Black Meetings and Tourism

Black Meetings & Tourism February/March 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 3 CONTENTS C O V E R S T O R Y C O V E R S T O R Y B L A C K M E E T I N G S & T O U R I S M 64 64 Multicultural. Fun-loving. Earth-friendly. Naturally awe- inspiring. If any of these attributes describes what you're looking for in a travel destination, you'll find it in the West. The African-American Guide to Meeting, Incentives & Traveling in the West tells the whole story. By Sonya Stinson While Black History Month is every February, the time is always right to explore the heritage of African-Americans in this country. Black History Focus: Historic Sights & Venues is our annual feature that helps you do just that. By Norman Mayers VOLUME 16, ISSUE 2, FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 90 90 T R A V E L A G E N T P R O F I L E T R A V E L A G E N T P R O F I L E F L O R I D A S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G F L O R I D A S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N S E C T I O N Is It Racism or Insensitivity? is a kind of "Best Practices" primer for both the offending party and the offended. How do you discern whether or not the offending party has a racial bias or is simply unintentionally being offen- sive because of their ignorance or insensitivity? And in either case, how should you respond? By Michael Bennett 32 32 9 9 The world is changing at a rapid pace and we are barely able to keep in step. But the more things change, the more some things stay the same. The timeless beauty of Florida is the per- fect antidote for the stress that is created in our evolving world. Focus on Florida explores the many ways planners and travel agents can take advantage of all the Sunshine State has to offer. By Norman Mayers 36 36 Believe it or not, absence of criticism signals a lack of lead- ership or concern. The silence can lead to poor work per- formance. When you are on the receiving end, before you open your mouth to respond, prepare yourself by reading How to Deal With Negative Feedback and Criticism in a Positive Way . By Michael Bennett 54 54 56 56 F E A T U R E S F E A T U R E S With the travel sector being hit hard by the current finan- cial crisis, meeting and incentive planners are looking for ways to stretch meeting budgets and get the most bang for their buck. Are All-Inclusives Right For Your Group? offers some suggestions on cost-saving events for the budget minded professional. By Solomon J. Herbert, Jr. Running a minority-owned travel business out of her hometown in Manchester, New Jersey, came with its share of challenges to overcome for Lillian Smalls of Easy Flow Travels. She has proven to be more than up to the task. By Victoria Head 5 Calendar of Events 8 Newsmakers 12 Association News 14 In The News 16 Arts & Entertainment 18 Cruise News 20 Speaking of People 21 Conference Report – ADHT 23 Local Hero 24 Hotel Happenings 26 TPOC News Briefs 28 Applause 29 Religious Review 30 Museum Notes 50 Incentive Insight 53 Fam Report – Atlanta 63 Canadian Connection 82 Greening of Hospitality Industry 83 Foodservice Beat 84 Property Profile – Palmayra Resort & Spa 85 Pacific-Asia Watch 86 Vendor Spotlight 88 Hospitality Heartline 102 From the Motherland 104 Airline Industry Report 105 Travel Data A R E A G U I D E S A R E A G U I D E S 106 Alberta 107 British Columbia 108 Minnesota 110 Mississippi 116 Washington DC 120 Savannah D E P A R T M E N T S D E P A R T M E N T S Long Beach Harbor, CA Photo Credit: Long Beach CVB

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