Hurricane
Katrina Information for Event Professionals
Updated 10/31/05 @ 1:08 p.m.
The Convention Industry Council is working with its members to assist the destinations affected by Hurricane Katrina and their meeting, convention, and exhibition customers. Please check back often as this information will be updated as it is available.
New Orleans is getting back to business:
Bonnie Boyd & Company Holds First
Corporate Meeting In New Orleans Since Hurricane Katrina.
Click here
to for more information.
Hotel Chain Contact Information for Rescheduling and/or Relocating Events
Convention & Visitors Bureau Information
New Orleans (Louisiana) Convention & Visitors
Bureau
Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (serving
Gulfport, and Biloxi, Mississippi)
Mobile Bay (Alabama) Convention & Visitors Bureau
For other Bureau Information, view DMAI's link for CVBs taking the lead in destinations around the country to assist with hurricane relief efforts.
Industry Organizations' Efforts
American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) &
The Center for Association Leadership
Association for Convention Operations Management (ACOM)*
Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME)
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA)
Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) - formerly IACVB
International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM)
International Special Events Society (ISES)
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
National Association of Catering Executives (NACE)
National Business Travel Association (NBTA)
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)*
Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE)*
Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA)
*SITE, along with PCMA and ACOM have developed an all industry relief fund.
Other Efforts
Freeman
Travel Industry Association (TIA)
Contact Information for Rescheduling and/or Relocating Events
- If you cannot reach someone at the property where you have booked an upcoming event, contact the national or regional sales person for that property or chain. We strongly recommend that you rebook your meeting with the same hotel chain. Click here to view the Excel Spreadsheet with Hotel Contacts for rebooking/rescheduling due to Hurricane Katrina. If you do not have Excel or have problems opening the file, please contact Mindy Culver for assistance at (703) 610-1289 or mculver@conventionindustry.org.
Convention & Visitors Bureau Information
New Orleans (Louisiana) Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Click Here for information and instructions from the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau.
- View an Open Letter to the Meetings, Conventions and Travel Industry from the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Special Information for Meeting Planners:
All city-wide conventions are cancelled through December 1. There will
be an announcement Tuesday regarding the status of future meetings in
December through March. Additional assessments will be made during the
next two weeks when we are out of search and rescue mode. Contact the
following staff in Washington and Chicago:
- Donna Karl (IL): 630-357-3480
- Peggy Hagaman (IL): 847-236-0200
- JoAnne Hunsicker (DC): 703-379-2233
- Stephen Perry(LA): 225-342-7009
Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (serving Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi)
- The CVB’s website is http://www.gulfcoast.org/. As of this update, no information is available.
- The local newspaper’s (The Sun Herald) web site is http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/.
- The Gulf
Coast Community Foundation and the Mississippi
Gulf Coast CVB have established the “Build Back Our Coast
Fund” to aid the economic recovery, rebuilding efforts and job
regeneration in the coastal region. The foundation has already received
funding commitments from organizations across the country.
Donations can be made via the Foundation’s Web site at www.gulfcoastfoundation.org or via phone at +1.228.436.4441. Donors may earmark funds specifically for similar efforts in Louisiana, Alabama, or Florida via sister community foundations in New Orleans, Mobile, and Pensacola.
Mobile Bay (Alabama) Convention & Visitors Bureau
Resilient Mobile, Alabama, has been in the path of many hurricanes before, and once more this 300-year-old seaport has sustained relatively little damage. With approximately 85 percent of hotel and motel room inventories functioning, most will be used for recovery efforts. Leon Maisel, President & CEO of the Mobile Bay CVB, said "Mobile’s first priority will be to assist evacuees, FEMA and rescue workers. Our flood waters have receded, leaving us deeply concerned for our friends and neighbors to the west. Our prayers go out to them."
According to the Alabama Department of Transportation website, all major
transportation routes to Mobile are open, with only a few lane closures
affecting vehicle travel to and within Mobile. With no oil leaks in Mobile
Bay, Carnival Cruise Lines has resumed sailings from the Port of Mobile.
