Oct 15, 2018
Today, Oct. 15, 2018, is Smart Monday, powered by MPI — the educational session-based precursor to IMEX America. Approximately 1,000 event professionals are gathered at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, making this year’s Smart Monday bigger than that of any previous year.
MPI is offering more than 30 breakout sessions covering a wide variety of topics such as augmented reality, contract litigation, crisis management and women in leadership. The majority of the education sessions are eligible for certified meeting professional (CMP) certification clock hours.
The event is also more interactive… more
Oct 15, 2018
Steady growth is the meetings and event industry’s “new normal” according to the American Express Meetings & Events (M&E) 2019 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, released today at IMEX America.
For the fourth consecutive year, our industry has achieved consistent growth in both spend and attendees. In 2019, global meetings activity is expected to continue to grow, accompanied by small increases in budget allocation for meetings and events. This matches data from CWT Meetings & Events’ 2019 Meetings & Events Future Trends report, released earlier this month.
“2019 will be a… more
Oct 09, 2018
More than two million pets and other live animals are transported by air every year in the U.S. While the U.S. Department of Transportation offers guidelines, each airline establishes its own company policy for the proper handling of the animals they transport.
In April 2000, the U.S. Congress passed the Safe Air Travel for Animals Act. Many airlines responded to this law by implementing restrictions on accepting pets as cargo. United Airlines is currently the only domestic airline that will cargo-transport brachycephalic, aka flat-faced, short-nosed dogs such as bulldogs and pugs who are… more
Oct 03, 2018
Demand for meetings and events is on the rise. According to the recently released CWT Meetings & Events 2019 Meetings & Events Future Trends report, the meetings market will see an increase of five to ten percent in 2019.
“The global meetings and events industry can look forward to a buoyant 2019,” said Kurt Ekert, President and CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT). “On top of growing demand worldwide, we also expect global hotel rates to rise 3.7 percent, and flight prices 2.6 percent.”
In most regions, meeting attendance numbers are also projected to grow, with a 14 percent… more
Sep 27, 2018
Event marketing fuels rapid revenue growth for enterprise companies, according to a new study by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services and Splash, a New York City-based provider of end-to-end event marketing software.
Titled, “The Event Marketing Evolution: An Era of Data, Technology, and Revenue Impact,” the report confirms a new era for event marketers in which high-performing companies are investing more in event technology and accurately tying event activity to actual revenues or profits.
The study, which surveyed more than 700 enterprise executives and shares impactful insights on… more
Sep 20, 2018
A little over a year ago, we started planning the content and format for Corporate Event News. On Sept. 20, 2017, the publication was officially launched as a platform to bring relevant and timely news, data, tools and information to corporate event professionals around the globe.
Thank you for reading the articles and blog posts, and contributing your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. A number of you took the time to respond to our July reader survey, and the results may interest you.
Corporate Event News readers bring a tremendous amount of industry expertise to the table. Thirty-one… more
Sep 13, 2018
In the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, addressing workplace harassment has never been more important or timely, including in the events industry. To address this pressing issue, the Events Industry Sexual Harassment Task Force will be hosting its first webinar on Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. ET, which is free and open to the public, with attendance within the events industry encouraged.
Titled “Understanding and Eliminating Workplace Harassment,” this interactive webinar will define workplace harassment, review the different types of sexual harassment and give participants a chance to make… more
Sep 12, 2018
Event registration and ticketing platform company Eventbrite plans to go public. The company filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Aug. 23, stating that it intends to raise $200 million from sales of its Class A shares.
Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Allen & Company and RBC Capital Markets are underwriting the IPO, and Eventbrite stock will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) with the ticker symbol “EB.”
On Sept.7, Eventbrite announced that it plans to sell 10 million shares priced at $19 to $21 each, to raise $200 million at the midpoint of that range. The valuation… more
Aug 22, 2018
The fifth annual Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) and Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Global Travel Forecast was released in late July. According to the report, travel prices are expected to rise sharply in 2019 — something planners should be aware of when contracting hotels and planning for travel.
Globally, hotel prices are expected to rise by 3.7 percent and flights by 2.6 percent. In North America, hotel prices will go up 2.1 percent – 5 percent in Canada and 2.7 percent in the United States.
The report states that airfares are likely to become more expensive due to rising in… more
Aug 13, 2018
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has published its Summer 2018 Meetings Outlook report. The Meetings Outlook series, which presents industry trends and predictions from MPI members, is developed in partnership with MGM Resorts International and supported in partnership with the IMEX Group.
The 2018 Summer report identifies trends including increased complexity in contracts and negotiation, particularly around attrition clauses. As alternative housing services such as Airbnb and usage of hotel pricing comparison sites such as Trivago grow, it becomes more and more difficult to keep… 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