As federal and state officials continue to survey the damage and destruction left by Hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans area, Maritz Travel is taking a “wait and see” approach on what long-term impact the hurricane could have on the incentive travel/meeting industry.
For the short-term, the hurricane caused a significant impact, forcing the St. Louis-based company to rebook meeting space for 10 programs planned in September in and around the New Orleans area. Within a 72-hour period, Maritz rescheduled two major programs for some 5,650 participants slated to take place this week in New Orleans within 72 hours.
Clients in those two programs will spend their meeting time in Orlando, FL, and in Arizona instead.
“Everybody is looking at the short term impact of programs that are scheduled to operate within the next three months,” said Sandi Porter, director, industry relations-U.S. and Canada, Maritz Travel. “The first and foremost is the need to relocate clients whose programs operate in New Orleans at a time period when the city is not [functioning]. You have to wait for the dust to settle.”
The costs associated with the relocation were unavailable.
Many Maritz clients chose New Orleans for their meeting location for the city’s jazz, rich heritage and diversity, Porter said. “New Orleans is a very desirable city for people to go,” she said. “It’s a great place to meet and play.”
And one day, New Orleans will likely again become a top destination for the incentive travel meeting industry.
“New Orleans is irreplaceable,” Porter said. “It is a unique destination. It’s got its own spirit that makes it what it is. There is no other destination that is going to replace that real cultural diversity and mix … that people have there. New Orleans will come back. [It] will recapture all of the positive things it had to offer to make it even more attractive.”
The last major disaster Maritz handled occurred four years ago with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, in which the company had to make new arrangements to bring clients home from overseas trips, Porter said.
Katrina’s impact on the incentive/travel industry for the long-term, however, remains uncertain. Maritz, likes its clients, is patiently waiting the outcome in New Orleans. In recent years, many clients are booking meetings and conventions on a short-term cycle, booking in as little as three months, Porter said.
“I don’t see a dramatic shift from the hurricane impact,” Porter said. “To turn on a dime, that’s very much part of our culture today in terms of taking care of our clients. We have clients who are holding their decisions relative to what to do for their groups. We have to wait and see.”
Others across the premiums and incentive industry are affected as well.
The Promotional Products Association International was scheduled to hold its Business Academy Extra in New Orleans from Oct 26-28.
PPAI spokesperson Bill Prickett said that meetings and conventions planned for the affected areas are being relocated. No firm plans had yet been set for the Business Academy Extra.
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