According to a recent survey, it seems that a lot of corporate meeting planners are juggling more work beyond booking and building out their organizations’ events.

What do corporate event organizers need to know about Orlando, Fla.? 

In October, we spent 72 hours in the Sunshine State to discover what’s new for attendees and exhibitors in the theme park capital of the world, as well to find out what’s trending for meetings and trade shows. 

Here’s what you need to know.  

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past four decades, you’ve likely heard of TED conferences, known for “ideas worth spreading” via talks spanning a cornucopia of inspiring, thought-provoking topics and diverse perspectives delivered by celebrities, thought leaders, and groundbreaking leaders and legends in their respective fields.  

With annual events like Gartner’s IT Symposium/Xpo taking every inch of available space and even building additional temporary structures outside, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is set to embark on the largest renovation and expansion in the property’s history, highlighted by the addition of 120,000 square feet of event space to its current meeting and convention floorplan.

Distill down the elements of a changemaker, and you’ll find someone who can identify a problem, define a workable solution, and, most critically, execute that idea. With the creation of SocialOffset, Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP-Fellow, CAE, checks all those boxes. 

Since September, several leading venues announced or completed major expansion and remodel projects while others upped the ante with high-level environmental and inclusivity certifications. 

“A 72-hour whirlwind” is what Workday’s own senior content marketing manager called Workday Rising 2024 and its “Forever Forward” theme this year.

In less than two months, Julie Coker, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA), will leave San Diego to lead New York City Tourism + Conventions as its new president and CEO. Coker will remain in her current role until December 6. 

It’s hard to believe it had been eight years since the last full-fledged Democratic National Convention (DNC) was produced. After COVID forced the 2020 proceedings to go mostly virtual, the DNC production team was eager to get back to business as usual in 2024. 

Viad Corp, a public company, has entered into a definitive agreement with private Los Angeles-based private equity firm Truelink Capital to acquire GES, a global exhibition and event industry services provider, for $535 million.