March 2010

One of the things that drives trade show

visitors crazy is pushy sales people.

When visiting a show, the last thing visitors

want to encounter are sales people who do

not take the time to learn about their visi-

tor’s unique situation before embarking on

an overwhelming spiel that includes infor-

mation that has very little to do with their needs. It’s called the

pitch.

Think back to a time when you were a customer. You could

have been shopping for anything: a new car, a winter jacket or

something for dinner. Now, pretend that you asked whoever was

serving you for some information and that person took your

question as a signal that you wanted to hear everything. What

would your reaction have been ? My guess is that while you may

have tolerated the pitch, you were probably thinking about ways

to end the conversation. Am I right?

Visitors to a trade show feel exactly the same way. Their

defense against pushy sales people is to avoid eye contact.

Studies have shown that as many as 95 percent of visitors walk-

ing a show avoid eye contact. Can you blame them?

The solution, then, is an attitude adjustment. When you are

preparing your staff for a show or an event, you want to help

them change their approach from one of a salesperson to one of

a host. A host is a friendlier role to play and takes the emphasis

away from pure selling.

The role of host is usually played out in social settings. Here

is an example. Let’s suppose for a moment that you and your fam-

ily have moved to a new home. The moving trucks have long

gone, your boxes have been unpacked and everything has been

placed where it belongs. It has been an exhausting experience.

Now you and your partner are sitting on a couch realizing that

while your new home looks great you are strangers in the neigh-

borhood. To rectify the problem you decide to have an open

house for the neighbors. You set the time for next Sunday

between 2 and 4 p.m. You then create an invitation and walk up

and down your street stuffing it into your neighbours’ mailboxes.

Now it’s 2 p.m. on Sunday and your home looks perfect. Your

front door is open and the first neighbor approaches. What do

you do? You have the following options:

• Sit in the den and watch television

• Sit on your couch and read the newspaper

• Approach them by telling them all about yourself

• Or approach them and get them talking about the neighborhood

The last suggestion is the one that fits the role of host well. It’s

the same role that should be played in a booth. Your exhibition

booth is your place of business for a few days. Instead of trying

to sell products and services to visitors who happen by, simply

welcome them and try to find out what their needs are.

The right approach will make the difference between success

and failure of your exhibit plan.

Barry Siskind is North America’ foremost trade and consumer showexpert. Visit his Web site: www.siskindtraining.com or e-mail him at:[email protected].

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 3

Pushy sales people a no-no at a trade show

BY BARRY SISKIND

Up to 95 percent of visitors to atrade show will avoid eye contact

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Teambuilding as a strategyA team is a group of people who share a common set ofobjectives and goals. But what are the strategies to get agroup to develop a strong team ethic? Editor Leo Gervaisgives readers a new take on teambuilding.

Humour can add energyExperienced speaker Stacey Hanke knows humour whenshe hears it. In this column, she provides some goodexamples of humour that works and – just as importantly –that definitely doesn’t work when speaking to groups.

MPI conference in CancunMeeting Professionals International is well known for theirexcellent educational sessions held several times per year.This year’s MeetDifferent Conference in Cancun highlightedthe use of technology.

Salt and pepperIs there anything more commonplace than salt and pepper?Leave it to our foodie/associate editor Camille Lay to write with a fresh pair of eyes and provide some insight that willshake your perceptions about this famous culinary duo.

THEPLANNEREDITOR Leo Gervais [email protected] EDITOR Camille Lay [email protected] ARTIST Matt Riopel [email protected] [email protected] Patricia Lemus [email protected] Mike Auctor, Barry Siskind, Stacey Hanke

PAP – Registration No. 111100We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of

Canada through the Publications Assistance Program of theDepartment of Canadian Heritage toward our mailing costs.

The Planner is distributed to professional meeting and event planners across Canada.

Success comes from forethought and caring

Wow! What a fantastic job they did in Vancouver. Whenever

I watched the Olympics on TV, everyone seemed to be

having such a great time. It was smiles all around, and it obviously

helped that Canada did very well in the medals department. It was

unfortunate that it began with tragedy and a few glitches but what

the Vancouver organizing committee put together was perfectly

executed from a spectator’s point of view and it made us proud

to be Canadians. The trick now is to continue that momentum.

How can that be done? Well, in our industry, there are a few ways.

One easy way is by encouraging local Canadian businesses

and working together as communities, for no one person is more

important than the whole. Another way is by encouraging fellow

Canadians who work and live in Canada because, in the end, it’s

all about people and relationships. Caring is at the heart of really

good leadership, and that must have been what they had in

Vancouver because people truly seemed to care. I’m sure there

were no signs saying, “Put on a happy face.”

First of all, most of the people that did the work were

volunteers, so they wanted to be a part of it – to help and be of

service. So I guess that’s something we should all look for when

hiring personnel, that sense of volunteerism, that ‘What can I do

to help you’ positive service attitude. Basically, it was caring!

That’s the industry we work in – and we should expect no less

than the example set by the people at the Vancouver Olympics.

As a nation, we can be proud on many fronts following these

great Games: as a service industry a benchmark for planning and

organizing, friendliness, helpfulness and caring have been estab-

lished and now it’s up to all of us to continue the high standard.

Like the Olympic athletes, we must keep competing. We can’t

stop working at it if we want to excel and be the best. So, let’s

follow their example and strive to be the best and show others

that we care because caring is contagious, and it can be passed

on like the Olympic torch for everyone to see and follow.

LEO GERVAIS

T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L E D I T I O N

In th is Issue

4 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

What’s in a name?As innovation expert Jeremy Gutsche stated so well in his

fabulous presentation “New Rules = New Roles” at the recent MPI

event in Cancun, Mexico, it’s all about the packaging.

Perhaps no area of our business knows this better than resort

hotels. Unfortunately for them, some fiscally minded managers

see the term “resort” and think “vacation.” Or worse yet, “lack of

productivity.”

With comptrollers sharpening their pencils and slashing any

fat from budgets that they can find, resort hotels are an easy tar-

get. Not sure if a name change should make a difference? Go ask

the Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, N.C. which it has been report-

ed changed its name to the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge after sev-

eral corporate clients indicated it would have a better chance at

getting them to sign on the dotted line if “resort” wasn’t part of

its moniker. And it’s the same story for the newly-christened

Renaissance Orlando at Sea World, no longer the Renaissance

Orlando Resort at Sea World.

“It doesn’t change who we are,” Renaissance Orlando sales

director Gary Dybul was quoted as saying. “But there’s no reason

to put roadblocks in the way” of landing conferences.

However, one person’s almost meaningless name change is

another’s canary in the hotel coal mine – an indicator of how

tough it is to get business in this economy. But who’s getting the

shaft?

This resort-as-pariah stigma was fuelled by public outcry late

in 2008 about a $400,000 sales retreat that American International

Group Inc. planned to host at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort

in Dana Point, Calif. AIG, the recipient of $180 billion in taxpay-

er assistance, canceled the event after much criticism. The St.

Regis couldn't recover from the bad publicity and was foreclosed

upon by one of its lenders, Citigroup Inc.

Industry people are now calling this the AIG effect. Meetings

at resorts in fun-time locales like Las Vegas were frowned upon,

and even recently discouraged by none other than the leader of

the free world, U.S. President Barack Obama.

“You don’t blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you’re trying

to save for college,” Obama was recently quoted as saying, fol-

lowing up similar remarks he made the year before.

As a consequence, companies and government agencies have

revised travel policies to discourage, if not prohibit, resort stays.

Particularly sensitive to the backlash were financial companies,

government agencies and medical companies—those that do

business with the government or have millions of customers to

answer to.

That trend has slammed resorts at the worst time. Since 2007,

resorts in North America and the Caribbean have posted results

worse than the industry averages, registering a 22.6% decline in

revenue per available room and a drop in occupancy of 8.9 per-

centage points to 58.1%, according to Smith Travel Research.

But a name change can help. The 493-room Loews Lake Las

Vegas hotel removed “resort” from its name in the spring of 2009

as did two other Loews Hotels Inc. properties: the Loews Ventana

Canyon in Tucson, Ariz., and the Loews Coronado Bay near San

Diego, and its general manager Dale McDaniel said there could

be as much as a 10 percent swing in business because of it.

McDaniel added that all it takes is a couple of large pharmaceu-

tical groups to book there – because they don’t have resort in

their name – to help bring them back to prosperity.

Waiters sue for $5M in lost tipsThe Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City charges just under

US$100 (before gratuity) for their phenomenally sumptuous

brunch. They may need to boost their prices if nine banquet wait-

ers suing the famed hotel (owned by Hilton Worldwide inc.) get

their way. Their recent lawsuit claims customers were led to

believe that a 21.5 % gratuity added to their food and drink bills

would go entirely to the wait staff. In fact, the lawsuit said only

15 percent went to the staff while the other 6.5 percent went to

the hotel, which the group contends violated New York state

labour law.

