Meetings Today Podcast

Meetings Today sat down with Eugene Blabey, director of event planning and operations at Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel, to discuss the unique ways in which the hotel infuses local culture into its offerings, welcomes guests to a "West of Zen" experience and provides top-tier meeting services through the R.E.N. Meetings program, offering planners opportunities to try something different when they gather their groups at Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel.

For Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) May 18, Meetings Today sat down with Stephen Cutchins, senior product manager-accessibility at Cvent, to discuss his work around driving accessibility in Cvent's meetings and events technology tools and raising awareness about accessibility across the meetings and events industry. 

As we move through 2023 with the mindset of making meetings and events industry trends a long-term reality, Alicia Jenelle, a multi-hyphenate professional and international experiential design expert from Toronto, shares how to push the DEIB conversation one step forward.

DEI, or diversity, equity and inclusion, is an unstoppable force in the meetings and tourism industry and beyond.

Meetings Today touched base with two leading DEI proponents, Greg DeShields, executive director of Tourism Diversity Matters, and Sheila Alexander-Reid, executive director diversity for PHL Diversity (a division of the Philadelphia CVB) to get their take on successes as well as the challenges ahead.

Also, information about Tourism Diversity Matters' The Collective Experience conference in October 23-24 in Philadelphia, and why the City of Brotherly Love has always been at the forefront of societal change.

As the leader of the association representing major conference centers in Europe and North America, IACC CEO Mark Cooper is in a unique position to gauge the recovery of the segment, which was hit especially hard by the pandemic.

How is the conference center segment currently faring? How are corporations using these facilities to gather a workforce that in many respects was scattered to the wind, or evaporated, over the last three years? Is the message of sustainability getting through as we face climate change?

Meetings Today touched base with Cooper at IACC's Americas Knowledge Exchange, its renamed annual conference that seeks to strengthen both the bonds of knowledge and integrate an influx of new leaders into the world of that thoroughbred meeting facility, conference centers.

In some respect, the pandemic allowed the islands of Hawai'i to heal, as mass tourism came to a halt. The break only solidified the realization—long held by many Native Hawai'ians—that it is paramount for the unique culture of the islands to be understood, and respected, by visitors.

John G. Reyes, senior vice president and chief MCI sales officer for Meet Hawai‘i, shares how Hawai'i's tourism community has come together to honor the true spirit of aloha, and communicate the responsibility for visitors to give back to a people and culture that has given so much of itself in welcoming them.

From incorporating indigenous cultural programming and activities to unique excursions and CSR that honors the native culture, Hawai'i is sharing a deeper understanding of itself with the world.

While millions know Coyote Peterson as the guy who gets stung and bitten by just about every animal under the sun in his YouTube hit Brave Wilderness–where his videos have been viewed more than 4.3 billion times worldwide–he's also a fan of his adopted hometown of Columbus, Ohio, headquarters of his media company.

After meeting him during a familiarization trip to Columbus before PCMA Convening Leaders 2023, Meetings Today touched base with Peterson to record a podcast about why Columbus holds such a special place in his heart, as well as more details about his globetrotting derring-do.

After traveling the planet for the past decade to get up close and personal with often misunderstood animals in extreme environments, this Emmy Award-winning hunkers down in Columbus, which has become a center of innovation and entrepreneurship stemming from The Ohio State University (where Peterson is an alumni) and many Fortune 500 companies.

Major travel and meetings industry sustainability efforts such as the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative are a top priority in Europe, where the meetings industry is organizing to adopt stricter sustainability standards before governing bodies step in to enforce regulations.

The sense of urgency seems to be a great deal less in North America, however. Why is this, and how can travel and meetings industry professionals join the fight against climate change via self-regulation?

Meetings Today interviewed James Rees, executive director, conference and events, ExCel London and former president of the International Congress and Convention Association, about the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative and other major sustainability efforts underway in Europe and North America.

Having a wealth of experience on the major venue side, as well as leading a major industry association and holding top sales positions for Hilton Hotels, Rees can address the subject of sustainability from a variety of vantage points.

Denise Reid, new president of Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA), shares how event service professionals are often on the front line of ensuring destination DEI for meetings and events, as well as her plans for ramping up the association following the pandemic upheaval, and also favors listeners with an amazing rendition of Ave Maria!

