04 Oct 10 Cruise Destinations Worth Contemplating
Cruise ships span the globe and tour nearly every major waterway. Some are large, some are small, and many are tied to cultures and their unique traditions. For example, there are ancient Chinese-looking ships of modern design cruising the Yellow River and similarly antique-looking modern ships cruising the mighty Mississippi disguised as traditional steamboats.
Some of the cruise ships are tied specifically to certain destinations, but other destinations are open to almost all kinds of cruise vessels. This creates a situation where a company not interested in a specific theme needs to know what different kinds of group cruises are available.
Here are just a few and what they say about the host company or organization:
- Hawaii – Hawaii’s lovely islands are a safe bet for a cruise, but they do not show much imagination. Some people appreciate this, while others do not. Be certain to evaluate customer/company image before choosing the islands of Hawaii.
- Mexico – Parties and drinking are still a big deal for certain crowds, and companies with a youthful and slightly rebellious image might want to consider options south of the border.
- Alaska – Alaska is gorgeous, but it is cold and not necessarily inviting. Companies need to consider cruise meetings to Alaska carefully because the message that the crumbling icebergs offer might be inappropriate.
- The Caribbean – The northern sections of the Caribbean offer plenty of very safe and well-known destinations while the West Indies chain offers great and lesser known destinations.
- Africa and Asia – These simply scream exotic but need to be carefully considered for a few obvious reasons, not the least of which is the travel cost.
Tags: Company Image, Crowds, Cruise Alaska, Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships, Cruise Vessels, Cultures, Customer Company, Different Kinds, Group Cruises, Host Company, Imagination, Islands Of Hawaii, Mighty Mississippi, Northern Sections, Rsquo, Safe Bet, Waterway, West Indies, Yellow River
13 Sep 10 Pick Your Destinations Well as They Speak Volumes About Your Company
Companies are having to face the harsh reality that they are not viewed so much on the merits of their products and/or services as they are viewed on their public image. A large part of any company’s public image can be clearly seen in how it presents itself and where it presents itself.
Take arch-rivals Apple and Microsoft, and look at their meeting venues to see what they say about them; Apple is hip and almost uniformly presents in California these days, while Microsoft is all over the globe trying to play catch up. Why is Microsoft playing catch up to a smaller company in terms of PR? In part it is because of where the company’s hold their public events.
Here is what you need to know about how people view different kinds of destinations:
- California – hip, expensive, trendy, and it simply says up to date all over it so long as the actual event is well presented.
- The great Northwest – In touch with nature. If you want to give off a green vibe, this is the place to do it.
- New York – People call it the capital of the world for a reason, and it offers sophistication on par with European cities paired with a gritty, hard-core, no-nonsense personality.
- Major cities in Europe – Trendy but traditional.
- The Midwest – Budget friendly, financially responsible.
Tags: Apple, Arch Rivals, Budget, Cities In Europe, Different Kinds, European Cities, Globe, Hard Core, Harsh Reality, Major Cities, Merits, Microsoft, Midwest, Nonsense, Northwest, Personality, Public Image, Smaller Company, Sophistication, Vibe
12 Jul 10 Choosing Destinations
When it is time to plan a meeting, there are plenty of possibilities. The brochures and promotional materials make sound arguments in favor of many different venues, but ultimately a single venue must be selected for a single event. Here are some ideas to help you effectively reduce the number of options being seriously considered:
• To go all the way or not – If you are too busy to plan every little detail, look for all-inclusive options that handle some or all of the planning for you. This can lead to significant time savings and surprisingly, as well as a tangible amount of money saved.
• Local or long distance – There are both local venues and venues in other cities. If all the participants are from your city, then a local venue might make sense unless travel and attendance is to be considered a perk. If customers are the focus of the meeting/event, then go where they are.
• By land or by sea – Do not discount cruise ships as venues for meetings and events. In fact, cruise ships make amazing destinations for many different kinds of events. Remember that cruise events are more appropriate for certain audiences and companies than other.
• Consider price – Price is important, but that makes apples to apples comparisons difficult.
Tags: Amount Of Money, Apples To Apples, Attendance, Audiences, Brochures, Cruise Events, Cruise Ships, Different Kinds, Discount Cruise, Long Distance, Meetings And Events, Might Make Sense, Participants, Possibilities, Promotional Materials, Significant Time, Sound Arguments, Time Savings, Venue
Advertisement
Corporate Meeting Planner Resources
- Cruise line Expansion in Chinese Market Good News for Meeting PlannersChina is becoming a popular destination for MICE events due to its rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural landscapes and most of all - its high economic growth. Everyone wants to do business in China right now. Naturally, that translates into lots of meetings, trade shows, conferences and other events. According to The China Incentive, Business […]
- Time to step out of the ZoneSo often we find ourselves repeating the same patterns both professionally and personally because it feels “safe”. While that perceived safety may or may not be real, it explains why so many people feel their lives are in a rut. It is that comfort zone that so many long for that ultimately is their worst enemy. In order […]
- Stimulating Your Attendees in a Positive WayAfter reading the article Boost the Brain Computer, Don’t Crash It, I got to thinking about how foods definitely have an effect on mood and concentration. Anyone who has ever seen a child at a birthday party, loaded with candy, snow cones, cake and soda can attest to the fact that while the sugar will […]