The amount of damages being sought is unclear but the

lawsuit contends the amount “exceeds the sum or value of US$5

million.” That’s a lot of Eggs Benedict…

On the Web: www.waldorfnewyork.com

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 5

BY LEO GERVAIS

If you tuned in to the recent Winter Olympics, in particular

the final gold medal hockey game, you saw first hand what

a team is all about.

A team is a group of people who share a common set of objec-

tives and goals, and are willing to work together to achieve them.

The American men’s hockey team was splendid and lost its first

game of the tournament in the gold medal match in overtime.

Team Canada, however, overcame major adversity (they beat the

only team they lost to – the U.S.A. – in round robin play), van-

quished a longtime foe (the Russians, handily by a 7-3 score) and

gutted out a win against a very competitive Slovakian team. Team

Canada truly embodied the team ethic and spirit.

But how does one create a team? Is it just a bunch of talented

individuals who come together with one collective vision? The

strategy that can help groups develop into real teams is called

teambuilding. But the process to create and develop all aspects

of a team so it performs as a cohesive unit is complicated.

For example, the team may have objectives, but individuals do

as well. The hockey team wants to win, but perhaps the star cen-

ter wants to score 50 goals.

It is possible that the star player will subordinate the team

goals for his own – this is not uncommon. But when the hockey

team’s alternate captain Sidney Crosby scored the gold medal-

winning goal, it was his first point in three games – he had sub-

verted his normal scoring and captain’s role (with the NHL’s

Pittsburgh Penguins) to do whatever the Olympic team asked him

to do. And the team benefited from this by winning a gold medal

and Crosby will forever be remembered as a hero. He was a true

leader in the best sense of the word.

So the question is, how can we get people to achieve and feel good

about themselves while achieving the team goals at the same time?

What is teambuilding?Team building refers to a wide range of activities, usually in a

business context, for improving team performance. Team build-

ing is pursued via a variety of practices, and can range from sim-

ple bonding exercises to complex simulations and multi-day team

building retreats designed to develop a team (including group

assessment and group-dynamic games), usually falling some-

where in between. It generally sits within the theory and practice

of organizational development, but can also be applied to sports

teams, school groups and other contexts.

How old is teambuilding? Well, noted psychoanalyst Sigmund

Freud discussed a scientific theory of group dynamic termed

“identification with the leader” which is the foundation of group

formation back in the 1920s.

This identification is based on the perception of a special qual-

ity of another person. This quality or ideal is often represented in

a ‘leader figure’ who is identified with. Next to identification with

the leader, people identify with others because they feel they

have something in common. Obviously, humans worked in teams

before the 1920s, but Freud is often credited with articulating a

widely-held theory about teams that can be proven and put into

practice.

Therefore, if we follow Freud’s thinking, having an identifiable

leader is useful in teambuilding as is making sure the team mem-

bers have commonality at some level. These two elements can, of

course, be strengthened in various ways.

SOME REASONS FOR TEAMBUILDING INCLUDE:

• Getting everyone “onto the same page,” including goal setting

• Helping participants to learn their strengths and weaknesses

• Improving communication

• Improving team productivity

• Motivating a team

• Practicing effective collaboration with team members

A great teambuilding exercise for interdependence is

“Survival.” In this exercise, teammates individually rank the

importance of items they will need to survive after a plane crash

in the desert. The team then comes to a consensus on the rank-

ing of the items. Team ranking, almost invariably, is more accu-

rate than most individuals’ ranking.

Finally, fostering communication is vital to an effective team.

Building an environment where people can ask questions and

support one another is crucial to the team concept. Exercises

like active listening, giving and receiving feedback, and testing

comprehension of verbal messages are all good ways to foster

superior communication.

But be careful when monitoring your team. The following are

the five dysfunctions of a team according to Patrick Lencioni, the

author of a book by the same name:

• Absence of trust

• Fear of conflict

• Lack of commitment

• Avoidance of accountability

• Inattention to results

If you choose your team members well (and identify a leader)

and work to improve the team as a whole, you should be able

to navigate the choppy waters of teambuilding and produce a

cohesive, hardworking, loyal and productive team.

Is teambuilding a competitive business strategy... or something less?

6 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

This month’s Chat with a Concierge is

with Roger Poirier, the first Member of Les

Clefs d’Or Canada in the Maritimes.

He works at the The Delta Beausejour in

Moncton, New Brunswick.

1. What unique services can you

provide planners? We have developed a

wide array of contacts that can handle all

requests from golf, concert tickets and boat tours to restaurant

bookings, group tours and conference services.

2.What restaurants do you recommend in your city for

groups? Seafood is the food of choice in the Maritimes. Kramers

Corner/Studio 7 Hundred and The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse

are the most popular spots that can cater to large groups. The

Hotel can also cater to any demand for a private function in

Triiio’s, The Windjammer or on the Convention Floor.

3. What nightlife do you recommend in your city?

We are located right in the middle of downtown. We have sever-

al nightclubs, bars and pubs all within walking distance of the

Hotel. The patio bars and restaurants are a must in the summer.

4. What interesting, off-beat or unique places would you

recommend to planners?

Tree-Go, a nature zip line adventure in Centennial Park, is

a great teambuilding experience. Also, Shediac Bay Cruises in

nearby Shediac is a fun Lobster Dinner and Educational Tour.

5. What are your not-to-be-missed places or things to see?

We have two National Parks and the Confederation Bridge to PEI

within an hour’s drive or so from the Hotel. The Rocks, where

you can walk on the ocean floor and experience the highest tides

in the world, is 45 minutes away. The warm-water beaches of

Shediac are only 20 minutes from downtown. Also, don’t forget

Magnetic Hill, The Zoo and Magic Mountain Water Park, as well

as Crystal Palace Indoor Amusement Park and the Tidal Bore.

6. What are the most popular jogging or walking circuits you

would recommend? The Trans-Canada Trail runs along the

Petitcodiac River. The Trail is right behind the Hotel and is great

for jogging, cycling and roller blading.

7. How much does/should a cab ride cost from the airport to

the downtown core? Taxis from the Hotel to the Greater

Moncton International Airport will run between $17 to $20,

depending on the time of day.

8. Tell us about some of your most outrageous guest requests.

Most of our requests can be accommodated. However, some of

the interesting ones are distance related. People think they can

do the Cabot Trail and be back in time for their lobster dinner!

On the Web: http://delta-beausejour.hotel-rez.com

> CHAT WITH A CONCIERGE

Quotes on teambuildingNever doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

committed people can change the world. It is the onlything that ever has.

Margaret Mead

It is amazing how much people can get done if theydo not worry who gets the credit.

Sandra Swinney

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligencewins championships.

Michael Jordan

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward acommon goal. The ability to direct individual accom-plishments toward organizational objectives. It is thefuel that allows common people to attain uncommonresults.

Andrew Carnegie

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 7

Why text? Because GMTA (Great mindsthink alike)

While most planners are at least competent with new technology,

there are a few of us who, while not living in the Stone Age, may

use the odd granite fork and knife if you know what I mean.

In order to bring some of us up to speed, The Planner offers

below some common shortcuts for text messaging. You have

probably seen your kids (or dare I say grandkids) using these

terms to speed up their “conversations”:

BBFN Bye bye for now B/C Because

BION Believe it or not BRB Be right back

BRT Be right there CMIW Correct me if I’m wrong

EML E-mail me later GIGO Garbage in, garbage out

GTG Got to go IMHO In my humble opinion

IOU1 I owe you one JAM Just a minute

NRN No reply necessary RUOK Are you okay?

TTYL Talk to you later WFM Works for me

Pluto platter inventor Morrison diesWhat? You have never heard of the Pluto Platter? Perhaps you know

this invention that has sold more than 200 million units under its

other moniker: the Frisbee. Its inventor, Walter Frederick Morrison,

generally called Fred by his friends, passed away recently at 90. Fred

and his wife Lu used to toss a tin cake pan on the beach in California.

The idea grew as he considered ways to make the pans fly better and

after serving as a pilot in the Second World War, he began

manufacturing his flying discs in 1948. He would sell them at local

fairs and eventually attracted the attention of Wham-o Manufacturing,

the company that bought the production and manufacturing rights to

the discs in 1957. Wham-o adopted the name “Frisbee” because that’s

what the college students in New England were calling the Pluto

Platters. The name came from the Frisbie Pie Co., a local bakery

whose empty tins were tossed like the soon-to-be Frisbee. The flying

discs have had a resurgence lately with sports like Frisbee golf and

the team sport Ultimate Frisbee.

On the Web: www.wham-o.com

You better sleep on itBesides money, what do most planners not get enough of? If you said

sleep, you are correct. In a recent study of American women, 27% said

sleep is the most important component to their overall well-being and

50% of women with children agree that sleep is the best way to

recharge, nine points higher than women without children.

