Meetings Today Podcast (Meetings Today)

Gaming and hospitality giant Caesars Entertainment is upping its wellness ante via a new Wellness Menu that not only offers healthy food and beverage options for its meetings and events clients, but also selections such as wellness speakers, activities and services.

Caesars Entertainment Vice President Catering and Convention Services Las Vegas Don Ross delves into the new wellness initiative as well as some of the big trends he's seeing in meetings and events food and beverage.

As we move through 2023 with the mindset of making meetings and events industry trends a long-term reality, Alicia Jenelle, a multi-hyphenate professional and international experiential design expert from Toronto, shares how to push the DEIB conversation one step forward.

Destination DC President and CEO Elliott Ferguson talks with Jeff Heilman about the sector-driven Connected Capital strategy for meetings, the real D.C. for visitors and groups, and his new role as national chair of the U.S. Travel Association.

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In this Meetings Today Podcast for Taylor Smith's "The Z: Planning for the Industry's Next Generation," Smith sits down with Luke Goetting, an award-winning communications expert, founder of Puffingston Presentations and a Gen Z speaker who specializes in crafting engaging, interactive experiences for audiences around the world.

As a Millennial company leader, Goetting coaches Gen Z employees on how to maximize their effectiveness at work and consults with clients aiming to inspire Gen Z. His expertise has helped him learn and develop invaluable tactics for navigating the challenges and opportunities of working with Gen Z, fostering a collaborative and productive environment that aligns with the expectations of this tech-savvy and socially conscious generation. From virtual meeting etiquette to leveraging innovative technologies, tune in now for some tips from Goetting on fostering collaborative and productive environments for incoming professionals.

When most people think of standup comedy, they typically think of crude Netflix specials or dank nightclubs with comedians swearing like sailors. But when Greg Schwem takes the stage, you can hear the audience laughing about topics such as sales meetings, corporate websites or business advertising campaigns. 

Sarah Kloepple and Christoph Trappe discuss recent airport travel experiences during the government shutdown and provide tips for navigating security and reducing stress for everyone. Remember to be nice to TSA workers!

Related Meetings Today Podcast Episodes:

Government Shutdown (What Planners Need to Know)
Destination DC's Elliott Ferguson on the Government Shutdown

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Meetings industry veteran Gary Hernbroth, chief motivating officer for Training for Winners and popular business events industry speaker, has co-authored Twist the Familiar, a book detailing the stories of high-achievers and how their journey can create authentic pathways to success.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson engaged Hernbroth about his new book as well as macro trends that are shaping both the business word and meetings industry as we adjust to work and meetings life after the pandemic.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sits down with Hilton Worldwide Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales Americas Frank Passanante about some big news from the iconic hotel company, including an innovative new group room block booking engine for meeting planners and the massive new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas development and Resorts World.

In some respect, the pandemic allowed the islands of Hawai'i to heal, as mass tourism came to a halt. The break only solidified the realization—long held by many Native Hawai'ians—that it is paramount for the unique culture of the islands to be understood, and respected, by visitors.

John G. Reyes, senior vice president and chief MCI sales officer for Meet Hawai‘i, shares how Hawai'i's tourism community has come together to honor the true spirit of aloha, and communicate the responsibility for visitors to give back to a people and culture that has given so much of itself in welcoming them.

From incorporating indigenous cultural programming and activities to unique excursions and CSR that honors the native culture, Hawai'i is sharing a deeper understanding of itself with the world.

Association meetings veteran Willis Turner shares how the new AI technology ChatGPT will revolutionize the meetings and events industry.

Is your job safe? Depends on how fast you adapt.

Turner recently published The Power of ChatGPT: How to Put ChatGPT to Work for You, available on Amazon and via his website, www.oldclayburn.com, and also is the founder of Virtual Memorial Gatherings, which stepped in to fill the critical need for virtual funerals during the pandemic lockdown.

Visit Indy’s president and CEO made his debut as the new Chair of PCMA’s 2024 Board of Directors and Trustees known by vanquishing the association’s president and CEO, Sherrif Karamat, on the pickleball court at Convening Leaders (CL).

Thus sanctified, Hoops later sat down with Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson to discuss the record-setting attendance and other happenings at CL—including the epic pickleball showdown—as well as the many exciting new developments happening in Indy.

Eric Zimmerman was named a 2024 Meetings Trendsetter for his innovative work at TripZero, which helps meeting planners host sustainable events at no extra cost.

In this Trendsetter Tuesday episode, Zimmerman shares his personal sustainability journey and offers practical tips for greening your next event.

In this Meetings Today podcast, Danielle LeBreck sits down with Caesars Entertainment and ConferenceDirect, who collaborated together to design ConferenceDirect's annual partner meeting at the new CAESARS FORUM in Las Vegas. Listen to learn about their hybrid approach, how F&B was modified and more.

