2023

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How Hot is the Meetings Market, and Where is It Hottest?

MeetingsNet

Knowland’s report on year-over-year events growth says Nashville’s meetings scene jumped more than 30 percent in September. Here are the other high-percentage growth cities, and the industries driving it. Knowland, a data-as-a-service provider for the hospitality industry, has some of the answers. Its meeting-volume report for September was released October 5, and it shows growth for the events industry is strong.

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Satisfying wants and needs at conferences

Conferences that Work

I use the phrase “wants and needs” a lot when talking about participant-driven and participation-rich conferences. It even appears in the title of my third book ! Satisfying wants and what Abraham Maslow called growth needs are core goals of any event. But whose wants and needs are we talking about ? Whom is your event for? Conference organizers have, of course, every right to create an event that satisfies their wants and needs.

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Lessons Learned from MPI WEC in Mexico

Smart Meetings

What to consider when planning an event at an all-inclusive resort Meeting Professionals International (MPI) CEO Paul VanDeventer likes to say that when planning the association’s World Education Congress (WEC), MPI takes chances so members don’t have to take on the risk. “Some things work better than others,” he said in a call, reflecting on lessons learned from last week’s gathering of 1,400 meeting professionals at Barcelo Maya Grand Resort in the Mexican Caribbean.

Logistics 314
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Europe’s tourism displays a strong rebound, but remains uneven across the regions

ETC Corporate

Following a summer of strong tourism demand, international tourist arrivals to Europe are only 3.2% below 2019 levels, and nights are down by 1.3% for the January-September period. The rebound is being driven by resilient intra-European travel and the influx of US tourists benefitting from favourable exchange rates.

Tourism 272
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COVID-19 Travel Consumer Sentiment Study

TravelBoom and sister agency, The Brandon Agency, release new consumer sentiment study on travel amidst the COVID-19 second wave

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Six Event Trends We’re Watching in 2024

Convene by PCMA

The Promise of AI for Events Large language models like ChatGPT continue to dominate the discussion about artificial intelligence because generative AI — which can generate new content, including text, images, and music — is a relatively new tech development. But AI has been behind event-tech tool innovation for much longer. Shawn Cheng The companies participating in the Tech Playground at Convening Leaders 2024 in January are introducing creative solutions for event organizers powered by AI.

Trends 130
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US Passport Processing Times Extended Again Amid ‘Unprecedented Demand’

Travel Pulse

The processing time for US passport applications and renewals has increased again, as State Department employees scramble to keep up with an unprecedented number of submissions.

Travel 132

More Trending

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How to Make Money From Events

Eventbrite

In these belt-tightened times, savvy event organizers are looking for new ways to boost their revenue. Here are 5 proven ways to bring in additional income from your event.

Events 119
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32 Must-have Event Management Software Features

Bizzaboo

Hosting an event is complicated. Event professionals must consider millions of details and build a strategy that ensures the event goes smoothly. All it takes is one wrong decision, and your next get-together could fall apart before you know it! Luckily, with the help of event management software, nailing the details is much easier. Unfortunately, you can’t just invest in any event management solution and expect great results.

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Why Melbourne? A Testament to Business Events in Melbourne

AIME

Why Melbourne? A Testament to Business Events in Melbourne Melbourne : Often heralded as Australia’s cultural epicentre, this city is more than just a point on the map; it’s a journey in itself. When determining the backdrop for the Asia … The post Why Melbourne? A Testament to Business Events in Melbourne appeared first on AIME.

Events 105
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Press Release: MeetingPackage raises $4.6 million in Series A funding to boost European growth and forge into the North American market

Meeting Package

Helsinki, Finland - 2nd of October 2023 MeetingPackage, a leading all-in-one sales automation software specializing in venue and group bookings, has secured a $4.6 million Series A round led by Scale Capital. While MeetingPackage is already cash-flow positive and profitable, this additional funding will accelerate growth in Europe and facilitate expansion into the North American market.

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Evolution of the DMC:Renewing Business Relationships with Deeper Trust, Transparency & Understanding

The evolution of the DMC industry requires that it embark upon a renewed relationship with clients that is built upon transparency, trust, and understanding.

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Why Meeting Planners Should—and Shouldn’t—Worry About Airline Strikes

MeetingsNet

Pilots are walking the picket line, but odds are that planes will keep flying. Here’s why. Recent news that pilots at American, Southwest, and United airlines are threatening to strike might be fraying the nerves of meeting professionals concerned about their upcoming events. Here’s a wrap-up of the latest news on airline pilot contracts, and some perspective on the possibility of a strike.

