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 05, 2019
London-based event lead capture startup Akkroo has been scooped up by Phoenix-based demand orchestration company Integrate for $34 million. Akkroo’s digital lead collection solution, which allows sales teams to expediently capture and process leads in real time using the Akkroo iOS and Android app, will soon be “integrated” into Integrate’s customer offerings with the goal of bolstering its demand orchestration capabilities, according to company officials. “Revenue acceleration happens when you unify the top of the funnel,” said Jeremy Bloom, Integrate founder and CEO. “With this… 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 22, 2019
Washington, D.C.-based event management software company Streampoint Solutions will run the inaugural Event Technology Week, an online conference, from March 25-29. Designed to help event planners managing the critical, yet often overwhelming world of event technology, this five-day event will feature webinars led by industry experts. “As events and trade shows continue to evolve, event planners are inundated with new technologies and data points,” said Dharmesh Dayabhai, co-founder of Streampoint Solutions, in a press release. “It can be cumbersome to work your way around this data to make… 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
MGM Grand Conference Center
Mar 13, 2019
The $130 million, 250,000-square-foot expansion of MGM Grand Conference Center is now complete, meaning MGM Resorts now offers a total of 4 million square feet of meeting and convention space on the Las Vegas Strip. (For reference, that’s more than all the convention space in Manhattan combined.)   “With our expansion, upgraded amenities, new outdoor space and user-friendly connectivity packages, we provide our convention customers an enhanced meeting experience with more options,” said Ernest Stovall, vice president of Sales for MGM Grand.   He continued, “I’m proud that many of our clients… 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
Partner Voices
  MGM Resorts is renowned for its exceptional service and diverse venue options across Las Vegas, Detroit, Springfield, National Harbor, Biloxi, and Atlantic City, providing flexible spaces for meetings of any size. Beyond these offerings, MGM Resorts distinguishes itself through a strong commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, making it an ideal choice for your next meeting.  At the core of MGM Resorts' company values is its platform, "Focused on What Matters," dedicated to meeting customer needs while advancing socially responsible practices. This commitment is evident more