When the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, companies will be eager to reward their employees with unforgettable incentive programs. Australia has always fit the bill for wow-worthy trips—and there’s plenty more incredible experiences waiting for North American-based attendees, from dinners under the stars at Uluru to life-changing expeditions over the Great Barrier Reef.

To learn more about the current COVID-19 situation in Australia and what inspired outdoor event ideas and under-the-radar destinations await for future incentives, we caught up with Tourism Australia’s Mary Ann McDonald in this episode of the Meetings Today podcast. 

*Created in partnership with Tourism Australia

Learn about contact tracing at meetings and events and how planners can limit the impact of COVID-19 on their program. And what do you do if someone tests positive? Listen for more.

The hospitality and meetings industries are at a standstill as the COVID-19 crisis levels its crippling effect on travel and public gatherings of any size. Its top market, Las Vegas, is always a bellwether of the health of an economic segment that is one of the top drivers of the U.S. economy.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talks with Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and senior vice president of MGM Resorts International, about the status of meetings and events in Las Vegas and the city’s substantial inventory of MGM properties.

Are meetings and events rebooking cancelled events, and in what time frame? What questions should meeting planners ask facilities to ensure their events enjoy the standard of service they are accustomed to as currently shuttered properties quickly ramp up to resume business?

Glanzer answers these questions and details MGM’s laudable efforts to help its employees weather the coronavirus crisis.

Thinking about launching virtual meetings as a standalone event option or augmentation to a live event?

Amanda Ma, founder and CEO of Innovate Marketing Group, dove into the virtual events pool headfirst after COVID-19 hit, and offers her expert tips on how to pull them off, from pre- and post-event preparation and follow-up to technical issues to look out for and how to put that little personal touch on them that the digital world often lacks.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson spoke with Ma, who wrote “Case Study: 5 Pandemic Safety Tips for High-Level Summits” story in late March, about her secrets to virtual meetings success.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson talks with Frank Passanante, Senior Vice President of Hilton Worldwide Sales - Americas, about the iconic brand's Golden Anniversary. Learn more about the Hilton Effect on the hotel company's website.

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The Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, home to America's largest indoor waterpark, just got bigger. The resort's freshly expanded convention center, which includes an additional 112,000 square feet of meeting space, will open in September 2019.

Tifani Jones, Kalahari Resort's corporate sales director, shares how this expansion will positively affect future events, and what makes Kalahari an ideal (and family-friendly) destination for your next meeting.

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As we reach mid-May, Meetings Today's Sarah Kloepple checks in with Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and vice president of MGM Resorts International, who delves into MGM's new Seven-Point Safety Plan for enhanced health and sanitation protocols at its properties. 

Glanzer also explains how meeting and event spaces specifically will look different, from exploring pre-packaged F&B, coordinating foot traffic flow, to helping planners put on a virtual component.

Major travel and meetings industry sustainability efforts such as the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative are a top priority in Europe, where the meetings industry is organizing to adopt stricter sustainability standards before governing bodies step in to enforce regulations.

The sense of urgency seems to be a great deal less in North America, however. Why is this, and how can travel and meetings industry professionals join the fight against climate change via self-regulation?

Meetings Today interviewed James Rees, executive director, conference and events, ExCel London and former president of the International Congress and Convention Association, about the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative and other major sustainability efforts underway in Europe and North America.

Having a wealth of experience on the major venue side, as well as leading a major industry association and holding top sales positions for Hilton Hotels, Rees can address the subject of sustainability from a variety of vantage points.

To celebrate our 2024 Meetings Trendsetters, Meetings Today launched "Trendsetter Tuesday," a podcast series of interviews with the 20 Trendsetters recognized in our July/August issue.

Heather Spangler, associate professor and event management certificate coordinator at the University of Iowa, educates and inspires students to become the industry's newest professionals, guaranteeing she helps set the industry up for a successful future.

In 2015, Spangler founded the University of Iowa’s Event Management Certificate, which draws 250 of the university’s best and brightest students each year. She is dedicated to providing a hands-on program focused on real-world skills and connections.

Meetings Today's Taylor Smith sat down with this Trendsetter to hear her story and learn more about the creation of the Event Management Certificate program and how Spangler makes it her mission to shape tomorrow's talent.

Tyler Davidson talks with Michael Dominguez, chief sales officer of MGM Resorts International, about Global Meetings Industry Day 2019, a day when the hospitality industry gathers throughout the globe to extoll the value that meetings and conventions deliver to economies.

[Related Content: MGM Resorts ROARS Into 2019 With New Event Offerings]

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Furloughs. Layoffs. An economy-crippling pandemic with seemingly no end in sight.

Who could’ve predicted the tumult that would enter our lives in 2020? In troubling times such as these, maintaining one’s sanity can often seem like the most important job of all.

