After a particularly devastating hurricane season in 2004, Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing arm, came up with a reassuring idea: free meeting insurance for groups booking the state in August, September, or October, when the storms are...

In my earlier life as a design magazine editor, I was a crusader. I believed that good design could not only be aesthetically pleasing, but it could also help to save the planet...

A Common Thread running through the sessions at the Third annual Pharmaceutical Meeting Planners Forum was the growing importance of meeting professionals at pharmaceutical companies, not just as logisticians, but also as strategists, marketers...

Jack Eichhorn has seen both sides of the equation. Having made the shift about a year ago from meeting planner at another high-tech company to procurement exec at Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle, Eichhorn is well-versed in the nuances of the...

Maritz Inc., Fenton, Mo., has a new study out that analyzes employees based on the way they like to be recognized. After talking to 1,003 adults employed full time, researchers arrived at six categories — Freedom Yearners, Nesters, Award Seekers...

Zero Gravity Corp., the only FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights, has just begun marketing its flights through the Sharper Image. It's the first time private individuals can experience weightlessness without going to space. www...

We've all heard the expression, “laughter is the best medicine.” But can it help to reduce stress, create a more productive workforce, and foster teambuilding? Lynn Caesar, licensed psychologist and laughter yoga leader, thinks so...

This Edition Features new trends in cruising. As a comedian, I have spent more time on cruise ships than most sailors spend in the navy, and I have seen the underbelly of the cruise industry. In fact, my cabin was in the underbelly, and it wasn't...

The Alexandria, Va.-based National Business Travel Association has taken significant steps toward going global. Since April 2, the association has had an Asia-Pacific subsidiary — NBTA-Asia Pacific — through a merger with an organization formerly...