News

Oct 12, 2017
It’s understandable why parallels have been drawn between Eau Claire, Wisconsin and both Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas in their nascent stages. All three cities celebrate the unique and are supportive of those who want to follow their dreams. And like Portland and Austin, Eau Claire boasts a vibrant music scene, as evidenced by the annual Eaux Claires music festival, held in the summer. With a population of approximately 66,000, outdoor activities abound in Eau Claire, with bike paths downtown as well as trails for hiking and mountain biking, and in the warmer seasons kayakers can be… more
Oct 11, 2017
Liz Lathan, Tom Spano and Nicole Osibodu are three event marketing industry professionals who saw a need for a new kind of conference for event and experiential marketers. Leveraging their own expertise along with that of fellow industry professionals, they decided to create the event that represented their visions. Thus, Haute Dokimazo was born.   “All the event industry conferences we were going to had the same format: keynotes, breakouts, etc.,” explained Lathan.   She continued, “The value in true peer-to-peer interactions that are not pre-planned is so wonderful and that was missing.… more
Oct 11, 2017
Leaders representing the meetings, travel and hospitality sectors gathered Oct. 10 during IMEX America at the Sands Expo & Convention Center to support #VegasStrong, the hashtag that represents the resiliency of Las Vegas after a mass shooting occurred at the Route 91 Harvest Festival 10 days earlier. The Sands Showroom was packed for the press conference with individuals from the Las Vegas hospitality community, as well as media and executives from industry associations, including IAEE, SISO and ASAE. A video played first with an Andre Agassi voiceover asking “What Is Strength” and… more
Oct 09, 2017
For event planners and marketers, analytical reports can be gold mines for driving registrations, adoption of tools and calculating ROI. However, the true potential of analytics remains underutilized in testing the effectiveness of marketing efforts, testing new audience segments and creating impactful cross-promotional efforts. This is mostly because there are a plethora of options and features available, as well as disconnected channels that add significant complexity to the analytical process and make accurate attribution extremely difficult. If you have been struggling with putting your… more
Oct 06, 2017
Live event marketing and engagement platform DoubleDutch acquired event registration provider EventGrid on Sept. 28. The event tech company will create an integrated solution that will provide an end-to-end event marketing system for event planners and marketers. The inclusion of EventGrid technology will allow DoubleDutch to offer customers pre-event services including registration, ticketing and event website generation. One of the company’s goals for the capabilities expansion is to enable planners to become more data-driven, leveraging the platform first to target specific audiences for… more
Oct 04, 2017
Marriott International just opened its first-ever luxury dual-branded hotel in downtown Denver, bringing two lauded European-inspired brands to the city: Le Méridien and AC Hotels by Marriott. The new development, owned and managed by White Lodging Services Corporation, is designed to deliver two distinct experiences under a single roof. Le Méridien Denver Downtown offers a clean mid-century modern design and features the brand’s signature Le Méridien Hub lobby, which acts as a social gathering place serving coffee during the day and cocktails at The Lobbyist bar in the evening. The hotel… more
Oct 03, 2017
Corporate events range in formats, styles, locations and objectives, but they all have one thing in common—they need to maximize the people participating in order to advance the brand’s goals. Two corporate event planners—Stephanie Heishman, principal at Freya and Christy Lamagna, founder and master strategist at Strategic Meetings & Events—share insights about how they make their marketing plans works. Both planners agree that successful marketing campaigns start with a creating comprehensive communication strategy in advance. Communicating on the fly or relying on word of mouth from… more
Oct 02, 2017
Sourcing viable destinations and suppliers for your corporate meetings can be a challenge. It’s time-consuming and difficult to know whether you’re selecting the right venues and getting the best deals. That’s where convention and visitors’ bureaus (CVBs) and destination management organizations (DMOs) come in. A recent research study conducted by Destination Analysts, in conjunction with Destinations International (formally DMAI) and Miles Partnership, surveyed 569 planners, nearly half of whom are in the corporate sector. A mere 34.4 percent of corporate planners surveyed indicated that… more
Oct 02, 2017
In the wake of the mass shooting last night on the site of the Route 91 Harvest country music festival outside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, several shows scheduled in Las Vegas in the coming week have released statements. Global Gaming Expo (G2E), which is set to open Oct. 3-5 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, attracts more than 450 exhibitors and 26,000 attendees. American Gaming Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman released the following statement: "The American Gaming Association and our Global Gaming Expo (G2E) partner, Reed Exhibitions, are closely… more
Sep 29, 2017
Enclave, a groundbreaking three-story 75,000-square-foot multi-purpose special events venue in Las Vegas, Nevada, is now complete with the opening of its 5,000-square-foot Vivace Rooftop Deck.   Debuting this month, Vivace offers a striking setting with panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding mountains. The new space has its own full-service prep area and can host events for up to 350 guests. The rooftop deck tops off 22 rooms, which range in size from 147 square feet to 9,000 square feet. Meeting space includes traditional conference rooms plus large spaces for product… 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