News
May 14, 2020
As the demand for virtual event platforms continues to increase, LinkedIn has entered the game. The social media giant has brought two of its offerings together — LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events — to create LinkedIn Virtual Events.
The virtual event functionality allows brands to stream video content to their LinkedIn page, targeting followers or event attendees. One benefit the company is touting is a new video tab, making it easier for brands to share and archive their video content in an accessible manner.
For video streaming, LinkedIn is partnering with third-party broadcasting… more
May 13, 2020
With many events pivoting to virtual right now, event planners and marketers are working overtime to make sure their digital event programming is packed with premium educational content. But what about those valuable extras that attendees come to an event to experience, such as high-profile speakers and entertainers? As with live events, quality keynote presentations can help transform virtual events into unforgettable experiences, too. However, working with speakers for a digital event is, in some ways, different than a live talk on stage.
We talked with two speakers bureau executives –… more
May 11, 2020
Just over a week after announcing the creation of the APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force, the Events Industry Council has released a full list of task force members.
Chair Paul Van Deventer said the EIC is seeing a number of industry-wide efforts focused on developing standards to ensure the safety and wellness of attendees and protocols essential to reinforce attendee confidence in attending live business events.
“The work of this task force is crucial to curate those efforts and present them in a comprehensive way that translates into practical solutions for professionals across… more
May 08, 2020
Visit Indy and more than 10 downtown convention hotel partners are helping to ease event planners’ uncertainty of booking large face-to-face events with a new offer. New groups that book events in Indianapolis for any 2020 dates will automatically receive zero attrition for room blocks at all of the city’s major downtown convention hotels.
“There is obviously great uncertainty about how to conduct events this year and our city, convention center and hotel partners want to help mitigate financial risks for our customers,” said Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy.
Participating… more
May 06, 2020
Taking a big step to chart a course forward, the U.S. travel industry submitted to the White House and governors a document containing detailed guidance for travel-related businesses to help keep their customers and employees safe as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Entitled "Travel in the New Normal," the document describes vigorous measures the travel industry will follow to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and help to communicate across each and every step of a traveler's journey.
The goal: to allow travel to safely resume as states and municipalities relax physical distancing… more
May 05, 2020
As much as we’re all hungering for good news right now, the staggering numbers reporting the severity of the COVID-19 crisis for the hotel industry can’t be spun in a positive light.
New data from the American Hotel & Lodging Association shows that 70 percent of hotel employees have been laid off or furloughed, as eight in 10 hotel rooms across the country remain empty. This puts the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry at nine times worse than 9/11, with forecasted occupancy rates for this year hitting record lows worse than rates from 1993 during the Great Depression.
“The human… more
May 04, 2020
While this year’s IMEX flagship Frankfurt event was canceled back in March, members of the IMEX community will still have opportunities to come together virtually over the next several months. The virtual PlanetIMEX platform aims to keep the spirit of IMEX alive by allowing visitors to explore content, reconnect, talk about future business and continue learning in the company of friends and colleagues.
Designed in collaboration with Cvent, PlanetIMEX will feature three 3-D, interactive “islands” as destinations within the platform. Each island will have its own theme (community, education… more
Apr 30, 2020
The Events Industry Council has created a new task force that will work to develop recommendations, guidelines and resources needed to support the industry’s recovery globally.
The APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force will be led by co-chairs Michael Dominguez, president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International, and Kristin Horstman, senior director of strategic events at Salesforce.
“The strength of our industry has always been in our ability to work together,” said Dominguez. “There has never been a greater need to give confidence to the meetings and events community that… more
Apr 29, 2020
Conference management service and software provider eventPower has launched new services and tools to help planners with live, virtual and hybrid events. Clients can choose from fully managed solutions (working with eventPower’s meeting planners) or software as a service tools.
“We wanted to improve the efficiency of the existing sales process and create a software that ultimately seeks to increase revenue for our existing and future clients,” said Laurie Powell, eventPower’s vice president of business development, in reference to the new exhibit selection and management tool.
Frank Powell… more
Apr 28, 2020
As June draws closer and many states and counties extend their lockdowns while others start to reopen business, MPI has postponed its annual World Education Congress to November. Originally scheduled for June 6-9 in Grapevine, Texas, WEC will now take place Nov. 3-6 in the same location.
In a message to registered attendees, Annette Gregg, senior vice president of experience for MPI, said the association had been working through dozens of scenarios to find the appropriate way to recreate its signature annual event.
“Using a filter of prudence and possibilities, we are creating a live… 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