PCMA Program to Help With Contracts
By Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 4/26/2004
The Professional Convention Management Assn. is offering a new education program in 17 North American cities. "Contracts: Traps of the Trade" is being presented by lawyers from Howe & Hutton. The Canadian Tourism Commission is sponsoring the one-day interactive workshops in both U.S. and Canadian cities as part of the PCMA Professional Development Series.
Marsha Hawk, vice president of PCMA education, said the organization wants to help planners who negotiate contracts on a regular basis. "We looked at our annual meeting sessions to see which topics were most popular. Not all of our members are able to attend the annual meeting, and this program is bringing information to them on a strong topic of concern," she said.
The morning workshop, designed for meeting professionals at the intermediate level, emphasizes the components of a group hotel contract, negotiation of rate protection provisions and language that minimizes potential attrition penalties and cancellation fees.
The afternoon workshop for advanced meeting professionals focuses on liability issues. It uses real-life case studies to assess areas of potential liability and identify techniques to manage liability risk and reduce the possibility of going to court.
The program kicked off April 21 with workshops at the Kansas City (Mo.) Convention Center and April 22 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.
The cost for PCMA members and nonmembers is $115 for a full day, $65 for a half-day and $35 for the luncheon. Full-day multiple registrations from the same organization on the same date are $99. Nonmembers who attend can receive a 50 percent discount on a one-year PCMA membership.