Mindfulness speaker, trainer and author Lee Papa, a leading wellness expert on the meetings and conventions circuit and beyond, is well-versed to help us through these chaotic times.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with Papa about her new book, A Year of Mindfulness for Beginners: Daily Mantras, Meditations and Prompts, and her advice for all of us who are weathering these most-stressful days.

Jason Dunn, CEO of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), has been a leader in hospitality and DMO diversity and inclusion efforts for decades, from his time at Visit Cincy—where he rose to be the DMO's first Black vice president after initially participating in a travel boycott of the destination—to lead NCBMP in November 2022.

Now, after a little more than a year at the helm of NCBMP, Dunn reflects on his work there as well as where the meetings and events industry is in terms of diversity and inclusion, the nuanced issue of travel boycotts and advisories, and the generational challenge of persuading young people to consider a career in the meetings and hospitality industries.

In this Trendsetter Tuesday podcast, Meetings Today digital content coordinator Logan Pratt sat down with Bill Reed, Chief Event Strategy Offer for the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and one of this year's Meetings Trendsetters.

Reed talks about his journey in the meetings industry to this point, why he is always asking questions and innovating and why he is never complacent with the status quo.

Visit Irving Texas Executive Director Maura Gast shares how this Dallas Metroplex convention magnet, often described as the "headquarters of headquarters" due to the proliferation of Fortune 500 HQs, has transformed into an entertainment mecca and Bleisure draw.

Gast also details the new Ritz-Carlton taking over for the Four Seasons as well as the most recent meeting facility news and the 50th anniversary of Las Colinas, one of the first master-planned communities of its kind that has become a foundation of the destination.

Danielle LeBreck and Jill Vance, director of sales for The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, discuss how to weave wellness into meeting agendas. Listen for more.

*Created in partnership with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson reviews the week's most interesting stories, including a discussion on the joys and challenges of being an end-of-life event planner, the news that Las Vegas approved pot consumption lounges and a reflection on Charles Chan Massey's The Personal Stories Project.

Get your week’s news in early with The Wednesday Wrap!

Enjoying this episode? View more episodes of the Meetings Today Podcast! And stay tuned for more Wednesday Wrap bonus episodes in coming weeks.

Meetings Today's Danielle LeBreck chatted with Chief Content Officer Christoph Trappe about the Las Vegas Convention Center after he attended the annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) conference there in 2019.

While Trappe has attended a lot of Las Vegas meetings, it was his first time meeting at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

He shares his thoughts on current state of the event space, the convention center expansion, where to stay and how to get to the center.

[Related Content: 2019 Las Vegas Destination Supplement]

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Meetings Today Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson discusses LGBT+ issues in the meetings industry with Charles Chan Massey, a 30-year meetings industry veteran and advocate who remembers the "secret handshake" days. Now LGBT+ meeting professionals have their own association. Read more on that here.

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KiKi L'Italien, CEO and host of Association Chat, an online community for the association industry, always calls it like she sees it, and her observations from ASAE 2023 are no exception.

From association talent pipeline struggles and the impact of AI to what she believes is the curious lack of a hybrid component at "The Super Bowl of Meetings," L'Italien is one of the leading, authentic voices covering the world of associations and meetings technology.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson caught up with L'Italien at ASAE's 2023 Annual Meeting in Atlanta for a frank discussion about the state of the associations segment and what she's hearing from her large audience of association professionals.

Speaker Andre Norman stirred the crowd at SITE Global Conference 2023 in Manhattan with a gritty story of determination and redemption that will lift anyone, no matter what background they came from.

Norman relayed his incredible journey of being raised in poverty by a single mom with five brothers and sisters and serving 14 years in prison before turning his life around to become a Harvard Fellow and travel the world on a mission to help inmates and others suffering dire situations.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Norman to delve into his remarkable journey and discover how his message can move audiences to widen their beliefs on the possibilities of bettering our society by nurturing our young.

Danielle LeBreck and Jill Vance, the director of sales for The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, take a deep dive on why this tranquil Southwest Florida destination is ideal for your next meeting. They cover its natural beauty and inspiration surroundings, unique waterfront venues, team activities, CSR programs and more.

* This podcast was created in partnership with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson spoke with Atlantis Paradise Island's Christina Fischer at IMEX America about the luxury resort's ongoing charitable efforts to help Bahamians devastated by Hurricane Dorian.

Listen for more information on how you can help, too.

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In this Meetings Today podcast, senior contributor Jeff Heilman speaks with Destination DC President and CEO Elliott Ferguson at IMEX America 2024 in Las Vegas about the impact of Election 2024 on meetings and events, Destination DC’s new Connected Campus program for planners, sustainability and more.

Golfing is still a great way to conduct meetings and network. Learn some of the ways this outing has evolved and why scheduling your next golf event goes beyond the course from Mark Crabb with Greater Palm Springs CVB, interviewed at Meetings Today Live 2019.

Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center DOSM Russ Mitchell talks about the brand's massive new $1.3 billion property near San Diego, which will be the largest hotel on the West Coast.

Located in Chula Vista, California, and set for a May 15, 2025 opening, the property will offer a whopping 1,600 rooms and more than 477,000 square feet of meeting space that includes the 47,000-square-foot California Ballroom, the largest in the Golden State.

In this edition of Meetings Today's The Weekly Wrap, Tyler Davidson details stories on meetings tech giant Cvent's acquisition of DoubleDutch, Joan Eisenstodt's series on end-of-life event planners, a comprehensive guide to planning for people with disabilities and our upcoming F&B trends webinar with Caesars Entertainment's Michele Polci.

Get your week’s news in early with the Weekly Wrap! And also make sure to keep circling back to see what's new on the Meetings Today website.

Enjoying this episode? View more episodes of the Meetings Today Podcast! And stay tuned for more Weekly Wrap bonus episodes in coming weeks. 

One of the hottest topics in the meetings industry is talent acquisition and retention. Michael Massari, chief sales officer of Caesars Entertainment, started out his career in the hospitality industry as a busboy. But is the next generation of workers willing to start at the bottom? An industry vet chimes in during this Meetings Today podcast taped at IMEX America 2022.

Meetings Today Vice President & Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson sat down with Amy Kramer, innovation leader, and Aaron Dorsey, vice president of product management, for Maritz at IMEX America 2023 to get their take on how AI will transform the meetings industry, as well as other tech trends business event planners should have on their radar.

The main theme of MPI's World Education Congress 2019 and many of its educational sessions is designing event experiences. For venues, this means taking a completely new approach to meeting space design. Adam Wueller, director of creative product innovation at Hilton, discusses with Danielle LeBreck the hotel brand's new innovative approach to the design of its meeting spaces.

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Our weekly Trendsetter Tuesday podcast series checks in with Rachel Andrews, senior director of global meetings and events for meetings and events industry technology giant Cvent.

After signing on with Cvent in 2011, Andrews built its event program from the ground up. Fourteen years later, she leads a team of 30 managing some 1,200 events every year. She also has catapulted Cvent’s annual user conference, Cvent CONNECT, into a globally recognized industry event.

Andrews is also the co-host of Cvent’s Great Events podcast and is an MPI International Board of Directors member, sought-after speaker and respected mentor and leader.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with PCMA leader Sherrif Karamat and DI leader Don Welsh to discuss the organization's upcoming Business Events Industry Week, current in-person meetings trends and the associations' stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Bishop-McCann's new Return on Experience With Immersion Neuroscience technology, developed by Dr. Paul Zak, could transform the relevance and impact of meetings and event content via the brain waves of attendees.

Far-fetched? Welcome to the future.

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On this episode of Fast Forward, host Logan Pratt interviews Stephen Cutchins, one of the foremost experts on accessibility in the meetings and events industry on what the future of accessibility looks like in the industry and how planners can better incorporate accessibility in their events.

Stephen Cutchins joined Cvent in 2022 as senior manager of accessibility and has spent over 15 years helping clients achieve accessibility-related goals. In prior work leading accessibility programs, he worked closely with People with Disabilities, including those who were Blind, Deaf, or had physical disabilities. Stephen has a passion as well as firsthand experience understanding how People with Disabilities use the web. As Cvent’s Senior Manager of Accessibility, Stephen works to ensure that our products are both usable and enjoyable by attendees who have disabilities.

To celebrate our 2024 Meetings Trendsetters, Meetings Today launched "Trendsetter Tuesday," a podcast series of interviews with the 20 Trendsetters recognized in our July/August issue.

Dami Kim is a wellness warrior who's been practicing how to effectively care for her physical, emotional and mental well-being for 26 years. Now, as director of Body & Brain Wellness, she is helping some of the most stressed professionals in the world do the same.

Kim was named a 2024 Meetings Trendsetter by Meetings Today for her desire to educate the industry through innovative and transformative practices fueled by her passion for helping others.

Meetings Today's Taylor Smith sat down with this Trendsetter to see how she turned her own life around and found her passion for helping others do the same.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson chats with KiKi L'Italien, host of Association Chat podcast and senior consultant with Tecker International, about ASAE's Annual Meeting & Exposition, including the successes and challenges of its stringent COVID-19 testing policy (COVID spoiler alert!), as well as a unique new CSR option that encourages association attendees to contribute to organizations that counter potential boycott issues rather than having organizations cancel events or attendees decline to participate.

Michael Dominguez, CEO of ALHI (Associated Luxury Hotels International), brought meeting planners to the Omni Dallas Hotel for a one-day showcase of what their events may look like after the industry awakens from its COVID-19 slumber. 

