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Looks at the top employee training issues in the United States in the 21st century. Employee empowerment; Role of meeting planners in employee training issues; Employee retention; Diversity in the workplace; Company changes in line with mergers. INSET: ISSUES THAT MATTER - THE TOP FIVE.

Presents updates on meetings and the incentive travel management industry in the United States as of October 2000. Results of a study by the Meeting Professionals International Foundation on factors prompting delegates to attend association meetings; Features of executive briefing; Techniques for survival in the office based on the victory of Richard Hatch in the television reality-game show `Survivor.'

Looks at the job-hopping trend among meeting planners. Reason for joining other companies; Retention of employees; Significance of empowering employees. INSET: How to keep 'em.

Presents information on the concerns of meeting planners over poor airline service in the United States (U.S.). Efforts of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to regulate the number of hours pilots can work before they can be considered too weary; Overview of the proposed Airline Passenger Fairness Act; Initiatives taken by the airlines. INSETS: On-Time Service;Baggage Handling;BAGGAGE? FUGGEDABOUTIT!;Crisis Management

Reports on incentive travel programs which not only reward staff efforts but also help employees realize their potential in the workplace. Background on the incentive program at Coxe's Enterprises; Information on the incentive program at Walt Disney World; Overview on the incentive program at Corporate Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama.

Discusses the problems faced by disabled attendees of the United States (U.S.) in meetings abroad. Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the status of disabled in the U.S.; Criticisms by Alan Salomon, a disabled freelance writer, on the hotels of Italy; Accessibility of people in wheelchairs; Some of the countries responding to the needs of travelers with disabilities.

Features best gaming cities in the United States. Best place to witness celebrity nuptials; Best sports destination; Best place to bowl.

Lists some examples of conference centers and meetings in the United States that made use of technological devices. Internet connections at the Denver, Colorado-based Inverness Hotel and Golf Club; Multiple high-speed networks at Chase Conference Center in Manhattan, New York City, New York; High-technology equipment of the Marlboro, Massachusetts-based Bell Atlantic Learning Center.

Features Cristyne F. Lategano, president of New York City, New York's convention and visitors' bureau parent, NYC & Company. Career obstacles; Her professional background; Her important campaign that proven the function of the bureau.

Reveals the expertise of convention and visitors bureaus in the United States when it comes to meeting services. Web site service of Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau; Plan of Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, the city of Anaheim and Disneyland; Exposition component of the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Presents views of transportation experts on the future of business travel. Function of the Neverlost, an in-car satellite navigation system from Hertz; Plans of Zegrahm Space Voyages; Features of the Acela train from Amtrak. INSET: I Have to Ride in What?!.

Presents various responses from notable professionals about the future of meetings, travel and business communications. Views of Sarah Greene of the National Head Start Association on employee loyalty; One issue that will make an impact on American businesses in the millennium according to Gerald Celente of the Trends Research Institute; Opinion of Guy Kawasaki of Garage.com on how technology will change the way companies communicate.

Relates the meeting blunders encountered by corporate meeting planners and the lessons they have learned from the experience. Andrea Michaels, who planned the annual gala of general managers of the Meridien Hotel Corp. in 1987; Collette Fairchild, president of Oak Park, Illinois-based Meetings Rx; Arnold Light, owner and president of the Light Group.

Describes the resort areas of the Rocky Mountains region. List of meeting facilities; Hotels; Meetings properties. INSETS: It Only Gets Better;Under the Big Sky;Utah;A Vail For All Seasons, by Irene Korn

Provides advice to planners of corporate meeting and special events in balancing professional and personal lives. Experiences shared by planners; Perception of balance in one's life; Why some people overcommit themselves.

Focuses on the suburbs of large cities in the United States which were being considered by planners as meeting destinations. Advantages of holding meetings in smaller cities; Drawbacks of conducting meetings in big cities; Examples of meeting destinations which are affordable. INSET: A Murky Meaning.

Presents the things which bug meeting planners about hotel salespeople and vice versa. How hotel salespeople respond to planners' request for proposals (RFPs); Problems with regards to planners' telephone manners; Complaints of salespeople on planners who are not sure of the details of the meeting.

Offers advice from meeting planning and event security industries on how to deal with disasters such as theft, surveillance, and kidnapping that might befall on meeting attendees at international airports, hotels, meeting rooms and public places. Considerations in ensuring airport security and hotel safety and security; Defenses against corporate espionage and corporate kidnapping; Tips on what to tell attendees; Suggestions on how to thwart corporate spies. INSETS: Starting the Search;WHAT TO TELL ATTENDEES;HOW TO THWART CORPORATE SPIES;HOW EXECUTIVES CAN KEEP A LOW PROFILE

Discovers some of the top non-gaming activities for meeting attendees in various gaming cities. Party cruising in the Atlantic City; Features of the Star Trek: The Experience complex in Las Vegas; Hiking in Reno.

Features business building by introducing new products in golf events. How the tournaments are set; How the business meetings are conducted.

Focuses on overseas conference centers. Why planners are choosing conference centers over hotels; Sampling of several conference centers.

Provides a list of Web sites of convention and visitor bureaus (CVB) and national tourist offices around the world. Sites that are considered exceptional; What each site offers.

Discusses the convention and visitors bureaus (CVB) around the United States that are considered most consistently reliable in 12 meeting planning categories. Dining at Orlando CVB; Cities with collateral materials; Strength of Anaheim/Orange County's CVB.

