No Shortage of Unique Local Venues for Events, Lack of Time, Planning Process Poses Biggest Obstacles

Midlands Business Journal, April 9, 2010

Dining in an 83-year-old Omaha landmark among opulent chandeliers and French Renaissance architecture. Conversing with colleagues as sharks and stingrays (safely) glide overhead. Acknowledging business achievements amid flowing water wall and sculptures created by world-renowned artists. The aforementioned scenarios are all options businesses have as settings for corporate gatherings. No matter the location, full-service travel agency AurTravel does its part to assure that attendees get to the event safely, comfortably, and at minimal expense to the business, Kaylene Nienhueser, certified travel counselor and general manager indicated. "Our job is to check a variety of options and locations and find out what the best choice is for a particular company," she said. "Why not have a travel agency do the legwork for a company rather than one of the company's own employees spending his or her time doing the same thing when it is a service we offer at no charge?" Nienhueser said that budget constraints are forcing many business owners to plan meetings closer to home, rather than flying across the country as was the norm in previous years. "If they want to hold their meeting offsite but still stay in Omaha, we have relationships with hotels and other venues where they can get away from the office but still save money on traveling to another location," she said. In addition to these partnerships, Nienhueser stressed that AurTravel staff can set up meeting rooms, arrange lunches or dinners, and order required items on behalf of the client for meetings. Staff is also on call to help with needs that arise at 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday or 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, according to Nienhueser. And though clients may feel pressure to stay closer to home for meetings, that doesn't mean the volume of meetings is waning; in fact, she said incentive or awards-type trips are on the rise again after a fall-off in 2008 and 2009. "Since people are working harder than before with less staff than before, companies are more willing to reward those who are their top producers," Nienhueser said. "We can help them create a fabulous trip for their team and help plan events while they are there."