East, Oceana and South America are the least visited places for meetings and incentives by Insider readers. Five percent of respondents said they had held a program there. At the top, of course, was the United States followed by Europe and Mexico. Surprisingly Africa, Asia and Canada were tied for third. The complete results are below.

In which world regions have you held meetings or incentives? (Check all that apply).

• United States 21%
• Europe 12%
• Mexico 12%
• Africa 10%
• Asia 10%
• Canada 10%
• Central America 9%
• Middle East 5%
• Oceana 5%
• South America 5%

Around the Industry

From Dinner to Marriage in the Sky
The novel company that brought us Dinner in the Sky as noted in the October Event Insider now offers Marriage in the Sky "for couples who wish to transform an ordinary marriage into a magical moment that will leave them, their witnesses, families and friends with an unforgettable memory."

Marriage in the Sky can be held anywhere (beach, public place, private property, castle, historical site...) as long as there is a surface of approximately 500 m² that can be secured. Marriage in the Sky can be customized by every couple according to their wishes such as performing a bungee jump from the platform after getting married, the producers report. Twenty guests can be invited to this in the clouds event. Find out more about Marriage in the Sky.

Krisam & GEP News
Get updates on Krisam Member Hotels & Resorts and GEP Partners here. For more information on any of these Members or Partners below, contact your Krisam or GEP representative directly or email us today.

New GEP Partners
* Cayman Islands – Glamour Destination Management

Hülya Aslantas elected president of Skål International
Hulya Aslantas, managing director of GEP partner, Universal Travel Services of Turkey, has been elected president of Skal International at the organization’s World Congress in October in Taiwan.

Skal International, founded in 1934, is the world’s biggest association of tourism and travel professionals. with members in 90 countries and almost 500 locations.


Half Moon Appoints Associate Director Group Sales and Receives Green Globe Certification
Sharon Logan has been appointed associate director of Group Sales for the luxury resort Half Moon, Jamaica.

Mrs. Logan assumes this new appointment after serving two years as the resort’s tour operator relations manager. In her new capacity, she will be responsible for building the resort’s strong group business, canvassing key international markets and forging alliances among the meetings, incentives, conventions and events constituencies.

Sharon holds certificate in hospitality marketing from Connell University and held positions at Sand Castles and Plantation Inn.

Half Moon Green Globe Certified
In addition Half Moon has received Green Globe certification from the worldwide benchmarking and certification program.

Long a pioneer in green initiatives in Jamaica, the resort was commended for its detailed, concise and sound environmental practices and social responsibility that are at the heart of the 400-acre resort’s operation.

With its on-site nursery, carpentry and furniture shop as well as upholstery and drapery center, Half Moon is able to employ skilled artisans from the local community. Additionally, waste materials from these areas are used in the on-site horse stables, in landscaping and to produce dolls for local children’s homes. Similarly waste resources from the stables are used in the resort’s landscaping program.

A staunch conservationist, the 54 year-old resort reported a five percent decrease in its energy bill thanks to several resort-wide initiatives that included replacing high wattage light bulbs with low-energy bulbs. Additionally, the resort’s waste water treatment plant generates over 130,000 gallons of water per day that is used to irrigate the 400-acre property.

Half Moon has a dedicated meeting team to ensure personalized service for groups of all sizes and coordinate special packages, such as “Meetings on the Green.”


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