Is it possible to repay a sleep debt? Yes, but it takes time accord-

ing to three recent studies. A study at the Walter Reed Institute found

that people allowed to sleep only a few hours each night for a week

showed measurable declines in performance after getting eight hours

nightly for three days following the sleep deprivation. One Swedish

study showed that after five days of getting only four hours of sleep

per night, even a full week of eight hours of nightly sleep wasn’t

enough for subjects to get over their impaired intellectual perform-

ance. Indeed, it appears better to save up and sleep ten hours of sleep

per night for a week if you will get little sleep the following week.

Visit the following website for tips on sleeping better:

On the Web: www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm

8 March ’10ThePLANNER8 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

Making the hours fit on a flightDid North America just get bigger? You might think so by

looking at the inflated flight times of some airlines. A recent

report in the Wall Street Journal noted an average increase of 17

minutes, 0r 10 percent, in scheduled flight times for 50 different

flights in the U.S.A.

Canadians who travel the busy Toronto-Montreal route will

notice a similar parallel: We picked a random date of March 12 to

see the flight time for an Air Canada, a Porter Airlines Ltd and a

WestJet flight from Toronto to Montreal. The norm for most Air

Canada listed flights is 80 minutes, Porter was 70 minutes and

WestJet 76 minutes. Anyone who flies this route regularly knows

it is just under an hour of flying time between the two cities. Why

the discrepancy? Easy: By adding minutes to the “block times” or

scheduled durations, it helps the airlines boost their on-time fly-

ing records and in theory helps reduce congestion and keep traf-

fic moving at the airport gates.

But what we have here is a question of perception, and

whether or not the customer is getting the right information.

Does the flying public need or deserve to know the actual flight

time or just what any airline perceives as the optimum (meaning

realistic) scheduled time based on their need for on-timeliness?

Southwest Airlines, which has the most flights in the continen-

tal U.S.A, recently stated that the inflation in block time is really

because of more variability (which means slowdowns of all types

at airports). To its credit, Southwest only makes schedule adjust-

ments in five-minute increments.

The bigger question is how to make flight times more efficient

without padding the numbers, so to speak. Otherwise, pretty soon

that Toronto-Montreal trip is going to take two hours in no time at all.

Pets on the outs in the airThe Canadian Transportation Agency recently ruled that some

customers suffering from a cat allergy are disabled and must be

accommodated. This comes after several complaints to the agency

(three complaints to be precise) are in effect from people with

disabilities and the pet policies of Air Canada and WestJet –

allowing cats in aircraft cabins – affect their ability to fly. The

agency will now determine “appropriate accommodation” for the

allergic passengers. One complainant, Dr. David Spence of

London, Ont., said people can die from an asthmatic attack and

people should not be allowed to bring cats on planes. His posi-

tion has been backed up by the Canadian Medical Association

Journal, which recently published a strongly-worded editorial on

the subject. All airlines are required by federal law to allow serv-

ice animals such as guide dogs to travel in passenger cabins, but

regular pets like cats are not afforded the same treatment. Air

Canada and WestJet allow up to four small dogs, cats, birds or

rabbits to travel in the passenger cabin on every flight.

On the Web: www.otc-cta.gc.ca

Expedia bookings and results riseExpedia Inc., the largest U.S. online travel agency, posted a

quarterly profit yesterday that topped expectations on a 26 per-

cent gain in travel bookings. Its shares tumbled 4.36 percent on

Nasdaq, however, amid concerns that Expedia’s new dividend

policy hints at slower growth prospects. Online travel companies

slashed fees and offered promotions last year to counter the eco-

nomic downturn and erosion in travel demand.

On the Web: www.expedia.com

Porter previews new home at BillyBishop Toronto City Airport

Porter Airlines just spent $50 million on a new home at Billy

Bishop Toronto City Airport (commonly known as Toronto Island

Airport) – and is hoping for 1.3 million houseguests in 2010. The

scrappy Canadian airline recently unveiled its new terminal

which showcased enhanced passenger services. Phase One (of

two) of the new terminal includes lounge facilities, a spacious

check-in hall and office space. The full facility, including 10

bridged aircraft gates and two passenger lounges, is scheduled

for completion by fall 2010.

The new lounges will triple current capacity and include com-

plimentary Porter amenities such as a business centre, beverages,

snacks and Wi-Fi. Porter is a tenant of City Centre Terminal Corp.

which operates the 150,000 sq. ft. facility that is expecting to see

1.3 million passengers this year.

On the Web: wwwflyporter.com

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 9

BY MIKE AUCTOR

The confidence shown by effective leaders is not just a facade,

but is based on control of a situation.

By believing in their own abilities and the abilities of others in

their organization confidence is not complacency or unrealistic

optimism. Effective leaders don’t waffle, they don’t hide behind

committees, consultants or memos to avoid criticism. They act

decisively and take responsibility for their actions. In expressing

confidence and building it in others, humour becomes invaluable.

A witty quip at the right time shows a grasp of the situation as

nothing else does.

Effective leaders do not plod along simply trying to maintain the

status quo – they seize and create opportunities. Especially in today’s

world, they see change not as a threat but as the norm. Instead of

the philosophy, “If it's not broken – don't fix it,” they strive for con-

stant improvement, always looking for ways to make things better.

Leaders are not locked into mental ruts, but can play with pos-

sible scenarios as easily as facts. They have imagination, which is

an important part of their vision.

Humour is connected with imagination, openness to novelty

and mental flexibility. The person with a good sense of humour

sees something not just for what it is, but as the intersection of a

large number of possibilities. When leaders exercise their sense

of humour, they not only cultivate their own mental flexibility,

but bring out other people’s mental flexibility.

Humour is a kind of play and to cultivate our sense of humour

is helpful to cultivate our playfulness generally. When we play we

are doing something because we want to, not because we have

to, it’s no longer a task that must be done. Because a task

demands results, it is future-oriented whereas play, by contrast, is

oriented to the present. We derive satisfaction from the activity

itself as we do it.

Speaking of doing it, whose job was it?This is in fact the story about four people named everybody,

somebody, anybody and nobody. There was an important job to

be done and everybody was sure somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but nobody did it. Somebody got

angry about that, because it was everybody’s job. Everybody

thought that anybody could do it but nobody realized that

everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that everybody blamed

somebody when nobody did what anybody could have done.

In the coming months we will ask planners to share some of their ideasor ways they use to have fun and laugh at work. So please share yourstories with us at: [email protected].

Leadership, confidence, control and humour

10 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 11

What humour can do for you and yourlisteners by enhancing the message

It was 6 a.m. in the Las Vegas airport. I was

anxiously waiting to fly to my next speak-

ing engagement. If you’ve ever been in this

airport at 6 a.m. you know the scenery never

changes. It doesn’t matter if you’re there at 6

a.m. or 6 p.m. – everyone is still gambling.

With the constant ringing of slot machines, I was trying to focus

on my presentation for my next event when security made an

announcement.

“May I have your attention please? Someone left their false

teeth and hearing aid in the men’s bathroom.”

Followed by a very long pause …

“If you can hear me, please come to security to claim your

items.”

No matter what time of the day, this is funny. Everyone in the

terminal burst into laughter. Even the gamblers took a break from

pulling the slots to laugh. This message definitely grabbed atten-

tion and was memorable.

Does your message grab attention? Is what you say memorable?

There’s a famous quote by Carl Buechner: “They may forget what

you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

Think about how many conversations you listen to in just one

day. Can you honestly say you remember everything you hear?

My guess is you remember the conversations that tapped into

your experiences and what you know, as well as conversations

that made you feel good because you laughed.

Every day our words compete with the many distractions

that surround our listeners. The distractions I’m referring to are

endless:

BlackBerrys

iPhones

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Laptops

Side conversations

Side conversations our listeners are having with themselves

If you can make your listener laugh, you immediately increase the

likelihood your message will grab attention and be

memorable. Who doesn’t enjoy a good belly laugh? Even if everyone

in the group you’re speaking to doesn’t hear your message, the

second they hear everyone laughing around them … BINGO!

BY STACEY HANKE

*

12 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

When used well, humour will add energy...You’ve grabbed their attention. Once you grab their attention,

they’re more likely to stay with you unless you cause them to drift

back to where they started.

As I’m referring to humor, I’m not promoting joke telling.

In my earlier corporate years, I invited an attorney to speak at a

workshop for the company I was representing at the time. He

was asked to speak on the legal ramifications of a subject. The

audience included attorneys, human resource managers and state

legislators. I educated the speaker on the demographics, knowl-

edge level and needs of the audience. To my dismay, he began

his presentation with a joke mocking attorneys. My dismay

increased as he continued to tell several more. You could feel the

dynamics in the room immediately change. At the first break,

more than half of the audience left. This is an example of how

you don’t want to be remembered.

