News
Mar 19, 2018
A new research report on “The Rise of Midsize Cities in the Meetings Industry” in North America and Europe, commissioned by the IMEX Group and developed by Skift, examines how some midsize cities have positioned themselves as hubs for innovation or knowledge.
The 44-page report covers how smaller cities have elevated their destination appeal through leveraging their local economies, tapping into innovation and developing multi-partner coalitions and new experiences designed to attract meeting and convention groups.
The report claims that two primary factors are driving the shift towards mid… more
Mar 15, 2018
Fairmont Austin, the brand’s second largest property worldwide, opened its doors on Mar. 5 – just in time for the 2018 South by Southwest conference and festival.
The long-anticipated property, initially scheduled to open in June of last year, supersedes the J.W. Marriott Austin as the largest hotel in Central Texas. It is also now the largest Fairmont hotel in the U.S.
With 1,045 guest rooms, nearly 140,000 square feet of meeting space and direct access to the Austin Convention Center via an elevated walkway branded as “Red River Canopy Walk,” the hotel will appeal to many organizations… more
Mar 14, 2018
South By Southwest (#SXSW) with its thousands of attendees in the interactive, tech, film and music industries is THE place for brands to roll out the red carpet and show off their latest launches.
This year’s event, held annually in Austin, Texas, did not disappoint, with several companies spending some serious cash to ensure they left an impression.
The ones that hit it out of the park took the time to figure out an actual ‘experience’ that attendees would have, something that trade show and event organizers, as well as exhibitors, could take a page from.
Here are the brand activations… more
Mar 13, 2018
Eventcore, a provider of enterprise-level event registration and technology solutions, recently completed a $4.1 million growth capital financing initiative. The funding will be used to accelerate sales and marketing and enhance product development to better serve the corporate events industry.
The Seattle-based company was founded in the mid-1980s. It provides customized technical solutions and professional services for event registration, housing, content management and attendee engagement.
With this investment, eventcore plans to upgrade many of its internal systems and unveil several… more
Mar 12, 2018
The city of Louisville, Ky., has added another high-end brand to its growing portfolio of hotel properties, in this case, a $300 million development designed to attract larger conventions and more leisure travelers to the Derby City.
Featuring 612 guest rooms, 226 apartments and 70,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, the Omni Louisville Hotel opened its doors ahead of schedule on March 6 with a ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration headlined by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Gov. Matt Bevin, Omni Hotels & Resorts owner Bob Rowling and Omni Louisville General Manager Scott… more
Mar 08, 2018
People want to work smarter, not harder: leveraging technology to reduce repetitive administrative tasks seems like a clear path to getting there. Potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) within the events industry also focus on the win-win concept of gathering data to provide an improved, personalized customer experience.
Sciensio promises all of that with their EventBot chatbot, specifically developed for events. One might even be tempted to say “who” was developed for events: it is easy to personify the technology. Event organizers can give the bot a name, specific tone (for… more
Mar 06, 2018
Opus Agency, a provider of global event experiences, announced its acquisition of CRG Events on Mar. 6, 2018. Established in Seattle in 1984, CRG is known for its comprehensive event management service offering including event logistics, event registration and onsite management.
CRG specializes in corporate conferences, meetings, product launches, roadshows, recognition/reward programs and tradeshow management. CRG clients include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft, Columbia Sportswear and Unity.
Monte Wood, CEO of Opus, said that adding CRG to the Opus family was an easy… more
Mar 06, 2018
Hilton has expanded its hotel footprint into Vail, Colorado. On Mar. 1, the DoubleTree by Hilton Vail opened for business. The completely renovated landmark property, located less than two miles from Vail Ski Resort, features 116 modern guest rooms with complimentary WiFi and 2,782 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities.
The property offers three event spaces. The Terrace Ballroom features 1,935 sq. ft. of event space and can accommodate up to 200 guests theater-style or for a reception. The ballroom overlooks the patio and pool area, which can be booked as an adjoining option for an… more
Mar 05, 2018
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide. The association’s mission statement is to provide the best education, experiences and relationships to help members produce the best meetings and events.
MPI Chapters provide an education and networking link between members in a specific locality, including newsletters, directories, and monthly educational programs. Many chapters also host a yearly educational event designed to bring together local members.
The largest chapter within MPI is the Northern California Chapter (NCC), with… more
Mar 02, 2018
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has released its 2018 Marketing Spend Decision Report, new research profiles marketing practices among business-to-business (B2B) exhibitors of all organizational sizes.
Exhibiting remains the largest slice of the marketing budget, but integrated marketing is key to the strategy at most corporations. Sixty-eight percent of exhibitors surveyed also allocated marketing dollars to digital channels. Free or low-cost channels, such as e-mail promotion and social media topped the list.
The report indicates that top objectives for B2B exhibiting… more
Partner Voices
One of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip just got an upgrade. Mandalay Bay has everything that your business needs from a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, to an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're looking for a venue that's both inviting and innovative, you have to be here.
New Wave Experiences
Mandalay Bay continues to invest in a new wave of enhancements both in the convention space and within the resort as a whole. New restaurant openings including Orla by Michael Mina, more