Planning meetings in Alaska: counting on experience pays off.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: VISITORS INDUSTRY

For many companies, meetings are an integral part of business--a way to gather information, provide training, or convey a message to a lot of people at one time and place. And when those meetings are held in Alaska, they also serve as an incentive to attendees who have always wanted to visit the Last Frontier, which gives planners an advantage when promoting a company's event.

"The fact that a meeting is being held in Alaska definitely gives us an edge," says Tina Day, director of Visions Meeting and Events Experts, which is located in Anchorage. "The opportunity to participate in pre- and post-tours attracts attendees, and we've had keynote speakers agree to discount their fees or forego their honorariums if we'll cover their travel and accommodations because they've always wanted to come here." Even with an enthusiastic audience, putting a successful meeting together isn't all that easy--especially if the person planning the event is a first-timer or has a full-time job in addition to being assigned the task of getting all of the components together. While some companies think that they will save money by using someone in-house, there are a number of challenges that face the novice planner--everything from coordinating flights to fickle weather to outdated or incompatible technology.

"Very few people realize how much time it takes to plan a meeting and make sure that it runs smoothly and efficiently; they think that anyone can do this job, but without the knowledge and expertise, it can be a challenge for someone who does not have the experience," explains Toni Walker, president of Logistics LLC, which has offices in Anchorage and Seattle. "There are so many things to consider, from the meeting location to the caterers to the A/V equipment to transportation to vendor agreements and liability--it pays to have an expert who knows what to look for in order to save headaches down the road.

"A meeting planner can even negotiate with vendors to save their clients' money," Walker adds. "Because of our long-term relationships with local vendors, we are often offered a preferred rate that would not be offered to a new client or a first-time meeting planner; sometimes the amount that we save our clients is enough to help pay our fees."

Putting a Plan Together

While a lot of the components of a meeting are fairly static, each meeting has its own unique requirements as well. "Creativity is key; people have been to numerous meetings, conventions, or...