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Food and Beverage Trends for 2018

SmartMeetings

Looking to the year ahead , we are all eagerly anticipating the new food and beverage trends that will emerge. There’s been an emphasis on the desire for experiential outings, whether in travel, food or shopping. The better the food, the better the Instagram photo? Food Walls. Experiential Catering.

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Top Challenges Facing the Meeting Planning Industry Right Now

The Castle Group

While many industries were able to shift to a remote workforce, hotels, restaurants and airlines faced major layoffs and demand fluctuations and are now playing catch up, hiring and training staff in a tight market. Work with hotel partners and other vendors to understand their weak spots. offer grab-and-go meal functions).

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The Art of Room Blocks

SmartMeetings

For example, does everyone sign up with enough advance notice to meet the hotel’s deadline? What about the people who want to book a different hotel and just show up for the conference itself. Or, offer a joint conference/hotel fee that provides an overall discount versus booking separately. Our quick save?

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Win at Negotiating AV Services with Hotels

Smart Meetings

Date, venue and rates are critical and typically given priority in the earliest stages of the meeting planning cycle. However, leaving audio visual (AV) equipment services to the end could be a costly mistake, especially when negotiating these services with a hotel. Contracting Out vs. In-House. Cost is one consideration.

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Getting More Value from Conference Keynote Speakers

Velvet Chainsaw

More quality options result in a buyer’s market…now and in the years ahead. Here’s what some organizers are asking for and getting: Pre-Event Content Marketing – Customized promotional video or interview, webinar, article contribution for newsletter, blog, podcast or magazine, social channel engagement. What to Look For.

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3 Ways to Source Smarter in a Sellers’ Market

MeetingsNet

Let’s face it: This year will be tough for meeting planners. Not only are we in a seller’s market, but planners will also face tighter budgets, higher meeting costs, and less bandwidth. So, what happens when an unstoppable force (supplier price increases) meets an immovable object (meeting planning budgets)? .

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Don’t Believe Everything You See on Twitter About a San Francisco Meeting Apocalypse

Smart Meetings

San Francisco’s welcoming people, its unbeatable food scene, and its endless activity regularly lead to record-breaking meeting attendance. of contiguous space and sits within walking distance to more than 19,000 hotel rooms. Fairmont San Francisco Like many other buildings in Nob Hill, The Fairmont Hotel was utterly destroyed.