From a new hockey arena to expanded airlift and its ever-present roster of top spas and golf resorts, Greater Palm Springs has emerged from the pandemic reinvigorated to win meetings and conventions business.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with Carolina Viazcan, vice president of sales for Visit Greater Palm Springs, to discover what’s new up and down the Coachella Valley, and how groups themselves can turn a meeting there into an opportunity to reconnect and reenergize.

Where are meetings and events at in the great post-shutdown recovery? Who is winning the force majeure battle? Are room rates and other meeting component prices going to ease up anytime soon? And what does it mean when someone says that attendees should design meetings?

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson caught up with Maritz Global Events Enterprise Vice President and COO Steve O’Malley at IMEX America 2022 to see what the global meetings and events juggernaut is noticing take shape regarding key industry issues.

O’Malley and his team are seeing organizational values such as sustainability and DEI stressed in RFPs, and data privacy is once again rising to the fore. And what about attendance levels? Will we ever get back to “normal?”

You’ll have to hear what O’Malley reveals to get the answers.

Late meeting and event registration keeping you up at night with heartburn and night sweats? Don't fret, planner! The later the registration the more ancillary spend an attendee drops at an event.

Maritz has released a groundbreaking Registration Insights Report that collected data over three years from 360,000 registrations at 30 tradeshows. Emily Laufgraben, market insight manager for the global meetings and events giant, reveals the sweet spot between fretting over late arrivals and taking their event spend to the bank.

According to a robust new survey from Maritz, late event registration translates into more ancillary meetings spend by attendees. Discover where this sweet spot between heartburn and revenue generation lies.

Buffets? Gone. And don’t even think about a donut wall!

The meetings F&B environment has been disrupted flatter than a collapsed souffle, but that doesn’t mean you need to let the air out of your culinary programs.

Tracy Stuckrath, owner of thrive! meetings & events, is the foremost expert on food allergies in the meetings and conventions environment, and has extended her knowledge to operating in the COVID-19 environment. This Meetings Today Podcast with Vice President & Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson gets Stuckrath’s take on how to manage your post-shutdown culinary programs, what to ask venues and attendees, and the life-and-death matter of food allergies.

Meetings Today sat down with Eugene Blabey, director of event planning and operations at Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel, to discuss the unique ways in which the hotel infuses local culture into its offerings, welcomes guests to a "West of Zen" experience and provides top-tier meeting services through the R.E.N. Meetings program, offering planners opportunities to try something different when they gather their groups at Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel.

Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson explores the many water-based activity options for groups visiting San Diego, with Blaine Amidei of DMC company Access. In San Diego there's water, water everywhere, so get your groups out on it!

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Have a need for a turnkey conference solution in the Big Apple, with a little touch of English elegance?

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson sat down with Fiona Macpherson, vice president of business development and sales for etc.venues, a 30-year-old, U.K.-based non-residential conference center operator that just opened a third location in Manhattan.

Discover what this London-based urban conference center option—which in 2019 hosted nearly 1 million delegates—brings to the U.S. market, being known for its interior design, F&B, technology and, being from England—a stellar tea selection, of course!

Following up on an earlier podcast in which the conversation turned to what future skills meeting and event planners will need, Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with meetings technology giant Cvent’s Paulina Curto, senior manager, meetings and events, and Rachel Andrews, senior director of global meetings and events, to expand on the topic.

From data analytics skills to a deeper understanding of technology, the meeting planner of the future will need to have a much larger skillset and a proficiency at cross-departmental communication and collaboration, such as with marketing departments.

Does your skillset match up with the needs of the future?

Attendees at IMEX America are in for a special treat in the form of the Google Xi CoLaboratory, where the tech giant is teaming up with other exhibitors and speakers to stage sessions and spaces focusing on experience design and inclusion.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson spoke with Kate Walsh, Megan Henshall and Naomi Clare Crellin to discover what Hello! Destination Management, Google and Storycraft Lab are cooking up in concert with other collaborators such as Marriott and Maritz on the exhibit floor at IMEX America 2023, and how the message they are delivering resonates beyond the annual event.

Danielle LeBreck and President & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee Peggy Williams-Smith talk about the event-packed year ahead for Milwaukee, new developments in the city, and all the best venues and offsites for meetings and events.

Enjoyed this podcast, and seriously considering Milwaukee for your next event? Apply to attend our Meetings Today LIVE! MidAmerica event May 3-6--a fully-hosted event for meeting planners. We'll connect you 1:1 with suppliers in the Midwest, do a bunch of site visits and explore Milwaukee's best attractions.
Inquire now!

