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This year, the ICCA Data researchers have identified 8,294 events which took place in 2009, 800 events more than were identified last year. Partly this reflects the strength of the association meetings market despite the economic downturn; partly it is thanks to a record number of ICCA members sending us their calendar information to help identify new events.

As has been the case since 2004, the US and Germany are the number one and two countries respectively measured by the number of international meetings organized in 2009. The US is widening its gap with Germany with 32 events, compared to the 2008 figures. Spain remains third. Italy jumps from 6th to 4th place with an increase of 54 events compared to 2008, and the United Kingdom remains 5th. China-PR and Austria (which shares 10th place with The Netherlands) are newcomers in the top 10.

For the fifth year in a row, Vienna is the most popular city with an increase of 21 meetings over 2008. Barcelona jumped from 3rd to 2nd place, and Paris, who shared 1st place with Vienna last year, is now 3rd. The only newcomer in the top 20 is Madrid, at 13th place.

The ICCA rankings cover meetings organized by international associations, which take place on a regular basis and which rotate between a minimum of three countries. The data represents a "snapshot" of qualifying events in the ICCA Association Database as sampled on May 11, 2010. ICCA’s Association Database is designed as a sales and marketing resource for its members to target future international association meetings, which is why it does not include one-off events or those which do not move between locations.

Top 10 Countries:
1 – US: 595
2 – Germany: 458
3 – Spain: 360
4 – Italy: 350
5 – UK: 345
6 – France: 341
7 – Brazil: 293
8 – Japan: 257
9 – China PR: 245
10 – Austria & Netherlands: 236

Source: iccaworld.com

WASHINGTON — There are signs that future airline pilots will be less experienced, less ethical and in short supply, a panel of experts told an aviation safety forum on Tuesday.

While there are more pilots than there are airline jobs today, the reverse is likely to be true as airlines recover from the economic recession and begin hiring again, experts on pilot hiring and screening told the National Transportation Safety Board. The coming shortage may likely fall heaviest on regional airlines, who generally employ less-experienced pilots at lower salaries, they said.

There are about 54,000 pilots working for major airlines, nearly 19,000 regional airline pilots and about 2,500 qualified pilots available for hire in the U.S. today, said aviation consultant Judy Tarver, a former pilot recruiter for American Airlines. She estimated that airlines will need to hire about 42,090 pilots over the next decade, due to retirements and anticipated industry growth.

Panel members said there are far fewer military pilots leaving for jobs with airlines. Fewer college students say they want careers in aviation because they see it as an economic dead end, and airlines are increasingly having to compete with corporations for pilots.

The comments came as the safety board began a three-day forum on how to get more pilots and air traffic controllers to consistently strive for a high-level of professionalism. The impetus for the forum is a series of high-profile incidents over the past year in which the conduct and judgment of pilots and controllers have been called into question, including the crash of a regional airliner near Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 50 people.

The safety board said the crash occurred after the plane stalled because the pilot pulled back, instead of pushing forward, on a key piece of safety equipment. But they also cited a series of errors and unprofessional conduct by the pilot and first officer leading up to the accident.

Paul Rice, a pilot and spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, said he was skeptical that a willingness to break rules and flout authority among younger pilots is any different than past generations of young pilots.

However, he said he shared the panel’s concern that there will be a shortage of experienced pilots at regional airlines, which account for half of all domestic flights and are the only scheduled air service to about 400 communities.

Roger Cohen, president of the Regional Airline Association, said any pilot shortage won’t affect safety because pilots are trained, certified and tested.

Airline travel today is safer than ever before, but the Buffalo crash and other incidents are warning signs that safety may be eroding because of an attitude of "casual compliance" by a minority of pilots, said Tony Kern, a former Air Force lieutenant colonel and author of five books on pilot performance.

Source: AP

• Airlines
• future
• less experienced
• NTSB
• pilots
• USA & Ca

Is it time to end airline ban on cell phones?

When Peter Zapalo saw a crew member messaging on his BlackBerry while cruising at 36,000 feet, he reported it to Southwest. He got back a form letter explaining the attendant must have been the handheld device to “update alcohol sales.”

Zapalo was skeptical.

"I was maybe two feet from him and you could see his text, a response, and his reply," Zapalo said. "I’m sure passengers are sneaking around and doing this all the time, but c’mon — the flight attendant?"

The conflict between an always-on society and the rules on the use of in-flight electronics is hardly new.

