Skift Take
This is an exciting time to be a player in the event tech space. As two key Australian events companies come together, the region's meetings industry is on the brink of change.
When it comes to event technology, consolidation seems to be the name of the game. As tech is deployed more readily by meeting planners, companies are starting to get larger, either through mergers or acquisitions. Cvent is an example of a company that has grown massively from acquiring small businesses.
Now, the Australian events industry is starting to see something similar. Meeting booking platforms Spare Workspace and Venuemob recently announced a merger, making them the biggest event booking company in the country, which is seeing more growth from international hosts. Combined, the company spans thousands of event spaces, from the very small to the very large.
Jake Dimarco, CEO of Spare Workspace, talked to Skift about the newly-merged company’s plans to bring instant booking to large events, and the possibility of expanding across Asia Pacific.
Check out this story, and many more, below.
If you have any feedback about the newsletter or news tips, feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet @ikcarey.
— Isaac Carey, Travel Reporter
The Future of Events and Meetings
Merger Leaves Australia with Powerhouse Instant Booking Platform for Events: As Spare Workspace and Venuemob join together, Australia’s events market is in for a big change. This has significant implications for instant booking throughout the Asia Pacific region.
What’s Ahead for the Next Gen of U.S. Hotel Franchisees? Big hotel chains like Marriott, Hilton, and others are moving increasingly to an asset-light strategy, signing on more franchisees. Many are still owned by individuals and families: How diverse and adaptable will the next generation of hotel owners be?
Airbnb Will Roll Out Policy That Aims to Protect Hosts From Scheming Guests: Many Airbnb hosts of the mom and pop variety — yes, there are a few left — feel aggrieved when they welcome guests into their homes and have to bear the consequences of hostile reviews penned with the worst intentions. Airbnb is trying to tip the balance back toward hosts, and probably making neither party totally happy.
Around the Industry
Music Tourism and Millennials Can Be the Right Mix for Travel Advisors: Music travel is gaining popularity as tourists look for new experiences. There are plenty of opportunities for travel advisors, even though some of the big festivals are trying to keep all the business to themselves.
Luxury Tented Resorts Poised for a Post-Glamping Era: A lot of nature-centric hospitality experiences got lumped under the “glamping” moniker and seemed frivolous as a result. But the space is growing because luxury travelers like the ability to be closer to nature without sacrificing creature comforts.
What Nobu Hotels Sees in the Ascendant Luxury Market in Warsaw: Nobu Hotels is testing out its restaurant-led hospitality strategy in a market where its luxury cachet is less established. Both Warsaw locals and Nobu’s global super-fans will need to buy in.
The Best Of EventMB
The Best of EventMB is our newest section, giving you a look into the most important and interesting content from EventMB, whether it be reports, articles, or resources for planners. EventMB joined the Skift family in September and is the largest online media resource for trends, technology, innovation, and education in the events industry.
Why Trade Shows Still and Will Matter: Boring trade show booths don’t attract visitors and they certainly don’t help sales. But coming up with new and exciting ideas is costly and time-consuming. Or is it?
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Travel Reporter Isaac Carey [[email protected]] curates the Skift Meetings Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Wednesday.
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Tags: australia, instant booking, meetings, meetingsiq
Photo credit: One of Spare Workspace's meeting rooms in Melbourne, Australia. Spare Workspace