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planners are noticing an increase in the amount of technology used for meetings, big and small.

meeting technology resources (44.2 percent) is one of the top five vendors

The economy also continues to be a factor in meeting planning.

The global market for meetings and events is currently growing at seven percent per year, in turn driving up prices for meeting space across North America, Asia, and Europe.

The big hotels groups are taking this on board. In February, for example, Hilton announced a new hotel brand called Signia, which focuses exclusively on the meetings and events market by incorporating cutting-edge technology and design into the guest experience.

“Whether adding space or refurbishing, hotels need to think carefully about where the ROI will come from, be it though higher rates, improved occupancy or increased food sales,” concludes Sachs. “But there are definite opportunities to tap into this growing market by understanding and responding smartly to shifting expectations.”

CWT easy meetings, a direct-booking platform for small meetings. The platform gives meeting organizers access to over 250,000 meeting rooms in hotels

unique venues & event spaces in more than 90 countries.

enables meeting planners to source and book venues,

According to "The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy", the first of its kind quantitative research-based analysis on the subject, meetings and conventions support over 1.7 million jobs throughout the U.S. alone. The 1.8 million recorded meetings and conventions held throughout the country in 2011 directly contributed an excess of $106 billion dollars to the Gross Domestic Product with all indicators pointing towards industry growth between 2012 -2020. In essence, meetings mean business…..Big Business!

When asked how planners prefer to communicate with their venue partners, the overwhelming response was: electronically (laptops, tablets and smartphones).

Planners’ opinions of the technology most important to them for choosing a meeting/event venue in 2013 yielded the following results: High Speed Wi-Fi accessibility Web Conferencing Video Conferencing Although not as important as the above, planners also indicated that the following technologies were also of importance depending on the nature of the meeting/event: Virtual Meeting Environments Portable Audio/Visual Electronic Way-Finding Signage

Meetings technology company Cvent has joined Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) as an "Alliance Partner," DMAI announced last week

Mobile Apps Mobile technology is one of the hottest areas of development in any industry. Mobile applications will continue to change the way we meet and travel, and their influence will continue to grow. Global smartphone wholesale revenues were expected to hit $97.3 billion in 2010, according to New York City-based ABI Research -- a year-over-year jump of nearly 57 percent. ABI expects revenues to climb to more than $175 billion by 2015. As a fast-growing majority of planners and attendees have smartphones in hand, the opportunities for mobile meetings management and mobile event engagement will skyrocket.

How they are being used. App development is occurring at breakneck speed, and potentially thousands could be of use to planners. MeetingApps.com is making efforts to list them all; as of press time, the site had catalogued nearly 1,000 different meeting apps, across 26 different categories, for the iOS alone. Also listed are a steadily growing number of meeting apps for the BlackBerry, and the site has plans to catalog Android apps as well.

Meetings management apps. These often are free and provide planners the ability to tap into web-based meeting platforms from their mobile devices while on-site or in transit. In many cases, the apps provide mobile access to a platform for which users already pay. In theory, a dedicated app might not be necessary for that, as long as planners have access to the Internet; but an app that provides a phone-friendly interface and optimizes the display for mobile-device viewing can make the difference between incredibly useful and utterly useless access while away from one's desk.

From reservation to checkout, technology aids communication and streamlines the entire guest experience. It not only expands revenue options but also helps maintain operational efficiencies for the industry.

From reservation to checkout, technology aids communication and streamlines the entire guest experience. It not only expands revenue options but also helps maintain operational efficiencies for the industry.

From reservation to checkout, technology aids communication and streamlines the entire guest experience. It not only expands revenue options but also helps maintain operational efficiencies for the industry.

Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers?

