What do attendees want (and expect) at meetings in 2025?  

At the recent Hilton Experience Showcase, a press and client event held on Jan. 22 at Lavan Midtown in New York City, insights into these very trends were shared, with new research unveiled offering fresh perspectives on shaping the future of meetings.  

The New York Convention Center Operating Corporation (NYCCOC) has selected 30-year convention industry veteran Joyce Leveston as the new CEO of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, following a unanimous recommendation by the executive search committee and approval from the NYCCOC Board of Directors. Joining the Javits team on February 10, Leviston will officially take the helm on March 10. 

The start of a new year is always a prime time to look ahead. In the world of hospitality and business events, that often means checking in on the hotel pipeline around the country. From luxury brand debuts to impressive restorations, these new hotels are designed to impress, with top-tier amenities and locations. Keep scrolling to see which properties caught our eye, including the first-ever Graduate Hotel in Texas and the reopening of a swanky South Florida resort.

As event professionals seek new ways to connect with attendees and foster engagement, experiential gifting has emerged as a transformative approach. At PCMA Convening Leaders held Jan.

Inside Live Events, a new book by co-authors Freeman Board Member Bob Priest-Heck and Freeman Board Chair Carrie Freeman Parsons, debuted yesterday as a comprehensive playbook for creating and producing live events, including trade shows, corporate events, and exhibits.  

In the face of people’s changing perceptions toward alcohol consumption, fueled by an increasing focus on health and wellness, the growing “sober-curious” social moderation movement appears to be picking up steam as people are re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol.  

Omni and Pendry recently renovated, restored, and unveiled two historic hotel properties in Indianapolis and Somerset County, NJ, respectively, that offer meeting and event space for small to mid-sized groups. 

The Consumer Electronics Show brought a hotbed of innovation to 12 different venues scattered across the Las Vegas strip. The city is already busting at the seams with hotels, restaurants, and other engaging experiences vying for tourists’ attention, but during CES 2025, which ran January 7-10, these 10 activations and events won the attention of more than 141,000 onsite attendees and media outlets for their innovation, photo worthiness, and plain ‘ole cool touches of experiential. 

As 2024 wrapped up, the corporate event industry continued to thrive, actively recruiting and promoting seasoned professionals in preparation for a promising 2025. Here’s a summary of some personnel changes that took place in December. 

Marking the latest development in the long-term strategic licensing agreement between MGM Resorts International and Marriott International, the W Las Vegas hotel recently made its debut at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.