News
Apr 18, 2019
Uber is making it easy for corporations to pick up the tab for employees, clients and partners — and opening up new realms of possibilities for event transportation — with its new Uber Vouchers feature.
Rather than hiring a van or shuttle service for small groups, you can offer them the convenience and flexibility of car service. Some applications for planners that immediately spring to mind are airport transportation, customer dinners and getting staff to wherever they need to go, on time.
From the attendee perspective, this means no longer having to wait for a bus that only runs every 30… more
Apr 17, 2019
IBTM China, which will be held Aug. 28-29 at China National Convention Centre (CNCC) in Beijing, is now accepting applications to its Hosted Buyer program. The program is open to senior event planners who have interest in bringing their meetings, events, conferences or incentives to the China and Asia Pacific region.
The 400 chosen hosted buyers will participate in over 9,000 pre-planned meetings (30 apiece) with approximately 380 exhibitors during the two-day long event. These exhibitors represent destinations and industry organizations from around the world, with the majority representing… more
Apr 15, 2019
Last month, Core-apps celebrated its 10th anniversary as a company. While a decade of success is a proud accomplishment for any company, it might as well be 100 years in the world of technology, which changes on a nearly weekly basis these days.
In honor of this significant milestone for Core-apps (which was acquired by Community Brands earlier this year, but will live on as a brand under the Community Brands’ umbrella), we talked with Wayne Crawford, Core-apps’ veteran vice president of sales, to get his thoughts on the top 10 technologies that have changed trade shows over the last 10… more
Apr 12, 2019
Back in April 1970, the first-ever Earth Day was started as a way to protest the negative impacts of industrial development on the environment. Now, nearly 50 years later, Earth Day is a globally recognized event, with an estimated 1 billion people in 192 countries taking part in the world’s largest civic-focused day of action. Monday, April 22 this year is the official day of celebration, but anyone in the events and travel industry can take inspiration from these programs and events to keep a more planet-focused mindset year round.
With that in mind, here’s a round-up of what hotels,… more
Apr 11, 2019
Wine regions around the country have many beautiful hotels and gorgeous convention spaces to choose from. But when you’re searching for a more unique corporate event venue, perhaps for a board retreat, more unusual locales can fit the bill. Check out these five inspiring locations — with outstanding vino, to boot.
Benziger Family Winery
When Heather Pilcher of Blue Spark Event Design was searching for a unique venue for a makeup/skincare client based in New York City, she turned to this winery in Sonoma for its wine cave. Held last May, the event included a happy hour, a three-course plated… more
Apr 09, 2019
User conferences and other corporate events pulse with energy and excitement, creating buzz at the event and FOMO for those who didn’t attend. Keeping that few days of energy going throughout the year can help event planners draw more attendees to future events and strengthen the event brand.
Brand extensions are effectively a blend of social media, digital marketing and event marketing channels — and can even extend to account-based marketing, with microsites and specialized content. Many event planners are using brand extensions to give more life to their face-to-face events and connect… more
Apr 08, 2019
On Thursday, April 4, meeting professionals around the world came together to celebrate our great industry on Global Meetings Industry Day. More than 230 GMID events spanning 42 countries were held on this international day of advocacy.
Research from Oxford Economics affirms that face-to-face meetings across 180 countries contributed $1.5 trillion of GDP in 2017. The research also shows that meetings support 25.9 million jobs worldwide.
I had a great time at the Bay Area GMID networking event, catching up with old friends and making some new ones. Here is a quick recap from #GMIDSF and… more
Apr 05, 2019
London-based event lead capture startup Akkroo has been scooped up by Phoenix-based demand orchestration company Integrate for $34 million.
Akkroo’s digital lead collection solution, which allows sales teams to expediently capture and process leads in real time using the Akkroo iOS and Android app, will soon be “integrated” into Integrate’s customer offerings with the goal of bolstering its demand orchestration capabilities, according to company officials.
“Revenue acceleration happens when you unify the top of the funnel,” said Jeremy Bloom, Integrate founder and CEO. “With this… more
Apr 04, 2019
Implementing sustainable practices isn’t just good for the environment, it’s also good for business, as many convention centers have discovered. According to the 2017 Green Venue Report (the 2018 report has not yet been released), event venues are saving millions of dollars each year thanks to sustainability upgrades through energy, waste or water conservation programs.
Energy tracking for events is also improving, with 88 percent of venues surveyed reporting doing so. Yet technology is constantly changing, and what was good (or good enough) a few years ago is likely behind the times now.… more
Apr 02, 2019
Caesars Entertainment is an acknowledged industry leader in corporate social responsibility (CSR) which encompasses its commitment to employees, suppliers, communities and the environment. This work is done through Caesars' PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework. In the past six months, the company has received significant news coverage around these initiatives, including:
Being named as a leader by the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) for its efforts in reducing emissions and lowering climate-related risk
Making a global commitment to combat commercial sexual exploitation of children… 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