News

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
Nov 16, 2023
Corporate event organizers now have a new way to tap into the increasing popularity of blended travel while elevating their in-person events with Jampack, a new bundling platform that curates unique and memorable host-city experiences for attendees and exhibitors.  Using the Jampack platform, event-goers can explore and purchase exclusive destination experiences, such as networking-focused dining events, excursions or golf outings, hotel accommodations and stay-the-weekend packages before, during and after trade shows and conferences — setting the stage for elevated networking and group… more
Nov 15, 2023
  Exclusively sponsored by Honeycomb Strategies “We’ve traced the call. It’s coming from inside the house.” One of the largest challenges to incorporating sustainability into your event may be your own leadership, ownership or management. We’ve talked with a lot of event planners who struggle to convince decision-makers to greenlight improvements they perceive as irrelevant or optional. Increasingly, planners see the urgent need for sustainability, so Honeycomb Strategies has compiled this guide to help you talk with your leadership team to gain support for sustainability programs. (Note:… more
Nov 14, 2023
The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) and International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) are partnering to collaborate on educational efforts, issue and policy forums, advocacy support and other joint opportunities to serve the needs of the broader community. Based in Washington, DC, ECA is a coalition of professional, industry and labor organizations dedicated to the advancement of the face-to-face business events industry while IFES, based in Brussels, is a global association with national associations and individual member companies, active in the design,… more
Nov 13, 2023
An iconic Las Vegas hotel recently launched an entire tower of upgraded guest suites, and a new meetings hotel in Fort Lauderdale has announced it is accepting group bookings ahead of its highly anticipated opening in two years.   SAHARA Las Vegas As part of its ongoing $200 million property-wide transformation, SAHARA Las Vegas has been busy remodeling its Marra Tower guest suites, designed to enhance the visitor experience with luxury and comfort. The resort recently unveiled 779 of the Tower’s 1108 suites, which have been upgraded with premium amenities and elegant finishes and details… more
Nov 09, 2023
On Tues., Nov. 7, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced Dreamforce reached an agreement with the city of San Francisco to keep its annual event, which attracted 40,000 customers, partners and employees to Moscone Center in September, in the venue and the city. Dreamforce 2024 will be held Sept. 17-19 at the city’s leading convention venue, which is managed by Legends, a live experience company that acquired ASM Global on Nov. 7. Benioff said on X: “Thrilled to share the news that Dreamforce, the world’s largest enterprise tech conference, will be returning to San Francisco, the stunning city… more
Nov 08, 2023
Premium live experiences company Legends is expanding its geographic reach and services portfolio with the acquisition of ASM Global, which manages a portfolio of more than 350 venues spanning five continents. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Announced on Nov. 7, the acquisition will position Legends to meet the expanding needs of sports organizations, entertainment venues, convention centers and attractions globally “while supporting its vision to deliver exceptional live experiences,” according to Legends officials in a statement. By adding ASM Global’s complementary… more
Nov 07, 2023
Following seven months of negotiations, tens of thousands of hotel workers represented by the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 have reached a tentative deal with Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, averting a sweeping strike that could have massively impacted 18 major resort-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. According to Culinary Union officials, less than three hours before the strike deadline, the Unions reached a tentative agreement with Wynn Resorts on Nov. 10 at 2 a.m. for a new five-year contract covering more than 5,000… 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