Oct 05, 2022
Several days after Ian pummeled Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane then slowly weakened as it barrelled through the middle of the state and on to the Carolinas, the hardest hit destination, Lee County, Fla., remains all but closed to visitors, while other areas throughout Florida and South Carolina have resumed normal operations and are welcoming visiting groups for events. Following is an update from several destination marketing organizations throughout the region.
Lee County
Packing winds of up to 155 mph, heavy rain and major storm surge, Hurricane Ian carved a path of… more
Sep 30, 2022
Effective Oct. 1, it became easier for international travelers to go to Canada, including those attending events, as the country officially removed all COVID-19 entry requirements as well as testing, quarantine and isolation measures for arriving visitors. Other COVID-19 travel restrictions were also dropped throughout the country.
According to Canada’s Public Health Agency, the removal of the measures, which include its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, was prompted by several factors. Included in the list is modeling that indicates Canada has largely passed the peak of the recent wave fueled by… more
Sep 30, 2022
The American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation (AHLAF) announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps to lure its nationwide talent pool with immediate hotel employment. The alliance is the first of its kind for Job Corps and the hospitality industry at large.
With 130,000 open jobs in hospitality around the country, the partnership will utilize engagement and retention initiatives to help fill the positions with the highly skilled, ready-to-work Job Corps students enrolled in hospitality and related training programs.
The collaboration will provide Job Corps… more
Sep 29, 2022
The Events Industry Council (EIC) released the findings of its 2022 Q2 Global Business Events Barometer, which revealed a strong increase in its two major indexes: business event request for proposal (RFP) and group hotel room nights.
According to the barometer, which monitors the changes within the market relative to pre-pandemic levels, the Q2 RFP activity index rose to 81% of 2019 levels and the Q2 group hotel room nights index jumped to 83% of 2019 levels.
The barometer points to the fact that RFP activity for events with short lead times has recovered further than requests for events… more
Sep 23, 2022
The Events Industry Council (EIC) announced the recipients of its annual Global Awards, which celebrate and honor exemplary achievements within the global business events industry, concentrating on leadership at all levels and specific areas of focus.
The EIC received a fantastic number of nominations for the Global Awards this year, according to Amy Calvert, CEO of the EIC.
“All [of the nominations] show remarkable personal accomplishments and achievements on behalf of our industry,” Calvert said. “Recognizing, rewarding and celebrating the incredible leadership and innovation in our… more
Sep 13, 2022
Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the world’s largest meeting and event industry association worldwide, recently unveiled its Summer Meetings Outlook, a future-focused quarterly report that identifies current industry trends, innovations and outlooks. Designed to inform and enable event planners to budget and plan accordingly, the publication is crafted as a comprehensive guide to help ensure a strong foundation for building sound and successful business strategies.
According to the report, meeting and event business projections remain strong, with signs of growth moving at a… more
Sep 09, 2022
Personify, a leading technology solutions provider for associations, nonprofits and event professionals, launched its first-ever A2Z Event Professionals Awards. The new awards program was established to celebrate the agility, creativity and innovation in today’s events and associations industries.
“So many awards are focused on revenue or square footage,” said Rich Vallaster, director of event marketing at Personify. “While those are critical components to an event’s success, recognizing the ideas of all sizes and the people and teams who have had a huge impact in the industry is why we… more
Sep 08, 2022
The IMEX Group unveiled details of its education program for IMEX America 2022, set to zero in on modern-day challenges and hot topics as industry professionals navigate a new normal for events.
In creating the education program for this year’s show, which takes place Oct. 10-13 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, the goal was “radical simplicity,” according to Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group.
“We know meeting and event industry professionals are overrun, overwhelmed and seeking clarity, so this year’s learning sessions deliver bold content designed to cut to the heart of… more
Sep 07, 2022
Pittsburgh-based The Hutton Group–Inspired Meetings & Events, a women-owned and operated boutique company specializing in meetings, venues and hotels, debuted a new destination management company (DMC) as an extension of its parent company.
Announced on Aug. 23, the new DMC comprises experienced destination designers offering travel and ground services, VIP experiences, dine-arounds at culinary gems, tours and outings and unique venue procurement. It can also provide curated experiences, including teambuilding and corporate social responsibility projects, custom event design, amenities… more
Aug 29, 2022
As climate change increasingly becomes an undeniable reality across the globe, certain entities within the events industry are beginning to take the lead toward a less wasteful and more sustainable future. Here are two leading organizations working to lessen the industry’s environmental impacts.
SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services (SCS), a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing and standards development, recently launched Zero Waste for Events, its newest Zero Waste Standard.
Designed to recognize municipal solid… 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