Feb 25, 2022
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) recently published the 2022 edition of its Winter Meetings Outlook, revealing signs of positivity for the industry’s full recovery as well as complications expected as a result of societal shifts that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The future-focused quarterly outlook identifies trends and innovations, allowing event professionals to budget and plan accordingly and ensuring a strong foundation for building sound strategies that keep businesses on the path to success.
According to the report, a balancing market reveals signs of positive… more
Feb 14, 2022
While the hotel industry will continue its progress toward recovery in 2022, its path will be uneven and potentially volatile, and full recovery is expected to be several years away, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)’s 2022 State of the Hotel Industry Report.
“Hotels have faced enormous challenges over the past two years, and we are still a long way from full recovery,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA, the sole national association representing all segments of the U.S. lodging industry. “The uncertainty about the Omicron variant suggests just how… more
Feb 11, 2022
As the industry continues to emerge from the pandemic and increasingly hold in-person gatherings, ASM Global, featuring the largest portfolio of convention centers, arenas, stadiums and theaters in the world, will hold an ambitious, three-day virtual job fair to hire 1,000 employees at 100 of its venues.
The international, collaborative event, titled ASM Presents: The Next Great Opportunity, will take place online Feb. 15-17, with representation from venues in the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.
Aimed at addressing the global staffing shortages that have challenged the… more
Feb 09, 2022
U.S. Travel Association leaders outlined a path forward during the organization’s annual State of the Industry Address Feb. 2, highlighting the progress made since March 2020, while emphasizing critical areas of importance to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels—including business travel and face-to-face events.
“The worst of the pandemic is truly behind us, but there is a lot of work ahead,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow, underscoring the $730 billion in cumulative travel spending losses since the pandemic began.
While the domestic leisure travel segment has largely… more
Feb 04, 2022
Event Farm, a MemberSuite company and leading provider of event engagement and safety solutions, announced four new partnerships to expand its event safety offerings and provide event organizers with COVID-19 testing solutions to meet event entry requirements.
The new partnerships with Azova Health, EverlyWell, Prevent System and Qured are in addition to the CLEAR Health Pass and Event Farm partnership that was announced in June 2021 and accelerated Event Farm’s Safety Toolkit, a suite of purposely built applications to keep event staff and attendees safe at in-person events. With CLEAR… more
Jan 21, 2022
While it may have been tempting to sit out an in-person show at the start of this year due to concerns about the Omicron variant, attendees and exhibitors of Convening Leaders 2022 (CL22) stayed the course, just as Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), urged in a statement the week before the event.
“Our industry and our businesses can and will move forward,” he said. “How this happens, it is up to us—all of us. Our audiences need us more than ever. This is our time.”
With open arms, Karamat welcomed roughly 2,500 eager face-to-face… more
Jan 20, 2022
Forty-two newly certified meeting professionals recently joined the ever-growing roster of event professionals who have earned the Events Industry Council’s (EIC) Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation.
“The Events Industry Council is proud to celebrate the latest class of Certified Meeting Professionals and welcomes them to our global community,” said EIC CEO Amy Calvert. “Your dedication to excellence and continued learning is a testament to the strength and resilience of the global business events industry.”
View the full list of December 2021 graduates here.
Recognized… more
Jan 19, 2022
In a bold show of solidarity, more than 600 leaders from the U.S. tourism and events industry united with the U.S. Travel Association to sign a letter to congressional leadership urging swift enactment of federal policies to spur demand for business and international travel and help stabilize the broader travel economy.
Supporters included representatives from destinations, venues and industry organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the travel industry, providing additional federal relief and stabilizing… more
Jan 12, 2022
As event professionals embark on 2022 amid ever-evolving circumstances of the pandemic, a new research report released by Splash, an event marketing technology company, points to a robust year for in-person, virtual and hybrid events through insights on event strategies, event technology, budgets and attendee attitudes.
The Getting Back to Business: An Outlook on Events in 2022 report, a continuation of Splash’s 2021 version of the same name, is based on a November 2021 survey of nearly 3,400 event professionals and event attendees. It provides insights on how event professionals, event… more
Jan 06, 2022
On Dec. 28, Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO of VISIT PHILADELPHIA, passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 48 years old.
A Philadelphia native and passionate tourism leader, Guaracino served two stints at VISIT PHILADELPHIA, first as director of communications and vice president of communications from 2001 to 2012, and then as president and CEO in 2018.
According to VISIT PHILADELPHIA officials, under Guaracino’s leadership, the official marketing agency of the Philadelphia region continued driving leisure tourism throughout the pandemic with omni-channel marketing efforts. These… 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