asae annual meeting 2017

This week, ASAE built buzz for its upcoming annual meeting and exposition by announcing the event’s keynote and game-changing speakers. The 2017 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition will come to Toronto August 12–15. Nearly 5,000 association professionals and industry partners are expected to attend.

Attendees will be treated to a closing keynote by Jeff Henderson, an executive chef for brands such as Caesars and Bellagio. Henderson is also The New York Times bestselling author of Cooked: My Journey from the Streets to the Stove.

The chef’s personal reinvention will be a component of the address. He will also use inspirational anecdotes to demonstrate how diversity results in organizational benefits, including increased staff retention and more confident, productive teams.

In addition, the conference will present five game-changing speakers from outside the association community. These game changers will share their diverse perspectives and innovative ideas with attendees:

–Major Mary Jennings “MJ” Hegar, executive coach and consultant and former Air National Guard pilot, will present Be the Change.
–Daniel Lerner, New York University psychology professor and author of U Thrive, will speak on Balanced Obsession: The Science of Happiness and Success.
–Luvvie Ajayi, executive director of The Red Pump Project, will motivate with her talk I’m Judging You: Do Better.
–Nyle DiMarco, deaf activist and winner of America’s Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars, will inspire in a presentation titled Living out Loud.
–Chris Bailey, author of The Productivity Project, will discuss how to Be More Awesome: A Fresh Approach to Productivity.

Also on the docket for the ASAE Annual Meeting are more than 120 education sessions, preconference workshops and masterclasses designed to enhance career and knowledge pathways for professionals in the association and nonprofit sectors.

“We are excited for this year’s meeting in Toronto. Chef Jeff Henderson, the five game changers, and education session leaders will provide attendees with inspiration, new ideas and different perspectives on a variety of association management topics and challenges they are facing,” said ASAE President and CEO John H. Graham IV, FASAE, CAE. “Participants will bring back innovative solutions to their organization.”

Registration is now open, and a comprehensive ASAE Annual Meeting website has launched.

conventions 2018

One of the signature aspects of the meetings industry is the many inspiring, educational and fun annual conferences scheduled throughout the year. These events have been more exciting than ever recently due to the rapidly evolving offerings, which mirror the dynamic industry, in general.

Here is a rundown of eight of the must-attend conventions, including some fresh features that will be added this year.

The Special Event 2018

Jan. 30–Feb. 1, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans

New Orleans is always a popular meetings destination, and this year it should be off the charts because the city is celebrating its 300th birthday. Drawing more than 5,000 attendees and featuring more than 100 education sessions, The Special Event (TSE) is one of the largest trade shows and conferences for event professionals. Thousands of products will be displayed on the exhibit floor and the opening party at historic Generations Hall will be one for the ages.

IACC-Americas Connect 2018

April 16–18, Chubb Hotel and Conference Center, Philadelphia

Participants in the IACC-Americas Connect conference will focus on the latest meeting trends and innovations. They will collaborate with professionals from around the world, selected for their expertise on the newest technologies, unique educational formats and F&B trends.

2018 National Planning Conference

April 21–24, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans

The American Planning Association’s 2018 National Planning Conference, also slated for Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in The Big Easy, will bring together thousands of planners, planning commissioners, appointed and elected officials, and students to discuss fresh ideas and innovative planning. The conference is a great place to connect with colleagues, meet planners from around the world and find a mentor.

World Education Congress 2018

June 2–5, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis

Always a prominent event, this year Meeting Professionals International’s World Education Congress will introduce a completely redesigned education and engagement program intended to ignite new ideas and connect participants with the people they need to meet. WEC18 will feature customizable education, networking and business exchanges; WEC villages, rather than session rooms, intended to get participants’ minds moving and networks growing; and morning WEC Pep Rallies to stimulate and inspire participants.

2018 PCMA Education Conference

June 10–13, Cleveland Convention Center

Organized by Professional Convention Management Association, PCMA Education Conference always includes conversations with thought leaders who bring fresh perspectives on hot issues in the meetings industry.

2018 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition

Aug. 18–21, McCormick Place, Chicago

At this American Society of Association Executives conference, thousands of association professionals and industry partners will gather to exchange time, resources, strategies and solutions. The goal at ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition is to equip attendees with a year’s worth of support in their daily responsibilities as leaders in the association industry.

