By Adam Leposa

One year after the heaviest period of the Zika virus, Puerto Rico’s meetings scene is showing signs of growth. Milton Segarra, president and CEO of Meet Puerto Rico, shared with International Meeting Review the very latest.

The destination has been able to start the year with 40 to 60 groups booked, representing over 25,000 room nights.

“Meetings have been, since day one, one of the most important parts of our strategy,” Segarra said. The sector currently represents almost 10 percent of the destination’s gross national product, bringing $125 to $150 million in economic impact.

The number of cases of the virus came in well before forecasts. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had initially forecast a number of cases representing 20 to 25 percent of the island’s population, the actual number recorded during 2016 was 37,889, representing just over 1 percent.

“I think there is a new perspective in travel. One of the main areas is, ‘How will healthcare impact me while traveling?’” Segarra said. “As the media story [about the virus] developed, all eyes were here.”

The destination worked with the CDC and the Department of Health on a series of precautions aimed at controlling the virus, including eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, weekly house inspections, weekly clean-up campaigns and surveillance to track the mosquito population. At the same time, the island also worked to educate planners on the precautions that were being taken.

“It took us a year to educate people,” Segarra said. “While there were some cancellations in 2016, we were able to book more groups than the number that had cancelled.”

Additionally, some groups that had cancelled in 2016 have opted to return. ICANN, which cancelled its 2016 conference in Puerto Rico, has since rebooked for 2018, bringing an additional 1,500 attendees and 8,406 room nights to the destination.

Looking ahead, the island is set to roll out a number of new product developments of interest to meeting planners. The historic El San Juan Hotel reopened in February after a $60 million renovation with over 25,000 square feet of event space. In the trendy Condado neighborhood, the AC Hotel San Juan Condado recently opened its doors. It has 233 guest rooms, a rooftop deck, bar and pool, and 11,122 square feet of event space spread across eight rooms.

In terms of renovations, the Sheraton Old San Juan hotel just overhauled its 9,000 square feet of meeting space in Jaunary as part of a larger renovation project, which is in its final phases and also includes the hotel’s guest rooms, public spaces and pool area. The Verdanza Hotel recently completed a soft renovation of its meeting facilities and added 4,000 square feet of new meeting space, bringing the property’s total to 20,000 square feet.

Looking further ahead, early 2019 is the scheduled debut of the District Live! project in Puerto Rico’s convention center district. The project includes a new 6,000 seat concert and entertainment venue that will anchor a ne five-acre hospitality and entertainment district adjacent to the Puerto Rico Convention Center. The area will also have a cinema, 170-room luxury hotel with 6,000 square feet of meeting space, a 44,000 square foot plaza with an LED screen that’s being billed as the Caribbean’s largest, an 18,000 square foot “day and night” disco and an urban zip line.

Adam Leposa is the managing editor of International Meetings Review.

By Brad Gessner

Differentiation is undoubtedly crucial in today’s competitive workforce. But, setting yourself apart doesn’t always require you to do something big or novel. In sports, you’ll hear coaches talk about their team doing “the little things.” They spend hours practicing every element of the game, not just to make corrections and address weaknesses, but simply to get in the habit of doing “the little things,” the right way.

The same concept applies in public assembly facility management, hospitality and tourism. It’s not always about making an immediate impact; the path to senior leadership is built on experience, patience, perspective, and sustained motivation. Here are six of the most powerful “little things” you can do to succeed in one of the most exciting and rewarding industries out there.

1. Get Your Foot in the Door

This might seem too simple to be helpful, but many people pass up opportunities that could develop into incredible career builders. They want an express ride to the top, which can cause them to sabotage their own success by writing off a seemingly “small” or menial job. If you can get in with a great organization, don’t be afraid to take a relatively humble starting position. There are plenty of leaders in this business, including myself, who were willing to start at the bottom and work their way up.

2. Embrace Every Step on the Ladder

Pursuing a goal is every bit as fulfilling as achieving that goal. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to climb the ladder. Ascension is an inexact science, and there’s a fine line between being patient and being content, but everything you learn along the way will help you become a better employee, colleague, friend, leader, and mentor.

Oftentimes, someone who catapults to the top runs a higher risk of failure and will damage their reputation before they ever hit their prime. I like the saying; “A career is more like running a marathon, not a sprint.” And remember, you’re not just building your career; you’re building your reputation.

