Industry
Please Fasten Your Seatbelt—and Don’t Drink the Water
Airlines would like you to believe the biggest threat to your inflight experience is a reclining seatmate or a gate agent announcing a “short delay” that somehow lasts 90 minutes. But according to a new 2026 airline water study, the real danger may already be in your cup.
It’s A Wonderful Life—But a Terrible Business Model
Beneath the tinsel and the warm fuzzies lies something darker — and, yes, shockingly instructive for event planners, executives, and anyone who’s ever run a P&L. Most people watch the movie and see redemption. What savvy strategists should see are management missteps, leadership blind spots, and a character study in why good intentions don’t make good results.
The New Geography of Meetings
According to the 2026 AMEX GBT Global Meetings & Events Forecast, optimism has returned across every major region, but it’s being tempered by cost pressures, rising expectations, and a growing reliance on technology.
AMEX GBT’s 2026 Forecast: The Future of Meetings Is Surprisingly Transformative
The new AMEX GBT forecast isn’t subtle—AI is in, budgets are strained, and attendees want an experience that hits harder than the keynote Reading Time: 6 Minutes After years of volatility, the meetings and events industry is finally entering a period that feels—dare we say it—stable. And according to the new AMEX GBT Global Meetings […]
Raging Bull: How Airline Management Creates Unruly Passengers
Passengers don’t act unruly in a vacuum. Most have already been corralled through TSA like livestock, squeezed into overcrowded gates with no power outlets, and told nothing about why their flight has been delayed for four hours.
Hilton’s 2026 Agenda: Don’t Just Expand—Evolve
Hilton isn’t just adding hotels in 2026 — it’s building a stronger pitch deck for meetings, incentives, and business events. With over 30 properties opening across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East & Africa and Asia Pacific, the brand is planting flags where planners want to go and attendees won’t mind following.
Shutdown Turbulence: FAA Flight Cuts Leave the Meetings Industry in a Holding Pattern
When the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would reduce U.S. air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets starting Friday, it wasn’t just another bureaucratic headline—it was a body blow to an industry that runs on mobility.
When Washington Grounds America, It Grounds Business Too
The U.S. air system moves more than 44,000 flights a day, powering a meetings and events economy that contributes $234 billion to GDP and supports 5.6 million jobs, according to the Events Industry Council. Those flights aren’t just moving tourists — they’re moving entrepreneurs, dealmakers, innovators, and entire industries that rely on physical connection to thrive.
Convene Levels Up: Inside the Launch of Convene Hospitality Group
There’s a new player in the hospitality ecosystem—but it’s made up of names planners already know. This week, Convene announced the formation of Convene Hospitality Group (CHG), a parent company that unites Convene and etc.venues under one umbrella, creating what CEO Ryan Simonetti calls “a house of hospitality-driven brands built for the full spectrum of modern meetings.”
Here’s Looking at You, LaGuardia
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, we have to be stuck in this one."Your attendees aren't just waiting for a flight; they are refugees in a holding pattern, desperately seeking their "letters of transit," just like all those characters in the classic film, Casablanca.