Aside from delivering memorable event service at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter in New Orleans, Reid, you see, is a classically trained mezzo-soprano who has performed with the Gulf Coast Opera Théâtre and the Keesler Air Force Base production of Handel's Messiah in Biloxi, Mississippi. She's also a member of Women@Hyatt, Hyatt B.L.A.C.K. Diversity Business and Resource Group and Loyola University New Orleans Alumni Association.

San Antonio, already the seventh-largest city in the U.S., is on a population and development boom that has seen the recent opening of 10 hotels and approximately 70 restaurants in the last two years, along with a $2.5 billion expansion of San Antonio International Airport that will include a new terminal and a resulting spike in air lift.

Meetings Today checked in with Tyler Orwig, vice president of association and tradeshow sales for Visit San Antonio, to discover what's new in the meetings and events world and beyond in this always-popular Texas destination.

Always a draw because of its epic history, San Antonio will make you remember it for much more than the Alamo.

Taylor Smith has a conversation with Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau Director of Sales Arlette Garibay about Ontario, California’s newest meetings and events offerings, as well as the benefits of working with the Greater Ontario CVB. This podcast was produced in partnership with the Greater Ontario CVB.

Speaker Andre Norman stirred the crowd at SITE Global Conference 2023 in Manhattan with a gritty story of determination and redemption that will lift anyone, no matter what background they came from.

Norman relayed his incredible journey of being raised in poverty by a single mom with five brothers and sisters and serving 14 years in prison before turning his life around to become a Harvard Fellow and travel the world on a mission to help inmates and others suffering dire situations.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Norman to delve into his remarkable journey and discover how his message can move audiences to widen their beliefs on the possibilities of bettering our society by nurturing our young.

Since accepting a full-time position leading the sustainability efforts of one of the most influential meetings, events and incentives travel powerhouses in the world, Maritz Global Events, Rachel Riggs is in a key position to affect change as the hospitality industry comes under intense pressure to reduce its carbon footprint.

We caught up with Rachel at SITE Global Conference 2023 in New York City to get her take on what could be considered an existential threat to the travel industry, reducing its carbon footprint voluntarily before governments enforce mandates.

Learn what green initiatives Maritz Global Events is embarking on as well as tips planners of all events and incentive travel programs can tap to make their own efforts more sustainable.

Association meetings veteran Willis Turner shares how the new AI technology ChatGPT will revolutionize the meetings and events industry.

Is your job safe? Depends on how fast you adapt.

Turner recently published The Power of ChatGPT: How to Put ChatGPT to Work for You, available on Amazon and via his website, www.oldclayburn.com, and also is the founder of Virtual Memorial Gatherings, which stepped in to fill the critical need for virtual funerals during the pandemic lockdown.

From the mammoth stage production facilities at Rock Lititz, where top acts such as Taylor Swift, Billy Joel, Rihanna and Justin Bieber tighten up their stage show before tours, to excellent teambuilding opportunities and the simple pleasures of the Amish way of life, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, offers up surprising lures for meetings groups.

Discover Lancaster President & CEO Edward Harris shares some of these "secret" offerings, such as wineries, breweries, ziplining and hot-air ballooning, as well as the destination's GBAC-accredited convention center and his experience joining and then leading the DMO through the pandemic.

The Reno Tahoe area of northern Nevada is easy to get to, easy to navigate once you're on the ground, and is easy to love for meetings and events. Thanks to an economic boom, new and refreshed venues, and a plethora of outdoor activities, Reno Tahoe is catching the attention of people around the country to work, live and play there. Just what can this fast-growing destination do for your next meeting or event? In this episode, Senior Content Director Danielle LeBreck chats with Mike Larragueta, vice president of sales for the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority to learn more.

This podcast was produced in partnership with Reno Tahoe

In the run-up to his keynote address at Event Service Professionals Association’s 2023 annual conference, meetings industry leader and DEI champion Elliott L. Ferguson II, president and CEO of Destination DC, explains why DMOs and event service professionals are key partners in ensuring meetings and events are living up to their promises of delivering diversity, equity and inclusion at their events, in experiences but also in including minority vendors in the economic benefits.

