For those of us wondering how the environment impacts us in the convention and meeting industry or how catastrophes or other problems change how we do business, we only have to look at the recent oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico.  We have written about the terrible situation with the flood in Nashville and how it impacted the folks at Gaylord Hotels.

Meetingsnet.com talks about how the spill is leading to cancellations in the Meeting Industry.

A May 18 survey of 50 hotels across the Gulf Coast that host meetings and events found that 42 percent are experiencing group booking cancellations, the report says.

I don’t think that we are going to see a big problem in the Gulf States as it relates to meetings, or conventions or other things that are impacted in that area by things like golf coast hurricanes or other weather issues.  I like how the report states that in some cases bookings for hotels and other facilities are on the rise because they are housing the peripheral industries like emergency people, media and others.  So far the spill is not making much of an impact, but if you have a meeting, a convention or trade show in the gulf coast states, it might be a good idea to reach out to your facility to see if there is any impact.  If you are marketing your event as a beach front or other outdoor ocean view or gulf coast outing, you should make sure you have your own disaster preparedness.

[photo via Yahoo News and AP]

Jekyll Island is one of the best-kept secrets of the southern coast!  So beautiful that these islands are called The Golden Isles, your e, convention, trade show, corporate retreat, meeting, reception, or any other kind of gather imaginable will be well-attended and always remembered.  I would also bet that most of your attendees will return to Jekyll Island on their own as soon as they possibly can.

Located at 1 North Beachview Dr., Jekyll Island, GA 31527, the convention center is easy to find; the drive itself is one of the most memorable and beautiful things your people will ever do, in fact.

Planning your gathering is easy here; there are 55,000 square feet of space within a complex of buildings. All in all, there are three large convention halls, thirteen breakout rooms, all in one way or another connected. Don’t worry about your attendees having to go out into the rain to get from one building to another, either; the buildings are all connected or adjoined.

As for food, the Jekyll Island Convention Center has whatever you want.  If you want a simple fare, they’ve got burgers and beach barbecues.  If you want a black tie, eight course dinner, they’ve got that, too, and everything in between!

There are fantastic hotels on the islands, but the convention center itself has 1,500 guest rooms, which will surely take care of most of your attendees.

Why not call now, and reserve a spot for your convention?  (888) 413-9127

All over Mexico and North America, people are celebrating Cinco De Mayo or the celebration of the victory at the Battle of Puebla.  Many believe it to be the celebration of Mexico’s independence but although not, it is a highly celebrated day in Mexican history.  I thought that in honor of the holiday, and staying with the idea of talking about convention centers outside the U.S., I would  head down to Cancun and check out the convention center there.

The Cancun Center is located in the heart of the hotel district of Cancun and has 152,852 square feet of exhibition space.    The Yucatan Peninsula is a gorgeous setting for a convention or trade show.  The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau describes the faciltiy:

An extraordinary setting with a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea combines with state-of-the-art technology and personal attention from a team of professionals.
The result is a full range of support services, from audiovisual and security to booth decor and food and beverage.
Everything you need to guarantee an event’s success is yours at Cancun Center.

I checked out their facility with their virtual tour and it looks like a wonderful place to have a convention or trade show. 

This past weekend The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Education Foundation held its first international Partnership Summit at the Cancun Center.  It was a chance to really showcase the convention center to industry leaders.  Arturo Escaip, President of the CCVB said just this:

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be hosting the Foundation’s Annual Partnership Summit,” said Arturo Escaip, President and CEO of the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This is an unprecedented opportunity to ‘show-off’ all that Cancun has to offer to this group of highly-respected meetings industry executives. Additionally, the focus group and town hall meetings will provide us with some candid insight into the needs of meetings professionals, while also giving us a unique opportunity to demonstrate the many advantages of planning a meeting in Cancun.”

A great opportunity for the Cancun Center and I hope they took advantage of the chance to shine.  If you are an event or convention planner check out what Cancun has to offer.