The Event Planner Expo 2018

Oct. 2–3, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York City

New York City’s premier trade show for the events and hospitality industry, The Event Planner Expo 2018 will give attendees the opportunity to network with like-minded industry professionals, discover amazing partners for their upcoming events and increase business. More than 3,000 event professionals, corporate professionals, event planners and CEOs are expected to attend. The show will feature 150 exhibitors representing the best vendors and venues in the city. Sign up to hear from three visionary speakers: Martha Stewart, CEO of Martha Stewart Living; Colin Cowie, CEO of Colin Cowie Enterprises; and Randi Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media.

IMEX America 2018

Oct. 16–18, Sands Expo and Convention Center, and The Venetian/The Palazzo, Las Vegas

One of the meetings industry’s signature annual events, IMEX America 2018 will feature a trade show, inspiring speakers, fresh ideas and continuous inspiration. More than 180 educational and networking events will be offered. Last year, more than 3,200 exhibitors, from more than 130 countries, participated.

What is your vision of the future? Gazing into your personal crystal ball may be more important than you think, according to futurist Glen Hiemstra, kickoff speaker at Smart Meeting Northwest and author of Millennial City: How a New Generation Can Save the Future. That is because the future doesn’t happen to us—we create it, based on our expectations. “Your vision of tomorrow changes the things you pursue today,” he said.

Hiemstra, who has consulted with the likes of Microsoft, Boeing and Eddie Bauer, shared this bit of wisdom with planners and suppliers gathered in the new Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport, where a glass-lined conference room looked out over the water. As the group looked forward to a productive day of learning about new venues, making friends and doing business, he and Anna Liotta, the afternoon keynote and author of Unlocking Generational Codes, helped them think about how what they are doing in that room will impact their lives in the months and years to come.

The bottom line, Hiemstra said, is that the future is more knowable than we may think. Here are some of the things attendees of this annual gathering can look forward to.

Prepare for The People of the Screen

The workforce is changing. The generation that grew up with computers will not accept the old limitations of waiting for things to happen. They know how to work around roadblocks, and expect immediate action and lots of choices. That will change how meetings are structured, Hiemstra said. It will also lead to new levels of connectivity and richer connections.

“One of biggest challenges as individuals and organizations is to learn how to affect change in order to reach our preferred future out of all the possible futures,” he said. “Driverless cars, convenient space travel, artificial intelligence—all of these things are coming.” The question is how we will integrate advances into our lives.

“In-person meetings will still be important,” he predicted. “But people will travel to get together for specific purposes, not day-to-day activities that can be done by wiggling our fingers at a laptop anywhere in the world.”

He concluded, “The future is not something that happens to you: It is something you do.”

Learn Generational Codebreaking

That new millennial workforce coming into place was shaped by a different set of cultural references than the traditionalist, baby boomer and Gen Xers who came before. Liotta explained that people operate based on generational codes in place when they entered the workforce. “There is not a right way or wrong way to communicate, but those who will be successful will be able to toggle between generational codes,” she said.

What did that mean for the group of meetings professionals of all ages finishing up their beeted salmon on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon? If you are talking to a millennial, cut to the chase and add value right away. If you are talking to a boomer, lead with a little self-disclosure and establish a relationship before getting down to business.

And don’t forget that the Gen Xers are reaching the age where they are the decisionmakers holding the purse strings, so even though their numbers may be sandwiched between two larger groups, they cannot be dismissed.

The good news is that all employees share some common languages. Regardless of age, almost everyone is looking for meaning in their work, Liotta said. They want to make an impact. Employers who find a way to be employees’ “because” reason for getting up in the morning will be the ones to retain that talent.

Try Some Fresh Air

Everyone was eager to practice their new conversational perspective on a cruise around Lake Washington, with live accompaniment from the band Mark Roemen and the Whereabouts, while sporting their new shades from Cultivate premium gifting company.

Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) has arrived, with meetings industry professionals celebrating at more than 160 events around the world. Recent research from Oxford Economics affirmed the importance of face-to-face meetings—they supported 5.9 million jobs and $845 billion in economic impact in the United States. Smart Meetings is celebrating GMID by sharing the stories of empowerment from all over the world.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in on the importance of the industry in his released statement saying, “Global Meetings Industry Day offers a wonderful opportunity to highlight the important role professionals in the meetings and events industry play in our communities. Their expertise and skills ensure the success of conferences, trade shows and business meetings held across the world.”