The Federal Communications Commission has long prohibited the use of cellphones while airborne. But passengers have refused to turn off their handsets on planes since there have been handsets.

And with a rise in the number of wireless-enabled planes — the largest provider of airborne communications, Gogo Inflight, offers hotspots on more than 700 commercial aircraft — the problem appears to be taking off.

Asked about the texting flight attendant, a Southwest Airlines spokesman told travel commentator Christopher Elliott that Zapalo hadn’t necessarily seen the employee break the law.

"Generally speaking, it is completely feasible for someone to text or e-mail while their device is in airplane mode," said Chris Mainz. "Therefore, they would not be transmitting any signals and still be within the guidelines of the FAA. The text or e-mail would not actually transmit until the phone is back on."

There are various reasons today’s passengers are not always meeting the spirit of the law. For example, more people are becoming attached to their ever-present cellphones.

There is also more pressure than ever to stay in touch with a phone.

Says Elliott:

“Given the recent increase in disputes over electronic devices, and the likelihood that there will be even more in the years to come, what’s the solution? Some say that revising the rules is the sensible fix, to account for the fact that turning off a phone is no longer realistic.”

By David Wilkening

Foodies have ravenous appetite for unusual small southern town

If you want to experience international cuisine, visit a small town that two decades ago was an unlikely candidate: Greenville, South Carolina.

Visitors today can experience more than a dozen different international cuisines in a one-mile radius, say tourist officials.

They give much credit to businessman Carl Sobocinski who in 1997 bought a former cotton exchange and opened Soby’s New South Cuisine, kicking off an explosion in downtown.

“Today, downtown Greenville is home to Rick Erwins (Open Table’s Top 50 Best Restaurants in the Nation, 2009);  Victoria Moore of the Lazy Goat (one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch” by John Mariani for Esquire Magazine November 2009); Soby’s New South Cuisine (Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence), High Cotton, Devereaux’s (Open Table Diner’s Choice) and many other places.

New, international restaurants continue to open. And despite the hard times, with 2008 the worst year for restaurants in the area, the Greenville food scene has continued to thrive.

“We’re feeding more people every night for the first quarter than we were a year ago. That’s an encouraging sign,” restaraunter Carl Sobocinski recently told The Greenville News, “Greenville restaurants will continue to flourish. We have put our stamp on Greenville as being a culinary town, a foodie town.”
For the past few years, chefs from all over the world have visited Greenville on a monthly basis to host guest chef evenings, cooking side by side with Greenville’s finest, with a stellar wine pairings to boot.
This fall, Greenville will celebrate its growing culinary experience with the 5th annual Euphoria- food, wine and music festival. Chefs from all over the country join the local chefs for a weekend full of culinary delights, paired with wines from the world and educational seminars by master sommeliers, wine tastings, and all set to a musical backdrop starring hometown hero, Edwin McCain.
By David Wilkening

RX for meeting biz health

CVB’s are increasingly seeking medical help for their meeting market: that means aggressively courting and partnering with local health care resources.

That is especially the case for cities fortunate enough to have name-brand medical facilities located at their backdoor.

"We are very lucky because we have Mayo Clinic right here," said Brad Jones, executive director of the Rochester (Minnesota) CVB. "We simply try to allow ourselves to be a go-between between a meeting planner and them. We try to tap into speakers and research projects that would tie into the event or meeting."

Jones says about one-third percent of the city’s convention business comes from the medical segment, but "if you look at total visitors to the city, it is 70 percent of our business. We welcome about 2.5 million visitors per year, so 70 percent is a big number."

Another city with a healthy dose of medical resources is Cleveland, site of the Cleveland Clinic. Stephanie Stiggers-Smith, national sales manager for Positively Cleveland, says the CVB often partners with the clinic to bring in meetings.

"We usually have them support us in our advocacy to bring meetings here," she said. She added  it is common for medical professionals from Cleveland Clinic to meet with meeting planners to attract them to the city. "It helps us to sell meetings."

For Houston, a major draw is the Texas Medical Center, which "represents 47 different medical entities and 14 are hospitals," says Ken Middleton, vice president of convention sales for the Greater Houston CVB.

"For so many years it was oil and ‘what are you doing with the Gulf.’ Now we have an outstanding vertical beyond the energy conversation," he said. With an important local resource like the Texas Medical Center, Middleton says planners don’t have to fly speakers in from all over the world; they can find them in Houston—along with research specialists.

"If a conference is here, chances are there are people who wrote white papers on what you are looking for that live in Houston," he said.

