Apr 03, 2023
The demand for face-to-face meetings and events is continuing to grow, pushing the industry beyond the darkest days of the pandemic and revealing the strong, enduring need and desire for in-person gatherings, according to Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) recently published Winter Meetings Outlook (winter 2022/2023) report.
This is just the latest of MPI’s future-focused quarterly Meetings Outlook reports that identify new trends and innovations in order to enable meeting and event planners to budget and plan accordingly and ensure a strong foundation for building sound and… more
Mar 30, 2023
The Kentucky General Assembly has passed legislation that includes a revision (from 6% to 0%) to the commonwealth’s sales tax on exhibit and sponsor space rental for face-to-face business events. Signed into law by Governor Andy Beshear on March 24, it states that business event organizers will be exempt from charging sales tax to their exhibitors and sponsors, essentially reversing a new 6% tax that went into effect on Jan. 1.
Some event organizers began collecting taxes from exhibitors and sponsors to be in compliance with the new law, while others informed exhibitors who signed new… more
Mar 24, 2023
Caesars Entertainment, long renowned for its celebrity chef establishments, has further elevated its Las Vegas dining scene with three delectable restaurants by Martha Stewart, Gordon Ramsay and Chris Santos, all of which are available for group bookings.
The recently opened additions join an already impressive list of Caesars Entertainment dining options by top chefs and restaurateurs, including Dominique Ansel, Michael Chow, Giada de Laurentiis, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay, Buddy Valastro and Lisa Vanderpump.
The Bedford by Martha Stewart
Global lifestyle icon… more
Mar 22, 2023
March, designated Women’s History Month, marks an opportune time to celebrate the female achievers of the events industry and beyond. We had the pleasure of checking in with six outstanding industry professionals to find out how their organizations support women, what they would advise for the next generation of female leaders and who they believe are women to watch.
Monique Ruff-Bell, Head of Events, TED Conferences
What are you most proud of in terms of the ways your organization supports women?
Internally at TED, many of our key departments and initiatives are led by women. We are… more
Mar 20, 2023
Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards, has renewed its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP).
Established in 1983, the NCBMP is a non-profit organization dedicated primarily to the leadership development of Black hospitality professionals and all hospitality professionals that support Black meetings and events. Since its founding, the organization has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by… more
Mar 17, 2023
TSNN, the top online news source for the trade show industry and sister publication of Corporate Event News, launched Exhibitor News Network (ENN), a new website, e-newsletter and social channels (LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram) for exhibit management and event marketing professionals who participate in the U.S. exhibition industry, valued at $101 billion, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR). Exhibitors represent 70% of the revenues generated from the trade show industry, CEIR research finds.
This new online hub for industry news, insights and… more
Mar 16, 2023
Destinations International, the global trade association for convention and visitors bureaus and tourism boards, and Groups360, a technology solution that connects group travel organizations and hoteliers, today announced a strategic alliance that will provide best-in-class technology strengthening the value for destinations, event organizers, event attendees and hoteliers.
The partnership aims to drive a more efficient group process by aligning destinations with their planner customers and their meeting attendees quickly and easily using innovative booking technology powered by transparent… more
Mar 14, 2023
Industry-leading meetings, events and hospitality technology provider Cvent Holding Corp. (“Cvent”) has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of private equity funds managed by Blackstone for approximately $4.6 billion.
According to company officials, under the terms of the agreement, Cvent stockholders will receive $8.50 per share in cash, which represents a premium of 52 percent to the volume weighted average share price over the 90 days prior to Jan. 30, 2023 – the day before media reports were published of a potential transaction.
As part of the transaction… more
Mar 13, 2023
The world’s largest meeting and event industry association, Meeting Professionals International (MPI), recently unveiled its headlining keynote speaker lineup and provided a sneak peek of what’s on tap for meeting and event planners at its upcoming World Education Congress (WEC23) in the Mexican Caribbean.
Touted as an opportunity for planners to “refresh” and focus on embracing change in an ever-changing industry, MPI’s signature, award-winning North American event will be taking place south of the U.S. border for the first time when it converges upon the all-inclusive Barceló Maya Resort… more
Mar 03, 2023
Early bird discounts are still popular, but half of trade show attendees are registering less than one month out, according to part two of the attendee registration survey conducted our sister publication TSNN.
According to the survey, 83 percent of show organizers offer early bird discounts or a limited number of tickets for attendee registration, while only 17 percent do not.
“Early bird discounts continue to influence registration patterns, although attendees tend to register later in the show cycle now, which has shifted the early bird strategy on some events,” said Jacy Barker, senior… 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