Feb 11, 2022
As the industry continues to emerge from the pandemic and increasingly hold in-person gatherings, ASM Global, featuring the largest portfolio of convention centers, arenas, stadiums and theaters in the world, will hold an ambitious, three-day virtual job fair to hire 1,000 employees at 100 of its venues.    The international, collaborative event, titled ASM Presents: The Next Great Opportunity, will take place online Feb. 15-17, with representation from venues in the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Aimed at addressing the global staffing shortages that have challenged the… more
Feb 09, 2022
U.S. Travel Association leaders outlined a path forward during the organization’s annual State of the Industry Address Feb. 2, highlighting the progress made since March 2020, while emphasizing critical areas of importance to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels—including business travel and face-to-face events. “The worst of the pandemic is truly behind us, but there is a lot of work ahead,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow, underscoring the $730 billion in cumulative travel spending losses since the pandemic began. While the domestic leisure travel segment has largely… more
Jan 21, 2022
While it may have been tempting to sit out an in-person show at the start of this year due to concerns about the Omicron variant, attendees and exhibitors of Convening Leaders 2022 (CL22) stayed the course, just as Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), urged in a statement the week before the event. “Our industry and our businesses can and will move forward,” he said. “How this happens, it is up to us—all of us. Our audiences need us more than ever. This is our time.” With open arms, Karamat welcomed roughly 2,500 eager face-to-face… more
Jan 20, 2022
Forty-two newly certified meeting professionals recently joined the ever-growing roster of event professionals who have earned the Events Industry Council’s (EIC) Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation. “The Events Industry Council is proud to celebrate the latest class of Certified Meeting Professionals and welcomes them to our global community,” said EIC CEO Amy Calvert. “Your dedication to excellence and continued learning is a testament to the strength and resilience of the global business events industry.” View the full list of December 2021 graduates here. Recognized… more
Jan 19, 2022
In a bold show of solidarity, more than 600 leaders from the U.S. tourism and events industry united with the U.S. Travel Association to sign a letter to congressional leadership urging swift enactment of federal policies to spur demand for business and international travel and help stabilize the broader travel economy. Supporters included representatives from destinations, venues and industry organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the travel industry, providing additional federal relief and stabilizing… more
Jan 12, 2022
As event professionals embark on 2022 amid ever-evolving circumstances of the pandemic, a new research report released by Splash, an event marketing technology company, points to a robust year for in-person, virtual and hybrid events through insights on event strategies, event technology, budgets and attendee attitudes. The Getting Back to Business: An Outlook on Events in 2022 report, a continuation of Splash’s 2021 version of the same name, is based on a November 2021 survey of nearly 3,400 event professionals and event attendees. It provides insights on how event professionals, event… more
Jan 06, 2022
On Dec. 28, Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO of VISIT PHILADELPHIA, passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 48 years old. A Philadelphia native and passionate tourism leader, Guaracino served two stints at VISIT PHILADELPHIA, first as director of communications and vice president of communications from 2001 to 2012, and then as president and CEO in 2018.  According to VISIT PHILADELPHIA officials, under Guaracino’s leadership, the official marketing agency of the Philadelphia region continued driving leisure tourism throughout the pandemic with omni-channel marketing efforts. These… more
Dec 31, 2021
Christine Duffy, national chair of the U.S. Travel Association and president of Carnival Cruise Line, announced nine industry leaders to serve on a committee to identify the association’s next president and CEO following the retirement of Roger Dow in July 2022. The search committee, drawn from U.S. Travel’s board of directors, is representative of core segments of the travel industry, including two from destination marketing organizations, the largest segment of association membership. The individuals who will serve on the search committee are: Christine Duffy, president, Carnival Cruise… more
Dec 30, 2021
The newly launched Global Business Events Barometer from the Events Industry Council (EIC) has found a significant upswing in global group demand during Q3 2021, while overall, business meetings and events activity has recovered to approximately half of pre-pandemic levels. The barometer, which was created by Oxford Economics on behalf of EIC as part of the 2021 EIC Economic Significance Study, monitors the changes within the market relative to pre-pandemic (2019) levels and explores two key areas: hotel group room nights and request for proposal (RFP) activity. The barometer indicates that… more
Dec 27, 2021
In an effort to help inspire and empower the global meetings and events industry to create a more sustainable future, experience design company Maritz Global Events recently became a signatory of the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge, a joint commitment across and a global collaboration throughout the events and meetings industry focused on achieving the targets laid out in the Paris Agreement. The goal? To eliminate the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Launched Nov. 10 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland with 100 signatures, the Net Zero… 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