May 02, 2019
Last year was a monumental one for Informa, with the purchase of UBM in January 2018 forming the largest exhibition company in the world. Earlier this week, the London-based company announced another big change: a new brand identity for one of its divisions. Going forward, Informa Exhibitions will be known as Informa Markets. This new identity reflects the company’s ongoing development and expansion, along with its focus on enabling the success of its customers and the specialist markets in which they work, from health and nutrition to construction, pharma, agriculture and more. Informa… more
IBTM China
Apr 17, 2019
IBTM China, which will be held Aug. 28-29 at China National Convention Centre (CNCC) in Beijing, is now accepting applications to its Hosted Buyer program. The program is open to senior event planners who have interest in bringing their meetings, events, conferences or incentives to the China and Asia Pacific region. The 400 chosen hosted buyers will participate in over 9,000 pre-planned meetings (30 apiece) with approximately 380 exhibitors during the two-day long event. These exhibitors represent destinations and industry organizations from around the world, with the majority representing… more
Apr 08, 2019
On Thursday, April 4, meeting professionals around the world came together to celebrate our great industry on Global Meetings Industry Day. More than 230 GMID events spanning 42 countries were held on this international day of advocacy. Research from Oxford Economics affirms that face-to-face meetings across 180 countries contributed $1.5 trillion of GDP in 2017. The research also shows that meetings support 25.9 million jobs worldwide. I had a great time at the Bay Area GMID networking event, catching up with old friends and making some new ones. Here is a quick recap from #GMIDSF and… more
Apr 01, 2019
Global Meetings Industry Day is a day where we can all come together and advocate for the value and power of face-to-face events. Together, we can keep our industry thriving. More than 200 GMID events and activities are being held around the world this April 4. However, with busy schedules and disparate locations, many event professionals won't be able to attend in person. Therefore, Meeting Professionals International and the Meetings Mean Business Coalition are once again collaborating to present a free, 12-hour livestream from GMID events taking place around the world. The GMID19 Live… more
Mar 26, 2019
As any event planner knows, event design takes a lot of work and involves many moving pieces. To help new meeting and event industry professionals learn the ropes, Caesars Entertainment has teamed up with the Event Design Collective GmbH to offer hosted certification in event design programs. Over the next 36 months, training programs will be offered in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and potentially additional destinations. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Event Design Collective so we can help our customers plan and execute world-class meetings and events," said Michael Massari, chief sales… more
Mar 14, 2019
April 4 is Global Meetings Industry Day 2019. Led by the Meetings Mean Business Coalition, GMID brings together event professionals around the world to champion the positive impact meetings and events have for business, communities and individuals. MMBC believes in the power of face-to-face interaction, and that great things happen when people come together — as it states in the mission for both GMID and its Meetings Mean Business campaign, “deals are struck, relationships are forged and ideas are gathered.” Research supports these assumptions. Did you know that meetings held in the United… more
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas
Mar 08, 2019
Venue management and hospitality company Spectra will become the new provider of venue management for Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, effective April 1. This marks the first time in the center’s history that it will be run by a private operator. The City of Dallas City Council unanimously approved this partnership. Spectra will focus on short-term bookings, taking over a role historically maintained by City of Dallas employees. Visit Dallas will emphasize bookings 18 months out or more at KBHCCD, in addition to other venues in the city. “Partnering with Spectra is going to… more
Mar 07, 2019
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research has released the seventh and final report in its Attendee ROI Playbook series, a multiple fact sheet series that identifies general attendee practices while delivering insights on differences by specific attendee categories. Designed to summarize all aspects in the Attendee ROI study as well as analyze how attendee preferences and behaviors vary by the size of an event, “Where Value and Metrics Vary by Event Size,” uncovers competitive advantages for B2B exhibitions large and small, according to Nancy Drapeau, CEIR vice president of research. “… more
Feb 25, 2019
Hilton launched Signia, a new brand designed to cater specifically to the meetings and events industry, last week. The Signia Hilton portfolio promises to infuse state-of-the-art technology and design into the entire guest experience, with a strong focus on meeting space. “In our 100th year of hospitality, we are more focused than ever on providing exceptional experiences to all of our guests — and that includes evolving those experiences to meet their changing needs,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton. He continued, “We are proud to launch Signia Hilton, which… more
Feb 22, 2019
Corporate Event News, an online hub for industry news, insights and original content serving corporate event professionals, and Haute Dokimazo, providers of the Haute Dokimazo Spontaneous Think Tank, have announced a partnership. Launched in 2017, Haute Dokimazo signature events have attracted significant media attention as well as quickly filling up with senior-level event marketers and suppliers. Haute Dokimazo offers a participant-driven way of meeting, sharing and learning designed to provide attendees the opportunity to solve their business challenges in an unconference format. Event… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.  Remodeled Guest Rooms MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las more