Best Cities and Greater Bogota Convention Bureau Team Up

BestCities Global Alliance has launched its latest campaign with a focus on the “Power of the People.”  Led by Greater Bogota Convention Bureau, the communications initiative shines a spotlight on the unique and progressive role people play in the meetings and events industry. “We strongly believe that each person has the power to make a fundamental difference that can shape the future and make a positive change,” says Linda Garzon Rocha of Greater Bogota Convention Bureau. Eleven more BestCities destinations will also participate, including Cape Town, Tokyo, Houston and Vancouver.

MPI Northern California

MPI Northern California Chapter celebrated at AT&T Park with a toast to the economic power of bringing people together.

Meet AC Brings Virtual Reality to Forefront

In partnership with YouVisit, Meet AC announced today that it has gone digital. By implementing virtual reality (VR) headsets, the sales team is bringing Atlantic City to its viewers, no matter their location. The use of VR will allow the Meet AC sales team to both meet their goals and focus on bookings at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Game Changers in the Meetings Industry

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, had words of wisdom to share regarding the importance of the industry in honor of GMID. Reflecting on how the meetings industry has evolved since 2001, she believes that there were four “tipping points:” globalization, emergence of cities and regions around the world as knowledge or innovation hubs, the rise of technology and the internet, and the “TED factor.” “This is an incredibly exciting time to be in the meetings and events industry!” she says.

NYC & Company Shines Blue

The New York City skyline (including the Empire State Building, Pier 17 and Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Crystal Palace Dome) was awash in blue light to mark the power of the meetings industry while telling the industry story popped up on big screens in Times Square and LinkNYC. The NYC and Company team also co-hosted education sessions with PCMA in Potomac, sponsored an event at Universal Studios in Hollywood with MPISCC, SITE SoCal and PCMA-SW, co-chaired planner for celebrations in Kansas City and Minneapolis and hosted a dinner for buyers in Warsaw.

Four Seasons Makes Design Top Priority

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts consider meetings and events when designing a new hotel or resort. It prides itself on its ability to customize space to host the perfect event, and event management teams, such as general managers and property teams, are eager to help create a personalized event. “Meetings and events are not only an important part of business growth, they are also an opportunity for us to showcase the passion, creativity and excellence that happens every day at Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world,” says Peter Nowlan, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

 

Continue following Smart Meetings throughout the day for more updates on GMID across the globe.

MPI WEC18
Food trucks at day 2 of WEC18.

The first full day of Meeting Professionals International inspired attendees by striking up the literal band to usher in speakers, rolling out food trucks to maximize F&B options, and picking up puppies to warm hearts and hands of the 2,200 attendees at World Education Conference 2018 in Indianapolis (or as the locals call it, Indy). Another 900-plus event professionals have dropped in on the fun virtually. Day two’s agenda focused on ideation in words and deeds. Here are three features you just might want to steal for your next event.

1. Put CSR at the Center

Each of the new integrated villages include philanthropy opportunities, and sustainability went way beyond recycling. MPI WEC Host Committee Co-Chair Amanda Cecil explained that the goal is to ensure the event has zero impact. Leftover food is donated to a local charity, Second Helpings. To ensure a true partnership that make a real difference, the team asked charities Julian Center and Dress for Success what they needed. The answer came back: accessories and children’s books. Therefore, donations of those items started before anyone stepped in the door. And once everyone has caught their flight out, conference supplies will go to Teacher’s Treasures national charity.

Amanda Armstrong poses with a pup at WEC18 day 2.

Modification: Talk about options for reducing food waste and ethical sourcing with vendors. Whether it is as simple as eliminating plastic straws or as elaborate as investing the time and capital into dedicating a part of the day to packing supplies for kids, it sets the tone for a meeting focused on doing the right thing.

2. Entertain Them

Michael Cerbelli returned with his Hot List, demonstrated live and punctuated with white sparkle fountains. His idea of a good time ranged from a master card-throwing (Rick Smith Jr. from Innovative Entertainment), situational comedy (Harrison Greenbaum) and down-home harmonies (Face Vocal Band) to knife-throwing (Strange Danger Thrill Acts).

Modification: Musicians that fit the energy level and style of the event can help everyone get in synch—whether it is harp players or DJ Splyce (who may have coincidentally played at WEC).

