As the events and meeting industry gradually moves back into in-person meetings (and the when really depends on the province and state and how fast people get vaccinated), event safety measures will become part of normal conversation and habit—as it should be. Even though vaccination rates are climbing, there are still variants to deal with, so event safety measures and protocols need to be kept in place and finessed as we move along into the new normal. Below are a…
Last year, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre saw 1.5 million conference goers, event planners, salespeople, presenters, exhibitors, speakers, tech workers and myriad other people and professions stroll through its massive atrium in downtown Toronto. Week to week the MTCC shifts from the centre of one professional universe to another, enabling thousands of people at a time to gather, network and transact. It amounts to a lot of commerce for the out-of-towners and Toronto both. Last year, the MTCC reported that…
By Leanne Andrecyk and Remi Lefebvre For generations, people have been gathering in groups to confer for myriad reasons — to share knowledge, exchange views, strategize, review practices and develop new solutions. Regardless of the conference or event goal, bringing a group of people together successfully requires more than just satisfying the hunger for knowledge. You don’t have to be a foodie to realize food is an automatic connector between people and can be the conversation starter in any group…
When planning meetings and events, it is our job to step out of our own preferences and think about the perspectives of all attendees. This can be challenging as the majority of event planners fall into the same demographic and it can make seeing different perspectives even more difficult when most of your peers see the world through a similar lens. Meeting professionals have a real opportunity to bring diversity and inclusion to life, which is a strategic priority for…
By Michael O’Doherty While technological advancements have reduced the amount of face-to-face time we spend with each other, there truly is no substitute for being together at a live event in person — among your peers, your colleagues and your friends. And yes, I am biased, but let’s talk today about one of the most important yet overlooked parts of a successful meeting or trade show. I’m talking, of course, about the food. The food and beverage offerings are a…
There are times when corporate planners are tasked with planning events in an internal meeting space. Usually, this means planning meetings in office buildings while managing client expectations – and what they expect is the same standard as if the meeting was held in a purpose-built venue. Perceived convenience and cost savings become the deciding factors for internal meetings, however there can be hidden costs and inconveniences that should be considered. Moving meetings into the office are rarely as simple…
The Board of Directors of St. John’s Sports and Entertainment Ltd. have announced the selection of event hospitality leader Centerplate as the exclusive catering partner for the St. John’s Convention Centre (SJCC), following a comprehensive bid process. Located in the heart of beautiful downtown St. John’s, SJCC offers state-of-the-art facilities for meetings, conferences and events. The 10-year contract will encompass all food and beverage services for events at SJCC, beginning June 1, 2018. “Centerplate has an excellent reputation for working…
From addressing food allergies to dealing with shrinking budgets and tighter-than-ever timelines, venue food and beverage teams face a host of challenges with every event they help organize. Corporate Meetings and Events magazine recently spoke with senior leaders at several successful event venues to learn about how these hard-working teams address such challenges to create exceptional experiences for planners and guest alike. Participants: Jason Bangerter, Executive Chef; Virgilio Vea, Director of Food and Beverage; and Kate Mackay, Director of Sales…
An association conference was scheduled for spring 2019 at a Canadian hotel property. The most glaring issue with the association’s venue contract was the fact that it included two clauses related to Food and Beverage (F&B) that, when combined, were detrimental: Sliding Scale and Attrition. The association’s minimum anticipated spend for F&B was $100,000. This was the Sliding Scale for F&B spend: > $100,000.00 F&B: Meeting room rental charge would be waived, offered complimentary $80,000.00 to $99,999.00 F&B: Meeting room…
I would say that I have a lot of food preferences. I like healthy food: nothing fried, no white sugar or processed food. I often have a hard time when the only options at conferences are sugary breakfast items or processed meat sandwiches. The frustration! I thought I had it hard… until I spoke with a few colleagues who have serious food allergies and heard what it is like to be in their situation. I now have a sense of…
