Jul 10, 2023
As Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) signature annual North American event, the World Education Congress (WEC) makes a point of taking transparent and calculated risks to showcase how event professionals can deliver premium event experiences while providing them with top-notch education powered by the MPI Academy and business-building networking through its Hosted Buyer program and on-site events. This year’s WEC, held June 13-15 at the Barceló Maya Resort in the Mexican Caribbean, was no exception. Now in its 27th year, the award-winning event showcased how business learnings and… more
Jun 22, 2023
The importance of making the events industry more inclusive and welcoming to all continues to be a major talking point. With June being Pride Month, it’s an opportune time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and reflect on the industry’s accomplishments and ways to overcome obstacles that it continues to confront.    We checked in with four leading event professionals to find out what their organizations are doing to be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community, how they are making their events more inclusive, the major challenges within the industry, how they are personally honoring Pride… more
Jun 15, 2023
Nearly 100 industry leaders from 24 states — including representatives from event, venue and destination organizations including IAEE, Visit Orlando, Venetian Resort Las Vegas, PCMA, MGM Resorts International, Visit Anaheim and many more — gathered on June 1 on Capitol Hill for Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) Legislative Action Day. View the full list of attendees here. During more than 100 meetings, Legislative Action Day attendees advocated for ECA’s federal public policy priorities and the vital role that the business events industry plays in helping to spur economic growth,… more
Jun 13, 2023
Two leading U.S.-based media companies have been busy making strategic event acquisitions to expand their market share and further benefit the industries they serve. Take a look! Group C Media  Group C Media, a leading B2B media company based in Red Bank, N.J., recently acquired the portfolio of Continuity Insights from Pennsylvania-based Continuity Exchange.  Announced on May 25, the deal includes the acquisition of Continuity Insights Management Conference and ContinuityInsights.com., which delivers news and information to senior-level executives responsible for business continuity and… more
Jun 12, 2023
PCMA has selected the future host cities and dates for Convening Leaders (CL), the association’s annual flagship education and networking event, for 2024-2027. San Diego has been tapped to host the event in January 2024, followed by Houston in 2025, Philadelphia in 2026 and Miami in 2027. “The business events industry plays a critical role in bringing people together that drives economic growth and social good for individuals, organizations and communities” said PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat. “Each of these destinations has a unique identity and offers a diverse range of… more
Jun 07, 2023
As the nation’s elected officials burned the midnight oil to pass a bill to raise the debt ceiling on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., trade show industry executives gathered a few blocks away at the Grand Hyatt Washington to connect and learn from their peers at the 22nd annual Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF), produced by Lippman Connects. Held May 30-31, the event attracted a record 237 industry leaders and suppliers, and corporate event professionals can glean several tips from key insights provided during ECEF 2023 sessions. “There's a mix on the stage of association… more
Jun 05, 2023
While the majority of meeting and event professionals are expecting favorable overall business conditions over the next year, they’re also facing new market challenges, according to Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) recently released 2023 Spring Meetings Outlook. A future-focused quarterly report that identifies new industry trends and innovations, the publication allows planners to budget and plan accordingly and ensures a strong foundation for building sound strategies that keep businesses on paths to success, according to MPI officials. Supported in partnership with IMEX Group… more
Jun 02, 2023
The future is looking bright for the business events industry, according to the 2023 Global Economic Significance of Business Events study by the Events Industry Council (EIC) in partnership with Oxford Economics. The 2023 edition of the study, which measured the full scope of the $1.6 trillion global business events industry, revealed its massive and far-reaching impact, its resilience following the pandemic — with global event spending expected to reach 2019 levels by 2025 — and the importance of face-to-face interaction. “Business events have a GDP larger than many global economies,”… more
May 26, 2023
After nearly 18 months on the drawing board, IMEX Group’s bold new brand refresh went live at IMEX Frankfurt, which took place May 23-25 at Messe Frankfurt. The design incorporates elements of its legacy brand, while infusing it with a fresh concept that keeps inclusivity in mind and features the company’s first-ever sonic logo. The brand review process was conducted by IMEX’s in-house design team, led by Design Manager Anna Gyseman, who was a seminal member of the team that launched Grazia magazine into the U.K. market. Gyseman recruited ex-colleagues Tony Chambers, former editor and… more
May 23, 2023
As the events industry continues its robust recovery following the pandemic, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance’s (ECA) Legislative Action Day will return to Washington, D.C., on June 1, bringing industry advocates and leaders to meet with members of Congress about important federal policy priorities. “It will be great to have this event back in person after four long years,” said Tommy Goodwin, vice president of government affairs for ECA, adding that the last in-person International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) Exhibitions Day was in 2019, with the 2020 event held… 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