It is no secret that cruise ships are ideal for hosting meetings and conferences. They offer a number of benefits, including all-inclusive pricing, significant cost savings over land-based events, built-in entertainment and stellar meeting facilities. With the recent growth in popularity of river cruises, meeting planners are now beginning to contemplate the feasibility of holding meetings on these smaller vessels that cruise the rivers of North America, South America and Europe. On one hand, river cruise meetings they offer an appealing option that provides a more intimate setting, a unique experience and that much-coveted, all-inclusive pricing, but on the other hand, can they provide the amenities and meeting space required for your event?

River barges and boats, by their nature, are much smaller vessels and are a far cry from the floating city atmosphere of oceangoing vessels. Intimate settings for meals, which are often prepared by and eaten with the captain or the captain’s spouse, limited onboard activities and services, and minimal free space are all characteristics of river cruising. Because of this, planning business meetings to take place during a river cruise will take some research and planning. If you are opting for a larger paddlewheel riverboat cruising a river in the South, you will likely find that holding onboard meetings is a viable option; however, some of the smaller river barges that cruise the rivers of Europe may not have the space available to hold a meeting for more than just a handful of people – and will almost certainly have no audio-visual equipment.

If you are determined to host your next business meeting on a boat, a full-size, oceangoing cruise ship will always be your best bet, but with a little planning and preparation, a river cruise is also possible when planning smaller meetings and events.

Corporate meeting planners always have to be on the lookout for attractive, affordable venues to add to their list of possibilities. Few companies want to hold meeting after meeting in the same location, particularly when it is clear that new environments can breathe new life into corporate meetings and can prove highly motivating. Even those companies that do not mind holding regular meetings at the same venue repeatedly will likely want a new location for bigger meetings or corporate events. Knowing that you are at least partially responsible for the success of the meeting, it is your job as a corporate meeting planner to ensure that your meetings take place in venues that provide the required logistics, as well as an environment that is conducive to productivity.

Naturally, you will have local hotels and banquet halls on your list of venue options, but it is also important to seek out unique locations to offer to your clients. For example, you may want to consider contacting local museums, wineries, landmarks, theme parks and zoos to inquire about their meeting facilities. If you are located in a smaller city or town, you should also familiarize yourself with the options available in the closest major city in your region. In order to accommodate your clients that require more unique options, you should also have information on hand regarding cruise ship meetings and venues located in popular corporate travel destinations around the world.

Parallel to an overall cultural shift towards buying local and taking local vacations, many companies are also shifting towards planning meetings closer to their headquarters and forgoing high profile resorts and hotels. There are multiple reasons for meeting locally, as well as a number of benefits that may not be immediately recognizable, but can serve your client companies well. As a meeting planner, you need to be aware of this shift and anticipate the needs of your clients as they take steps to save money and time by moving their meeting locations closer to home.

Opting for more affordable options that offer a good value for their money, including well-equipped meeting facilities, necessary amenities and lower transportation costs, allows companies to hold meetings, complete trainings and achieve their goals while spending less time and money doing so. The time saved by hosting a meeting at a drive-to location allows more time for completing tasks and doing business, and assists companies to stay within their budget during difficult economic times. By selecting smaller, nearby cities that are within driving distance, companies can also significantly lower their travel expenses, making their meetings more cost-effective.

Meeting locally can also offer excellent image management opportunities by showing that the company is supporting local businesses and vendors, particularly if you make it a point to ensure local catering and other services are used whenever possible.

“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.”

There is a great deal of wisdom in this old Spanish proverb, and what is good for the individual is good for an organization. We know that corporate health and well-being rests on its member’s physical health. How can your organization incorporate preventative health care into your teambuilding skills?

Long gone are the days when diagnostic care means a sterile environment and white gowns. You can add a health and wellness component to your get away agenda without sacrificing the amenities of a high-class resort. Book a long weekend at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.

Take care of business with the impressive meeting facilities, and then take advantage of the latest in diagnostic and preventative health care in the West Virginia wing of the five star resort.

The Greenbrier offers 85,000 square feet of meeting space, tech support, in-house audiovisual support, security – the list goes on and on. After the meeting, your staff can relax on the golf course, horseback ride, fish, go off road driving, kayak, and even indulge in a bit of falconry.

Preventative health care and relaxation go hand in hand. Combining the two elements into a team care weekend can revitalize and strengthen your executive’s health.

President Obama has wisely criticized many companies for their misuse of funds. Unfortunately, that also included holding meetings in Las Vegas, seen as an overindulgent way to have a business meeting.

However, the criticism is unwarranted. Las Vegas and other gaming communities are not just known for their fun times and abundances. They are also know for their flexibility, willingness to go the extra mile to get large blocks of rooms booked, and for their convenience to necessary venues. In fact, Las Vegas meeting attendees often do not even end up in a vehicle–they are within walking distance of everything they need if the meeting planner has been able to get the proper accommodations. Read the rest of this entry »