By David Wilkening

Major US hotel chains mapping battle plans for Europe

Major hotel chains that already dominate the US market are looking at a new battleground for future expansion: Europe.

Four Seasons Hotels Inc., Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Marriott International Inc. are stepping up expansion efforts in Europe, where about 34 percent of hotels fly chain flags, Otus & Co. estimates. In the US, they already control about 70 percent of the market, according to Smith Travel Research Inc.

“The chains can build market share in Europe by appealing to visitors from the US, China and India who are likely to seek out internationally recognized brands when traveling,” Rod Taylor, chairman and co-founder of hotel consultants Taylor Global Advisors Ltd., told Bloomberg.

Within the next five to 10 years, the branded chains may increase their market share in the region by 5 percentage points, according to Patrick Scholes, a New York-based analyst at Friedman Billings Ramsey & Co.

Hotel owners have struggled to attract customers in the past two years as the recession deterred vacationers and forced companies to cut travel budgets. “A lodging industry recovery is occurring more quickly in Europe than in the US,” Bloomberg reported.

Hyatt Hotels Corp., the chain controlled by Chicago’s Pritzker family, expects to have a higher percentage of rooms abroad than in the US within a decade, according to Chief Executive Officer Mark Hoplamazian.

Four Seasons, based in Toronto, has 14 hotels in Europe and another seven slated to open in the next three to five years.

Blackstone Group LP’s Hilton Worldwide operates about 184 hotels across Europe. It had 18 openings in the past year, which included takeovers of independent hotels and franchise agreements. That compares with 12 in both 2008 and 2007.

Starwood had 159 European hotels at the end of 2009 and 20 in the pipeline.

Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriott said it expects to double its 40,000 rooms in Europe by 2015 with such brands as the Ritz-Carlton and Bulgari Hotels & Resorts.

“Europe overall may be still dominated by small independents, but in some markets chain operators are already having a much stronger presence,” said Jonathan Goldstein, deputy CEO at Heron International Ltd., a London-based real estate development company.

By David Wilkening

Planners are finding sunny skies in Portland

Meeting planners looking for green? Portland Oregon’s long-standing reputation is catching up with it.

“Portland Oregon’s reputation as a quirky refuge for environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts has caught up with it. It’s popularity has climbed among meeting organizers looking for a green lifestyle,” says Meetings.com

“There’s a stronger awareness of Portland as a destination,” said Brian McCartin, executive vice president of convention and tourism sales for Travel Portland. “Planners are looking for something a little different that they feel comfortable with.”
Portland has long been known as a destination for outstanding microbrews, world-class Willamette Valley wines and exceptional coffee, but now the city is establishing itself as the epicenter of the craft distilling movement. Inspired by the local brewing and winemaking traditions, the city’s nine microdistilleries craft high-quality, small-batch spirits with distinctive flavor profiles.

Portland’s new-found popularity is based on various factors such as its lush green valleys and parks, the thundering Columbia River and milder cousins, and Mt. Hood hovering over the city from the Cascade mountain range.

All this attracts skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.

The I-5 Freeway  —  the main transportation artery of the West Coast  —  bisects the city with traffic that hurtles toward both Canada and Mexico. That’s one more attraction for major employers like Intel and Tektronix, and sportswear giants Nike and Adidas Americas.
Portland is known as the City of Roses, in part for its International Rose Test Garden that dates back to 1917 and features numerous varieties of roses. Today, it’s a favorite spot for receptions and weddings.

Food is increasingly becoming a staple for all visitors.

Thanks in part to coverage from The New York Times and The LA Times, Portland’s bustling street-food scene is gaining recognition in foodie circles, and rivaling more well-known centers of New York and Singapore in terms of quality, scope, popular appeal and value for money. Diners can choose from more than 450 food carts clustered in various urban locations, and feast on a variety of ethnic and inventive delicacies.

Portland Bicycle Tours also offers visitors a rotating selection of themed experiences including: green buildings, bridge history, Portland parks and mircobreweries. They offer custom tours as well and will take visitors cycling in the countryside to visit the Willamette Valley wineries and the Colombia George Scenic Area.

Air service has been steadily improving with the latest the announcement that Air Canada this June would start daily non-stop service from Amsterdam, Calgary, Tokyo and Vancouver.

Portland has a reputation as a rainy city  — but, in truth, Miami gets more rain annually. In Portland, average temperatures vary from about 40 degrees to 65 degrees throughout the year. But the mild weather isn’t the only surprise for meeting planners.