When used well, humour will add energy to your conver-

sation. When used inappropriately, you will quickly clear a room.

I define appropriate humour as humour that taps into an individ-

ual’s experiences. It’s humour that offends no one; rather, it

breaks the ice, invites your listeners to be comfortable with you

and encourages interaction through laughter. It’s a great way to

quickly create a relationship with your listener.

Use natural humour. By that I mean, make fun of yourself,

play off what your listener says, and have fun with them, do not

make fun of them.

THE BENEFITS OF USING APPROPRIATE HUMOUR:

Grabs attention.

Keeps your listener’s attention.

Helps you relax, which in turn helps your listener relax.

Increases your listener’s retention of important points.

When used appropriately, it gives both you and your listener a

break from complex or difficult subjects.

BE CAREFUL WITH THE FOLLOWING:

Telling jokes. I cringe when I hear someone say, “I would like

to start with a joke.” In most cases, the person isn’t a good joke

teller, the joke isn’t funny, the joke has nothing to do with the

subject or in the worst-case scenario (as with my attorney friend)

it’s offensive.

Letting humour completely obscure your points. You can

add humour to almost any topic. One instance I can think of

where humour wouldn’t benefit your topic is when you need to

reprimand an employee. Even if you need to communicate bad

news, there’s still room for humour to reduce the impact.

Using humour doesn’t mean you’re not taking your subject seri-

ously. What it does mean is that you can have some fun with it.

Stacey Hanke is an executive consultant, author, coach and speaker with1st Impression Consulting, Inc. in Chicago, Ill. E-mail her at:[email protected] or call (773) 209-5970.

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 13

MPI emphasizes communication and newtechnology at MeetDifferent 2010 in CancunEd.Note: Some of The Planner staff attended the recent MPI

MeetDifferent conference in Cancun held from Feb. 18 to Feb. 25.

The following is our report of the conference and our visit after

staying at and visiting several hotels, resorts and attractions.

BY LEO GERVAIS

MPI’s MeetDifferent 2010 in Cancun may not have

reached the attendance figures of past conferences, but

the emphasis on technology and education made this a

worthwhile event for planners and suppliers alike.

Several people bemoaned the low attendance of actual planners.

By our unofficial count, there were less than 500 actual planners

(not suppliers) who attended. The economy and location at what

many term “a resort destination” aka a vacation spot probably

had a lot to do with that, and in fairness MPI put on several very

good educational sessions and the overall event was very solid.

HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MPI MEETDIFFERENT

CONFERENCE FOR US

1. Sunday General Session with Jeremy Gutsche. Billed as

an innovation expert with a hot website (www.trendhunter.com)

that is followed by top CEOs, Gutsche was an amazing breath of

fresh air who highlighted amazing, cautionary tales of business

hari kari (hi Smith-Corona) and had the passion, energy and

content to really ignite what can be a show-me-what-you-can-do

crowd of meeting planners and suppliers. This young man is def-

initely someone to watch out for in the future. I personally would

pay to see this guy again – he is one of the top three speakers I

have ever seen. The only thing we would have liked to see was

a live 10-minute Twitter Q/A with Gutsche, who could riff on

trends in his sleep. The other General Sessions had content but the

presenters were distant seconds to our fellow Canuck Gutsche.

2. Speed networking. Senior planner Don Murray thought

this was a fantastic idea, so much in fact that he would expand it

to every day of the conference, perhaps a 5-7 every day outside

or on the beach. “It was a great way to meet the people you

really wanted to see,” noted our consultant Lysanne Pelletier.

3. Registration and the iPhone App. Super-fast and efficient

on-site registration for MPI, and the iPhone App provided a host

of info (attendees), schedule, speakers, etc. and allowed users to

Facebook and Twitter right from the app – brilliant!

4. Ask the Expert – Ideas exchanges. These sessions had

great communication between all participants. MPI seems to be

moving toward a much more interactive conference experience

and that coupled with the technology emphasis bodes well for

future MPI conferences. Honourable mention: Creating Meetings

that Excite the Brain for Optimal Learning with Dr. Lawana

Gladney. A succinct and interesting presentation that emphasized

how to keep information uncomplicated and interesting so atten-

dees get more out of it. Think Dr. Phil with a better doctor.

5. Closing night reception. The Moonlight Terrace was the

location for a stand-up dinner with the surprisingly good World

Classic Rockers, featuring ex-members of Steppenwolf, Boston,

Journey, Santana and Lynyrd Skynyrd who played two solid hours

of classic rock from these bands.

The encore featured dozens of planners onstage singing and

even playing with the band, and the sweat-drenched rockers signed

Traditional Mayan dancers at the opening night reception.

Breakfast on the Beach with MPI Montreal showcased two excellent Mexican percussionists – at 7:30 a.m.!

14 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

plenty of autographs after the show. What

could easily have been another Spinal Tap

was a rockin’ good time and this band of

older musicians delivered a much-talked-

about show. In addition, The Moon Palace

staff deserves kudos for their efforts to hold

a large event right after a rainstorm that

could have been a total disaster.

On the Web: www.wcr.com

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

1. MPI’s relatively new Public Relations

Specialist Kristen Kouk was a standout

who was extremely helpful and did a yeo-

man’s job before and during the confer-

ence. Former MPI staffers Kelly Schultz

and Audra London were always amazing

with the media, but University of Texas

product Kristen shows signs she will be

close to their high level in no time. 2. The

entertainment at the final lunch with the

Water Coolers. This hilarious vocal group

got a standing ovation for their witty per-

formance – seriously. 3. Opening Night

reception at the Hilton: Some planners

said the food was so-so, but the tradition-

al Mayan dancers were amazing, the hotel

staff were very professional and the actual

location of this beautiful hotel on the

newly-reconstructed beach is outstanding.

Highly recommended for a site visit.

4. Breakfast on the Beach with MPI

Montreal. Only Quebecers could be so

chipper so early, but there is no doubt

planners enjoyed this unique event of

bagels and beach.

WAY OFF THE MARK

The check-in and front desk staff at the

2,500-room Moon Palace. Without delving

into a long, sordid tale, suffice it to say the

Moon Palace was severely lacking in what

most planners would call professional

administrative service.

Several planners (and members of The

Planner) endured numerous administra-

tive nightmares that lasted days regarding

check-ins and/or credit cards that were

never fully resolved to the satisfaction of

many of the paying customers.

Couple that with some uneven wait

staff, spotty food service and several

changing stories about fees for excursions

and taxis and the end result is we were

severely unimpressed.

Sorry Moon Palace, but in our view, to

recommend your property right now to

any planner would be sheer lunacy.

A FEW LAST POINTS

There was a strong rumour making the

rounds in Cancun that this was the last

PEC that MPI will hold for the foreseeable

future. MPI will be partnering with IMEX

for the IMEX America show in Las Vegas

from October 11-13, 2011. Word on the

street is that MPI wants to focus on educa-

tional sessions – its strength – and get

away from the tradeshow aspect which

other organizations like IMEX are more

skilled at producing.

MPI’s General Director Bruce

MacMillan stated that “Cancun is a world

class destination. Coming here was the

best decision we could have made. It has

very much exceeded our expectations.”

Activities during the MPI MeetDifferent

2010 Convention included a golf tourna-

ment, a silent auction and other network-

ing events, which helped raise more than

US$125,000 dollars and will be used

towards market research by MPI.

MPI’s WEC will be held in Vancouver, BC fromJuly 24-27. For more info on this upcomingevent or to join the MPI organization, visittheir website: www.mpiweb.org.

MeetDifferent provided a unique conference at a great destination – Cancun.

A skilled bartender shaking and stirring.

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 15

Cancun: Not just sand and sunshine

PHOTOS AND STORY BY LEO GERVAIS

Cancun the destinationLocated on the Yucatán Peninsula in the

State of Yucatán, Cancun gained its

fame for Mayan archaeology and, more

recently, a booming tourist destination.

The past 30 years have seen Cancun develop

from a city of 500,00 to well over a million

with dozens of resorts and hotels. Hurricane

Katrina recently ravaged the Cancun coast-

line but the Mexicana de Dragados S.A. de

C.V. (an affiliate of Belgian company Jan de

Nul) recently rebuilt approximately 17 kms

of beach at a cost of about $80 million and

it is once again tourist-business-as-usual in

sunny Cancun.

The local CVB (with dynamic PR

Manager Erandeni Abundis) hosted sev-

eral media members for a tour of extracur-

ricular activities in and around Cancun.

Here is a short round-up, and please see

future issues of The Planner and our web-

site for more extensive write-ups and inter-

views with several Mexican tourism experts.

Among the competitive advantages that

Cancun offers as the leading destination

for large events in Mexico are air connec-

tivity, ample infrastructure, quality services

and tax-free international events. Cancun

attracts approximately 630,000 meetings

and conventions professionals every year.

