Aug 24, 2020
With a new report showing nearly one out of every four hotel commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) loans are delinquent, industry leaders continue to press Congress to enact the HOPE Act. This bipartisan piece of legislation was introduced by Representatives Van Taylor (R-Texas), Al Lawson (D-Fla.), and Andy Barr (R-Ky.) to provide assistance to small businesses operating in the commercial real estate market.
As part of the push to pass the legislation, nearly 4,000 hotel industry leaders — including those from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Asian American Hotel… more
Aug 19, 2020
As she watched organizations continue to transition their events from live to virtual, Liz Lathan, CEO of Austin, Texas-based Haute Dokimazo, noticed the increasing importance of creating real human connection and conversation within a digital platform. From there, the Age of Conversation Summit was born.
Scheduled to take place on Sept. 9 with a registration fee of $20, the summit will include tracks like Shift Happens, the Woowoo Room, Unicorns & Rainbows, Dial-Up Disco and Central Perk. While playfully named, these tracks will build conversations focusing on addressing real problems… more
Aug 18, 2020
With the widespread cancellation of corporate events and no clear timeline of when they may be back in person again, it’s a good time to look for inspiration on ways to hold a truly unique virtual event.
For the first time in its 11-year history, the San Francisco Giant Race presented by Alaska Airlines is going completely virtual.
Previously scheduled for the Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, the Giant Race Series’ flagship event now will be held virtually Sept. 6 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
This annual series — held in Scottsdale, Sacramento… more
Aug 17, 2020
PCMA Foundation has launched the Accelerating Reskilling initiative, a massive fundraising campaign designed to help event industry professionals recover, adapt and thrive through the pandemic and beyond.
Launched on Aug. 5, the campaign’s goal is to raise $250,000 by the end of 2020 to provide scholarships for the immediate reskilling of 1,000 event professionals, supplier professionals, young professionals, faculty and current students with the new and updated skill sets they will need for career recovery and success.
“Together as a community, we can bring these educational opportunities… more
Aug 11, 2020
IBTM Americas this week announced details of a virtual summit that will take place Aug. 25-26. The interactive digital experience will be hosted on the Go To Webcast platform and will bring together 16 speakers to share topical insights and learnings that will provide tangible benefits for attendees, all under the theme of “humanizing the change."
The complimentary virtual summit will be run in both Spanish and English to allow for the global reach of the IBTM Americas audience, and will cover subject matters including event finance, sustainable events, event planning, innovation and… more
Aug 10, 2020
As meeting and event professionals continue to grapple with the impact the pandemic has had on the industry, the Event Leadership Institute has developed a new online certificate course in partnership with MPI to provide planners with strategies, tactics and resources to move forward with modified in-person events and meetings.
The first six-week Pandemic Meeting & Event Design Certificate course begins Sept. 1 and is eligible for 20 CMP hours. Curriculum is jointly designed by ELI’s and MPI’s education experts, experienced event and meeting practitioners and industry-leading instructors… more
Aug 04, 2020
A new weekly peer-to-peer roundtable series for event professionals launches this week. Hosted by mdg, a Freeman Company, the “Leading Through Disruption” program focuses on helping event professionals manage change and gain the insights and connections needed to navigate the pandemic.
Each hour-long session, scheduled to run for six weeks starting Aug. 5, will have a theme introduced by thought leaders who then facilitate the discussion.
“We have leaders in strategy, design and data/research from Freeman and mdg who will be challenging participants to seize the opportunities associated… more
Aug 04, 2020
The State of the Industry Town Hall at last week’s CEMA Digital Summit 2020 focused on the future of digital events. Following the 75-minute session, a consensus emerged that while everyone misses live events, digital platforms have opened up exciting new avenues for communicating with customers.
Kavin Schieferdecker, senior vice president of sales and services for Philadelphia CVB, moderated the event, which included presenters Angela (Angie) Smith, head of events and field marketing for Atlassian; Ben Nazario, division president for MC-2; and Sherrif Karamat, PCMA president and CEO. More… more
Jul 31, 2020
Corporate Event Marketing Association held its first online conference, CEMA Summit 2020, July 27-28. With more than 500 event marketing leaders in attendance, the event marked the highest attendance in its 30-year history—in part due to the fact that the conference was open to non-members this year for the first time. Nearly half the attendees were first-timers, including more than 100 non-members.
Since the original in-person CEMA Summit was slated to be held in Nashville, the virtual version featured various Nashville-inspired experiences. This included a live singer-songwriter experience… more
Jul 28, 2020
Instead of kicking off the new year with its usual in-person fervor, CES 2021 will be an all-digital experience connecting exhibitors, customers, thought leaders and media from around the globe in early January next year. According to the Consumer Technology Association, which owns and operates the show, CES’s new virtual format will allow participants to hear from technology innovators, see cutting-edge technologies, learn about new products, and engage with global brands and startups — all from the safety of their home or office.
The decision to shift the massive global technology trade… 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