The calendar says spring is just 15 days away, but I don’t think Mother Nature has received that memo. It is another cold night in Philadelphia, and so it’s the perfect time for some warming eye candy!
Who doesn’t love to look at gorgeous, postcard-perfect topical destinations, especially on a chilly winter night. But it’s not all pure fun here … we justify our visual indulgence as research.
Yes, research.
Another year, another packed travel schedule. But you won’t hear us complaining about that (much. And unless we are stuck in an airport). We are looking forward to some great events this year and that means a lot of time logged in airports and airplanes. Our first trip of the year in January was to the Windy City, and it was a quick one – in and out in about 24 hours.
Here is a sneak peek at some of the other destinations we’ll be heading to this year:
January doesn't usually see a lot of love: it’s cold, it’s a reality check after the downtime we get with holidays in November and December, it’s cold, it’s a month we set (and usually break) resolutions, it’s cold, you get the idea. But, there is something that January offers that we look forward to all year: spending some time checking out what the latest events trends are for the year and deciding which we are going to follow and build into the events we are planning!
Hard to believe that we are only a few short weeks into winter with all of the plan shuffling that the weather has been causing. If the last several weeks are any indication of the amount of contingency planning that will be required this winter, we will be kept extraordinarily busy! The Philadelphia area looks to be spared this week, but our neighbors to the south are being slammed with what is being called a "once-in-a-generation" snow and ice storm starting today.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Snow days are glorious gifts for children, but not always so much for adults. We have things to do, places to go and people to see and snow does not fit into our agenda. Mother Nature apparently didn't get the memo. So, it is snowing in Philadelphia today and since we can't change that, here are a few ideas to make the best of it:
Program resume. Program guide. Event script. Show flow. Event guide. Meeting report. Event bible.
Whatever you call it, your program resume is the single most valuable document to you and everyone involved in creating the event. It is the central repository for every last detail that anyone could possibly ever need to know about the event and it is the document that will keep everyone on the same page and eliminate any surprises.
It’s an easy trap to fall into: you see the event start date on the calendar and that is the date ingrained in your head by which everything has to be done.
Don’t fall into that trap!
Is there that big of a difference between 999 and 1,000 attendees?
Sure it’s technically only one extra person, but when you are planning a meeting or conference where your attendees will be in the thousands and not the hundreds, things change and there is a brand-new layer of complexity that has to be factored into all of your planning.
Two weeks ago when the government shutdown began, we shared what the projected impact could be. Now, on day 15 of the shutdown, it continues to dominate headlines and we are seeing the real impact on the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry:
The government shutdown that began at 12:01 am today is dominating all headlines and news broadcasts, and it will have an impact on the travel and tourism industry.
In Philadelphia and beyond, many top tourist destinations are closed today. Visitors to 401 federally funded parks and attractions, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, the Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, Alcatraz Island, and all national parks will be disappointed today, as all of these destinations are closed.