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PCMA Convening Leaders held its 2023 edition in Columbus, Ohio, a destination that unveiled many surprises to attendees who enjoyed its booming restaurant scene, thriving arts and entertainment districts and the many facets of the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Did you know that Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and the 14th largest in the U.S., and is home to a diverse population that includes one of the largest LGBTQ+ populations per capita in the nation? It's also considered the fourth largest center of design in the U.S. and the headquarters city of a number of major Fortune 500 companies.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Experience Columbus President & CEO Brian Ross to get his impressions on major new developments in the destinations, Experience Columbus initiatives and what the impact of PCMA Convening Leaders will be on Ohio's capital city.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin massively revamped its operating procedures to host the Major League Soccer bubble, from accommodations and equipment to F&B. Here’s how three key staff members handled it. Read more.

Outspoken Orlando hotel icon Harris Rosen believes constant guest and staff screening is critical to getting the meetings industry out of its deep depression.

Hear what the firebrand independent hotelier told Vice President Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a coronavirus hospitality industry roundtable at his Rosen Shingle Creek property.

In this Meetings Today Podcast, Tyler Davidson engaged Rosen on the deep funk coronavirus has put the meetings industry in, the state of tourism in Orlando and his Rosen Plan for getting back to business pronto.

Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman does a deep dive on the Vegas food scene for groups with insider Donald Contursi, founder of award-winning Lip Smacking Foodie Tours.

[Related Content: 2018 Meetings Trendsetters: 20 Industry Agents of Change]

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Fresh from participating in Maritz Global Events' Innovation Lab at IMEX Frankfurt, Amy Kramer, innovation leader for the global events leader, discussed the "new language of events," which includes disruptive technology such as NFTs, the Metaverse and generative AI.

How close are meeting and event planners to including these new technologies in their programs, and how are younger meeting and event attendees driving the adoption trend. Discover what's around the corner for your events, and how sustainability is still a major concern as in-person and hybrid meetings come charging back and looking much different than ever before.

Stay ahead of the curve!

Meetings Today catches up with Kylie Brajak of Australia’s Crystalbrook Collection to learn more about new properties in Cairns, incentive options in Queensland and more in this podcast.

*This podcast was created in partnership with Business Events Australia. Note: Read Australia Next, the newly launched magazine for North American planners from Business Events Australia. 

See photos and read the transcript here.

Vice President and Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson discusses some of the top developments in the meetings industry on MeetingsToday.com, including our June cover story about stellar rooftop event venues and MGM International's scuttling of plans for a $2.6 billion resort casino in the Boston suburb of Everett, Massachusetts.

Get your week’s news in early with the Weekly Wrap!

Enjoying this episode? View more episodes of the Meetings Today Podcast! And stay tuned for more Weekly Wrap bonus episodes in coming weeks.

The Providence Warwick CVB named Kristen Adamo its new president and CEO. Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Adamo to discuss her new post as well as the culinary scene that has foodies taking note of Rhode Island's capital region.

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Meetings Today Lead Destinations Content Strategist, Danielle LeBreck, is in Orlando this week to review offerings for meeting and event planners. Here's a quick overview of what the Four Seasons Orlando Walt Disney can offer groups.

Discover what else is new in Florida in our special destination supplement.

 Enjoying this episode? View more episodes of the Meetings Today Podcast! 

Danielle LeBreck stops by the “All Roads Lead to Caesars Forum” road show in Minneapolis, Minnesota to catch up with Lisa Messina—VP of Sales for Caesars Entertainment—about the highly anticipated grand opening of Caesars Forum in Las Vegas in March.

From AI and attrition to data privacy and security, these are the top legal issues currently impacting the meetings and events industry.

We tapped the expertise of Jill Blood, VP, deputy general counsel for global meetings and events giant Maritz, along with Sarah Kiefer, VP, Brand, to see what legal issues are expected to be top of mind in 2024.

The results are in, and the incentive segment is trending up, but what reward program winners desire is rapidly changing.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson talks with Pádraic Gilligan, chief marketing officer for the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), about the results from the joint study with the Incentive Research Foundation that tapped the insights of more than 2,500 incentives professionals.

Read our coverage of the Incentive Travel Industry Index results.

[Related Content: 10 Tips for Planning a Corporate Incentive Travel Program]

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News that PCMA CEO Sherrif Karamat, a Canadian citizen, has yet to obtain a post-hiring EB-2 Green Card, and that PCMA has posted his position on its job board, has led to a great deal of confusion at the association and in the industry.

PCMA Chair of the Board of Directors Greg O'Dell fills in Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson on the situation and Karamat's status at the association.

Also: Learn more about PCMA EduCon 2019 in Los Angeles and a number of research studies and initiatives PCMA is pursuing.

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Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson touches base with Lori Cassidy and Pam Kressley, 30-year hospitality industry veterans who  just launched an incentive travel option that greatly simplifies the reward process while multiplying travel options for both awarders and awardees.

And if exclusive resorts and luxe cruises don't do the trick, companies can even launch their high-performing incentive winners into space!

Check out all the deets of this turnkey incentive travel reward option that promises to disrupt the segment by giving award-winners more say in what travel experiences they want. It's an idea whose time has come, and one that also helps organizational recruitment and retention efforts in a time when workforces have been stretched thin and employees have more bargaining power and desire more flexibility.