These visitors spend an average of

US$1,250 dollars per stay, 30

percent more than the average tourist.

Dolphin Discovery: One of seven in a

chain of dolphinariums in the Caribbean,

the Cancun location has been in operation

for 15 years. At this all-inclusive experi-

ence, you will shake hands, kiss and inter-

act with live dolphins. It is a truly amazing

experience to see these amazing animals

up close. There is also Turtle Pond, the

Beach Club and Garrafon Park, an aquatic

and recreational natural park located nearby.

Twenty minutes by boat from Cancun.

Price: Ranging from US$79 to $89.

Discounts available.

On the Web: www.dolphindiscovery.com

Xcaret: The Xcaret Eco Park is a former

Maya civilization archaeological site located

on the Caribbean coastline of the Yucatán

Peninsula. Some of this 200-acres site’s

original structures are contained within

the modern-day tourism development and

the park has more than 40 interesting

attractions including: Beaches with natural

water sinkholes and pools, rotating scenic

tower, a wildlife breeding farm, an aquari-

um, a water activities centre, wine tasting

cellar and a superb show with 300 artists

held in the Teatro Gran Tlacho that is

a colourful fiesta highlighting Mexican

culture. A full day excursion. Price:

Ranging from US$49.50 to $99. Discounts

available.

On the Web: www.xcaret.com

Xel-Ha Natural Wonder: Billed as the

world’s largest natural aquarium, The

Planner’s Mike Auctor recommends this

all-inclusive water park to see and swim

among amazing tropical fish, manatees

and dolphins. great snorkeling for novices.

An all-day visit is your best bet. Price:

Approximately US$75. Discounts available.

On the Web: www.xelha.com

Xplor: This is a brand new, all-inclusive

above ground and underground theme

park featuring zip lines (where you are

suspended above the Yucatan forests on a

series of 11 exciting tension lines), a 400-

metre stalactite river that you swim

through, underground cave rafting where

you paddle through the limestone caves

and an amphibious adventure where you

drive a motorized, two-seated vehicle in

and out of the caves. It’s great for the

whole family with very friendly and consci-

entious staff who stress safety above all

else. Lockers and changing rooms avail-

able. Price: Ranging from US$50 to $100.

Discounts available.

On the Web: www.xplor.travel

• • •

For more info on Cancun, visit the following

website: www.cancuntravel.com.

Fabulous beaches are one of the best features of tourist-friendly Cancun.

The entrance to the amazing limestonecaves at Xplor - a great family experience.

16 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

Chitzen Icha is a must-see Mayan masterpiece

Before I headed to Cancun a few peoplementioned I should take a side trip toChitzen Icha, the mysterious Mayanholy ground located approximately 120miles west of the Mayan Riviera.PHOTO AND STORY BY LEO GERVAIS

The guided Transat tour I embarked upon took the Mexican

goat path route to go there, making an interesting detour

thru Valladolid – population

50,000 – which was built upon

an older Mayan city called

“White Hawk.” The Spanish con-

querors actually used the stones

from the original city to build

the foundations of some of the

older buildings like churches

and the city hall. The people

living in the town are all

Mayans, and some of the older

women still wear the traditonal

dresses. The local economy has

provided more steady income

for these people of

lesser means through tourist

dollars, but modernity has also

changed their lifestyle to reflect the current age as well.

After a stop for lunch (included on the bus tour) at a Mexican

restaurant and gift shop and a cenote (a sinkhole you can swim

in) we arrived at Chitzen Icha. The 16-square mile site recently

received the honour of being one of the the New Seven Wonders

of the World, and a three-hour tour of this impresive Mayan

homebase reveals why. Chitzen Icha means “Well of Wizards” as

the deep well on the property was used to discern who had psy-

chic powers. People were thrown into the well and if they made it

out, it was believed they could see the future. One such man made it

back and prophesized that he would be ruler of CI – and he later was!

The dominant building is the Pyramid of Kukulkan, said

to have been built to honour the founder of CI. It is a four sided

calendar of sorts, with each side having 91 steps (for a total of

364), with the top step being 365. It also has 52 blocks to corre-

spond to the long year cycle of the Mayans. Visitors can no longer

walk up the steps of the temple (or inside most of the buildings

as they are too fragile) but it is still incredibly impressive more

than 1,200 years after it was built.

The temple is renowned for the feathered snakehead at the

bottom of north staircase, which on the Spring Equinox (March

21) is joined by a dark snake body which comes down from the

top of the temple, a shadow created by the jagged corner of the

temple perfectly in front of the sun this one time of year. The

Mayans’ relationship with the sun and how it reflects the

equinoxes and solstices of our solar year with stunning accuracy

is by far the most impressive aspect of the Pyramid of Kukulkan.

Another interesting building is the observatory, which helped

them chart the movements of the sun and Venus, to help them

decide when to plant and harvest crops and make plans for war.

In another infamous astronomical turn, the Mayans predicted the

“end of the world” on Dec 21, 2012, the begining of the Winter

Solstice. So mark your daytimer, just in case.

There are other fascinating

ruins at CI, including the Temple

of 1,000 soldiers and the biggest

ball court in MesoAmerica

where the Mayans played a

game resembling a combination

of soccer and basketball when

the Mayan leaders felt it neces-

sary to please their gods. The

object was to get the ball into a

stone rim approximately 20 feet

in the air by using their elbows,

feet or legs but no hands. The

games would last for days some-

times because of the difficulty in

scoring points and for perhaps

another reason: The captain of

one of the teams (scholars generally agree it was the captain of

the WINNING team) was beheaded to appease the gods, in the

event of a drought, for example.

The only negative thing I can say about the CI site are the

hordes, and I do mean hordes, of trinket sellers. They are every-

where and sell everything from impressive handmade carvings to

stuff that looks like it came over from an Asian sweatshop.

A polite “no thank you” will go a long way, but if you do want to

buy something the old Latin phrase of Caveat Emptor (buyer

beware) is a good thing to remember.

Why you should go to Chitzen Icha: A one-of-a-kind World

Heritage Site that provides a unique glimpse into Pre-Hispanic

Mexico and the very interesting Mayan culture.

How to get there: About two hours drive from Cancun. Bus

tours are the easiest route, and will range from about $60 US to

$100 for deluxe coach service. Entrance to CI itself is only $5,

so you may prefer to drive yourself and do a self-guided tour. Contact

your hotel, resort or the local Cancun CVB to book a bus tour.

On the Web: www.cancun.com/Chichen-Itza

The Pyramid of Kukulkan, famous for a shadow serpent that “slithers” down a staircase during the Spring Equinox.

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 17

Last month, the Planner asked you

“Q” All of the participants who entered

the contest were eligible for a chance to

win two return airfare tickets to any

destination served by Porter Airlines,

up to a value of $2,500.

AND THE WINNER IS: MARTINE ROBILLARD,

AGROPUR, DIVISION NATREL

Among the many impressive initiatives

undertaken by hardworking planners to

achieve their objectives, here are some of

the great responses we received.

A few months ago while on-site at one

of our conferences, I noticed that my client

and all her staff had a painful look on

their faces. Everyone’s lips were burning.

For some reason, the hotel must have been

very dry. I also realized that all of my staff

were having the same problem, so I drove

out to the pharmacy a few kilometers

away and bought the best chap sticks

I could find. You should have seen the

relief on everyone’s face as I handed them

out. It seemed that this was all they talked

about following the meeting!

It is really amazing how a little thing can

make all the difference to feeling on top of the

world and that it doesn’t matter how much

you spend on gifts or bend over backwards.

Anne-Marie de Lavison

Planet bilingual Meetings &

Incentives

Usually the question is, ‘What haven’t

we planners done to make it a success?’

I feel like there are countless little crazy

things that all planners have done e.g.

The all-nighters, the meticulous folding,

the triple checking… but there was one

event that seemed to be real a challenge.

My linens did not come in and the

event was Orange and Black; the invite,

the flowers and even the speakers were

coordinated. The only black table clothes

available were the ones used the previous

evening for a “seafood” event and I had

five hours until “showtime.” Luckily, I

come from a big family so I called them,

begged their bosses to grant them the

afternoon off and had them wash, deodorize,

re-wash, dry and ironed 86 tablecloths

(with the help of 12 recruited family

members, and me of course). But that’s not

all: I had promised our 24-member ‘family’

a catered home-style Italian meal but my

caterer had a family emergency and had to

cancel… So, that same big ‘family’ set up

tables, cooked through the night (after

washing 86 table clothes and setting up

china and so on) and prepared a feast for

the group – which actually had EXTRA 10

people (thank goodness Italians often

overcook!) – for a true home-cooked meal.

The event was a raving success but I am

still paying my family back!

Franca Gualtieri, Office of the

President

BMO Bank of Montreal

Very early in my career – the 1980s –

I was travelling with a group of tourists

and arrived with them in Ottawa on the

second leg of our journey.

