Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Meeting planners are responsible for the success of corporate events, conferences, and incentive programs. Hotels, CVBs, and destinations looking to attract more group business, need to understand the top pain points of meeting planners.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

Designing accessible events topped almost all meetings industry event agendas in 2024, but few planners understand what is required to make everyone feel welcome even as equal access moves from the desired to the required column in their job descriptions. Her father had cerebral palsy, which brought its own needs. It’s a cultural fit.”

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Velvet Chainsaw

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Contract concerns. In an effort to reduce and manage risks, venues and planners are adopting new contract clauses. No question, negotiating contracts is going to get more complicated as the industry rebounds. What contract concerns are you running up against? Member Considerations and Communications.

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Smart Meetings

MARCH 31, 2025

Meeting planners have many options when choosing a city to host their next corporate event. This unforgettable meeting destination is equipped with everything planners need for a successful meeting or convention. Read on for the reasons why meeting planners fall in love with Boise.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 30, 2021

But what does this mean for meeting planners and business travelers? There isn’t much consensus on how countries should respond and whether international travel should be suspended. Holiday travelers are adjusting their trips. More : Demystifying Covid Testing: The Differences, Access and What It All Means for Travelers.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

Smart Meetings’ October webinar, From Checkboxes to Strategy: Implementing and Leading Sustainable Event Practices , breaks it down. As planners learn more about practical best practices and work to implement them in their meetings, before they know it, the scope and scale of sustainability don’t seem nearly so daunting.

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MeetingsNet

OCTOBER 17, 2024

If your 2025 meeting budgets aren’t at least 4.3 That’s upshot of the meetings and events cost forecast released by Maritz as part of the IMEX America edition of its industry trends report. Hotels*: Up 3%-5% Air: Up 2% F&B: Up 4% Wages for Event Staff: Up 4% 2025 Prices—total increase for meetings and events: 4.3%

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Smart Meetings

OCTOBER 23, 2023

Experts weigh in on what needs to change to work together better Editor’s Note : Hospitality sales consultant Steve Steinhart will be speaking at Smart Meetings Extraordinary Experience in Monterey, California, Nov. If all the meetings that we have re-scheduled for 2024 come through, we will show a very nice gain in the group market.”

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 11, 2023

Plus strategies for managing increased business travel costs in 2024 Business travel and event cost are not increasing as steeply as they were in 2022, but they’re still going up, according to 2024 Business Travel Forecast , a new study by CWT and Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). In 2022, air travel saw a 72.2%

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Event Marketer

OCTOBER 4, 2023

We hopped on a call with Nicole Rogers, executive vp and chief sales officer for San Francisco Travel, the City and County of San Francisco’s official destination marketing organization, for a lengthy conversation about the realities the city is facing, the event business, and how the city is working to keep events and event attendees safe.

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Smart Meetings

APRIL 7, 2023

The good news is that travel is well positioned to withstand any downturn,” he said. Let’s take a deeper dive into why events and business travel might float above the turbulence. Travel Priorities First, some history. Business travel is not all the way back yet, so it still has an upside. There is resilience,” he said.

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Smart Meetings

MARCH 23, 2023

McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel, American Economic Liberties Project, told the Committee that “the nation’s airline industry is broken.” Any travel credit if accepted in lieu of a refund should never expire. Meeting Planners Takeaway U.S. The post Meeting Profs Travel Report: Can ‘Broken’ U.S.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 8, 2024

With nearly 20 years in the travel and tourism industry, Pace has held positions at numerous destination organizations at both the state and local levels and spent over a decade with Visit Florida. She will oversee contracting for group room blocks and events and work on new client acquisition in local and international markets.

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Food and Beverage Tourism Hospitality Hotels 246

Smart Meetings

APRIL 4, 2025

Within the meetings and events industry, where relationships are the foundation of success, negotiation has evolved far beyond rates and contracts. Below are a few key principles Ive found essential in navigating high-stakes conversations in the meetings and events industry. 5 Principles for Stronger Negotiation 1.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 23, 2021

After years of travel-banned holidays, we know you’re headed far out to your favorite corners of cities, woods and bluffs. But even with travel restrictions loosened, testing requirements and Covid-related rules still can make travel tricky. Domestic Travel Restrictions and Recommendations.

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Smart Meetings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

6 tips for a smooth European event from an international DMC expert If it seems to you everyone is taking their incentive meeting to Europe this year, you are not alone. Start Early The first tip is to book early and contract early! Read More : A Manifesto for Good Travel and Tourism 3.

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Meetings Contracts Transportation Hotels 264

Smart Meetings

APRIL 25, 2025

The bill made allowances for fulfilling contracts in place as of Jan. ” Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced that Florida reached historic high record number of tourists in 2024 and “continues to be the top destination for travelers from all over the world.” ” A total of 142.9 The session ends Friday, May 2.

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Smart Meetings

MARCH 7, 2025

Here, Smart Meetings brings you the key takeaways. #1 1 2028 is Poised to Spur a Significant Market Shift With the demand for meeting space continuing to soar, event planners are increasingly feeling the pressure to lock in venues ASAP. The post Key Takeaways from MPI Northern California ACE 2025 appeared first on Smart Meetings.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

Choosing Bellevue to Host Lenovo Tech World 2024 Meeting Attendee Needs Marty McCormack, destination sales manager, Visit Bellevue Bellevue is a major tech hub in the Pacific Northwest, which made it a top choice right off the bat. Its position as home to numerous tech companies makes it a prime choice for tech meetings in particular.