Airlines 122
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Fake women event speakers? We need to think bigger!

Conferences that Work

For heaven’s sake! Fake women event speakers? Fake articles by fake writers in Sports Illustrated? Meeting professionals: this is a golden opportunity! We need to think bigger! Yes, friends, it’s now obvious that what our industry needs is… fake events! Think about it for a moment. Fake speakers Creating fake women speakers is just one tiny step in the right direction.

Speakers 142
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It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Hotels Launch Fundraising Initiatives

Smart Meetings

Meet to make a positive impact this October October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. From Oct. 1 through 31 each year, the international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities aims to increase awareness of breast cancer and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and treatment. This year, a number of hotels around the United States host events and initiatives to raise money for charities that work to increase awareness of breast cancer and to fund research and pa

Booking 290
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How Attribute-Based Shopping Will Change Hotel Booking

AltexSoft Travel

Written in conjunction with Hudson Crossing partners Max Rayner and Brian Clark Nobody likes paying for things they don’t need. If something is included in the price but the buyer hasn’t asked for it, it’s a questionable benefit and possibly a detriment. When searching for hotel rooms, parents with young children may very much prefer to not have a fireplace or a high floor view, while honeymooners may be willing to pay to have both a fireplace and a view.

Booking 111
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How Event Professionals Are Feeling About Their Jobs

Convene by PCMA

The responses event professionals wrote to open-ended questions in our 30th Meetings Market Survey, conducted in late summer, illuminate what they have on their minds in a different way than their answers to multiple-choice questions. Here is a collection of their responses as reflected on their roles earlier this year. Stay tuned for the full results of the survey in the November issue of Convene and soon online.

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US Tourist Fined for Driving Across Florence’s Famed Medieval Bridge

Travel Pulse

An American man endangered pedestrians and centuries-old architecture by driving a rental car over Italy’s iconic Ponte Vecchio, claiming he was looking for parking.

Travel 116
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Luxury hospitality: Trends, challenges, and best practices

EHL Insights

Luxury is the new black. Post the pandemic, the global luxury industry recorded sales of €1.15 trillion in 2021, and continued its growth in 2022 by 19%-21% (Bain & Company, 2023). Luxury hospitality, luxury cars, and personal luxury goods represent over 80% of the total market. In this article, we zoom into the world of luxury hospitality to examine the trends that shape this industry, the challenges that are associated with the trends, and the best practices that illustrate how firms are m

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EMEC: 5 things to know about incentive travel in a post-pandemic world

MPI

Pádraic Gilligan, chief marketing officer for SITE, will walk attendees through the latest trends in incentive travel and its “awesome, transformational power” at MPI’s EMEC Brighton, 26-28 March.

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How To Use AI Content Tools like ChatGPT To Plan and Market Your Event

Bizzaboo

After rapidly pivoting to virtual events during the pandemic and refocusing on in-person engagements last year, event professionals today are doing more with less while nursing whiplash. Luckily, we live in an age where there’s an abundance of technological solutions for doing more every day. In this article, we’re looking at ChatGPT for event organizers.

Marketing 116
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In-Person Events Build Trust — Vital in a Polarized World 

Skift Meetings

Skift Take: Trust in the business world has eroded to unprecedented levels. One of the only areas it has increased is face-to-face events.

Events 125
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Business Resilience in the Age of Uncertainty

Special Events

Six strategies to grow a sustainable business that can withstand every curve ball in life and leave you stronger on the other side.

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10 Ways to Make Meetings and Events Neuro-Inclusive

MeetingsNet

April is Autism Awareness Month, the perfect time for meeting professionals to commit to learning more about how a few simple changes can improve the meeting experience for neurodiverse attendees. As the growing interest in workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion expands, meeting professionals are considering how events can be more inclusive for neurodiverse attendees, including those with autism.

Meeting 122
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My contract with myself

Conferences that Work

Long ago, I participated in and later staffed a series of workshops that profoundly affected my life. They led me to create a contract with myself that is still important to me. Creating a contract with oneself is a common way to motivate yourself toward achieving desired goals. There are plenty of resources available for writing such contracts. ( Here’s one that’s slanted toward event professionals. ) The workshop where I created my contract for myself took a deeper perspective.

Contracts 141
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Are Regenerative Meetings Even Possible? Ask Paso

Smart Meetings

A quest to find sustainable event experts leads to an emerging wine region in California’s Central Coast It’s not your imagination. The quest to design green meetings often feels like a greenhouse gas-cutting limbo game. At first, it was enough to do away with plastic straws to save the turtles. Then the bar was set on removing single-use plastic bottles in favor of branded, refillable jugs.