3. Pay It Forward

WEC18
Roger Dow, Chief Executive Officer and President of Travel Industry Association of America

The President’s Dinner honored industry leaders, including Roger Dow, Michael Owen and Wojciech Liszka. It also recognized MPI Southern California Chapter for innovative educational programming, MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter for marketplace excellence, MPI Chicago Area Chapter for being an industry advocate and MPI Tennessee Chapter for membership achievement. More than that, the event raised $110,000 for MPI Foundation scholarships that will help more creative people enter and advance their events careers.

Modification: You may not have the budget for a professional auctioneer-type with an English accent to hold dinner service hostage until out of competitive pride, hunger or a sense of doing good, they hold up their paddles and open their wallets. However, you do understand what is important for your attendees. If you can tell a story about how a small contribution from those who can afford it will make a big difference, then everyone will leave the dinner satisfied that in addition to consuming a wonderful raspberry port cheesecake, they made the world a better place.

Imex America
Photo credit: IMEX America

IMEX America 2018, set for October in Las Vegas, will offer a wide array of experiential activities, reflecting the growing trend for engaging interactive activities in the meetings industry.

“The phenomenal interest and positive responses to C2 International’s Learning Labs, the Live Zone and the many experiential elements of IMEX in Frankfurt this year reinforced our perception of the enthusiasm within the industry for experiential activities,” said Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group. “Through our partnerships with C2 International and working with other groups, we’ll certainly be bringing an exciting range of new experiential ideas to IMEX America in October.”

As a result of its new partnership with IMEX Group, C2 will also be bringing its Learning Labs to Las Vegas. C2 International has a team of ground-breaking experts in innovative business conferences and is a leading proponent of radical, challenging and inspiring new experiences.

IMEX America will also include experiential innovations that extend and disrupt traditional concepts of meetings and events. An observer of the IMEX in Frankfurt described the lineup of new formats and experiences as a “cascade of cool.” With IMEX America expanding into larger halls this year, partners and exhibitors will have plenty of room to demonstrate their inventiveness.

The emphasis on experiential activities stems in part from new research from MPI Outlook for IMEX Group. It showed that during the past three years, an overwhelming majority, 87 percent of meeting professionals, reported seeing an increased demand from clients or colleagues to include more experiential activities in their programs and 29 percent have seen a significant increase. That means only about one in every ten planners are not affected by this shift in expectations.

A majority, some 69 percent of respondents, expect to include experiential elements in meetings and conventions from now on, and 16 percent plan to start adding them in a year or two, 5 percent expect to do so in three years or more and 9 percent have no plans to include them.

“This research quantifies and powerfully emphasizes the significance of this trend in the wider industry,” Bauer said.

Respondents were asked to define “experiential activities,” and, in summary, described them as “activities that create an opportunity for attendees to use many senses and engage in an event while actively participating in a hands-on way.”

IMEX America will take place Oct. 16–18 at The Venetian/The Palazzo and will be preceded by Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on Oct. 15.

Destinations International

For event professionals, inspiration can be around every corner. After all, part of the job is facilitating transformational moments. Destinations International featured one of the most genuine motivators around at the Inspire Conference in Anaheim. Olympic gold medal-winning soccer forward Abby Wambach, whose keynote was sponsored by PCMA, had a leadership message worth sharing.

But first, more about her background. The now-retired soccer phenomenon is the world’s record holder for the most international goals—184—ever scored. That is not the women’s record. That is the most for anyone—male or female. This is a person who could kick a ball past the outstretched arms of a defending goalie and into a net better than anyone else. She could do this from age four.

She was a leader and role model throughout her career. And yet, she learned the hard lessons the way many of us do, through failure and sacrifice. As she contemplates her next chapter, this fierce competitor shared some of the lessons that guided her career and the challenges she has dedicated herself to tackling in the coming years. As we all reach for our own dreams in a shifting world, Wambach is a role model worth watching.

1. Make Failure Your Fuel

Wambach believes failure is not something to be ashamed of: It’s the highest-octane fuel your life can run on. Mistakes are how you learn, and losing is the best motivator for coming back stronger next time. In an address to the 2018 Barnard College graduating class that is now internet-famous, she quoted Michelle Obama’s advice that learning how to “fail-up” is a success secret that can be borrowed from the guys. In Wambach’s case, she learned from her role models how to use losses as inspiration. As she put it, “In order to become my very best—on the pitch and off—I’d need to spend my life letting the feelings and lessons of failure transform into my power.”

