Industry
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.
At IMEX America, Destinations International Redefines the Future of DMOs
At IMEX America in Las Vegas this week, Destinations International (DI) delivered a wake-up call to the global meetings industry: destination organizations are no longer just the logistical backdrop to events—they’re becoming co-architects of experience and community impact.
Keep It Small: The Best Advice I Ever Got Still Works at IMEX America
Big shows like IMEX America are proof of just how much the events industry thrives on human connection, but also how easy it is to drown in the noise. Keeping things small doesn’t make your goals smaller; it makes them doable. So the next time you’re standing on a trade show floor, trying to figure out what to do first, remember my brother’s advice: find the ball first, then swing.
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.