Investment in Hotel Technology Pays Off with Increased Group Revenue Tuesday, July 10, 2012 by Sarah Vining Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers? Virtual concierge service on guest room TVs At Hyatt Hotels with in-room HD TVs by Roomlinx Inc., guests are able make service requests, check email/weather, use the Business Center, print documents, and receive customized messages from meeting planners. Service requests like housekeeping and in-room dining are instantly sent through the system, improving the venue’s departmental efficiency. All of these virtual functions are hoped to appeal to new markets and drive group business. More efficient billing In the article, “Insert IACC blog post title URL” we learn that in 2012, meeting and group planners are prioritizing finance as very important during in their planning process (which made the top 10 list for the first time). Hotels making large investments in revenue management systems are taking advantage of new features that automate and process data to improve efficiency and increase revenue for properties. Virtual business centers Socialization through technology and food and beverage outlets is increasing revenue for TRYP by Wyndham in the NYC Times Square South property. Google TVs and access to Google Chrome laptops near the Gastro Bar in the hotel’s lobby offers guests an opportunity to enjoy a dining experience with the comfort of complimentary technology use. On-staff IT team When planners were surveyed, reliability was listed as a top concern of IT services in the white paper “What Do Planners and Trainers Really Want in Their Meeting Service?” All IACC-certified conference centers are required to have an on-site IT team to ensure technology functions properly. Now, the need for a knowledgeable IT team that really understands technology and can cater to individuals and group business is spreading to other hotel markets.   These impressive technology tools improve the guest experience and lead to a quick return on investment, especially in F&B. As we move beyond the discussion of required hotel Wi-Fi services, there will be a focus on technology amenities that provide the same comforts of home or the office. To increase group business, hoteliers are comfortable with this investment knowing there’s a return on investment with generated buzz/venue marketing and satisfied guests. Want to learn about other ways hotels are using technology to build relationships? Check out Enhancing Your Social Networking Site with a Social Concierge! to maximize social media and connect with guests, attendees and planners!

There are so many great companies out there with lots of great ideas, but any new technology needs to be compatible with current systems in order to be most effective.

While most people have smartphones these days, remember that not everyone does. For those who don’t, use kiosks or other ways to update them on session changes or information about the meeting.

Do something just because it’s a hot new technology.

"iPad - The Perfect Sales Tool"

3D images are used to showcase the Gibson Hotel meeting and event facilities helping to communicate the scale and style of the venue.

The intended use for the app product is to help close large conference, meeting and event sales. For this we focused on creating a clean, simple interface to showcase the hotel’s large open spaces and facilities.

Planners should adjust budgets to a

nticipate higher rates, and book event space as early as possible.

This year’s mantra is “book now!” The longer you wait, the more you’ll pay. Or even worse, you won’t find a viable space for your event.

Mobile app developers claim they have been creating event apps for 5 years, but 2013 is merely the second year of meaningful commercial deployment, with exploding growth expected over the next 3 years.

The Omni app expedites a number of activities, from menu and floor plan reviews to session changes and temperature adjustments. It is pre-loaded with BEOs, group resume, agenda, and interactive floor plans.

an event marketing coordinator has been loading, formatting and updating lots of content using a Content Management System (CMS) interface.

Corporate meetings and events are on the rebound after the recession, but many organizations are also rethinking how technology can help them plan a more budget-friendly and productive business meeting.

land-based event venue

all-inclusive cruise.

Meetings are all about business:  they develop relationships, generate leads, close deals, and create new customers.  More than that, meetings impact local economies.

anyone that works at a convention venue (anyone, in any capacity); anyone in the hospitality business that caters to conventioneers (staffs at hotels, restaurants, and night clubs); taxi drivers; meeting planners; meeting suppliers; transportation companies; exhibit designers and builders; association and show managers; corporate exhibit managers …

Trade shows and meetings create an enormous economic impact.

At a launch event in New York City, Hilton President/CEO Christopher Nassetta noted

“There is a gap, we believe, in the upper end of the meetings and events space.

[They wanted] the type of technologies that will help them run their meetings much more efficiently and make it better [and] more customizable for their meeting attendees.”

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin makes updates to its property with meeting delegates in mind.

50 percent of the Swan and Dolphin’s business comes from meetings groups, making it one of Marriott’s top meeting hotels.

2,270 guest rooms and over 333,000 square feet of meeting space on site,

Publicis Meetings USA (PMUSA), revealed that the trend of using technology in meeting or event management will drive in forward, thanks to the increasing tech-savvy clients.

The discussion revolving around event technology in destination meetings has exploded in the last year among hotels and tourism bureaus trying to come to grips with the exponential growth in demand for event tech and the onslaught of new tech providers.

many travel suppliers are adapting quickly to the need for more fluid and dynamic meeting design integrating new forms of technology and digital communications at every level.

“These technologies provide planners with greater opportunities to increase engagement and generate and capture real-time feedback, while attendees can gain a richer and more connected experience throughout the event life cycle,” said Issa Jouaneh, VP and general manager of American Express Meetings & Events