2. Put the Goal First

In typical Wambach style—with a sly grin and a revelation of a personal truth—she shared how some of her biggest disappointments were part of the journey to a bigger team goal. When she realized she was going to have to ride the bench in order to be the best resource for her team during the FIFA Women’s World Cup, she wasn’t happy. Actually, what she said was, “So, that sucked.”

The athlete in her wanted to play every possible minute in the game she had been training for all her life. But then she realized she could be even more valuable fresh, when her team needed her the most; and even more importantly, that she could lead from the bench with the right attitude. The same is true for nonathletes, she explained. “Lead from wherever you are,” she said.

3. Match Your Values with Your Actions and Time

This one has been particularly important as Wambach has transitioned to her new career as an activist and speaker. It is one thing to say that family and health are important causes, but only by spending time promoting them do you show they matter—and do you succeed. Put your energy where your priorities are.

Destinations InternationalOne of the values Abby Wambach is playing for now is gender inclusion. Like many young women, she said in her Barnard address that she was taught to be grateful. “I was taught to keep my head down, stay on the path and get my job done,” she said. Actually, the way this world-class athlete described herself growing up was a little more colorful: “I was freaking Little Red Riding Hood,” she said.

That fairy-tale depiction was not a positive one. It is the one in which girls are told to walk the straight and narrow and not ask any questions—or, they are warned, the consequences will be dire. A wolf will devour you and everything you love.

Luckily, Wambach finally realized she was not a helpless girl in an oversize cape. She was the wolf! She encouraged her audience to find their own inner Big Bad Wolf to live up to their true potential.

Or, in Wambach-speak, “It’s time to demand the ball.”

4. Enjoy the Ride

Once you figure out what to devote your life to, celebrate it—rather than making it a chore. That sentiment was echoed by outgoing Destinations International Chair Tammy Blount-Canavan, president and CEO at See Monterey, who sported a track suit and faux torch to hand off to incoming chair William Pate, president and CEO at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. “You have to make it fun,” she said. “That is how real work gets done.”

After a year marked by fire, flood and tragedy, the overall tone of Destination Marketing Association of the West’s Education Summit 2018 was light, inspiring—even funny. The September event brought destination marketers from Alaska to Texas to Riverside Hotel in Boise, Idaho, for networking, breakout sessions, a lesson in crisis communication and a taste (and a twirl) of downtown Boise’s booming Basque Cultural District. (If you didn’t know, now you do.)

Here are takeaways every meeting professional can benefit from.

Top Trends Impacting Hospitality, Tourism and Events

Shawna Suckow

Shawna Suckow, CMP, a 25-year meeting planning veteran, author and speaker extraordinaire, cites information overload, consumer cynicism and planner commission cuts—as well as on-demand culture and the rise of authentic, catered experiences—as major trends affecting the greater meetings industry and your attendees.

She addresses what’s here, what’s next and what’s possible with the tips and action items below.

Experiences Over Activities

Experiences are in. Activities are out. As for what kind of experience to offer attendees, the millennials have spoken: Keep it personalized, authentic and Instagrammable, like a food tour or street art tour of a city.

  • 75 percent of millennials would purchase an experience over a physical item.
  • 60 percent of travelers post on social media daily.
  • Wellness trips are up 200 percent as compared to 2017.
  • Itineraries catered to friend-group travel, LGBTQ travel and solo travel are trending.
Do Good, But Also Do No Bad

Consumer trends say doing good is no longer enough—you must do no bad. For example, if an oil company has caused a massive spill, its tree-planting efforts will fall on uninterested ears. As a meeting planner, if you plan a beach cleanup CSR activity, don’t serve plastic water bottles at the luncheon. If you’re planning a wellness retreat, don’t serve sodas and cake.

The Chatbot Movement

Attendees want on-demand service. Planners want to offset the loss of commission cuts. Enter, chatbots. Not only can you save on your budget, but you’ll have better luck engaging with your attendees.

  • 80 percent of consumers want to book with minimal human involvement.
  • 67 percent expect to message with businesses through chatbots.
  • 53 percent are more likely to shop or interact with a business if they can contact via a chat app.

