Look for these options at your next event: hyper-local, craft food and drink, gluten-free, ancient grains, mini-comfort foods, umami, meaty flavors and gourmet vegetarian.
The QR code is not extinct, but beware …
No, the QR code is not extinct, but it does need to go on the Endangered Species List.
Event pros bullish on 2015 business
According to the latest survey from Penton Research, 81 percent of responding event planners expect 2015 to be as good or better for them as 2014. All told, 45 percent say they expect to stage more events in 2015 than they did in 2014, while 36 percent say they will likely stage the same number. Only 5 percent […]
Find it on the IMEX Online Inspiration Hub
IMEX has built a new, free resource for any and everyone in the meetings and events industry. The IMEX Online Inspiration Hub, as it’s called, is home to more than 1,600 articles, blogs and industry research reports on various topics. The Hub, curated and managed by IMEX’s social media team, is designed to provide information […]
What happens during conference calls? (It’s not work)
The Top 3 things employees do during mobile conference calls are completely unrelated to the call they’re listening in on, according to a study conducted by InterCall, one of the world’s largest conferencing providers. The results showed that 65 percent of employees do other work, 55 percent eat or make food, and 47 percent go to the restroom (thank goodness for […]
Report: Hybrid events, digital technologies on the rise
A new report shows that meeting attendees and event producers increasingly are using both hybrid and digital technologies. The 2014 Digital Benchmark Report collected findings from more than 200 event producers. It offers data and insights for online methodologies, business goals, marketing strategies and measurement approaches. The report was conducted by Chicago-based Virtual Edge Institute […]
Planners view 2014 optimistically, but …
The numbers are in and, according to PCMA’s latest annual Meetings Market Survey, the industry continued to grow in 2013. More than 400 association, independent and corporate planners completed the survey in late 2013, discussing the pluses and minuses of industry trends — attendance, budgets, exhibitors, revenues with the Professional Convention Management Association, which has been doing the […]
Study: U.S meetings industry ‘fickle,’ ‘volatile’
Last year was “fickle” for the U.S. meetings market, according to PKF Hospitality Research’s annual survey of meeting planners. Among the study’s findings: The U.S. meetings market recovery from the 2008-09 recession lagged behind other industries. Group room night bookings didn’t show significant gains until 2011. Volatility seems the operative word: More event organizers planned […]
Needed: Team-building experts
If ever a piece of news cried out for skilled team-building, this is it. A survey from the University of Phoenix found that 84 percent of employed adults find working in a team difficult. The main reason cited is an “I’m-in-it-for-myself” mentality prevalent in many workplaces. Other findings: Almost one in six respondents said workers […]
GBTA: Group travel forecast mixed; Europe keynoter named
The latest GBTA quarterly forecast suggests that business travel spending, including spending on group travel, should continue to grow through the end of 2013. The main reason cited is a healthier domestic economy — steady job gains and higher consumer confidence. Group travel spending should rise by 5.3 percent, to $117.1 billion by year’s end, […]
Bellying up to the juice bar
Who in the planning and event industry doesn’t like a respite in a hotel bar? Well, hotels across the country are stirring up something new — juice bars. It’s all part of Americans’ let’s-get-healthy kick. Options include packages that offer a daily variety of juices and bars where guests can create their own juice. Hotels […]
2012: Color it red-orange, in Paris, where food travels
Every year we get really excited to see what the hot trends will be for the meeting and events industry. It’s almost like being a kid in a candy store, looking at the new colors, products and foods. Here’s a sampling of the hottest, and boy are they haute! Colors: Do the tangerine tango As […]
Six ways to make your awards show rock
Let’s face it Sunshine, your awards banquet has seen better days. Basically, it sucks and everyone knows it. You have been pedaling the same boring food, the same crappy venue, the same suckity, suck-fest for years and quietly, even you would rather go grocery shopping than sit at that table up front, sipping that crap […]
A planner’s review of The Special Event Show
The Special Event Show (TSE) is a great trade show to attend. You get to network with people from all over the world, learn about new products, restore your creative juices and — most importantly —learn new techniques to incorporate into your events. Annually, TSE attracts more 5,000 event planners, meeting planners and exhibitors. I […]
Say goodbye to ho-hum meetings
