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September 2010
Vol. 6, No. 9
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Happy Fall! The Hyland Group can be found at the many industry events taking place this fall. HSMAI's Affordable Meetings in DC occurs September 8 - 9. The Motivation Show in Chicago will be held October 13 - 14. The Hyland Group will also host its annual International Gold Cup Outing in Virginia on October 16. Contact us for more information on our events. We hope to see you soon!
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Feature Article - Socially Conscious Team-Building - By Allan Lynch
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When US Airways Flight 1549 plunged into New York’s Hudson River in January 2009 an aviation specialist said one of the contributing factors to the successful landing was that the crew — Captain Chesley Sullenberger, copilot Jeff Skiles and three flight attendants — acted together. They had done four flights together and knew each other, so they reacted as a team.
Fortunately, most of us will never have to be responsible for saving a colleague or client’s life. However, this does highlight the value of teamwork. And in an era where we struggle to understand colleagues and clients and not overstep social and business boundaries, the concept of team-building becomes more important.
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Traditionally, team-building has been a game-based activity, sometimes not universally greeted by openedarmed participants. For most city-based desk-jockeys, it’s a stretch to figure out the relevance of hanging from treetops in the forest. The one unifying element is usually a collective hatred of the person who organized the activity. And does effective team-building require pushing people to be uncomfortable or frightened?
Niesa Silzer, creative director at Calgary’s Details Convention and Event Management, did her masters degree on adventure travel and meeting planning. She notes, “Our industry loves ROI, but a lot of it is so hard to measure. What’s your return on your satisfaction level?” This is where philanthropic team-building is on the rise. While some participants may feel less than motivated in a game situation, others can be driven by the desire to actually make a difference.
One of the biggest groups working in corporate teambuilding is the Habitat for Humanity Canada Foundation. With the help of 50,000 volunteers, Habitat builds 200 new homes a year in 73 locations across Canada. According to Lisa Lalande, Habitat’s Toronto-based national director for corporate partnerships, “We see a movement to more of the hands-on impact and direct local community involvement.” Habitat provides “that tangible opportunity to get involved,” which is key for team-building.
Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank is another example of socially responsive team-building. They host corporate groups three days a week. According to Kristin Thomas, Daily Bread’s development officer for corporate and foundations, “Some groups will just come in with a few people from a department, whereas some will come in with over 100 people and make it a competition to see who can sort the most food. Often, they’re bringing employees who work in different offices, offering them a way to connect, as well as give back to the community.” It’s so successful that Daily Bread books groups up to three months in advance.
Allan Lynch is a New-Minas, Nova Scotian-based freelance writer. This article was originally published in Meetings & Incentive Travel Magazine.
Writing an article for Latitudes is a great way to earn points for your CMP certification and recertification. Contact Kristen for more details.
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Featured Destination – Edmonton Tourism |
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Planners looking to Canada’s Festival City for new and exciting alternatives will appreciate Edmonton’s FRESH approach to meetings and events. FRESH addresses the changing needs in conference planning and assists groups in adding environmental and cultural components to their events. The program entices meetings and conference groups to experience the flavor of Edmonton, from its galleries and museums, to its world-class festivals, abundant green spaces and cosmopolitan culture. FRESH also showcases Edmonton’s shopping and unique attractions through useful tools and industry-partner offers.
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The program includes a Green Meetings User Guide which provides innovative ideas and suggestions for greening your event, as well as a post-event Eco Report Card tool that allows planners to accurately measure its environmental impact. There are also Green Itineraries that allow planners to take advantage of eco-friendly pre-and-post event activities, including Experience the Outdoors, which focuses on events in North America’s largest urban-park network.
The FRESH approach extends to Edmonton’s premier hotels and includes guestroom recycling, power-reduction options, paperless checkout and the optional suspension of linen services or newspaper delivery. Many hotels also offer menus featuring locally procured ingredients, prepared to perfection by award-winning chefs. The Shaw Conference Centre (SCC) also offers local menu choices featuring Alberta produce as part of its FRESH initiatives, as well as free recycled lanyards and a complimentary one-hour consultation with an Eco Advisor.
Experience the Arts with Edmonton’s rich arts and culture scene into events, including meetings at the spectacular new Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA). Opened to the public this year, the 85,000-sq.-ft. building is an architectural gem and features three floors of exhibition space, an expanded education centre, a restaurant and a 150-seat theatre. Corporate functions, meetings, lectures and other special events can take advantage of the AGA’s unique spaces, which include an atrium for internally catered banquets, an outdoor sculpture court and a ‘floating’ private lounge.
