News
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 12, 2022
The Siouxland Expo Center in Sioux City, Iowa, has received a new name as a result of a multi-year partnership with Seaboard Triumph Foods. The venue was officially renamed the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center, according to officials at full-service venue management and hospitality company OVG360, which provides booking and management services and sales efforts for the Expo Center.
The naming rights agreement, which was brokered through OVG360’s Global Partnerships team, includes a variety of assets, such as a new name and logo for the facility, branding integration throughout the Seaboard… 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
Sep 06, 2022
Growing up in a culinary family in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, Chef Lumarie Rodríguez-Soto initially avoided a career in the culinary arts. As a young woman, she tried pursuing other career paths, but her innate creativity and love for baking eventually led her back to the kitchen and then to culinary school at La Escuela Hotelera de Puerto Rico, where she honed her skills, grew her knowledge and perfected her craft.
“Almost everybody in my family—my grandma, my mom and my brother—works in a kitchen, [and] I saw the behind-the-scenes, non-glamorous side of the business, so I knew how hard… more
Sep 02, 2022
The Atlanta CVB has become one of the first destination marketing organizations to embrace the metaverse with the launch of a marketing platform designed to allow event professionals and prospective visitors to explore the city and its venues through a rendered 3D virtual experience.
Atlanta Meta World is a visually realistic virtual world representation of Atlanta that enables users to discover the city while interacting with other virtual visitors and representatives of venues and ACVB in real time, in addition to viewing presentations on and the latest developments in the city.
“If… more
Sep 01, 2022
With industry professionals bringing a heightened focus to the ROI of their events, particularly due to soaring event costs and structural changes to events as a result of the pandemic, Event Leadership Institute (ELI) launched the industry’s first course specifically centered on measuring, interpreting and communicating an event’s performance to stakeholders.
The online Event Measurement & Analytics Certificate will teach participants a variety of data-driven ways to measure an event’s success for different stakeholders, including attendees, hosts, exhibitors and sponsors. More… more
Aug 30, 2022
Hotel News: Westin Indianapolis, Omni Fort Worth and More Unveil Property and Meeting Space Upgrades
As the hospitality industry turns its gaze toward a busier fall season, hotels across the U.S. and in overseas island territories are debuting revamped guest rooms and meeting spaces, as well as new amenities to lure back business groups and leisure guests alike. Take a look!
The Westin Indianapolis
The Westin Indianapolis recently completed an extensive multimillion-dollar property-wide renovation that has upgraded its guest rooms, public spaces, dining and meeting venues, and created an additional dining outlet and a new event space. Operated by Davidson Hotels, the 574-room, 15-story… 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
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