SNC Destinations Newsletter - January 2006



Musings From My Desk ...

As I share musings from my desk at the start of 2006, I wish to tell you that there are other topics on which I have been musing for the past month that could never fit into a monthly newsletter!

Yes, once a month I have been sharing my thoughts with you via our e-newsletter, but I also share tips, ideas, commentary and news on our company's blog -- Something Extra -- throughout the month, with thousands of readers. Blogs (or weblogs), which have been around for over six years, are becoming widely accepted in the business world as part of the marketing mix - another way of reaching customers and clients.

So, what is a blog? A blog is a web-based publication of periodic articles (posts) usually presented in reverse chronological order with one or many contributors. When we launched our company's blog in May 2005, I had no idea what we were doing, or what we were in for. Had it not been for a cover article in Business Week that month, "Blogs Will Change Your Business," I perhaps would not have even considered starting a blog. Obviously we started, and there are a number of CEOs and organizations out there that have done the same: GM, Boeing, PricewaterhouseCoopers, BWIA (Caribbean Beat), Dallas Mavericks, and Stonyfield Farm are just a few.

I recently started coaching small businesses on establishing business blogs, as well as wrote a guide for those curious about blogs, wanting to get started, or just not sure if it is right for them and their company. For subscribers to our newsletter, we are making a download of this e-book "Reaching Customers and Clients Through Blogs, An Introduction to the Business of Blogging" available to you, free. Just send me an email with your request.

Simone
simone@sncdestinations.com

motivation

carnival
carnival
carnival
It's Carnival Time

In less than seven weeks, the pre-Lenten celebration of Trinidad and Tobago, perhaps rivaled only by that of Rio, Brazil, will culminate in what the Washington Times calls "raucous, joyous tradition" – carnival! Yet, whereas in Rio visitors watch the festivities from the "side lines," TNT's carnival requires participation, and visitors are welcomed to join in this intercultural fusion of African, European, South Asian, Latin, and American rhythms.

"Last year we played mas' with friends from California, and from as far away as Russia. We were even surprised to encounter in the streets a colleague from France," says Lilee, who lives in South Florida and makes the annual pilgrimage again this year.

The twin islands that gave birth to the steelpan, calypso, and soca, each year draw thousands who are looking to play mas', that is jump, dance, and gyrate in the ultimate two-day street parade. With revelers dressed in masks and vibrant costumes of sequins and feathers, taking to the streets and making their way across the savannah stage in the big finale of Carnival Tuesday is only the culmination of weeks of preparation, calypso tents, and fetes (parties).

Said to have been introduced by French immigrants and started just after Emancipation in 1839, the carnival celebration reflects the history as well as social and economic realities of the country. J'Ouvert (pronounced joo-vay) for example, finds masqueraders in the dawn of Carnival Monday, covered in mud and oil to honor black masqueraders who fought in the 1800s to hold their own carnival. Today, Trinidad Carnival is the largest and most lavish party in the Caribbean, marketed primarily through word of mouth, but attracting over 40,000 international visitors.

For more information on Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago, our DMC partner - The Travel Centre, our how your group can also "play mas," visit our web site at www.sncdestinations.com.

Preparing for the Cultural Differences of Guests,
at any Event

Hosting an international event requires tremendous planning that must incorporate some degree of preparing for the cultural diversity of participants. Take for instance the fact that in Beijing, as they prepare to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2008, the city is demonstrating its commitment to hosting this world-class sporting event by undertaking a massive effort to educate the public on the basics of etiquette. On the other hand, in preparation for 2006 World Cup Football in Germany, the British Embassy in Berlin has targeted visiting fans with the launch of a web site that includes a glossary of football terminology in both English and German, and tips on how to interact with the German hosts.

Being aware of basic religious differences among participants, for example, is essential when planning any event that brings people together. Such differences may have an impact on food and beverage arrangements for functions, or the concessionary stands being considered at the stadiums. Let us consider the Indian culture:
(source: Resolute)

    - Many Indians are vegetarian for religious reasons. Meat-eating Hindus will consume chicken and goat, but not beef or pork. Muslims will eat no pork; more observant Muslims will only eat halal (ritually slaughtered) meat.
    - Alcohol is usually avoided at lunch, less so at dinner. Indian women are not always comfortable drinking in public or being in the company of those who do.

A useful tip for planners was also given in the Incentive & Meetings International November/December 2005 Edition's article on "Respecting Cultural Diversity," indicating that if a significant number of Muslims are expected to attend, set aside a small room for prayer, making it clear which direction faces Mecca.

To find more cross-cultural tips for planning an event, or simply for traveling, visit our blog, Something Extra. For more information on our cross-cultural workshops, visit our web site.

 
SNC Destinations, Inc.

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