There’s no sales tax in Oregon, so hotel rooms (and shopping) cost a little less than in comparable destinations.
“The good news is we’re not perceived as an extravagant destination, but as an affordable destination,” McCartin says.

By David Wilkening

Can a giant search engine shake up an entire industry?

Few think of Google as a travel destination but that’s beginning to change, as the search giant is adding hotel links to its Maps applications and adding room rates available to some users.

 “Google also is reportedly in talks to pay $1 billion to acquire ITA Software, which develops fare-shopping software for online travel agencies, airlines and fare-search-only sites, such as Bing Travel and Kayak,” reported USA Today.

Is it a threat to other travel sites?

The simple answer from analysts is that Google is interested in providing information but not offering bookings. Google relies on advertising revenue from online travel agencies and has said in the past it doesn’t want to engage in transactions

Google declined to comment to USA Today about the acquisition talks. But, says Google spokeswoman Victoria Katsarou: "We always have travel in mind. We’re trying to make it easier for our users."

But the potential acquisition, if completed, "would be a game changer and a clear signal of Google’s interest in travel," says Steve Kaufer, CEO of TripAdvisor.

Norm Rose, president of Travel Tech Consulting, says Google will likely rely on other sites for buying tickets. "If you hear that it’s bad news for online travel agencies, it’s premature," he said.

But if Google moves to offer fare results, it could threaten shopping sites that similarly provide only fares. "It could be difficult for sites like Kayak to maintain competitiveness," Rose says.

“Travel search companies like Kayak should be scared. Kayak, like Google, is also a media company, sharing information in hopes of gaining eyeballs and selling space to advertisers,” writes BNET.

But Google has more users, can speak 41 languages and already has the home court advantage for most anyone using the Web. “Anyone competing with Google as a search engine is going to fail miserably, much less a niche travel search engine. If Google continues its dominance in travel, it will make Kayak and all sites like it obsolete,” the site says.

Studies show that a majority of travelers, up to 60 percent, start their planning with a search engine. So Google’s move can’t be a total surprise to travel-only sites.

Google has some catching up to do. Microsoft bought a company called Farecast two years ago and used its software to create Bing Travel, a subdivision of its search engine, Bing.

What might Google do?

If they acquire ITA, one possibility: they might integrate travel information with pre-existing products like Google Maps, Google Calendar. That alone would make a difference for travelers.

By David Wilkening

Advice for going abroad

An American traveler in Greece asked a Californian about the national religion. Socialism, was the answer.

So if you’re going abroad, CheapOair has some tips to avoid being a “cultural idiot” while you’re away:

Going abroad? CheapOair has some tips:

• Do some reading: “You don’t need to read huge academic tomes to get a feel for the history of a place  —  a novel set there will give you an idea,” suggests Cheap.
• See some movies. “Like books, films can be a great way of getting a handle on history, especially the darker moments in countries’ past.”

·        Don’t forget your guidebook. “You don’t need to follow it to the letter, obviously, but it’s good to have suggestions in hand  —  but more importantly, the background reading in the history section is a great précis of what you need to know.” 

·        Check the news. See what’s happening in the part of the world you are visiting. “Once you arrive, find the local English language newspaper and see what’s going on.”

·        Even if its just a phrasebook, it’s always good to have a bit of knowledge about the local language.

By David Wilkening

New steps taken to curb attractive terrorist targets

The US Customs and Border Protection department plans to conduct a study on enhancing homeland screening practices for cruise passengers, according to Cruise Log.

The move follows the recommendations of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.

“The study will look at the benefits of getting more passenger information into the hands of homeland security officials, similar to the Transportation Security Administration’s Passenger Name Record system used with airlines,“ says Cruise Log.

In a statement, the Customs office said it agrees with GAO’s recommendation to enhance the existing screening process for cruise ship passengers.

The 52-page report, titled "Maritime Security: Varied Actions Taken to Enhance Cruise Ship Security, but Some Concerns Remain," notes that cruise ships are “attractive terrorist targets."

In a statement, Cruise Lines International Association says its members participated in the formulation of the report and will participate in the new study.

"The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) supports the efforts made by the Department of Homeland Security to ensure the continued safety of millions of cruise passengers  –  our industry’s Number One priority,” CLIA says.

The US Coast Guard and other federal agency officials noted in the GAO report that cruise lines have “a professional staff dedicated to security duties,” and that cruise lines implement security measures beyond what is required of them,” according to CLIA.