The hotel would not release the keys

for the group having not received the

deposit from the company that had hired

me. Being the one dealing directly with

the clients, I asked the hotel what I could

do to solve the issue. I then marched over

to my bank and got the amount needed

out of my personal account.

Fortunately, I was repaid. However, a

few years later the company went bankrupt

and I realized that I could have lost it all.

At that time, I would have appreciated

our current technology which would have

enabled me to quickly email or call to

solve this situation without getting person-

ally involved.

In conclusion, the trip was a success,

the clients were happy and I learned an

important lesson.

Lyne Montpetit, Manager

KPMG MSLP

We launched a community event at the

hospital for National Mental Health Week.

With limited budget and resources we did-

n’t have as much attendance as we hoped,

especially since it was the first year of the

event. My colleague and I went to the

nearby Go Train parking lots and distrib-

uted flyers on hundreds of cars.

Registration picked up after that!

Andrea Worrall,

Communications Officer

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental

Health Sciences

This April 15, 2010 will be my 19th

year in business.

The event in which I will share with

you, reminds me how “service” beyond

expectations is required in special

events/events management.

I was in Prince Edward Island the

month of September and hosted a VIP-VIP

conference with Canadian delegates. We

were at the Delta Hotel in Charlottetown.

My client and I arrived in PEI a day before

to get the business meeting ready in the

ballroom, meeting with the team at the

hotel and various suppliers/AV/decora-

tors/lighting/security, etc.

There was a huge rainstorm and most

of the clients couldn’t fly from Halifax to

PEI because of the delays, so they stayed

in Nova Scotia and flew out the next day.

Clients were arriving, and we were

waiting for the guest of honor to arrive

with her husband.

CONTEST OF THE MONTH: HOW FARHAVE YOU GONE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

18 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

“So I pitched in with the group, business suit and all...”We had a beautiful suite for her over-

looking the boats and waterway. Right

across the hall was the RCMP station with

security working various shifts. At noon, I

was inquiring if the guest of honors suite

was ready and reservations told me that

the client who stayed there the night

before has not checked out yet.

Then, 12:30 comes rolling on the front

desk told me the same story. I started to

“sweat a bit”. At 12:45 I asked again and

the client just checked out, the RCMP had

just been notified the guest of honor just

got off her flight and would be arriving at

the hotel in 15 minutes, she arrived a bit

early… so, I phoned all the housekeeping

staff on each floor with the housekeeping

supervisor and requested that all staff stop

what they were doing and meet me at the

suite. We all met in a minute and called a

fast “to-do” list, one housekeeping staff

would vacuum, one staff would change

the sheets, one would windex and polish

all the furniture. So I said to the gals, “I

was raised in the hotel/motel industry, I

will do the washroom.” They were

amazed, the RCMP staff dropped their

mouths, so I started to clean the toilet,

sink, bathtub, counter top and windex the

glassware. I threw all the towels out in the

hallway, and asked the girls how many

towels per rack?

I can hear them vividly saying, “Two

bath towels, two hand towels, two wash-

cloths!” So I pitched in with the group,

business suit and all, and continued work-

ing until the job was done.

We were finishing and the guest of

honor was escorted to the other parlour

door, we all high-fived each other and I

thanked all the staff for their efforts. After

the conference, I wrote a letter to the

General Manager Michael Bird to thank

him and his staff who assisted in making

the conference a success.

Carolyn Parker, President

Triple I Event Services Inc.

While working on a fundraising event

for a non-profit charitable organization,

I learned that the Invitations that were to

be mailed by the client's Volunteer

Committee went missing and were not

mailed out. This was a Toronto harbour

dinner cruise, with guaranteed numbers

and the cancellation date had long

expired. The Invitees were called immedi-

ately, however, it was too short notice and

many had previous commitments. For me,

cancellation was not an option since the

organization would have lost a consider-

able amount of money. Also, I had

acquired donated works of art that were to

be raffled off for additional revenue, and I

did not want this to go to waste.

This organization was in dire need of

funds and this would have had serious

repercussions. I went into disaster recov-

ery mode and immediately called all my

colleagues, friends and neighbours to see

if I could fill the boat with paying cus-

tomers. Not only that, but I also managed

to sell tickets on the dock to tourists who

were interested in a dinner cruise and had

stopped to inquire while we were board-

ing. We were sold out.

It was a booming success – the eclectic

mix of guests was amazing and their swap-

ping of stories of how they found them-

selves on this cruise was very entertain-

ing. This event had a truly happy ending

for both my client and myself.

Christine Z. Adelhardt, CMP

Creative Consulting

When I worked as a conference manag-

er at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in

Alberta, apart from conferences, I also

handled all of the weddings. Some week-

ends, we would have five or six weddings

going on. That’s a whole lot of flowers,

set-ups, candles, gifts, brides, grooms, and

– especially – mothers of the bride!

During all of this craziness a recently-

engaged couple approached me. They

wanted to get married outside on the

beautiful grounds overlooking Lac

Beauvert. Well, of course, it had to hap-

pen! Arrangements were made, and soon

things were ready to go. The groom wore

his impressive RCMP uniform and the

bride was glowing and beautiful.

One minor detail – witnesses were

required, so I stepped in to be a witness. I

will always remember that experience. I

didn’t just help a couple plan their wedding

and make sure all the small details were

perfectly attended to, I actually participated

in the ceremony to make it happen!

Monica Hailstone, Regional Director

Association of Corporate Travel

Executives (ACTE)

The only big thing that comes to mind

is when I had to organize members to get

to the airport on the big blizzard day in

Ottawa on March 9, 2008. There were no

taxis running to the airport and no buses.

I hurriedly called upon my husband to

come and pick up some of our Council

members to get them to the airport to

catch their flight back home. Having a

van, he was able to get six people to the

airport and they were certainly grateful.

They got the airport on time to catch their

flight, got home safely and in their minds

it made the meeting successful to them.

Rachelle Fauteux, Office Manager

Canadian Council on Animal Care

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 19

BY CAMILLE LAY

SALT AND PEPPER

What would supper be like without salt and pepper, a pair that

for centuries has added zest and flavour to our repasts? Placed at

the centre of our table or in the capable hands of a chef or home-

maker, we barely glance at salt and pepper shakers anymore.

These once precious vials have, nonetheless, given rise to a con-

temporary dispute over which should have more holes – the one

with the white grains or the other with the black powder?

Opinions vary and even experts do not agree. The issue’s origins

have been lost in the discussion, which has, however, laid founda-

tions for various theories on the topic. English speakers seem to

favour a one-holed salt and many-holed pepper shaker, while

Francophones prefer the opposite. But shouldn’t both sides find

some common ground, in Quebec at least?

We have tried to resolve this enigma, or at least to better under-

stand why the use of these two condiments has erupted in a great

debate that ultimately encompasses matters not just of taste, but of

etiquette, diet and habit.

A BIT OF HISTORY . . .

Once upon a time, your salt shaker would have enriched your

table in the form of an ornately designed gold or silverwork,

decked out in mythological figures or floral patterns, perhaps.

Many centuries ago, the fine piece of art that housed your salt

could also be easily concealed, transported – and ultimately sold.

These beautiful and valued objects were early examples of

“table art.” Today’s chefs know that scrumptious cuisine and

succulent entremets are always enhanced by stunning tableware,

proper etiquette and excellent service.

WHEN SALT MET PEPPER

It took centuries for salt to develop a life apart from the pres-

tigious image of its shaker before it would become paired in the

public mind with pepper. Salt and pepper first became an item in

the 17th century court of Louis XIV. King Louis

proclaimed that pepper was superior to any other spice imported

from the Middle East – although skeptics occasionally sneered that

his royally sanctioned seasoning did little more than mask the true

flavours of the food to which it was applied. With the king’s back-

ing, pepper became the only spice sprinkled on the court’s cui-

sine, where it quickly acquired the same venerable rank as salt.

From that point on, salt and pepper shakers, accompanied by a tra-

ditional loaf of bread, stood at the table’s centre and become an

international symbol of hospitality.

ONE HOLE OR MANY?

History, tradition, new habits and trends are some of the fac-

tors that have influenced the way salt and pepper have been dis-

pensed over the years.

Salt once flowed freely from multi-holed shakers. Pricier pep-

per was in another age sparingly distributed from a single-holed

flask. Today, though, what kind of container should we use? Do

any standards apply in the matter? Apparently, there is no univer-

sal rule. Shaker selection is a very personal issue for any diner.

HERE ARE A FEW REASONS FOR EACH CHOICE:

Each argument has its own logic and we can let our senses be

the judge in deciding which kind of vial we prefer. Your taste, your

gastronomic sensibilities and your pleasure in hosting meals are

key ingredients in selecting appropriate salt and pepper shakers.