6 Steps to a Viral Marketing Campaign

 

Tod Maffin

Tod Maffin, president of Vancouver, British Columbia-based social media agency EngageQ, shared six steps to increase your chances of building a viral marketing campaign—and some lol-worthy examples.

Step 1: Match your audience, content and call to action. If you want your campaign to go viral, identify the audience that will respond to your call to action, and then create content for that audience. Don’t ask teenagers to buy expensive items or use memes to get older adults to share your content.

Step 2: Keep it simple. Most viral campaigns are simple, like singing or ice bucket challenges.

Step 3: Choose a tone: silly, serious or stunning (pick one). These guys picked silly.

Step 4: Offer incentives for sharing a video or social campaign. If you hold a contest, make sure your company chooses the winner—not the public.

Step 5: Embrace virality. If random internet users are recreating and engaging with your campaign, don’t send your lawyers after them. Reward them.

Step 6: Don’t lose your momentum. If you’ve caught traction, keep going! Release successive rounds of the campaign, building upon what’s come before.

Crisis Communication

Kevin Bagger, executive director of the Research Center for Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, lightheartedly likened himself and his fellow panelists to the Horsemen of the Apocalypse—but his message in response to last October’s mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert was somber. Joined by representatives from Visit Santa Barbara and Oregon’s Mt. Hood and Colombia River Gorge Regional Tourism Alliance, which suffered devastating fires in its region this year, the panelists emphasized the importance of having a crisis communication in place before crisis occurs.

Social media, they agreed, is best used to advise and update online visitors immediately after a crisis. As time unfolds, the DMO plays an essential role in helping communities respond and rebuild—and eventually, in once again stimulating demand for the destination, such as with the #VegasStrong campaign.

The largest IMEX America gathering yet was the stage for a steady flow of news announced by properties and destinations. In case you missed it, Smart Meetings was on the ground to keep you up to date.

From American Express Meetings & Events:

Blooms & Cheer

The 2019 Global Meetings and Events Forecast showed a continued incremental increase in spend (.08 percent) on global meetings. Vice President of Global Business Development and Strategy Milton Rivera described the data about the pressure planners face to deliver more meaningful experiences with measurable results using advanced technology as “an epiphany” about the elevation of professionalism now in the industry.

More: AMEX Study: Increasing Hotel Costs and Lower Commissions Could Cut into Meeting Agendas

From IACC:

A new app will optimize site inspections by doing everything from recording square footages to giving real-time reads of Wi-Fi strength.

From Discover Los Angeles:

IMEX America IMEX 2018

Senior Vice President of Sales Darren Green says the city is “unlocking the destination for major convention planners” by filling a hole in Los Angeles Convention Center to crest 700,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space, for a total of 2 million sq. ft. in an integrated campus with LA Live! At the same time, JW Marriott Los Angeles is expanding to offer more than 1,700 guest rooms and a new 51,000-square-foot ballroom. Work on both projects is expected to be completed by 2020, when the Super Bowl comes to town.

From Visit Dubai:

An entirely new district focused on mobility, sustainability and opportunity is being developed in advance of World Expo 2020, when 25 million visitors are expected. The destination is already home to 700 hotels, totaling 110,000 guest rooms with another 20,000 coming online, including Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai and Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, a nongaming resort.

From Discover Puerto Rico:

The new, privatized off-island sales team announced that $1.9 billion has been invested in the hospitality industry since Hurricane Maria hit in 2018, leaving the island with improved infrastructure and 10,800 hotel guest rooms. In 2019, the island will welcome the opening of a The District San Juan, a 5-acre entertainment platform adjacent to Puerto Rico Convention Center. Discover Puerto Rico CEO Brad Dean called it “LA Live! with a Latin flavor.” Finally, Dean announces a new “flexible attrition” program that will take some of the risk off of guaranteeing attendance if a planner is willing to bring a group to the island.

From Marriott Convention and Resort Network:

A new meeting planner community called Mastermind will launch in March to connect and inspire event professionals. Groups of of 8–10 meeting planner peers will be paired monthly with Marriott CRN mentors and linked to inspirational new video resources for discussions around topics such as culinary trends and new ways to engage at meetings.

