News
Jun 17, 2021
Business travel appears to be still stuck in quarantine as Americans begin returning to pre-pandemic levels for vacations and road trips. If this trend continues, meetings and events may not see a full recovery from COVID-19 until 2023 or 2024.
Trying to jumpstart a sluggish re-awakening, the U.S. Travel Association issued bleak warnings about the impact that weakened business travel could have on the whole country. As part of the “Let’s Meet There” campaign, USTA has partnered with Ohio State University to develop what they hope to be universal standards for meeting safely.
The lack of… more
Jun 16, 2021
Harrah’s Las Vegas has officially unveiled the fruits of its $200 million investment in a massive renovation project that includes 2,542 redesigned guest rooms, a complete casino floor remodel and exterior enhancements in the form of two new LED marquees at the property’s north and south entrances.
“As a flagship location of the iconic gaming and hospitality brand, revamping Harrah’s Las Vegas not only enhances the guest experience but also further reflects the fun and energy that makes Las Vegas such a unique travel destination,” said Harrah’s Las Vegas Senior Vice President and General… more
Jun 15, 2021
Jeff Bzdawka, new CEO of Knowland, talks of three Ps that led him to the industry’s oldest and one of the most respected data-gathering firms. The people and the product are top-notch at Knowland, he feels, but it’s the third, positioning, that uniquely qualifies the former vice president of technology of Hyatt for this role.
Between his leadership roles at Hyatt and tech-travel companies TravelClick and Pegasus, Bzdawka understands how to turn data-driven research into actionable insights. That skillset may be the most valuable commodity in meetings and events as the county emerges from the… more
Jun 14, 2021
The city of Detroit is about to become the launchpad for a host of new B2B and B2C events. The June 7 announcement follows the formation of a new partnership between New York-based MAD Event Management and Messe Düsseldorf North America, which plans to launch and incubate new conferences and shows in the Motor City with the support and under the guidance of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau leadership.
The partnership plans to start with several yet-to-be-announced conferences and a large-scale consumer show, with MAD handling all the sales and marketing and MDNA in charge… more
Jun 11, 2021
Hugs replaced fistbumps as the days of yesteryear reappeared during the Connect and BizBash collocated event at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.
The B2B conference geared toward matching event planners with venue personnel to spur future business, and evrent inpiration from BizBash, drew about 750 attendees in-person May 22-24, with another 1,500 event professionals participating online.
Connect and BizBash were in the unusual position of hosting a second event during the pandemic, having executed a scaled-down and delayed version of its largest annual conference last fall in… more
Jun 10, 2021
With so many people across the world facing a plethora of mental and emotional challenges, we’ve come to understand in no uncertain terms how stress can negatively impact our performance, both personally and professionally.
After recognizing the deleterious effects that pandemic-related stressors were having on its workforce, Freeman enlisted the help of the Center for BrainHealth, a leading brain research center at The University of Texas at Dallas, to help improve employee wellbeing, health and performance via an innovative company-wide initiative.
Launched in March, the BrainHealthy… more
Jun 09, 2021
Mike Piddock, founder and CEO of Glisser, gets a kick out of watching soccer – or football, as they call it in his native United Kingdom. He’ll go to a few matches per year, but prefers to experience most of the season from the confines of his couch watching the television.
He is hardly unique in this pattern. There are costs, convenience and comfort that factor into when to make the plunge to go to the stadium.
It is Piddock’s belief that the same sorts of decisions sports fans make annually will become the norm for event attendees. Yes, some gatherings will be can’t-miss events. But a… more
Jun 07, 2021
Hyatt Hotels Corporation is going all-in on hybrid with the release of a new meeting and event offering designed to make the return of events as simple as possible for event planners. Launched on April 28, Together by Hyatt comprises a new suite of hybrid event offerings designed to simplify and streamline the event planning and execution process, with attendee safety, technology, support and wellbeing at the forefront.
The new program not only offers planners the chance to take advantage of new resources, capabilities and hybrid solutions, but also provides them with the support, education… more
Jun 04, 2021
Experience Kissimmee Senior Director of Meeting Sales and Services Michelle Moore couldn’t believe her ears at a recent meeting at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. In a pre-event meeting, the key players were discussing dine-arounds, branding activations and entertainment options.
“It was wonderful,” Moore said. “For the first time in over 14 months, we actually talked about non-health and safety stuff.”
Of course, COVID-19 was the elephant in the room. But significant vaccination progress and relaxed CDC guidelines have shifted the conversation from when, and not if,… more
Jun 03, 2021
The high number of vaccinations are not only making it possible for corporations to start gathering again, but also opening the door for employees to return to their offices. Just as events won’t be the same again, neither will be work.
While there has been a slow trickle of returning to the office thus far, more staff are likely to be back in-person at least a few days per week by Labor Day. The shift from telework could be jarring for some, but it will offer a glimpse into what is going to be the distant future.
Imagine using your phone to order in-office coffee, book a meeting room and… 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