In this podcast, recorded live from the IMEX America 2021 show floor in Las Vegas, Tyler Davidson speaks with with Gerardo Tejado, general manager for Meetings & Events, American Express Meetings & Events, and Amanda Chamov, marketing manager, about the compelling reveal of the global business travel giant's major annual survey, 2022 Global Meetings and Events Forecast.

The 11th edition of the annual forecast garners planner perspectives on virtual and hybrid meetings, how they think their budgets will fare, the cost of key components and the relevance of issues such as sustainability, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and more.

Non-profit organization CreatiVets helps veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries by teaming them with songwriters to share what are sometimes their most guarded experiences and emotions.

Meetings Today got to experience the concept of this musical magic firsthand when it brought in CreatiVets to facilitate the writing of songs about meeting and event planning at its Meetings Today LIVE! South event in Nashville as part of a CSR program.

In this Meetings Today Podcast, Vice President & Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson discusses the mission of CreatiVets with Brett Gillan, its program director. Discover how you can help this amazing organization help our veterans through its unique form of music therapy.

Danielle LeBreck talks digital display tech with Ted Arbeiter, the tech services coordinator at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minnesota. Learn how digital display tech can bring your event into the 21st century, elevate the attendee experience and enhance your event branding in a cost-effective way.

[Related Content: 4 Reasons to Leverage Digital Displays at Conventions]

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Traci DePuy talks about her journey in the event marketing space, from her start as a PR representative to the Chief Marketing Officer for one of the largest associations of event professionals.

The Military Reunion Network's Sharon Danitschek explains how her company and its military veteran attendees accommodate service animals at their meetings. She also shares information about how her meeting planner colleagues and facilities can comply with federal law regarding service animals.

[Related Content: Laws Governing Service Animals at Meetings]

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Keynote speaker. Meeting planner. Hotel sales professional. Deborah Gardner has done it all, and shares her nearly 30 years of meetings industry knowledge and trends predictions with Meetings Today Vice President & Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson.

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Christoph Trappe chats with Jack Reed, director of sales with the Hilton Head Island Visitor & Convention Bureau, about the impact of increased regular air travel into town after the Hilton Head Island Airport in South Carolina extended its runway from 4,300 feet to 5,000 feet, encouraging more direct flights.

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What does it take to put on an event like the Super Bowl? Darren Green, Chief Sales Officer for LA Tourism, joins Meetings Today to share how his team worked with L.A. hospitality partners and the NFL to host Super Bowl LVI and its surrounding events. We also discuss new developments in L.A. that meeting planners should know about and big events coming to town in the next few years.

Tyler Davidson talks with representatives of MPAHT (Meeting Planners Against Human Trafficking) at MPI WEC 2019 about how planners and facilities can join the fight against a terrible scourge that often involves the sexual exploitation of children.

[Related Content: MPAHT Signs 'The Code' to Protect Children]

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From oversized balconies to fresh greens grown on-site, Destination Sales Executive Marc Alexander describes several of the top-notch amenities meeting and event planners can expect to find at the Orlando World Center Marriott, the world's largest Marriott. Read about the property's innovative produce program.

Discover what else is new in Florida in our special destination supplement.

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EventMobi recently acquired virtual events platform Run the World, which held an astonishing 50,000 virtual events during the pandemic for heavy hitters such as Forbes, Meta, Amazon, the United Nations Development Programme and Harvard University.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with event management software company EventMobi founder and CEO Bob Vaez to explore the benefits of the acquisition as face-to-face meetings have rebounded post-pandemic, as well as his take on some of the major meetings and events technology issues impacting the industry.

Hear why EventMobi is upping its hybrid meetings offering, and why you should continue to explore both standalone virtual events as well as meetings that combine virtual with in-person.

From the mammoth stage production facilities at Rock Lititz, where top acts such as Taylor Swift, Billy Joel, Rihanna and Justin Bieber tighten up their stage show before tours, to excellent teambuilding opportunities and the simple pleasures of the Amish way of life, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, offers up surprising lures for meetings groups.

Discover Lancaster President & CEO Edward Harris shares some of these "secret" offerings, such as wineries, breweries, ziplining and hot-air ballooning, as well as the destination's GBAC-accredited convention center and his experience joining and then leading the DMO through the pandemic.

Well, almost. On a visit to NYC, Playa Cativo Sales and Marketing Director Cesar Vargas talks with Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman about all the temptations of this boutique beachfront eco-lodge accessible only by boat in Costa Rica's rainforest.

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Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman finds instant kinship and lasting memories at this exclusive group enclave in Virginia's horse and wine country. Check out Jeff's On the Scene story about his visit to the Goodstone Inn.