Gillian Freund, owner of table Déco St. Germain, a table arts shop

in Montreal, answers questions about dining conventions and

guides customers through the collection of table accessories,

according to your tastes.

Freund offers the aesthetic solution of giving your guests a salt

shaker labelled with an “S” and a pepper shaker, with a “P,” to

avoid any confusion.

• • •

Salt and pepper: A fresh look at twoold favourites

Salt...

...Pepper

20 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

SHAKER ONE HOLE MANY HOLES

SALT

Preferable because:

-Slows the flow for

those with high

blood pressure or

water retention.

- Reduces the

presence of moisture

inside the shaker.

Preferable because:

- Salt is used more

often than pepper to

enhance taste and

multiple holes facili-

tate its flow.

-Multiple holes also

lets bigger salt grains

through.

-Commonly used

because Western

cuisine uses more salt

than pepper.

PEPPER

Preferable because:

-Reduces flow.

-Pepper was once

more costly.

-Lets thicker pepper

grains pass.

-For reasons of habit

in cultures that prefer

salty over peppery

dishes.

Preferable because:

-It’s a matter of taste

and habit.

-Health: when you

want to enhance

flavour without using

too much salt.

-For reasons of taste,

because pepper has a

sharper impact on

the palate.

Tell me who you areand I’ll tell you how toapply salt and pepper...

Thierry Pelven, sommelier and gourmet (local and wine

products) explains that everyone uses salt and pepper in many

different ways:

• Those who want to ensure that their culinary delights have

a specific flavour should select the single- or multi-holed salt

and peppershaker that that will let you control the flow of your

condiments and give your meals a uniform savour.

• Gourmets and seekers of more adventuresome fare may

wish to obtain a peppermill, which delivers the full aroma of

your preferred pink, black or grey peppercorn as it is crushed.

You can also serve salt with a fine spoon by tapping out the

equivalent of a few pinches on your plate. This scattering of salt

will highlight your meals by endowing each bite with a slightly

different taste.

What do you think?

Write to us at: [email protected]

On the Web : www.deco-stgermain.com

We went to the experts: (L-R) Camille Lay, Thierry Pelven andGillian Freund, at the Déco St. Germain boutique in Montreal.

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 21

LUXURY: IT’S NOT MONEY, IT’S THE LITTLETHINGS THAT COUNT FOR TRAVELLERS

Frequent business travellers really appreciate the perks that

come with flying 100-plus days a year and staying at dozens of

hotels. When you are logging tens of thousands of lonely miles,

it really is the little things that can make the travel bearable. Here

are a few things hotels have done for their VIPs to make sure they

keep coming back:

• Booking of personal trainers and arranging of airline flights

• Delivery of a client’s favourite specialty coffee to her room

while in various cities

• Ironing, pressing and storage of clothes for frequent travellers

so they don’t always have to take all of their luggage with them

• Storing computer data on guests’ favourite flowers, number of

children staying with them, etc. to help cater to their every whim.

• Tailor-made pillows and bottles of champagne

JOB À LA MODE?You’ve heard of the general manager, the banquets manager

and even the concierge. Are you ready for a fashion director?

After a two-year search, the boutique chain of W Hotels recently

hired Amanda Ross as its global fashion director to increase its

style credentials and its profile within the lucrative fashion industry.

Ross has consulted for Dennis Basso and Elie Tahari and served

as the wardrobe stylist for the TV show “Lipstick Jungle.” She will

create the strategic framework for W’s global point of view on

fashion, whether it be through creating partnerships between W

and designers, fostering relationships between the brand and

influential members of the fashion community or recommending

collaborations for W Hotel The Store’s exclusive designer collec-

tion, Global Glam. Last year, W Hotels appointed a global music

director, Michaelangelo L’Acqua and wanted to hire someone to

guide the brand in the world of fashion.

On the Web: www.whotels.com

LONELY PLANET PROVIDES BEST EVERHOTEL TIPS IN A BRAND NEW BOOK

Lonely Planet offers great travel guides and travel information.

The following are a few edited tips from their latest offering, The

Lonely Planet’s Best Ever Travel Tips (retailing for US $14.99):

1. Contact the hotel directly. Forget the reservations office.

Booking directly may not get you the best rate, but will increase

your chances for an upgrade.

2.Ask hotel staff for recommendations. Ask a concierge or bar-

tender where they like to go in town. If you like where you end

up, ask the staff their for their recommendations and move on in

a gloriously unpredictable manner.

3. Concierges. Use a concierge at another hotel, but be sure to

tip him as if you were a guest.

4. Give the hotel chain a reason to upgrade you. Join loyalty

programs, and flash the card. They work best if you pick one and

stick to it, but hotels have been known to upgrade people just for

joining a loyalty program on the spot – the best time to try this is

at check-in. If you don’t get an upgrade, at least you got the points.

5. Beware of major events. When there’s a convention or major

event on, your appeal for a cheap room is more likely to fall on

deaf ears as hotels usually overbook for these periods.

6. Look for boutique hotels. New places or those that were the

buzz a year or two ago are good possibilities. The places that

haven’t established themselves yet price competitively and older

places have less demand for rooms so use it to your advantage.

On the Web: www.lonelyplanet.com

THERE’S AN APP FOR… YOUR HOTEL ROOMAn iPhone (or other mobile devices) now allows travellers to

check-in remotely, bypass the front desk and open the door to

their room by simply pressing a “key” icon on their mobile

device. Those traveling with an iPhone, BlackBerry, NOKIA,

Android-based or other Windows-based mobile cell phone can

securely obtain an encrypted room key in “full data mode” as

long as they are staying at a hotel that enables the OpenWays

mobile key service.

OpenWays, the global provider of mobile-based access-man-

agement solutions for the security and hospitality industries,

recently announced an application to enable any of the four bil-

lion cell phones in the world to receive a dematerialized key via

an encrypted acoustic tone to bypass the front desk and access

door locks.

This solution uses the principle of Crypto Acoustic Credential

(CAC™) and text messaging (SMS) to securely deliver a key to the

right user anywhere in the world. In addition, the on-line key

management of the OpenWays solutions enables staff to remote-

ly cancel a key service, extend a guest stay or change a guest

from room to room without having to go back to the front desk.

An e-door… who knew?

On the Web: www.openways.com

GUESTS NOT IMPRESSED WITH HOTEL TVS There seems to be a new trend with hotel flat screen, high-

definition TVs: the picture quality is often poor. New hotel TV sets

are “nice looking pieces of furniture” says Marc Ginsberg, a vice

president for DirecTV, a satellite service that is in about 33 percent

of U.S. hotels. But he added they won’t provide a sharp, clear pic-

ture until hotels upgrade the receivers that transmit TV signals to

each room, and pay for new more expensive HD channels. The end

result is standard-definition signals are being fed into hi-def TVs.

22 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

LEVEL: EASY Solution, page 26

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE Solution, page 26

Fill each square with a number from 1 to 9 so that everynumber appears only once in each row, column and cell.

SOME SUDOKU RESOURCES ON THE WEB:• www.websudoku.com •www.sudoweb.com•www.dailysudoku.com •www.sudokupuzz.com

Sudoku QUIZ QUESTION OF THE MONTHCopyright:

Do you copy it right?

Copyright is recognized in the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights.

TRUE OR FALSE?

For any question regarding copyrights, please contact:

Companies/organizations located in Quebec: Copibec,

the Quebec copyright licensing agency at [email protected] or

www.copibec.qc.ca.

Companies/organizations located in Canada (outside Quebec):

Access Copyright, the Canada copyright licensing agency at

[email protected] / www.accesscopyright.ca.

TRUE.Article 27 (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights states that:“Everyone has the right to the protection

of the moral and material interests resulting from any scien-

tific,literary or artistic production of which he is the

author.”

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 23

Great Art + Good Manners = A Perfect TableBY CAMILLE LAY

Holidays, receptions and intimate

group meals are all excellent

opportunities for making a great

impression on guests. No doubt you

will go all out to design exquisite

décor, create the perfect atmosphere

and organize your tables appropriately

for a family meal or an event you are

organizing. Establishing the perfect

atmosphere is an important part of

building on a gala event or corporate

supper, a process that also involves

organizing each table around your

guests. Ornate and formal approaches

can both deliver good impressions and

highlight your design skills. Ideas abound and your artistic side

can certainly give you an edge when it comes to setting a table.

Equally important, however, is good etiquette. As we shall see, art

goes hand in hand with style when it comes to setting a table and

proper decorum is crucial to a successful dinner. Etiquette will

ultimately prove to be a key factor in showcasing the excellence

of your work and the elegance of your table concept.

Two experts on the subject – Gillian Freund, owner of the

Déco St-Germain boutique of table art and Thierry Pelven, a som-

melier and gourmet who deals in local food and wine products –

offer some tips on organizing your table. Their common sense

ideas can serve as solid foundations for developing a great con-

cept. Whether you are arranging the setting yourself or oversee-

ing the work of a caterer or hotel banquet service, the following

chart offers three ways of arranging a table to meet the needs of

your different events.