Looks at the roles of five corporate meeting planners in the United States. Todd Caporizzo, project director, public events for the Connecticut-based firm Productivity; Steve Clark, assistant vice president of conference and travel for Cuna Mutual in Norwalk, Connecticut; Louise Felsher, director of marketing, communications and events at American Century Investments in Mountain View, California. INSETS: Read your way to success;Making it happen;School for planners.

Presents information on a variety of attractions within easy walking distance from convention centers in key cities of the United States and Canada. Amenities of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio; Attractions offered at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis, Indiana; Museums in Miami Beach, Florida.

Deals with the results of a survey on which convention centers that meeting professionals picked and voted for as their favorites. Architectural marvels of the San Diego and Vancouver Convention Centers; Accessibility of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana; Amenities of the Metro Toronto Convention Center.

Features several hotels, meeting facilities and tourist destinations in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana Convention Center; Adam's Mark Hotel and Suites; Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites; Eagle Creek Park; Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens.

Presents some advice to meeting planners about taking risks. Opinion from Candy Adams, event manager for Intel, about the benefits of taking risks; Information on some methods on how to incorporate fresh methods with traditional topics. INSET: RISKY BUSINESS.

Features the city of Indianapolis, Indiana as a convention destination. Convention facilities; Hotels. INSETS: THIS SPORTIN' LIFE;Expansions Just Keep On Coming.

Focuses on events and activities for children during meetings and conventions of their parents. Information on New Year's Eve Sugar Bowl kids fest in New Orleans; Activities assembled by Kamie J. Blair of Just Like Mum!, along with Shelley Matheny, owner of Kids Along company; Activities for children of Shell Oil employees. INSET: WITH OR WITHOUT MOM AND DAD.

Presents a travel guide for the conference and lodging facilities in California. Hotels in California; Types of group functions and activities; Business community in the area. INSETS: It's All About You;GOING SOLO IN MONTEREY.

Reveals the contact information of facilities in Indianapolis, Indiana recommended for corporate events. Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome; Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown; Amusement and recreational options.

Discusses issues pertaining to how the hotel industry deal with socially shunned groups such as transsexuals and delinquent youth groups. Description of Freaknik, an annual event for Afro-American students in Atlanta; Considerations of hotel agents and meeting management companies when negotiating with a non-mainstream group; Challenges faced by planners for government meetings.

Offers cost-cutting tips for meeting planners in the Atlantic City and Las Vegas, Nevada. Benefits of scheduling the meeting during weekdays rather than on a weekend; Best way to avoid extravagant dining; Tips for a thrifty travel.

Profiles several convention guest speakers, who have abilities to motivate and inspire, in the United States. Michael Brandwein; Joe Malarkey; Jeff Salz.

Presents a list of meeting facilities and hotels in the Pacific Northwest. Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle, Washington; Landmark Convention Center in Tacoma, Washington; Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

Highlights the benefits of mergers in the airline industry to the meeting industry. Ticketing; Fares; Frequent flyers; What alliances hold for the future.

Deals with the registration staffs of convention bureaus in the United States. Qualifications of convention registrars; Information on the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau; Comments from Jackie Castro, manager of registration services for the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Profiles Ralph Breslauer, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Concerto Software. Techniques used by Breslauer in motivating his sales staff; Status of the company's relationship with its employees prior to the entrance of Breslauer; Efforts of Breslauer to continue to motivate his staff and to achieve the goal of the company.

Presents information on the characteristics of a great motivational speaker and provides clues to identify the masterful ones from those who are mediocre. Work experience and credentials; Preparation for a speech and knowledge about the audience; Connection between the speaker and the audience. INSET: Three things to look for to hook a great one.

Discusses the benefits of consumer incentives for banks and credit card companies. Significance of consumer loyalty programs in the marketing strategies of banks and credit card companies; Discussion on the growth and success of credit card incentives programs; Use of smart card technology in credit cards in the United States.

Focuses on the enhancement of telecommunications industry in the U.S. Introduction of prepaid wireless communication systems for teenage users; Estimation of wireless prepaid users by TracFone Wireless Inc.; Development of short message systems electronic text messages.

Focuses on the suggestions of Rob Scypinski, marketing director for the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco, that meeting planners should purchase hotel rooms upfront. Reason cited; Reaction from meeting planners. INSET: CELEBRITY NAME WATCH.

Reports on the discrimination lawsuit filed by the Afro-American guests of Black College Reunion against the Adam's Mark Hotel in Daytona Beach Resort, Florida. Case details; Comments from hotel general manager, Mike Ako; View of John Crump, chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners.

Details the full-moon service held by the Four Quarters Church in Artemis, Pennsylvania on June 17, 2000. Reason cited for the gathering; Information regarding the assembly; Origin of the Church of EarthReligion.

Details the Winning Ways Success Seminar in Los Angeles, California on May 23, 2000. Participants; Speakers; Significance of seminar.

Offers a look at the merger meeting between Internet companies Nuforia and Red Sky on May 17, 2000, in Miami, Florida. Activities at the meeting; Topics discussed; Comments from officials of both companies.

Reports that state legislators in Arizona plan to raise tourists' bed taxes in order to raise money for a sports stadium. Factors that affected an original plan to raise bed taxes; Views of state tourism officials and hoteliers who support the bed-tax hike; Stand of meeting planners on the issue.

Focuses on the plan of the Professional Convention Management Association to move its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama. Locations in the United States being considered by the company; Advantage of moving the group's head office.

Reports the appointment of Jill Harrington as head of the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE). Professional background; Remarks from Robert Vitagliano Jr., outgoing chief executive officer of SITE.