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Comments March: Giving Back
RE“WHERETHESTREETS HaveNoName…”:Years ago when I was in Atlanta for a confer- ence, I had the opportunity to take an evening walk downtown. Almost as soon as I got started, I was approached by a man who offered to bemy“homeless guide.” He explained that panhandling (my word) was against the law and strenuously prosecuted, but provid- ing a tour-guide experience for a tip was permitted. I have no idea how close to the
actual Atlanta bylaw his explana- tion was, but I do know this:I admired his entrepreneurial spirit, and the couple of hours we spent walking and talking were some of the most enjoyable I have ever spent in conversation. His view on life was different and enlightening on so many levels.We argued politics and who was to blame for his situation, and conceded that both social and personal culpability have a part to play in homelessness. At the end of the tour we shook hands, I tipped him well for his hospitality, and I went onmyway. We’re in the people business—
not just the “peoplewhocanafford the hors d’oeuvres and conference rates” business.Congratulations to SockMob Events’ UnseenTours for reminding us, and thank you, [Execu- tive Editor] ChristopherDurso, for a great article. Jeremy Tyrrell Senior Manager, Resorts Hotel andConvention Sales CaesarsWindsor
February: Second-Tier Cities
IREADWITHINTEREST Michelle Russell’s article about the definition of second-tier cities (“Time for theTiers to Fall?”). This definition was actually developed by myself and the late Dr. Kathleen B.
8 pcmaconvene May 2011
Nelson,CMP, CSEP, of the Univer- sity of LasVegas in Nevada, in 2001 from an extensive review of indus- try literature that was available at the time. Later, this definition was used by the Convention Industry Council in their APEX glossary of terms. However, the original defini- tion was developed by Dr. Nelson and myself as editors of The Inter- national Dictionary of Event Management(Wiley, 2001). Although the individuals you
have interviewed may have further
convene PCMA ®
PUBLISHER Deborah Sexton, (312) 423-7210 CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Sherrif Karamat, (312) 423-7247
CONVENE EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Michelle Russell, mrussell@pcma.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christopher Durso, cdurso@pcma.org SENIOR EDITOR Barbara Palmer, bpalmer@pcma.org SENIOR EDITOR Hunter R. Slaton, hslaton@pcma.org ART DIRECTION Mitch Shostak, Roger Greiner Shostak Studios Inc., (212) 979-7981
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Alan Kleinfeld, CMM, CMP; Maureen Littlejohn; Julie Ritzer Ross
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Mary Lynn Novelli, CMP (AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OH, SC, TN, VA, WV, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central and South America, Carribbean) Dallas, TX; phone:(312) 423-7212; fax: (469) 574-5590; e-mail:mnovelli@pcma.org
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“There is and always will be a differentiation in perception among destinations by visitors and planners. In a global marketplace, second-tier can often be preferable in many ways to first-tier.”
expanded the original definition, it is still (as your article demonstrated) difficult to quantify using specific metrics from industry. One of the reasons for this is the lack of uni- form metrics used to measure hotel rooms, airlift, etc. Regardless, there is and will
always be a differentiation in per- ception among destinations by visi- tors and planners. As your article so wisely suggests, in a global market- place, second-tier can often be preferable in many ways to first-tier for many different types of groups. That is what Kathy and I tried to convey in the original definition. Joe Goldblatt, Ed.D,CSEP Professor and Executive Director International Centre for the Study of Planned Events Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Mary LouSarmiento (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, SD, WI, WY, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand) 1033W. Taylor Street, Suite 1E, Chicago, IL 60607; phone:(312) 636-0636; fax:(312) 896-7397; e-mail:msarmiento@pcma.org
Ken Torres (Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central andSouth America, Caribbean) P.O. Box 9128, Miramar Beach, FL 32550; phone:(850) 837-5177; fax:(850) 837-5277; e-mail:ktorres@pcma.org
MANAGER, PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION Keisha Reed, (312) 423-7246
PCMA OFFICERS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Susan R. Katz, True Value Company
CHAIR-ELECT Kent E. Allaway, CEM, CMP, Produce Marketing Association
SECRETARY-TREASURER Johnnie C. White, CMP, Cardiovascular Research Foundation
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Kati S. Quigley, CMP, Microsoft Corporation
PCMA DIRECTORS Willie L. Benjamin II, International Reading Association
Hunter Clemens, CMP, Association Management Group/Meetings Management Laurie Fitzgerald, CMP, Allstate Insurance Company Ben Goedegebuure, Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre James S. Goodman, CMP, American Dental Association Richard B. Green, Marriott International Mary Pat Heftman, National Restaurant Association Christine Klein, CMP, Talley Management Group Inc. Raymond J. Kopcinski, CMP, Million Dollar RoundTable Carrie Freeman Parsons, Freeman William F. Reed, CMP, Experient Inc. James E. Rooney, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority Randall Tanaka, Hawaii Convention Center ChristopherWehking, CMP, American Society of Anesthesiologists DonWelsh, Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau
David L.Williams, CMP, International Association for Energy Economics
The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of PCMA.
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