Jul 07, 2021
Doing more with less is nothing new for event planners. But with so many mitigating factors leading to uncertainty up to the big day, the cost of doing business isn’t going to shrink — even if your budget has.
The world is reopening but the people in it are not the same as before the pandemic. Travel is a novelty again, but working from home has become an expectation rather than a perk. Results also show remote working didn’t limit productivity, which is music to CEO’s ears but also raises the eyebrows of CFOs when a worker seeks permission to attend a conference or trade show in person.
“… more
Jun 30, 2021
Maybe it’s because Soundings Founder Tracy Judge makes it her mission to match companies with relevant freelance event professionals that she could see the early signs of a talent crisis. Now that the pandemic is receding, Judge is no longer ahead of her time in raising the alarms about how short-staffed teams are going to operate events.
Across all aspects of the industry, labor shortages will cause anything from headaches to cancellations for the foreseeable future. American Airlines has warned that it will be forced to cancel more than 100 flights weekly into July because it can’t… more
Jun 28, 2021
In case you thought 2020 was a dream, consider the case of davies + dixon, one of the event industry’s premier digital marketing firms. Since the pandemic took hold in this country, the Seattle-based company has spent more than 400 hours supporting virtual event programming, reaching more than 30,000 attendees.
Co-Founder Kelsey Dixon, an avid traveler, knows the in-person gatherings are coming back strong. She is also sure her organization, along with many others, is hardly through with digital programming. To wit, davies + dixon recently completed a white paper looking ahead to the future… more
Jun 11, 2021
Hugs replaced fistbumps as the days of yesteryear reappeared during the Connect and BizBash collocated event at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.
The B2B conference geared toward matching event planners with venue personnel to spur future business, and evrent inpiration from BizBash, drew about 750 attendees in-person May 22-24, with another 1,500 event professionals participating online.
Connect and BizBash were in the unusual position of hosting a second event during the pandemic, having executed a scaled-down and delayed version of its largest annual conference last fall in… more
Jun 07, 2021
Hyatt Hotels Corporation is going all-in on hybrid with the release of a new meeting and event offering designed to make the return of events as simple as possible for event planners. Launched on April 28, Together by Hyatt comprises a new suite of hybrid event offerings designed to simplify and streamline the event planning and execution process, with attendee safety, technology, support and wellbeing at the forefront.
The new program not only offers planners the chance to take advantage of new resources, capabilities and hybrid solutions, but also provides them with the support, education… more
Jun 02, 2021
Like many key aspects of events, food and beverage is having a moment of adaptation as the industry looks to a post-COVID future. For example, buffets aren’t gone completely, but they will look a little different for a while, with health and safety expected to remain a major concern at events for the foreseeable future. But pandemic or no pandemic, F&B remains one of the most discussed aspects of an event, according to Tracy Stuckrath, chief connection officer at Thrive Meetings & Events. She believes that smart planning can help planners turn a complicated event feature into a golden… more
Jun 01, 2021
After 30 years in the Las Vegas events business, Melanie Bash isn’t exactly a deer in the headlights maneuvering down the Strip. But she knows that for event organizers and corporate meeting planners, the city’s vast options can be daunting. Trying to find the right venue is hard enough in regular circumstances, but even worse when factoring all of the health and wellness research that goes into bringing events back to life.
Recognizing a need to personalize experiences as Las Vegas reopens, Bash has teamed with DMC veteran Molly Hoisington to found a concierge service in partnership with… more
May 27, 2021
A large majority of events will have a blend of digital and in-person elements this year. Many event professionals expect this to be the case going forward. After that, there is a mix — or dare we say “hybrid?” — of opinions, confusion and certainty, according to a recent Swapcard survey studying hybrid events.
The biggest takeaway is that three-quarters of the 364 respondents say they are planning to have virtual components of their program, but 30% don’t know how to define hybrid events.
In part, that’s because there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to accommodating in-person attendees… more
May 17, 2021
If meeting planners and event organizers have learned one thing from the pandemic, it’s that they are not always in control. So, in an industry defined by concrete numbers and steadfast dates, they are now asking for some leeway. After all, things change and no one situation is alike during this pandemic.
“I think the biggest thing for us is we are looking for flexibility so they’re not putting us all into a bucket,” explained LeAnn Koenig, vice operations of operations at Vertical Xchange, which organizes intimate gatherings among leaders of myriad industries.
Terry Matthews-Lombardo,… more
May 03, 2021
As much of the country moves on to their second round of vaccinations, travelers are taking steps to returning to the open road. What used to be old hat — getting on an airplane, stepping into a lobby, etc. — will feel new again. It will be a little scary while at the same time exhilarating, hotel chains like Hilton are expecting.
The trick will be balancing all the new with the old, so traveling seems as easy as getting back on a bicycle — even if the path has been altered. Any sense of normalcy will be welcomed.
“After a year without travel, people are excited to get moving, but they are… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more