Meetings and Events Industry News

Airbnb has formally entered the meetings and events sector with a simple widget and landing page. It will be much more interesting when Airbnb decides to use its platform to sell actual meeting space to organizers, since a global race is on among technology platforms to crack the online booking market for small and simple meetings.

The hubbub over commission cuts seems to have died down for now, although agents and planners are scrambling to figure out what to do. Booking away from Marriott and Hilton properties may not always be the best move for a client, so it will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

Travel agents and meeting planners feel betrayed by Marriott’s – and now Hilton’s – move to cut commissions on group bookings. They’re grappling with ways to deal with the cuts, even as they fear more hotel companies may follow suit. It's not personal, though; it's strictly business.

Data security is taking on a new importance, with new legislation and the public spotlight moving to shine on the dangers of mishandled personal information. Partner with the right technology providers to avoid making a costly mistake.

U.S. meeting planners expect the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation to have a major effect on how they manage data. While the giant meetings firms are prepared to comply with it, smaller companies and related meetings vendors may lag behind.

What is Event Promotion?

Collaboration between IMEX Group and C2 International shows the value, and power, of creativity in the meetings and events space. The more lessons planners from around the world can learn from these educational sessions, the better.

Safety should be a priority for events, whether taking place at a local hotel or a convention center in a gateway city. Unfortunately, event planners don't always have the resources they need to prepare for complicated security situations.

The meetings and events industry is still working to figure out a better approach to security. For the time being, safety should be the priority for planners as they look to stage new events, even if a destination doesn't seem particularly risky.

Downtown Phoenix is an established and spirited meetings destination due to significant infrastructure investments in recent years. Building on that, the public and private sectors are now collaborating more intentionally to connect meeting planners with the region's thought leaders in technology, healthcare, and other advanced industries.