The exciting Festival City in a Box program infuses the spirit of Edmonton into group functions, building upon the city’s reputation for hosting themed festivals and events throughout the year. The award-winning program provides planners with a menu of choices and suggestions to help integrate festival theming into their convention or conference. Creative festival themes can be incorporated into keynote addresses, breakout sessions, team-building activities, entertainment, decor, catering and receptions.
The City of Edmonton offers more than one million sq. ft. of meetings space and more than 13,000 hotel accommodations city-wide, including 3,000 rooms in the downtown core, Edmonton’s FRESH approach to meetings and conventions is turning heads. Edmonton’s line-up of accommodations, event spaces and unique activities is matched only by the unwavering strength of the city’s warm western hospitality.
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Happy Anniversary Banff National Park! Lake Louise celebrates its Fall Festival this month which coincides with Banff National Park’s 125th anniversary celebration. As Canada’s first national park, and UNESCO Word Heritage site, Banff has been hosting groups to memorable experiences ever since it was created in 1885 after the discovery of a natural hot spring.
Did you know? Calgary has a diverse multicultural population, and everyone’s imported their culinary traditions. Still, across the country and around the world, Calgary is known for its tender grain-fed beef. 67% of the beef consumed in Canada comes from Alberta, and Calgary’s restaurants offer unparalleled cuts of red meat. For something truly unique, try bison or elk at Calgary restaurants that pride themselves on serving the best local products.
Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre (SCC) has undertaken a number of simple steps to reduce the ecological impact of hosting half a million guests annually and lighten the environmental footprint of operating a 200,000 square foot facility in the middle of a thriving metropolis. Staff, contractors, suppliers and clients are active partners in many ongoing, environmental initiatives. In recognition of its efforts to incorporate industry environmental best practices, SCC received “Go Green” certification from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada.
As of this summer, travel between the US and Halifax, Nova Scotia just got easier! US Airways launched its non-stop direct service between Philadelphia and Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport (YHZ). YHZ will continue to offer non-stop direct flight service from other US cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Newark, New York, and Washington, DC.
The new Ottawa Convention Centre (OCC) will have the most sophisticated Information Communication Technology program of any centre in Canada when it opens next April. The entire OCC facility will be run by an invisible network that eliminates the need for rooms full of power-hungry equipment and miles of customized cables and wires of the past. Instead, one data centre will service all media types (voice, audio/visual, data and other multi-media services) and integrate controls for lighting, heating and cooling, and, security. These services will respond electronically to interactive ‘touch pad’ monitors in each of the meeting rooms and main areas of the OCC. Read more.
Northern Exposure:
The Hyland Group Visits Canadian Members
Pictured Left to Right: Michelle Meehan, The Hyland Group;
Judi Havill, On-Site Productions; and Dawn Baldwin, World Trade & Convention Centre Halifax at Glen Arbour Golf Club, Halifax, Nova Scotia |
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Pictured Left to Right: Ryan Keedy, Michelle Meehan, and
Mike Cornecelli of The Hyland Group in Ottawa, Ontario
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To follow is a list of upcoming travel and client events for The Hyland Group's Canadian Members.
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| Date |
Destination / Representative |
City |
| September 18 - 22, 2010 |
Edmonton Tourism / Glenn Duncan |
Washington, DC |
| September 18, 2010 |
Edmonton Tourism Hosts Client Reception |
Washington, DC |
| October 4 - 6, 2010 |
Meetings & Conventions Calgary / Pamela Darragh |
Washington, DC |
| October 19 - 21, 2010 |
Ottawa Tourism / Sherri Clair |
Washington, DC |
| October 21, 2010 |
Ottawa Tourism Hosts PCMA Capital Chapter's Event |
Washington, DC |
For more information on client events or to schedule an appointment with Hyland Group Members, please contact your Hyland Group representative or email us.
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Latitudes, A Hyland Group Publication
Publisher: Peter Hyland / Editor: Kristen Keating
The Hyland Group Newsletter, Latitudes, is an online journal for clients, partner-companies, professional associates and industry colleagues of The Hyland Group and is published twelve times yearly. For editorial or edition sponsorship inquiries, kindly email us for more information.
Since 1985, The Hyland Group has been one of the premier sales and marketing firms for the hospitality industry. Please check out our diverse portfolio by visiting http://www.hylandgroup.com/. Let our experienced staff assist you with finding the right destination for your next meeting or conference. Contact us for more information.
© Copyright 2005-2010. The Hyland Group. All Rights Reserved.
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