Continuing our Global Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange Buyer Q&A series, Meeting Spotlight spoke with Danene Dustin, senior global sales executive for Morris Meetings & Incentives, a full-service meeting and incentive program provider. Topics covered include working remotely, how incentives could change and the value of virtual "FAM" trips.
Here's what Dustin had to say:
How has your segment of the industry changed over the last year?
International travel to the U.K. could resume, at the earliest, May 17, 2021, according to a report produced by the U.K.’s Global Travel Taskforce. On Friday, the taskforce released a framework to chart The Safe Return of International Travel to the U.K., deciding on a “traffic light” system, which would categorize countries based on the level of risk.
As part of our ongoing Global Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange Buyer Q&A, Meeting Spotlight spoke with Paige Laliberte, event manager for The Castle Group, a corporate event management and public relations firm.
How has your segment of the industry changed over the last year?
On June 15, all industries in California will be able to return to “usual operations,” according to an announcement by the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health.
The state, Governor Newsom said, would only fully reopen if two criteria are met:
Radisson Hotel Group has launched a new rapid testing service for meeting and event attendees at properties across its portfolio in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The service will be available at participating hotels in partnership with Hughes Healthcare using a lateral flow antigen test kit.
New York has recently announced the launch of a digital platform, called Excelsior Pass, to track an individual's recent negative PCR or antigen test result or proof of vaccination to help fast-track the reopening of businesses and event venues. The platform is voluntary and would work in a similar way to a mobile airline boarding pass.
A slew of hotels, stadiums and arenas, convention centers are more have recently been awarded GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA.
To get a gauge on the industry for 2021 and beyond, Meeting Spotlight spoke with John Williams, president of American Guest, which offers corporate clients tailored incentives, events, meetings, and VIP travel experiences. Williams expects virtual/hybrid meetings to become "king" and also discussed how companies became more supportive of each other.
How has your segment of the industry changed over the last year?
Recognizing that many U.S. travelers and executives are looking for ways to safely bring loved ones and team members back together, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Florida has announced the introduction of onsite rapid COVID-19 testing for groups.
As Oregon gears up for economic recovery, tourism is expected to lead the way and Travel Oregon is actively laying the groundwork. The agency, which serves as the state tourism office, has established a multimillion-dollar suite of investments to aid the tourism industry in economic recovery from the pandemic.