Past Events

(photo by Dan Kaufman, Las Vegas Photo)

LVHA PANEL TACKLES ‘MARKETING IN CHALLENGING TIMES’

FIVE MEETING AND TRAVEL TRADE EXPERTS WERE FEATURED
AT LAS VEGAS HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION LUNCHEON

LAS VEGAS – October 29, 2009 – Five experienced meeting and travel industry executives were part of an interactive panel discussing “Marketing in Challenging Times” at the Las Vegas Hospitality Association’s monthly, Oct. 29, 2009, meeting at Bellagio Las Vegas.

The distinguished panel moderated by H. Fletch Brunelle, Bellagio senior vice president of hotel sales and marketing included: Alicia Evanko, show director Questex Media Group; Ash Kapur, director of market management Expedia; Patty Karsten, travel buyer BCD Meetings & Incentives; Debi Kinney, director of meetings and conference management Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute; and Pat Norman director of conference planning National Medical Association.

Questions focused on how business has changed in the last 18 months, new company initiatives, cost-cutting measures, face-to-face networking, social networking tools, and future hospitality industry trends. The last question was how their clients perceive Las Vegas.

On most issues, there was agreement with an occasional divergent viewpoint.
Every business has felt the recession so cost cutting has been the norm. Losing exhibitors and sponsorship monies, Norman with the National Medical Association said, “We cut out a lot of bells and whistles. Audio/visual worked with us and no one really missed the big conference beginning and we saved $90,000.” She also mentioned that room rates in Las Vegas dropped and the hotel worked with her to reduce their original contract price.

Kinney with the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute brought up perceptions verses reality.  One luncheon sponsor didn’t want to be recognized for fear of looking like they were squandering money. People are more budget conscious. She pointed out that time out of the office is more noticeable now.

For 2010, Kinney’s company is initiating a marketing-based loyalty program rewarding longevity, starting a monthly incentive program, and offering early, early bird rates to get clients to commit earlier. “We already have 15 percent of the total of this year’s convention signed up.

~Jackie Brett, Publicist for LVHA