3. Have a Vision

Industry icon Tom Liegler, a mentor of mine, once told me to enter every job with a vision of staying with the position for at least five years—a dramatically different school of thought than that of most millennials today! That doesn’t mean you have to definitely stay for five years, but it will help you develop a plan by which you can evaluate your progress over a longer haul. “Job hopping” might be shedding its negative connotations these days, but it’s not conducive to gaining valuable experience and maximizing the opportunities within a given organization.

4. Be a People Person

Being a “people person” is a prerequisite for excelling in any sector relating to facility management, hospitality and tourism. It’s a relatively subjective term, but a people person is essentially someone who genuinely likes people and shows honesty and integrity in everything they do. Hospitality is all about taking care of other people, be it attendees to our venues, show managers, promoters, or fellow employees. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to not only take care of the guests, but also empower your staff to do the same and bring value to all stakeholders. Doing so ties back to being genuinely committed and invested in delivering a great experience across the board.

5. Be the Volunteer

Are you a go-getter? One of the best ways to be noticed by supervisors and decision makers is to be the volunteer in the room when someone asks who wants to take on a project. No one likes an attention seeker, but a big part of getting a promotion is making it known that you are willing to work hard, contribute and have the desire to advance your career. There are plenty of people who are perfectly fine in a lifetime role; you don’t want to be mistaken for one of them. Making yourself visible isn’t a matter of outwardly stating you want a promotion or placing individual recognition ahead of team objectives. It’s more about putting your skills and enthusiasm on full display. Take pride in your work, be willing to go the extra mile, and others will soon begin to notice.

6. Invest in Education

In an age where you can Google anything and get a thousand results instantly, it’s all too easy to take a short cut in educating yourself. But when it comes to your career, you need more than a general understanding of management. I went back and attained a Master’s Degree at 57. And had an incredible experience and learned a lot in the process. Commit to being a lifelong learner!

Brad Gessner is senior vice president and general manager, Los Angeles Convention Center, AEG Facilities

Schuler Shook announced Michael Burgoyne, ASTC, as the newest Partner in the firm. Burgoyne joined Schuler Shook’s Minneapolis office as a theatre planner in 2000 and became a principal in 2011. His strong leadership skills and excellent client support competencies make him an invaluable member of the team.

Burgoyne’s notable projects include the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Orchestra Hall, Kings Theatre, Saenger Theatre, and Smart Financial Centre. His upcoming projects include Cincinnati Music Hall, Manhattan School of Music, and the Confluence Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Outside of work, Burgoyne enjoys camping and exploring state and national parks with his wife and two children. He is an alumnus of North Carolina School of the Arts and is an active member of United Scenic Artists, American Society of Theatre Consultants, and United States Institute for Theatre Technology.

“Michael is a great leader and designer, and that’s a rare combination of skills. We are very happy to have him as a partner in the practice. He is leading the future of Schuler Shook,” said Michael DiBlasi, ASTC, partner and practice Leader in Schuler Shook’s Minneapolis office.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in March 2017. Thank you for being a part of the association!

Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

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By Tania Weinkle

Joaquin Quesada has been named deputy director of the Anaheim Convention Center, bringing more than 35 years of convention center operations, sales and service experience to his new position. Quesada, an Anaheim native who started his career as an Anaheim Convention Center busboy, joins as the center prepares to open 200,000 square feet of new, flexible event space in September.

The expansion, known as ACC North, allows the facility to grow with its biggest shows while attracting new groups for specialized conferences, break-out sessions, workshops and galas.

“Joaquin’s industry knowledge and ability to manage multiple venues will be essential as we open the doors to our seventh expansion in September,” said Tom Morton, executive director of Convention, Sports and Entertainment for the city of Anaheim. “He is the right leader to oversee our sales and services efforts with his deep ties to our center and the city. His experience enhances our efforts to make the Anaheim Convention Center the ultimate choice for local, national and international events.”

In 1997, Quesada was appointed Aramark general manager at the Anaheim Convention Center and continued his Aramark career in various district manager roles, overseeing venues in Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, Palm Springs and Las Vegas until 2016.

Quesada succeeds David Meek, who retired from the Anaheim Convention Center in 2016.

Hosting more than 1 million attendees a year, the Anaheim Convention Center is a vital part of Anaheim’s visitor industry and plays a critical role supporting city services for residents, businesses and visitors.

For more on the Anaheim Convention Center, see Anaheim.Net/ConventionCenter.

Tania Weinkle is communications director of the Anaheim Convention Center.