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Disease, Drones &
Defense, by Timothy Schneider, Publisher, Association News
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Los
Angeles, CA – March 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / The past two months, we’ve
written about some of the major trends confronting association executives
and meeting planners, including topics such as new technology and behavioral
patterns that are affecting meetings and events. This July, when Meetings
Quest—the nation’s longest- running series of educational and networking
events for meeting planners— visits Bloomington, Minnesota, we’ll continue
our tradition of including trending topics on the educational program.
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Meetings
Quest in Bloomington will feature two Learning Labs, the content of which
will be as timely as the day’s headlines. Here is a preview:
Crisis
Management and Event Security. The outbreak of the Zika virus and the
terror attacks against civilians in Paris and San Bernardino are among
the most recent examples of external forces that can have ramifications
for planners of meetings and events large and small. With travelers’ concerns
being heightened by unusual natural phenomena and ongoing terrorist threats,
meeting planners must recalibrate how they plan for event security and
other inevitable crises.
This
interactive session, which will be presented by Steven Hacker, will provide
an overview of the steps to take when organizing your events and will detail
available resources for appropriately planning for the safety and security
of your events. Information on working closely with host venues and destinations
– including developing a plan for managing security issues on-site – and
considering in advance how to respond should an event be affected by a
crisis will be shared in this insightful session.
Drones:
Redefining the Future of Events. The next pop-culture sensation has
arrived and will soon be buzzing around your events and exhibitions if
it isn’t already. The drone invasion is underway. In the next five years,
the drone market is forecast to reach $4.8 billion worldwide. Commercial
drone applications are already transforming the way we live, work and play.
Now is the time for savvy event planners to learn how to harness the power
of a drone’s sophisticated sensors, enhanced digital technology, photographic
elements and GPS systems.
This
session, presented by Jennifer Hoff of Taffy
Event Strategies, will explore how to manage drone use at your events
in ways that enhance rather than diminish the attendee and exhibitor experience.
Meeting planners will learn how to marry drones and events properly, including
conducting virtual site visits, tracking traffic and managing exhibitor
use of drones. There’s no question that drones are here to stay: At Meetings
Quest, you’ll learn how to ensure a safe and secure experience for both
attendees and exhibitors.
In
addition to a half day of educational programming, Meetings Quest, which
will be held July 13–14, will feature a keynote speaker and an afternoon
appointment-based trade show. Attendees will also have the opportunity
to experience Bloomington as a destination during a special opening-night
welcome event. For more information on Meetings Quest in Bloomington, please
see the ad on page 5, call 877-577-3700 or visit—MeetingsQuest.com.
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Timothy
Schneider is the publisher of Association
News and SportsTravel
magazines, which serve group travel planners responsible for generating
106 million hotel room nights annually. Schneider
Publishing also organizes Meetings
Quest, America's longest-running series of trade shows for meeting
planners, and the TEAMS Conference
& Expo, the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers.
TEAMS ’16 will be held September 26–29, 2016, in Atlantic City. For further
information on advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please call toll-free
877-577-3700 or 310-577-3700 if calling from outside the United States.
The
current issue of Association
News can be viewed in digital format online by clicking
here.
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Media
Contact:
Timothy
Schneider
310-577-3700
Schneider
Publishing Company, Inc. |