News
May 27, 2021
A large majority of events will have a blend of digital and in-person elements this year. Many event professionals expect this to be the case going forward. After that, there is a mix — or dare we say “hybrid?” — of opinions, confusion and certainty, according to a recent Swapcard survey studying hybrid events.
The biggest takeaway is that three-quarters of the 364 respondents say they are planning to have virtual components of their program, but 30% don’t know how to define hybrid events.
In part, that’s because there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to accommodating in-person attendees… more
May 26, 2021
It’s little surprise Victoria Neeson, CEO of Dreamtek, and Erica Boeke, CEO of Liberty & Co., bonded through Chief, an organization for women executives. Perhaps the only shocker is it took the two accomplished leaders so long to connect.
One year after that first meeting and having executed a virtual graduation together, the two have formalized a partnership between their cutting-edge companies, bringing the best of Dreamtek’s broadcast technology and production expertise with Liberty & Co.’s experiential planning prowess to an impressive list of clients. Now they are a fully… more
May 25, 2021
Even though many Americans are getting back to work and vaccination rates are leveling off, the JW Marriott Indianapolis hasn’t stopped helping those still out of work and hurting financially due to COVID-19. Since March 2020, the hotel has been showing its concern for its community by hosting free Community Food Distribution events in partnership with Gleaners Community Food Bank.
Since its inception, the ongoing charitable effort has hosted 36 events distributing more than 8,200 food boxes totaling 204,000 pounds of nutrition for hungry members of the local hospitality and the public at… more
May 24, 2021
Events and hospitality companies are gearing up for a digital financial future by accepting cryptocurrency as a customer payment option.
Defined as “a digital currency that can be used to buy goods and services, but uses an online ledger with strong cryptography to secure online transactions,” cryptocurrency is more than a speculative investment trend. Mainstream adoption is already here, with major companies including PayPal, Visa and Mastercard jumping on the crypto train.
As hotels, resorts and event-related companies continually seek out opportunities to better serve the needs of their… more
May 21, 2021
The hiring craze at event and hospitality companies continues, with organizations, CVBs and hotels across the country tapping fresh leadership and expanding their teams. Take a look:
Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau
Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau has appointed 15-year hospitality sales and marketing professional Dee Mittman as its new convention sales manager. Most recently, she served as national sales manager for the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, spending seven years at the CVB successfully sourcing meetings and events in the sports, corporate,… more
May 20, 2021
Hubb CEO Allie Magyar knows first-hand what it’s like to face gender discrimination and unconscious bias in the technology world. In the early days of the event software company, she remembers being consistently asked to explain how she wouldn’t fail rather than how she would succeed, an over-arching attitude made more apparent by the prevalence of male-led companies able to raise large sums of money while female-led companies struggled to get investors. While she never let the naysayers stop her from turning Hubb into a successful event management platform, she still experiences the… more
May 18, 2021
Start spreading the news: Destinations are open for business. But rather than screaming to the hills, CVBs and destination management companies are taking a more selective approach to how they roll out the red carpet. Targeted messaging is the theme uniting an array of approaches taken to attract groups to town. Here are some highlights:
Explore St. Louis
A new ad campaign from Explore St. Louis is arguably more star-studded than the recent Academy Awards ceremony. Among the celebrities pitching the Arch city to incoming guests are John Goodman, Jenna Fischer, Andy Cohen, Ozzie Smith and… more
May 17, 2021
If meeting planners and event organizers have learned one thing from the pandemic, it’s that they are not always in control. So, in an industry defined by concrete numbers and steadfast dates, they are now asking for some leeway. After all, things change and no one situation is alike during this pandemic.
“I think the biggest thing for us is we are looking for flexibility so they’re not putting us all into a bucket,” explained LeAnn Koenig, vice operations of operations at Vertical Xchange, which organizes intimate gatherings among leaders of myriad industries.
Terry Matthews-Lombardo,… more
May 13, 2021
An event by any other name would smell as sweet to corporate event planners as long as the objective is met. That’s one of the main takeaways from a thought-provoking research compiled by event tech company MeetingPlay in conjunction with Corporate Event News.
Results, published in a new whitepaper that can be downloaded here, clearly demonstrate the end goal for virtual corporate events is nearly always the same as their in-person counterparts. Namely, corporations have become just as reliant on collecting lead generation from remote attendees as more traditional gatherings like meetings,… more
May 12, 2021
BCD Meetings & Events Global President Scott Graf sees the currents changing. Because reopening is staggered across the globe, it’s impossible to maneuver the corporate events management company as one large ship. Rather, there are several yachts moving at varying speeds. The United States and United Kingdom have reached the Atlantic Ocean and are poised to push their engines. Continental Europe and Latin America remain closer to home, awaiting their turn to push off from port.
The good news is BCD is not in any danger of recreating the Titanic’s fate. Through meaningful customer… 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