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2024 Tech Transportation Negotiating 211

Smart Meetings

AUGUST 12, 2024

Proposed law may impact pricing, but it’s more complicated than that The city that doesn’t sleep should not mind having the number of its hotel rooms go down, but meeting profs will—and proposed licensing of hotels in New York City will hasten the drop, according to trade groups for the hotel industry. for the entire nation.

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Hotels Meetings 2027 Contracts 290

Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 13, 2024

Want to stay ahead of the curve when selecting a destination for your next meeting? Marriott has just teamed up with Postcard Cabins to change the game when it comes to meetings in the great outdoors. Wish your attendees could just levitate from the airport to the meeting?

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Predictions of a mass consolidation of the meetings industry have been swirling since the World Health Organization started advising lockdowns in early 2020 to “smooth the curve” of what was then known as novel coronavirus. The post A Unique Meetings Consolidation Model Grows appeared first on Smart Meetings.

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Meetings Global Events Contracts Travel 264

Smart Meetings

JUNE 22, 2022

When touching down in a foreign country, the first thing many travelers do is connect to the airport’s Wi-Fi to get caught up on news, posts and messages they missed in the air. However, NordVPN , a virtual private network provider, urges travelers to think twice about cybersecurity. Read More: Meeting Safety Trends in 2022.

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Travel Tourism Banking Contracts 244

Smart Meetings

APRIL 4, 2023

Force Majeure clause and employment classifications changes coming for MPs The legal nuances of meeting planning can be a bit overwhelming even for the seasoned planners. To offer some helpful insight in what areas to be on the lookout for, Smart Meetings sat down with Ty M. Sheak continued, “The short form is usually not advisable.

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Smart Meetings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

Smart Meetings Florida Experience elevated the gathering at every turn. Smart Meetings CEO Marin Bright The precise mixture of authentic connections, elevated experiences and innovative ideas is Smart Meetings CEO Marin Bright’s recipe for making everyone feel at home when they come together to get business done.

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Smart Meetings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

Smart Meetings Extraordinary Experience focused on setting and reaching event goals When some of the most productive meeting professionals in the world meet in majestic The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson for three days of education, inspiration and networking, the experience has to be over the top. “We

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SmartMeetings

JANUARY 17, 2025

Professor Tyra Warner on the latest risk factors in this uncertain year From force majeure to data protection, meeting professionals are trying to cover the unexpected in contracts during what could be a tumultuous year for business and the economy. Warner advises caution. Warner thinks there are almost always two sides to the story.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 13, 2018

Three weeks after Hyatt Corporation confirmed that it would cut planner commissions, thereby following the lead of three other large hospitality companies, Meeting Planners Unite held its first conference in Washington, D.C. The post Meeting Planners Unite Sets 2019 Agenda appeared first on Smart Meetings.

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Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Meet with Momentum Panel State at Meet with Momentum Bob Pfeffer, senior director at Marriott CRN, says, “We know that gaining knowledge is important. Meet with Momentum Panel State at Meet with Momentum Bob Pfeffer, senior director at Marriott CRN, says, “We know that gaining knowledge is important. And prioritize.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 16, 2024

At Smart Meeting, we pride ourselves on bringing the best content, voices and tools to your fingertips and computer screens. Our webinars, the Knowledge Exchange, brought us essential insights on AI, incentives, wellness and contracts, just to name a few! The post Best of 2024: Webinars appeared first on Smart Meetings.

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Smart Meetings

APRIL 14, 2025

What do meeting professionals hate more than uncertainty? Other than running out of coffee, trying to sign contracts years out and arranging travel in a world where costs are the only thing rising faster than attrition rates is the definition of “stressful.” That is a trick question. SG: Yes, I do.

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Smart Meetings

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Experts offer tips and ideas for meeting professionals As the year slowly comes to a close, many financial and insurance meeting planners may be thinking about what they should be keeping on their radar. Did 2023 reignite the Golden Age of Travel? They’re less of a captive audience and more of a savvy travel consumer.” “I

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Smart Meetings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

Smart Meetings chatted with Michelle Crosby, CMP, CITP, an account executive at Bright Spot Incentives and Events, and Yvette Campbell, CMP, a meeting broker at Meetings Made Easy, to explore how planners can seek out third-party agencies and independent planners that fit their needs and how to integrate resources into their organization.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 27, 2024

Stressed about San Franciscos hotel strike and how it will impact an upcoming meeting? Read on for Smart Travels latest cant-miss headlines. For meeting profs pondering an out-of-the-box incentive, perhaps its worth considering a magically chilly trip to this stunningly beautiful venue. You can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 28, 2023

Food, lodging and programming are critical factors for any meeting. But to mesmerize your audience with something they haven’t seen before, meeting planners should invest time developing a productive relationship with an AV partner. Meeting planners are the leaders of event teams. Here’s the schedule. we may ask.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 10, 2024

28-30, Destinations International (DI) held its 2024 Social Inclusion Summit in Spokane, Washington, where they shared insights and resources around inclusion in the travel and tourism industry. Smart Meetings Why are these discussions and resources about inclusion and accessibility in the meeting and events industry meaningful?

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Choosing Bellevue to Host Lenovo Tech World 2024 Meeting Attendee Needs Marty McCormack, destination sales manager, Visit Bellevue Bellevue is a major tech hub in the Pacific Northwest, which made it a top choice right off the bat. Its position as home to numerous tech companies makes it a prime choice for tech meetings in particular.

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