City services are steadily resuming to normal functions and should be
operating fully in the near future. Most major attractions will be open
within the next 45 days. According to Bobby Bostwick, Director of Cultural
Development for the city of Mobile, Mobile’s annual music festival,
BayFest, will be held in downtown Mobile as planned on Oct. 7 –
9. The Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center, previously seen on television
with turbulent high water surrounding it, has reopened. For more information
visit www.mobilebay.org.
Industry Organizations' Efforts
ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership
- ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership joins millions of Americans in our concern for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The association community is always generous when it comes to helping those in need and assuring that relief efforts are supported.
- ASAE & The Center has automatically extended the memberships of all its members in areas devastated by the hurricane for a minimum of six months. In addition, we will match any monetary contributions our staff members make to the relief efforts.
- We will keep you updated as we hear reports about the activities of other associations and local SAEs as we work together to help those in need.
- ASAE members requested a list of reputable organizations to which
they can make contributions for the relief effort.
Organizations accepting donations:
American Red Cross - 1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English, 1-800-257-7575 Spanish
Operation Blessing - 1-800-436-6348
America's Second Harvest - 1-800-344-8070
Donate Cash to and Volunteer with Adventist Community Services - 1-800-381-7171
Catholic Charities, USA - 703 549-1390
Christian Disaster Response - 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee - 1-800-848-5818
Church World Service - 1-800-297-1516
Convoy of Hope - 417-823-8998
Lutheran Disaster Response - 800-638-3522
Mennonite Disaster Service - 717-859-2210
Nazarene Disaster Response - 888-256-5886
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance - 800-872-3283
Salvation Army - 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief - 1-800-462-8657, ext. 6440
United Methodist Committee on Relief - 1-800-554-8583
For further information: visit the website for the National
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
Association for Convention Operations Management (ACOM)
- View a Message from the ACOM President.
Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME)
- Destination Management Company executives are finding temporary employment with other ADME members.
- ADME members are cooperating with DMC’s impacted by Katrina and offering to provide service at cost for meetings/events that are relocated to their city – profit will be sent to the originating DMC to help them to rebuild/stay afloat through this.
- Some ADME members are volunteering a spare room in their house for a single parent and child (so the child can be enrolled in school as soon as possible).
- These above efforts will be coordinated through the ADME office at adme@meinet.com.
- As the need becomes clearer, ADME members stand ready to contribute what is needed – money, supplies, etc.
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA)
- View AH&LA ENewsletter. Contains information regarding FEMA housing needs and resources.
Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) - formerly IACVB
- CVBs are taking the lead in destinations around the country to assist with hurricane relief efforts. Click here to see what bureaus are doing.
- Event organizers needing to reschdule their events may use DMAI's MINT RFP System located at http://rfp.iacvb.org.
International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM)
- Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts include the Hurricane Katrina Venue Relocation Request form
International Special Events Society (ISES)
- View a Special Bulletin from ISES, containing information for members affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
National Association of Catering Executives (NACE)
- The Foundation of NACE has established the NACE Hurricane Katrina
Relief Fund to collect tax deductible donations for NACE members in
the affected areas and provide needed financial resources to those in
need.The Fund will have an on-line donation website, but contributions
by check may be sent to:
Foundation of NACE HKR Fund
9881 Broken Land Parkway, Suite 101
Columbia, MD 21046-3015
- NACE established a New Orleans Chapter Bulletin Board to provide a community contact spot for those in the affected area.
National Business Travel Association (NBTA)
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
- View PCMA Special Member Bulletin. Contains information regarding PCMA Hospitality Industry Relief Fund, other ways to help, PCMA Membership renewals, and important links.
Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE)
- View the SITE Hurricane Katrina Resource Page, including a letter from the CEO, industry updates, and other helpful links.
Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
- View Response to Hurricane Katrina from The National Captial Chapter President
Trade
Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) Travel Industry
Association (TIA)
Freeman Customer Support Center- 1(888) 508-5054
AVW-TELAV Exhibitor Services- (214) 623-1361
Darren Temple, AVW-TELAV - (214) 623-1346 OR (214) 869-4949
Contact the CIC