Industry
USTA Travel Price Index Shows Travel Costs Rising—Again
Planning budgets just got trickier. According to the U.S. Travel Association’s (USTA) latest Travel Price Index (TPI), the cost of getting people to and from your event ticked up in August — and not by a little.
Austin’s $1.6 Billion Bet: Conventions Over Culture
Shiny new exhibit halls are meaningless if they sit in cities that feel generic, underfunded, or hostile to locals. Attendees don’t just want a ballroom—they want a city they can’t wait to explore after the sessions end.
Southwest’s Seating Shake-Up: No Room for Surprises
Southwest Airlines has long maintained a “Customer of Size” policy, but beginning January 27, 2026, the rules get sharper. PSouthwest Airlines has long maintained a “Customer of Size” policy, but beginning January 27, 2026, the rules get sharper. The airline will move from open seating to assigned seating, and with that comes stricter requirements: passengers who encroach on a neighboring seat must purchase an additional seat in advance. The airline defines the armrest as the boundary line.
24 Years After 9/11: A Walk Through the Day That Changed Everything
It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since 9/11 — a day that changed the nation and the world. On this milestone anniversary, I find myself remembering not only the enormous impact and tragedy of that day, but also the people — friends, colleagues, strangers — whose lives were forever changed.
Facial Recognition Opt-Out Could Snarl TSA Lines
A new law under consideration in Congress would give air travelers the right to opt out of using facial recognition technology at TSA checkpoints. Privacy advocates applaud the move. But the nation’s largest carriers warn that it could snarl airport operations and make TSA wait times significantly longer.
Shell Shocked
When we put cultural experiences, local delicacies, or off-site adventures on the agenda, we’re not just scheduling a meal or a tour. We’re inviting attendees to step outside their comfort zones. Sometimes, the difference between a success story and a horror story isn’t the experience itself. It’s how ready your attendees were to embrace it.
Certainty Is Overrated (and Occasionally Dangerous)
Planners are constantly asked to make decisions—about site selection, security measures, networking formats, content strategy, and a hundred other variables. In the rush to keep projects moving, we often mistake certainty for clarity.
On Track: Could a Coast-to-Coast Rail Revival Become a Reality?
If the stars align—and freight railroads, Amtrak, and private investors all play ball—AmeriStarRail may soon offer meeting and incentive planners something the U.S. hasn’t seen in generations: a private, coast-to-coast rail service designed not just for travelers, but for trucks, autos, and group business.
DMOs, Disrupted: 2025 DestinationNEXT Report Redefines the Future of Meetings
The 2025 DestinationNEXT Futures Study, conducted by Destinations International (DI) arrives amid volatile geopolitical landscapes, advancing AI technologies, and shifting expectations around community benefit. The report delivers a commanding message: destination organizations must evolve—from broadcasting to brand-building
Lost in Abbreviation: Surviving Acronym Overload in Meetings and Events
From RFPs to ROI, planners are drowning in industry lingo. Hotels, vendors, clients, DMOs, AV teams—they all have their own shorthand. Time to resurface with a little clarity.