GOOD MANNERS FIRST

Whatever the size of your event budget, certain classic rules

apply to setting a table:

- The main plate sits one inch inside the table edge.

- The bases of the utensils are aligned with the base of the plate.

- Knives are to the right in the order they will be used, with their

teeth facing the plate.

- The soupspoon is to the right of the knives, facing up.

- The cheese and dessert cutlery are placed above the plate, with

the knife and spoon on the right, teeth facing the plate, and the

fork on the left.

- Forks are placed to the left from outside to inside, in the order

in which they will be used. Their teeth are turned up or down.

(In the past, the French turned them down to admire the family

crest etched on the back, while the English, who engraved the

crest on the front, flipped them up).

- The bread plate, along with a butter

knife, is set alongside the main plate,

with the knife vertically aligned with

the other cutlery, placed alongside the

middle of the bread dish.

- Glassware is set above the knives,

from inside to outside. Generally, the

water goblet is furthest to the left and

is the tallest glass. Wine glasses are

lined up from largest to smallest. For

aesthetic reasons, you may prefer to

organize your glassware symmetrically

if guests are

facing or diagonal to each other.

- Napkins are placed side by side in

the plate for a supper and on the sil-

verware for lunch.

- Following a meal, used cutlery should be placed next to the

plate, and point to its centre.

UTENSILS FOR EVERY MEAL

You should decide how many plates, settings and glasses you

want to use, based on these rules of etiquette and depending on

the complexity and style of your meals. The following chart will

help you when it comes to selecting and renting tableware.

All of these ingredients should of course be tailored to your

event. In Montreal, Celebrations, Bravo Location and Location

en Fête Outremont are just a few of the many tableware rental

suppliers that can meet your large orders.

Do you want to spruce up a business breakfast for your board

of directors or delight your best clients at a dinner? For groups of

up to 15, the Déco St-Germain boutique provides unique sets of fine

dishes for rental, ensuring quality, trendy designs and originality.

On the Web:

www.celebrationsgroup.com

www.bravoparty.com

Etiquette and Class

www.partyoutremont.com

www.deco-stgermain.com

DRAW ON THE TRENDS

Gillian Freund, who imports remarkable works of table art,

describes how original forms (in contrast with the conventional flat

plate) have emerged from new trends. Such modern crockery includes

oval designs, asymmetrical chinaware (with food only dabbed out in

the corners) and brilliant textures (such as delicate ripples).

Anthracite is a tone that goes well with taupe or grey.

A few basic table-setting rules are always useful.

One inchfrom edge

*

24 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca

Bring more contrast to a dark table this winter with dashes of

orange and violet—then let lime green do the job next spring.

Natural materials, such as slate (ideal in trays for serving hors-

d’œuvres, sushi and finger foods), wood and bamboo (particu-

larly for placemats and platters) are all great choices.

A FEW TIPS

Here are a few ideas for your next dinner event:

• Check for damage to rented dishes and utensils.

Dishes, glassware and utensils that are scratched or chipped

could cost you dearly if they result in a bad impression and a less

attractive table setting.

• Check the make of your china, particularly for a large

supper. Table art lovers will be impressed by your refined taste.

• If your event is short, limit the meal to three services so that

the first dish (often a salad) is only distributed once your guests

are seated. This will keep the food from losing its freshness.

• Do not lay out more utensils than are needed. It may

confuse your guests.

The Planner’s Associate Editor Camille Lay is also President of CLEventive, an event coordination firm. She can be reached at:[email protected].

Etiquette and knowhow

Basic Tables (Moderate Budget)

Classic Table (Intermediate Budget)

Formal Table (Big Budget)

Type of Meal - Groups of up to several hundred.

- 3-service meals, without changing

utensils or glassware.

- Use of inexpensive vessels and table

linen.

- Groups of up to several hundred.

- 3 service meals, with changing of

utensils and possible change of

glassware.

- Use of fairly elegant but inexpen-

sive vessels and table linen.

- Small and medium-sized groups

- Meals of 3 services and more, with

changes of utensils and glassware.

- Use of one vessel and elegant table

linen.

Utensils Required

(Per Person)

1 appetizer

1 main course

1 dessert course

1 water goblet

1 wine glass

1 knife

1 fork

1 soupspoon

1 dessert spoon or fork

1 teaspoon

1 coffee cup and saucer

1 napkin

1 presentation platter

1 plate for each service

1 bread plate

1 water goblet

1 glass of red wine

1 glass of white wine

1 butter knife

1 to 4 knives (depending on the

number of services)

1 to 4 forks (depending on the num-

ber of services)

1 soupspoon

1 dessert spoon, fork or knife

1 teaspoon1 coffee cup with saucer

1 napkin

1 presentation platter for each service

1 bread plate

1 water goblet

1 wine glass for each wine on the

menu

1 butter knife

1 knife per service

1 fork per service

1 soup spoon

1 cheese and dessert spoon, fork

or knife

1 teaspoon

1 coffee cup with saucer1 napkin

Type of Meal Stainless steel utensils

(popular design)

Glass

Inexpensive porcelain

Cotton and synthetics

Stainless steel utensils

(popular design)

Glass

Inexpensive porcelain

Inexpensive satin, synthetics, cotton

Stainless steel utensils

(desired design) or in finer

Finer glassware or crystal

Fine or Limoges porcelain

Superior quality cotton, refined satin

or silk

Service and Layout You can set all utensils and crockery

on the tables from the start for a quick

meal. Otherwise, the dessert and cof-

fee utensils can be brought out later.

You can set all utensils and crockery

on the tables from the start for a

quick meal. Otherwise, the dessert

and coffee utensils can be brought

out later.

Clear used utensils after each service.

Offer to remove used glasses.

www.theplanner.ca | March 2010 | ThePLANNER 25

Halifax airport tops passenger surveyHalifax Stanfield International Airport is the best internation-

al airport of its size according to a survey of travellers. Stanfield

was ranked No. 1 for overall passenger satisfaction among air-

ports in its class – under five million passengers a year – partic-

ipating in the Airports Council International survey. It was the

seventh straight year Stanfield emerged as the best in its catego-

ry, the airport said. Ottawa was also in the top five in the catego-

ry. The best airport serving 5 to 15 million passengers was

Hyderabad, India; 15 million to 25 million,

Baltimore/Washington; 25 million to 40 million, Incheon, South

Korea; and over 40 million, Hong Kong. More than 130 airports

around the world participate in the survey said the Council.

On the Web: www.hiaa.ca

April 2 – Good Friday

April 5 – Easter Monday

April 13 to 14 2010National Business Travel AssociationSixth NBTA Annual Conference and Exhibitor Showcase, Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre,Toronto, Ont.Contact : www2.nbta.org

April 15 2010MPINational Meetings Industry Day (NMID), 1:30-7:30p.m.Delta Centre-Ville, Montréal, Que.Contact : www.mpimontreal.com

May 24 – Victoria Day

May 25 to 27 2010IMEX 10Worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings & eventsFrankfurt, GermanyContact : www.imex-frankfurt.com

July 1 – Canada Day

July 24 - 27 2010MPIWorld Education Congress, Vancouver, B.C.Contact : www.mpiweb.org

August 2 – Civic Holiday (except Quebec)

August 5 to 7 2010ISES Eventworld 2010Baltimore Marrriott Waterfront Hotel, Maryland.Contact : www.ises.com

• • •Do you want to publicize your event? Please send us ane-mail message at: [email protected]

ANSWER EASYSUDOKU PAGE 23

ANSWER MEDIUMSUDOKU PAGE 23

CommentaryThe Dolphin Dilemma

So you’ve got a great holiday planned out at a five star hotel,

a room with a view, some time for tanning and, of course, a

highlight of your stay will be swimming with some playful

dolphins. What you don’t know is the story of how these

beautiful creatures got to your resort, because if you thought

that they just swam up a warm gulf to get there, you’re wrong!

In the 2009 documentary The Cove (which recently won the

Academy Award for Best Documentary), we learn the unfortu-

nate truth about the industry of dolphins. The dolphins that

don’t get sold to resorts or water parks are speared and sold to

supermarkets as whale. The reason they are packaged under

whale and not dolphin is because dolphins are dangerously

high in mercury, thus endangering the people who eat it.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t swim with dolphins, but

it’s important to know where dolphins (and other animals)

come from. It’s your choice to decide what you do, but caveat

emptor (buyer beware) is imperative here.

The Cove is the “Blood Diamond” of dolphin movies. I do

recommend it, but be prepared for the gory content.

Emily Dias-Geoffroy, 14

A student at Trafalgar School for Girls

Montreal, Que.

26 ThePLANNER | March 2010 |www.theplanner.ca