Corporate Event News

In this challenging time in our society, many event organizers and attendees have undoubtedly faced the difficulty of planning or attending conferences in destinations that have passed legislation that don’t align with their values. While boycotting an event or a destination is an option for attendees or meeting organizers, there’s a strong argument to be made that bans are ineffective, harm local businesses, and stifle dialogue. Unsatisfied with boycotts, Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP-Fellow, CAE, vp of event strategy and design at 360 Live Media, and her wife, Elena Gerstmann, PhD, FASAE, CAE, executive director of INFORMS, brainstormed an alternative: SocialOffset, a platform that enables event organizers and attendees to support local charities working to offset troubling policies or conditions in a particular destination. Launched in early 2023, the platform has has organized campaigns with 103 events and raised thousands for charities focused on at least one of six areas: racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, hunger relief, housing security, environmental sustainability, and reproductive freedom.  Read Susan Hatch's excellent interview with Surmont about SocialOffset and more, originally published in our sister publication, MeetingsNet, here: https://lnkd.in/e4KCagUG #corporateevents #meetings #DEI #eventprofs #meetingsandevents

Events need water! From flushing toilets to washing linens to serving drinking water and ice for happy hours, water at #corporateevents is everywhere – but can often be overlooked when it comes to conservation measures. What, after all, can #eventprofs really do to mitigate water consumption beyond measuring how much we used? In their latest exclusive article for Corporate Event News, the event #sustainability experts at Honeycomb Strategies share four ways to manage different types of water for your meeting or event. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/e6_FPvBw #corporateevents #meetings #meetingsandevents

When it comes to #sustainability, some have framed the 2024 Presidential election in terms of more regulation vs. deregulation. But in reality, what happens at the ballot box will not determine if there will be more climate policymaking, but rather where that policymaking will happen. In his latest blog for CEN, Tommy Goodwin, vice president of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance, shares that no matter which candidate is elected in November, the trade show industry must prepare by maintaining control of its shared path to Net Zero. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ecs-QgtQ #corporateevents #meetings #eventprofs #meetingsandevents

Since September, several leading venues announced or completed major expansion and remodel projects while others upped the ante with high-level environmental and inclusivity certifications. Check out our latest Venue News here: https://lnkd.in/eyMATpNa Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas Cobb Galleria Centre Events DC Los Angeles Convention Center ASM Global Oak View Group Grand River Center #corporateevents #meetings #eventprofs #eventvenues #meetingsandevents

Think you have what it takes to win a 2024 TSNN - Trade Show News Network Award? Time’s running out—you’ve got less than a week to prove it! 🏆 Winning isn’t just an honor; it’s a bold statement about your impact on the trade show industry. Showcase your hard work, your brand, and your influence—submit now! 👇 https://lnkd.in/eK4Sqnsc #TSNNAwards #TradeShowExcellence

A "72-hour whirlwind” is what Workday’s own senior content marketing manager called Workday Rising 2024 and its “Forever Forward” theme this year. And true to the motif, the annual conference for the financial and human-resource management platform boasted a footprint that extended beyond the trade show floor at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center in Las Vegas to a tour bus, a rockstar-worthy experiential pavilion, and even Netflix.  Overflowing with rich content and high-profile special guest speakers, the event clocked 15% year-over-year attendance growth for its 2024 iteration Sept. 16-19, which welcomed more than 30,000 attendees. Here, CEN's Shannon Thaler shares five standout moments from Workday 2024 worth reliving and feeling inspired by: https://lnkd.in/eDPRH6pa #corporateevents #meetings #eventprofs #meetingsandevents

Exciting news for the travel, tourism, and business events industry! In just six weeks, Julie Coker, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA), will leave San Diego to lead New York City Tourism + Conventions as its new president and CEO. Coker will remain in her current role until Dec. 6 and begin her new position Dec. 9. As the first Black woman to serve as leader of NYC Tourism + Conventions, Coker will be filling the role of former President and CEO Fred Dixon, who served as the organization’s leader for 10 years, from 2014 until his departure in June 2024, when he was tapped to lead Brand USA. Read our coverage here: https://lnkd.in/ev_8bdpn #corporateevents #meetings #eventprofs #meetingsandevents

Looking to finish the year strong or step into 2025 already ahead of the game? Connect Winter Marketplace is your chance to do both 😏   November 20-22, D.C. will become the hub for powerful one-on-one appointments with decision-makers in corporate, association, and medical events, along with intentional networking opportunities and game-changing education. This is where industry-defining business gets done.   Stop waiting and start closing deals that will define the year ahead. Hurry, there are only a few spots left ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/evkVPRh5 #ConnectWMP #eventsindustry #meetingsandevents #hostedbuyers

Get an insider's view on the logistics, planning, and execution of the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Held Aug. 19-22, the DNC attracted more than 50,000 attendees, including 5,000 delegates and alternates and 15,000 members of the media. CEN’s Danica Tormohlen got the inside scoop with Casey Frary, senior director, venue operations and Democratic National Convention senior advisor, and Lisa Miller, vice president, event and trade show production, Hargrove, LLC from Encore. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dAY8Cey4

Could airfare, hotel guest room rates, and meeting and event costs at business hotels become a little more reasonable next year? With many organizations in the midst of setting their travel and event budgets for 2025, the recently released Global Business Travel Forecast from business-travel and meetings agency CWT and the GBTA | Global Business Travel Association provides data that planners can use to justify next year’s funding requests. To learn more and download the report, check out this excellent article by MeetingsNet's Rob Carey here: https://lnkd.in/ehR-JmTi #corporateevents #meetings #eventprofs #meetingsandevents