Kerry wins! John Kerry, that is. The 2004 presidential nominee may have lost that race by seems to have won his campaign to shame US companies into cancelling their cruises and meetings. Outraged by reports that companies taking US bailout funds were still having nice meetings, sometimes very nice ones, the Massachusetts senator wants to ban luxury travel for any of the 400 or so bailees, and he has led congressional attacks on fancy forums, on those rich, uncaring SOBs with their private beaches and massages, at places they flew to on private jets, all paid for by either taxpayers or shareholders. It's a catchy theme and, as they say in Washington, one with legs.
Now, comes word that about a fifth of meeters are cancelling events because of fear of media backlash, and more than half say that the furore has
been extremely or moderately influential, says Meetings and Conventions magazine. The travel industry
is trying to fight back with a letter-writing campaign and a website, Meetings Mean Business. This effort points out that many relatively low-wage jobs depend on hotels and resorts, and notes that some states are heavily dependent on business travel as well as the meetings and convention business. But which do you think will win: resentment or numbers and sense?
is trying to fight back with a letter-writing campaign and a website, Meetings Mean Business. This effort points out that many relatively low-wage jobs depend on hotels and resorts, and notes that some states are heavily dependent on business travel as well as the meetings and convention business. But which do you think will win: resentment or numbers and sense?
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