Rust Belt Decline Affects Economy in Different Ways

One of my newest volunteer jobs is mentoring 19 chapters of the American Marketing Association located in the Southeast, the Atlantic region and the Midwest. Yesterday (August 13), the Wall Street Journal detailed the decline of Rust Belt cities ('Fastest Dying Cities' Meet For Lively Talk, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125011106498326993.html) outlined in its coverage of a meeting held recently in Dayton, Ohio attended by representatives from ten cities in Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. While there was some venting going on, attendees bemoaned the fact that many of their residents ignore that there is actual good news not being reported in their economically-challenged towns. Four of the ten towns represented at the meeting have AMA chapters that I advise.

It got me thinking about the toll self-loathing takes when residents become discouraged and despair over the loss of jobs and population in their town. I see this in talking to the AMA chapter Presidents who become frustrated when they have board members who complain about how things are without offering solutions to the economic problems which result in marketers being laid off, which affects the membership rolls of these chapters as these volunteers can't afford to renew their membership dues. Marketers are among the best (or worst) at generating buzz. This can work to your advantage when things are going great. But when things are bad, as they have been in our society the past year, it can make a bad situation worse.

The meetings business, which helps pay my bills faces the same situation. No one wants to travel to a destination that is in decline. A bad economy in their mind also translates into a desperate citizenry which can fuel concerns about safety and other matters.

It seems to me that while problems that each of our cities face (plodding decision-making by leaders, bad local economic policies, etc.) can't and shouldn't be ignored, residents should think about victories that have occurred recently in their city (a new business relocating there, a national award won by the chamber of commerce). More importantly, if they don't like something that is happening in their city or neighborhood, they should get involved in the process to make things better. It's easy to get negative and see the things that should be changed before we look at the positive. I think it's importance to achieve a balance and raise our hands to lend a hand to further progress.

Travel Journalist Trade Group Spreads Its Wings on Thinking Out-Of-The-Box Attendance Building

Any doubts about how worried meeting planners are about the impact of the economy on attendance at trade shows? I have never heard about a group partnering with airlines to discount fares for attendees. Take a look at the email I received yesterday from the North American Travel Journalists Association (www.natja.org).

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NATJA is offering a discount of 10% off airfare on AirTran!!! This discount applies to anyone attending our Cleveland Conference June 2nd-5th. For more information about the conference, visit us online at www.natja.org.
Act now to save by simply using the code listed below.
AirTran Airways EventSavers Program Congratulations, your Event Planner has registered with the AirTran Airways EventSavers Program. This program offers discounted air travel and unique benefits for conventions, meetings or other events when ten or more individuals are flying into a single destination from different cities. Attendees and Travel Agents should call the AirTran Airways EventSavers Desk at 1-866-68EVENT (1-866-683-8368) to obtain more information about the following features:
A 10% discount on the lowest available AirTran Airways one way fare.
No minimum stay length or Saturday night requirement.
Advance seat assignments at time of booking.
Confirmed upgrade to Business Class, when available, for passengers booking in the “B” and “Y” fare levels.
A one time waiver of Change Fee per reservation for any name or itinerary change, but any applicable fare increase will apply
A single Event Code provided for each event so passengers may book their own reservations at their leisure.
A convenient toll-free number connects you directly to our EventSavers Desk.
Attendees have the option of contacting the EventSavers Desk directly or they may book their reservations through their designated travel agency.
Travel Agents and attendees must book all EventSavers reservations directly with the EventSavers Desk to receive the 10% discount. Reservations booked through a travel agent General Data System or the internet will not qualify for the 10% discount.
Attendees may travel three days prior to the event start date and three days after the event close date if they wish to spend any additional time at the event location.
Receive special EventSavers rates from our rental car partner Hertz, just for being transferred to the Hertz Desk by our EventSavers Coordinator!
To take advantage of this special program, contact the AirTran Airways EventSavers Desk at 1-866-68EVENT (1-866-683-8368) for reservations. All patrons will need to have the listed Event Code and must provide the name of the Event upon booking. Please provide the Event Savers Coordinator with Event Code: CAKDAY060209 (NATJA) start saving today!
Thank you for choosing AirTran Airways for all your air travel requirements!

History Over Cocktails

One of the latest and greatest after-hours meeting destinations in Northern Kentucky for convention or corporate groups is the The Grand At Madison, located at Fifth Street and Madison Avenue, Covington. It's a five minute walk from the Northern Kentucky Convention Center and is located in the historic and recently renovated Odd Fellows Hall. The history of the place provides an interesting backdrop for chatting during drinks and appetizers:

• It was the center of Covington's civic and political life for most of the Victoria Era.
• When the Civil War ended, victorious Union General Ulysses S. Grant was honored at a reception there.
• In 1900, the body of William Goebel, the only U.S. Governor to be assassinated in office, laid in state there as an estimated 10,000 filed past.
• In the 1950s, a roller skating rink filled the second floor ballroom, famous for its 25-foot-high ceiling suspended by a truss system.
• In May 2002, a major fire almost destroyed the entire building and sparked a five year massive renovation.

For more information: www.kycater.com

Check out this short video.