News
Dec 05, 2023
The business events industry’s ongoing recovery is holding strong and showing sustained improvement in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the Events Industry Council’s (EIC) quarterly Global Events Barometer for Q3 2023.
The latest report, released on Nov. 29, highlights a notable milestone: for the first time since the pandemic, group hotel nights reached the same booking levels as in 2019. The data gauged Q3 guest stays that were reserved within group bookings or room blocks – a metric largely associated with business events, according to EIC officials. Additionally, the uptick in RFP… more
Dec 04, 2023
Beginning in 2024, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas will embark upon a $188 million renovation of its meeting and convention facilities as part of an extensive $1 billion capital investment project. Set to be completed in stages through 2026, the renovation of the 2.25-million-square-foot Venetian Convention Center and Expo will include an elegant new color palette, luxury lounge spaces for meetings and state-of-the-art technology.
“Embarking on a refresh of a convention center that hosts back-to-back events year in and year out is no easy task, but our promise is to provide our guests a best-… more
Dec 01, 2023
What’s trending in corporate event production in 2023? Sustainability, engagement with technology and tighter timelines, according to Lauren Hendricks, PRG senior vice president business development, corporate and events, who joined the full-service production company in 2019.
This year, PRG has produced and supported hundreds of events — from the Essence Festival and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to Post Malone in Times Square and the Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Expo (view pictures and details from these events here).
Back story
Founded in 1983 by Jere Harris, PRG… more
Nov 29, 2023
Freeman, a global events company, has revealed its CEO succession plan. Janet Dell, currently serving as the company’s president and COO, is set to step into the role of CEO, effective July 1, 2024, succeeding Bob Priest-Heck, who will retire after a remarkable 15-year tenure. He will continue as a member of Freeman’s board of directors.
Dell, who joined Freeman in 2018, has held various key positions within the company and currently oversees the execution of its long-term strategy on a global scale. Her leadership during the pandemic notably involved rehiring 95% of furloughed employees,… more
Nov 28, 2023
What is the current mindset of CEOs in the event industry? In part three of our series, experiential marketing agency leaders shared what their top business concerns are now and moving into 2024, and how they and their organization are addressing them.
How does the event industry compare against other industries? In part one of our series, we shared an analysis of the KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook — the annual survey of 1,300 CEOs of the world’s largest businesses conducted by KPMG International.
Find out what CEOs from Visit Detroit and Visit Salt Lake told us.
Find out what CEOs from Orange… more
Nov 22, 2023
What is the current mindset of CEOs in the event industry? In part two of our series, venue leaders shared what their top business concerns are now and moving into 2024, and how they and their organization are addressing them.
How does the event industry compare against other industries? In part one of our series, we shared an analysis of the KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook — the annual survey of 1,300 CEOs of the world’s largest businesses conducted by KPMG International.
Find out what CEOs from Visit Detroit and Visit Salt Lake told us.
In coming weeks, we will share perspectives from C-level… more
Nov 21, 2023
Caesars Palace Las Vegas recently renovated one of its five hotel towers to better reflect its Roman roots. Formerly known as the Forum Tower, the transformed Colosseum Tower offers more than 400 redesigned guest rooms and suites featuring classically inspired yet modern décor.
Designed by Michael Medeiros of RDH Interests Inc., the Colosseum Tower’s enhanced accommodations feature interiors with high contrasts of black and white, color accents that include pops of emerald inspired by the jewelry worn by the late Cleopatra and splashes of Roman red throughout the custom artwork and… more
Nov 21, 2023
Encore, a company that provides end-to-end production for in-person, hybrid and virtual events, hired Georgina Flores as chief marketing officer to support innovation across the customer journey. Flores joins Encore from Aetna, a CVS Health company that ranked No. 6 on the 2023 Fortune 500 list, where she was vice president of marketing for commercial and specialty markets. In this newly created position, she will provide strategic guidance to the company’s brand, customer insights, product marketing, communications and industry relations functions, leading marketing as a key driver for… more
Nov 20, 2023
Corporate event-related organizations, particularly CVBs and industry associations, have been accelerating the pace of hiring this fall.
San Francisco Travel Association
San Francisco Travel Association tapped 35-year convention and tourism industry veteran Scott Beck as its new president and CEO. He succeeds Joe D’Alessandro, who will retire in December after nearly 18 years leading San Francisco’s official destination marketing organization.
Beck brings a wealth of knowledge and proven expertise in attracting events, meetings and international and domestic visitors to destinations to… more
Nov 17, 2023
Geopolitics and political uncertainty now pose the greatest risk to business growth, according to a recent survey of more than 1,300 CEOs of the world’s largest businesses. The persistent flux in global politics, trade dynamics and international relations has required a new level of resilience from business leaders, who have been tasked with re-assessing their strategic priorities, focusing on the rise of generative AI, talent management and elevated stakeholder expectations in addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Derived from the KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook — the annual… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is renowned for its exceptional service and diverse venue options across Las Vegas, Detroit, Springfield, National Harbor, Biloxi, and Atlantic City, providing flexible spaces for meetings of any size. Beyond these offerings, MGM Resorts distinguishes itself through a strong commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, making it an ideal choice for your next meeting.
At the core of MGM Resorts' company values is its platform, "Focused on What Matters," dedicated to meeting customer needs while advancing socially responsible practices. This commitment is evident more