If you want to create memorable meetings and events, there are many ways to do so. All you need is a little ingenuity and inspiration. Plan Your Meetings spoke with meeting planners across the country to find out what advice they had for livening things up and engaging attendees …
Despite budget concerns, planners and suppliers expect a brighter 2010 and 2011
If meeting industry suppliers want to be competitive during the second half of 2010, they need to pay attention to pricing; deliver value and quality rather than frills and extras; focus on drive-in markets, return on investment (ROI) and corporate social responsibility (CSR); and offer affordable Internet access and hybrid meeting technology. Those were the […]
Association meeting trends
It’s not surprising that nearly 65 percent of meeting planners say the economic downturn has had some kind of impact on their association. But according to the Association Meetings: Forecasts and Trends 2010 study, conducted by the International Congress and Convention Association and IMEX, more than half of those surveyed felt as if their third-quarter […]
The state of the industry: trends and tactics
The key to success in our current industry seems to hinge on one word: flexibility. We see the U.S. financial market sitting on a seesaw with the global economy, creating ups and downs that require balance and tenacity. With one tip, the meeting professional can teeter, but a strong hold on creative solutions will level […]
Hotels offer incentives to entice group business, ease economic woes
While many corporations brace for recession, hotels across the country are offering what appears to be a bright spot in a drab economy. By offering customizable event and meeting packages, hoteliers are attracting new and repeat business with an assortment of incentives, such as 20-50 percent off room rates, discounted audio/visual fees, complimentary guest rooms […]
Catering tips, trends and advice
How do you plan a traditional banquet without it appearing stuffy? How much liquor do you buy if you have to supply it for a 500-person event? How do you spruce up barbecue? How do you deal with a client who insists on serving mashed potatoes in a martini glass? And how do you tell a venue you hate their preferred caterer?
Frommer: ‘The 15 most significant developments in travel’
Travel guru Arthur Frommer put together this list of travel trends that may influence the decisions you make. Among his Top 15: the dramatic decline of the U.S. dollar, the ever-larger cruise ship and the emergence of airfare “aggregators.”
Continuing education with PYM LIVE events
PYM LIVE Events are held annually in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Orlando. Other locations are being added this year, so keep watching our events page for more information. Educational seminars offer meeting tips, creative shortcuts and information on the newest industry trends, as well as Continuing Education Units (CEUs). You’ll get a chance to meet […]
Now: Hot décor
Award-winning designer Ira Mitchell-Stern, executive director of creative for All Over Miami, advises planners to comb home magazines and home furnishing stores like West Elm, Target (which recently introduced a new line of home furnishings from Dwell Studio, including pillows featuring yellow and gray palettes), and K-Mart for trends and ideas that can be applied to events.
Cheers to the New Year: February 2008 Morsel
While we sat together at a local restaurant, a client told me about an event she was doing involving a Champagne toast. The event was in a part of the world that had some amazing atmosphere, but to be honest “Champagne” just didn’t fit the location or the purpose of the dinner.
2008: Green, lean, immediate and demanding…
The future is here, along with more technology, more networking opportunities, more budget demands… in fact, more demands for everything, including your time. 2008 may be more of 2007, but pick up the tips from our planners and you’ll be ready for a (somewhat) fresh start.
What’s next in hotel amenities?
With hotels upping the ante in the amenity wars on a monthly basis, it’s hard to keep up with all the new offerings. In a nutshell, here’s what’s new and bound to appear at a brand near you:
Colors on the rise
In case you haven’t noticed, every year certain color combinations become “hot,” popping up on fashion runways, on consumer electronics and in home furnishing stores before trickling down to hotel décor, linens, stationary and other meeting planning accessories. According to the Color Marketing Group association of color professionals, if you want to be ahead of […]
F&B predictions for 2037
Atlanta-based Affairs to Remember Caterers celebrated its 30th birthday with the opening of a new Midtown West facility, the burial of a time capsule, and predictions for the catering and events industry 30 years from now:
Salad days: April 2007 morsel
Advice from our resident F&B expert, Claire R. Gould.
Four Points raises beer’s profile
Many people majored in drinking in college; now there’s a legitimate career path for it.
Pamper to the Max
Spa trends for 2007 from SpaFinder.com