Meeting 278
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14 Unique Things to Do in Joliet, IL 

Redfin

Thirty miles from Chicago , Joliet is one of the largest cities in the state of Illinois, and perfectly situated on the historic Route 66. There’s something for everyone in the charming city of Joliet, IL. Joliet is a diverse community full of surprises, and since it’s part of the hustling and bustling Chicago Metropolitan area, Joliet still incorporates a lot of urban glamor into its populated suburbs.

Media 79
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5 Trends You Need to Focus on in 2024

Convene by PCMA

Try three new things at your event this year and make it a regular practice going forward, suggests Beth Surmont. Beth Surmont, CMP-Fellow, FASAE, CAE The beginning of the year presents a fresh opportunity to reflect on what we have learned and how we want to use that to grow in the coming year. The events industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace and the best way to keep current is to look ahead and anticipate the trends coming for this year.

Trends 119
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Industry Voices Call for Global Effort to Bring About Climate-Ready Travel

Travel Pulse

"Envisioning Tourism in 2030 & Beyond" provides a glimpse into what the travel industry should be doing now to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Travel 111
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Why labor shortages led to a skills gap in the hospitality sector?

EHL Insights

Labor is the biggest single cost for hospitality institutions, yet many hotel and tourism industry employers are facing an industry-wide shortage of qualified employees. Travel and tourism may be up as global levels of wealth increase, but there are fewer qualified hospitality workers across the entire industry - from casinos and cruise ships to restaurants and hotels.

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What One Thing? Curing the Busy Brain with Dr. Romie Mushtaq

Smart Meetings

On this episode of What One Thing? podcast Smart Meetings Vice President and Content Director JT Long chats with Dr. Romila “Romie” Mushtaq on what constitutes a Busy Brain and best practices to cure a Busy Brain. Find out more about Dr. Romie here: Brain Health Keynote Speaker | Dr. Romie (drromie.com) Curious if you have a Busy Brain? Take the Busy Brain quiz here: Busy Brain Test – Dr.

Speakers 279
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Top Event Technology Trends for 2024

Smart Meetings

How emerging AI and other technology will boost event humanity by putting attendee needs at the center of conference design Attendees expect more from events today and emerging technology is helping to deliver on those demands. We sat down with the Maritz team to ask what top event technology trends they see for 2024 and how they will fundamentally change the meeting professional’s job.

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Elevating Engagement

Smart Meetings

Creating a safe, friendly and memorable event Forging a safe and engaging space can be a tall order for some meeting planners, but there is a road map to creating an inspiring event that will continuously drive engagement for your current and future events. To get the low-down on event engagement Smart Meetings chatted with Amanda Lea Kaiser, speaker, engagement strategist and author of “ Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community. ” Progressiv

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Marriott Full Price Displays Go into Effect May 15

Smart Meetings

Display Changes Will Not Apply to Group Rates What you see on your Bonvoy app is what you will get—including resort, destination and other fees—at the registration desk after May 15 if a promised shift in how prices are displayed goes through as required in a November, 2021 settlement with the State of Pennsylvania. The full room price will be displayed on all the company’s U.S. channels, including Marriott.com, the mobile app and voice reservations.

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Why Attendees Aren’t Committing Early to Conferences

Smart Meetings

In recent years, many event organizers have observed a notable trend: despite offering enticing early bird registration discounts, many attendees are hesitant to commit to conferences well in advance. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this hesitancy and what event professionals can do about it. What’s Behind Attendee Hesitancy 1. Ongoing Uncertainties Due to Covid-19 The ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic are still out there.

Attendee 278
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IMEX America Insights: Notes from the Tradeshow Floor

Smart Meetings

Day 1 At 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17, the switch flipped on 150 education sessions and thousands of one-on-one meetings at IMEX America 2023 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas as Nick Santonastasso, CEO of Victorious International, took the stage to help everyone rewrite their stories with themselves as the narrative hero. His message: “Focus on what you can control instead of what you are lacking.” We walked the floor and kept this running journal of insights gleaned.

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Time to Mask-up for Meetings Again?

Smart Meetings

Medical professional offers advice on how to manage the rise of Covid-19 variants Meetings are back to in-person, but the possibility of contracting Covid-19 still looms with high-profile individuals like First Lady Jill Biden having recently tested positive for the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Covid data tracker , between Aug. 4 and Sept. 2, Covid-related hospitalization rose to 8.7%, resulting in 18,871 total hospitalizations.

Meeting 279