From Trump Hotels:

The event business is a growing priority for this brand. A new offer through the end of 2019 gives group meeting space and 5 percent F&B discounts plus other savings. The brand manages 11 hotels managed in four countries, with two in the pipeline in Indonesia and seven in the works in the United States.

From Cvent:

https://www.facebook.com/smartmeetings/videos/1390797967719377/

The hospitality technology company announced it has acquired event diagramming, seating and collaboration platform Social Tables, a move that could streamline meeting planning logistics.

Proceed to Day Three: IMEX 2018 Breaks Ground for Future

IMEX America 2018 Continues to Break New Ground

IMEX America’s biggest gathering ever propelled full-speed ahead on Day Three in Las Vegas, fueled by meeting planner and supplier energy and the usual steady supply of news and demos by properties and destinations. Smart Meetings kept pace with the biggest happenings.

Upcoming WEC Locations

Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI, announced locations for upcoming World Education Congress events: Toronto, Ontario, in Canada in 2019; Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, in 2020; the brand-new Caesars FORUM in Las Vegas in 2021; and San Francisco in 2022.

Future IMEX America Dates

  • Sept. 10–12, 2019
  • Sept. 15–17, 2020
  • Nov. 9–11, 2021

All dates until 2025: imexamerica.com/show-information

IMEX America Show Statistics

  • 12,389 total participants, including exhibitors
  • 3,390 exhibiting companies representing 150 countries
  • 60,000 prescheduled appointments
  • 3,286 hosted buyers from 61 countries
  • 2,566 trade attendees from 62 countries

Download the full show statistics from IMEX America 2017.

MGM Conference Center, Ideation Studio, Park MGM

Rendezvous at Drai’s is a rooftop party at The Cromwell Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.

Michael Dominguez, chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International, was excited as a boy on Christmas Day as he demonstrated the state-of-the-art technology and design features of the new MGM Conference Center and Ideation Studio at Park MGM. The studio will function as MGM’s pilot for such innovations as a WebEx-based conferencing system created by Cisco Systems that allows up to 26 locations to share voice, white board and video on HD screens in an easy, intuitive way. Information captured on the white boards is automatically wiped after a session, but it is stored permanently in the cloud for access by meeting participants at any time thereafter.

The system, Dominguez said, is the first commercial application of the technology. It is “device agnostic” and its virtual meeting room can be seamlessly entered on any mobile device or computer without logon or access code.

Dominguez was especially enthusiastic about the clarity of the remote images, which Smart Meetings attendees could see were indeed far better than conferencing tech.

The Park MGM conference space includes meeting rooms in several configurations. The entire facility is designed with StayWell features, including lighting, biofilia and air purification, to keep attendees alert, and feeling healthy and productive.

Planner Portals from Hyatt and Crowne Plaza

By year’s end, Hyatt Hotels will launch the Planner Portal, which will streamline the RFP process by putting all details about logistics of an event in one shared electronic folder accessible in real time for the property and the planner. It will include virtual tours, diagrams of meeting rooms, information on local attractions and billing.

Crowne Plaza, an InterContinental Hotels group brand, has assembled a team of recognized industry experts to share insights and expertise in meeting and event strategy, design, technology and social media on the new Meeting Mentors portal. The four mentors are collaborating with the brand and its MPI-trained meetings director at every hotel to create content and resources, “ensuring all meetings at Crowne Plaza are more than a meeting,” according to promotional material.

The Crowne Plaza portal can be viewed at crowneplaza.com/meetingmentors.

This is on the heels of the Event Concierge app launched last year that gives the planner control with the touch of a button for everything from the temperature in the room to amount of coffee delivered.

‘Lead with a Story’ Keynote by Speaker, Trainer and Author Paul Smith

IMEX America 2018
Paul Smith

When it comes to achieving business results, what does storytelling have to do with it? Everything! Paul Smith, who delivered Tuesday’s MPI keynote explained why.

“Facts and figures and all the rational things that we think are important in the business world actually don’t stick in our minds nearly as well as stories—no one is immune to the effect of a good story,” Smith said.

Meeting professionals (and meetings journalists) who can create and share good stories have a powerful advantage over others, said Smith, who shared the nuts and bolts of how to create a powerful story. He believes that stories inspire action and whether sharing a vision, leading change, boosting creativity or marketing a product or service, storytelling can help professionals do it better.

Proceed to Day Four: IMEX America Finishes Record StrongIMEX America finishes strong