Think event email marketing is dead? Think again, said Jay Schwedelson, founder of GURU Media Hub and podcast host of Do This, Not That: For Marketers, during a recent Women in Exhibitions Network (WIEN) North America meeting in January.  

Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center recently unveiled plans to add approximately 108,000 square feet of meeting space to the resort via a $131 million expansion. Already underway, the project is expected to be completed in Spring 2027, just in time for the resort’s 50th anniversary. 

Black History Month marks a significant moment to celebrate Black leaders in the business events industries as well as spotlight the strategies, experiences, and insights of Black industry professionals—especially during a time when attacks on DEI programs are becoming more prominent across various business sectors. 

Listen to the Prof G and Pivot podcasts and you’ll know what to expect from a keynote by Scott Galloway. The brass, outspoken, liberal professor and podcaster, who describes himself as a narcissist, presents at dozens of engagements annually – ranging from intimate fireside chats to global audiences of 10,000 marketers and business leaders.  

Concerned about pressing issues currently facing the industry, such as tax reform, the next-gen workforce, inbound travel restrictions, and decarbonization? Then it’s time to make your voice heard at Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA)’s 2025 Legislative Action Day, taking place on Thursday, May 29 in Washington, DC. 

The Events Industry Council (EIC)––the global voice of the business events industry on advocacy, research, professional recognition, and standards––recently released an update to the Certified Meeting Professional International Standards (CMP-IS), the body of knowledge that forms the foundation of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program and exam.  

On February 11, Google announced its annual developer conference, I/O 2025, is set for May 20-21 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif., near the company’s headquarters. 

Looking to up your game when it comes to experiences and activations at your next event?  

A Las Vegas hotel-resort announced a major room and amenities upgrade while a new Marriott property opened its doors in Ohio.   

At Connect North in Kansas City, seasoned professional Carla Wheeler, meeting broker for Meetings Made Easy, took the main stage to share her expertise on negotiating contracts—skills she's honed over an impressive 15-year career.