News
May 21, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has event organizers rethinking every component of live events, including food and beverage. With convention centers such as Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta winding down makeshift hospital operations as they prepare to reopen for meetings, conventions and trade shows later this year, catering companies are being forced to address every component of how they’ll serve guests again, too. But will event F&B ever be the same? What’s on the plate may look similar, but how it’s served will be forever changed.
For starters, catering teams are going to be charged… more
May 20, 2020
The word of the day in events is virtual (usually prefaced by “pivot to”) And there’s no doubt about the fact that virtual — or in future, hybrid — events will help event organizers reach a wider audience. But what are attendees looking for in their virtual events, and when it’s safe to meet again, what will attract them? Two recent studies conducted by CensusWide for PromoLeaf may shed some light.
A survey on conference attendee preferences conducted in April provides data to help event planners and marketers plan virtual events that will have a better chance at attracting an audience. It… more
May 18, 2020
The CEN event expert profile series features interviews with some of the many talented corporate event professionals who make this industry thrive.
Keri Ibbitson says she first got involved with events when she was in college — before she even was aware that careers in event management existed. She’s now worked in the field for more than 10 years, eight of which have been in a corporate environment.
What is your current role and company?
I am the lead of events for the North America and Latin America regions at Philips. I oversee the portfolio of events in those markets, and work with our… more
May 15, 2020
At least a third of event organizers have postponed all events to 2021, according to the latest report by CEIR. It makes sense, given the fact that many Americans are experiencing a growing hesitation to travel again. Data from the U.S. Travel Association and MMGY Travel Intelligence shows that as the pandemic continues, travel plans that were once postponed are increasingly being canceled. However, as industry stakeholders like hotels, convention centers and airlines are stepping up to announce new cleanliness protocols, they’re also aiming to convince travelers that it will be safe to… more
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
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