Christoph Trappe spoke with Keith Kehl, director of marketing and sales with The Westin Michigan Avenue in Chicago, about what it means to be part of Marriott's Convention & Resort Network (CRN) and the personalized meeting experiences the hotel can offer groups.

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Tyler Davidson talks about some of the major stories Meetings Today has covered this week, including puppies at meetings, a controversial new teambuilding program and a fresh podcast on Elvis Presley and the Westgate Las Vegas Resort Casino!

Also, some of the top Trending stories on the Meetings Today website and what’s up on our Podcast page. Get your week’s news in early with The Wednesday Wrap!

Enjoying this episode? View more episodes of the Meetings Today Podcast! And stay tuned for more Wednesday Wrap bonus episodes in coming weeks.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson discusses the “what-ifs” regarding internet connectivity and audiovisual services following reports that CenturyLink suffered severe outages across its network. Also, Jon Trask of Strategic Meeting Tech fills meeting planners in on his tips for saving money on AV at events.

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After COVID-19 is in the rear-view mirror, how will the meetings and hotel industry have changed forever? Meetings Today Contributing Editor Robert Nieminen discussed what this new world may look like with top designer Michael Suomi, founder of Suomi Design Works. From social distancing to a hyper-aware focus on cleanliness, hospitality design and the meetings and conventions experience may never be the same.

Greater Phoenix is on a growth spurt that is welcoming new industries into the Valley of the Sun, with a robust tech sector in particular leading the way.

Deborah Lahti, director of resort and hotel sales for Visit Phoenix, shares how the fifth-largest city in the U.S. is continuing to expand, with spectacular new hotels and resorts and improvements to traditional favorites transforming its meetings and events offering.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Lahti to discover more about the impressive new resorts coming online and also learn about some of the top offsite event venue options in Greater Phoenix.

Tyler Davidson chats with the trailblazing Will Curran, "chief event Einstein" at Endless Events and a meetings and events cross-platform content machine. Learn why podcasting is so important to meeting planners, and how to identify the warning signs that you are about to get fleeced for your event Wi-Fi service.

[Related Content: How to Use Gamification to Influence Attendee Behavior]

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Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Mike Wainwright and Don Pfeffer at IMEX America 2021 to get key insights from the global hotel giant's Convention & Resort Network (CRN) regarding the recovery of the meetings industry.

CRN's Mike Wainwright,  vice president of  sales, Gaylord Hotels and Marriott Convention & Resort Network, and Robert Pfeffer, senior director, Convention & Resort Network, Resort Portfolio at Marriott International, delve into what the network is experiencing as far as bookings and leads, as well as how the pandemic experience will shape the post-COVID-19 landscape.

Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman talks to Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino's Director of PR and Community Affairs Gordon Prouty about the historic Elvis residency, staying competitive and life after 50 for the 1969 Vegas landmark.

[Related Content: Four Iconic Vegas Resorts Keep Meetings Scene Competitive]

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Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with Julie Brackenbury, president of Event Service Professionals Association and director of destination services for Visit Raleigh, about what role event services will play as we reboot the meetings industry.

Meetings Today's Taylor Smith joined World of Hyatt at the company's headquarters in downtown Chicago as one of the first to learn about the brand's latest loyalty program updates, including new perks for meeting planners.

Beth Lubotsky, head of loyalty strategy for World of Hyatt, shares how planners, as well as attendees and leisure travelers, stand to benefit via the revamped loyalty program.

Feeling boxed in and not recognized for your accomplishments? Lifelong hospitality industry veteran Dr. Lalia Rach has a prescription to help you manage your evolution within your profession, and in particular women executives and those climbing the organizational ladder.

The author of Managing the Book on YOU!, who is also executive managing director of Strategic Consulting Service, a division of ALHI, and founding dean of the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, shares her experience being “born into” the hospitality industry, how she elevated NYU’s meeting planning certificate program into an undergraduate degree program and her work helping hospitality industry professionals via her consulting work with global luxury hotel sales powerhouse ALHI.

Meetings Today Vice President and Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson details his exclusive access to shadow Marriott’s CRN 48-Hour Film Challenge, a truly out-of-the-box marketing concept that was ready for its close-up on location in Vancouver at the DOUGLAS, An Autograph Collection hotel. Read more here.

Also, some of the top Trending stories on the Meetings Today website and what’s up on our Podcast page. Get your week’s news early with The Wednesday Wrap!

Enjoying this episode? View more episodes of the Meetings Today Podcast! And stay tuned for more Wednesday Wrap bonus episodes in coming weeks.

Tyler Davidson explores Marriott International's collaboration with the PCMA Foundation on their "Trends for the Future of Meetings" project. Marriott's senior marketing manager, Amy Popper, explains the program and is joined by four of her Marriott property colleagues who describe how they're facilitating the trends at their hotels. Also: an update on Marriott's ambitious new Mastermind program.

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