Can a Hotel change the way we eat?

That's the question posed in an article in this week's NOW magazine, about the Gladstone's decision to hire a food activist to work with the hotel's Executive Chef in planning menus using sustainable, locally sourced ingredients.

It's not a new revelation that rearing cattle produces more greenhouse gasses than driving cars. "According to the United National, livestock is responsible for 18 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. This percentage includes the effect of deforestation in order to create grazing land, as well as livestock natural methane gas emissions".

So naturally vegetables and other produce from nearby Southern Ontario farms will be taking centre stage. Food activism also translates to social responsibility to the neighbourhood residents by offering healthy pay-what-you-can dinners.


Read the story here

Stay to Play - yes, it's a thing

I recently came across an excellent article in the Spring issue of Adrenalin, a magazine about Sports Tourism in Canada. The Case for Stay-To-Play looks at the reasons, challenges, and best practices for implementing a "stay-to-play" policy.

Essentially the policy states that attendees who book their accommodations outside the negotiated room block(s) are prohibited from participating in the event.

Sounds draconian - but it works. By giving the organizers complete control of the room block they're in a stronger bargaining position with hotels, and without the risk of attrition charges, the event - and the organization itself - can flourish, which in turn benefits its members/event attendees.

I experienced some form of this a couple of years ago, when I attended a PCMA East conference in Montreal.  I was delighted to stay at the beautiful Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, the host hotel for (and major sponsor of) the conference.  Had I opted to stay at nearby a hotel though, I would have received a phone call from the organizers (who were comparing the conference registration list with the hotel reservations list) and been told that I would be charged an additional $200 to attend the conference. (It should be pointed out that this was a meetings industry conference, so we all "got it".)

One of my clients has implemented a softer version of this by offering a "Stay and Save" rebate to attendees who book their hotel room before the cutoff date, and show proof of hotel check-in when they pick up their registration materials at the event.  (See Sweet Side of Swing Northwest)  I think this is brilliant!

Would love to hear your feedback.

Shoot it or lose it

I don't know about you, but I always congratulate myself at the end of a trip if:
A. I actually wore everything I packed
and
B. I didn't leave anything behind in a hotel room or on a plane

This travel trip courtesy of  Meetings and Conventions: snap photos on your phone of everything you pack and refer to the photos as you repack to ensure you have everything.

Mission: Massage

I'm treating myself to a massage a the Four Seasons Toronto Spa this week. Sadly I should have scheduled it earlier in the day, according to an article in the Travel Section of this weekend's Globe and Mail.

See: "How to get a good massage on the road" or Under Pressure

In terms of local (Toronto) spa experiences I'm still a huge fan of the Stillwater Spa in the bowels of the Park Hyatt.  Have heard great things about the Miraj Hammam Spa at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto.  Next time - and I will book an earlier appointment.

Do the Wild Thing

Animal welfare is a subject near and dear to my heart so I read with great interest an article in the March Issue of Meetings Today about how animal sanctuaries are welcoming groups and hosting events. Power-point-weary conference delegates are invited to take a break from technology and reconnect with nature and with living beings who have been given a second lease on life.

I have huge admiration for the people who run these safe havens for injured and abused animals - not for profit, but because of a strong moral conviction that this is the right thing to do.  From retired race horses, to rescued farm animals, to endangered species...."all creatures great and small" deserve safe and pain-free lives.

You can read the full article here

See below a YouTube video starring the animals of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary

Trump Slump Silver Lining?

I woke up this morning to a piece on the radio about the Girl Guides of Canada suspending all trips to the United States due to the current travel restrictions and fears that if one girl on a bus trip to New York, for instance, is denied entry that they couldn't very well leave her at the border.
See story here

This is just the latest in a story I've been following about the sudden drop in travel to the United States since President Trump announced his infamous "travel ban".  Travel companies Frommer and Kayak have cited drops in individual hotel rates in the 30% range.  Domestic travelers typically don't spend as much as foreign visitors, affecting the one-in-eight people in the United States who earn their living either directly or indirectly from the travel industry.

ConferenceDirect has already canvassed its associates to find out how the current regulations are affecting our clients. I'm sure I'll hear more about that at our Annual Partner Meeting in Baltimore at the end of next month.

We've already seen a softening in group hotel rates in the wake of unprecedented demand over the last few years.  Could this mean a significant shift in what has been a sellers market?

The View from "Ici"

With 571 guestrooms, the Hilton Quebec is the second-largest hotel in Quebec City - and oh, by-the-way - all of those recently-renovated rooms boast oversized picture windows taking full advantage of amazing views:

The Plains of Abraham, Old Quebec, the St. Lawrence River and the Laurentian Mountains in the distance...

The popular Plaines room on hotel's top, 23rd floor, offers a total of 2,772 square feet - again with a spectacular view.  The Executive Club floor is also located on the 23rd floor - great for VIP upgrades!

Hilton Quebec's 7,623 square foot ballroom is the largest in the city. With 23,000 square feet of dedicated hotel meeting space, and an enviable location adjacent to the Centre des Congres du Quebec (the city's newly-expanded full-service convention centre), the Hilton has always been the go-to choice for larger meetings and conventions.  A multi-million dollar renovation project, though, has added 73,000 square feet of flexible function space beneath the hotel's lobby; albeit technically part of the convention centre, it would be contracted separately.