Planners everywhere have noticed hotel rates have taken a bit of a dive. But did you also know that it has made several of the upscale destinations affordable for clients who would normally book second-tier–or even less expensive–accommodations? It’s true. At least for the time being, locations that were previously off limits due to price are now more available than ever before.

Part of the problem, as you might imagine, is the economy. Companies have cancelled meetings, groups have put off conventions, and general travel is down across the globe. The other problem is the restriction placed on companies by the public eye. They do not want to seem like spendthrifts in the wake of the recent collapse of some of the business giants in the United States. Read the rest of this entry »