Industry
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.
Navigating Geopolitical Risks: A Guide for Association Meeting Planners
A new white paper from The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau and the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE) outlines how geopolitical instability is no longer a temporary disruption — it’s the new operating environment for associations and the meetings they convene.
Stop Slipping Off Shoes, Start Slipping Up On Security?
Flights are delayed more often than ever, weather disruptions are worsening, and the system is creaking under the strain of pilot shortages and overburdened air traffic controllers. Yet even as the journey itself becomes harder, the push to make airport security more convenient is accelerating.
Stop Apologizing for Exhibitions
For years, the meetings and events industry has been peppered with cautious optimism: “Events are returning,” we said. “People still value face-to-face,” we reassured. “Hybrid isn’t replacing in-person,” we declared. Enough already.
4 Steps to Avoiding a Digital Dumpster Fire
As AI tools like ChatGPT become part of everyday workflows, a federal court ordering OpenAI to indefinitely retain all ChatGPT conversation logs means event professionals must now take a closer look at how they use AI.
Tourism Trends Reshape Events
The global tourism industry is experiencing significant shifts in 2025, presenting both challenges and opportunities for meeting and event planners. Understanding these trends is crucial for crafting successful events that resonate with today's travelers.
One Month Into REAL ID
It’s been just over a month since the REAL ID Act finally took flight—literally. For the meetings and events industry, the ripple effects have been swift, sometimes jarring, and surprisingly revealing.
