2010 business shaping up Forty-three percent of respondents to a Special Events online poll last week say their event workload for the second half of 2010 will be better than the second half of 2009 was. Twenty-eight percent say their workload will be comparable, while another 28 percent say the second half of 2010 doesn't look to be as busy for them as the year-earlier period. What's the right invite? Do you prefer paper, digital or a mix of the two? Tell us in our latest poll, on the right side of our home page beneath the Resource Center …

Is the AIG effect finally fading away? According to the 2010 PCMA/American Express meeting planner intention survey released yesterday, 53 percent of planners say they are concerned about the portrayal of meetings in the media, a sharp drop from the 72 percent who said they were concerned last year. Further, 89 say they are not planning to cancel, postpone or rebook meetings in 2010/11, versus only 54 percent who said so last year. Expected cancellation fees: $81,000 in 2009, $7,600 in 2010 and only $3,500 in 2011 …

Are you worth watching? Special Events is creating an article on young (under 35) event professionals who are shaping the future of the industry. Do you have someone to recommend? Tell us by sending a message here and we'll follow up with you. Thanks!