From offering offsite events and experiences that include local culture that may have been previously overlooked to tapping LGBTQ+ and BIPOC vendors to provide key event services, DMOs and event service professionals are the frontline resources that can ensure inclusion in a meaningful, and equitable, way.

PCMA Convening Leaders held its 2023 edition in Columbus, Ohio, a destination that unveiled many surprises to attendees who enjoyed its booming restaurant scene, thriving arts and entertainment districts and the many facets of the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Did you know that Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and the 14th largest in the U.S., and is home to a diverse population that includes one of the largest LGBTQ+ populations per capita in the nation? It's also considered the fourth largest center of design in the U.S. and the headquarters city of a number of major Fortune 500 companies.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Experience Columbus President & CEO Brian Ross to get his impressions on major new developments in the destinations, Experience Columbus initiatives and what the impact of PCMA Convening Leaders will be on Ohio's capital city.

What's new and coming online in the perennial popular Central Florida destination of Orlando? From major new hotel and attractions openings and renovations to group activity options, and the hugely anticipated Brightline high-speed rail line connecting Orlando and Miami, there's a wealth of updates to share.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, to discover what's in store for meetings and conventions groups in 2023. 

Perhaps the biggest news at PCMA Convening Leaders 2023 was the association's acquisition of Event Leadership Institute, a major player in the meetings and conventions education space.

ELI founder Howard Givner, now senior vice president of knowledge and innovation for PCMA, sits down with Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson to discuss the details of the acquisition, the mutual benefits PCMA and ELI members will receive, and what he sees as the future of education in the meetings and conventions industry.

How is the meetings and events faring as the worst of the pandemic seems to be in the past, and where are we headed as new headwinds confront the industry? Maritz Holdings and Maritz Group President & CEO David Peckinpaugh shares his insight as the leader of the global MICE powerhouse. Also: What's new inside Maritz, from DEI and sustainability to its leadership role in fighting human trafficking in the hospitality industry.

Meetings Today caught up with Peckinpaugh at PCMA Convening Leaders in Columbus, Ohio, to get the skinny from one of the top leaders in the global MICE industry.

Sun, fun and a convention district seemingly made for meetings make San Diego a popular destination for business events, but the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) believes brainpower—such as its emerging biotech industry—needs to be added to that list. We sat down with the SDTA’s Kavin Schieferdecker to explore this SoCal standout’s new promotional message for the meetings and events industry.

VisitScotland Business Events launched an ambitious Journey to Change initiative in 2021 that aims to showcase how business events in the country can drive social and economic transformation. Most of Western Europe seems to be following the same path, especially in terms of sustainability.

Meanwhile, while the U.S. meetings and events industry actively sings the praises of issues such as sustainability and the impact business events have on the environment, the message doesn't seem to be translating into actual practices and government regulations like it does across the Atlantic.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with VisitScotland's Neil Brownlee at IMEX America to explore the country's ambitious initiative, as well as meetings and events trends, facility information and the benefits of bringing meetings to Scotland. 

Have a need for a turnkey conference solution in the Big Apple, with a little touch of English elegance?

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson sat down with Fiona Macpherson, vice president of business development and sales for etc.venues, a 30-year-old, U.K.-based non-residential conference center operator that just opened a third location in Manhattan.

Discover what this London-based urban conference center option—which in 2019 hosted nearly 1 million delegates—brings to the U.S. market, being known for its interior design, F&B, technology and, being from England—a stellar tea selection, of course!

Lauren Grady, director of global event center of excellence at Bizzabo, discusses the state of in-person events in relation to data collected by Bizzabo this year, including how, looking ahead to 2023, 85% of event organizers plan to host at least three in-person events next year.

Where are meetings and events at in the great post-shutdown recovery? Who is winning the force majeure battle? Are room rates and other meeting component prices going to ease up anytime soon? And what does it mean when someone says that attendees should design meetings?

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson caught up with Maritz Global Events Enterprise Vice President and COO Steve O’Malley at IMEX America 2022 to see what the global meetings and events juggernaut is noticing take shape regarding key industry issues.

O’Malley and his team are seeing organizational values such as sustainability and DEI stressed in RFPs, and data privacy is once again rising to the fore. And what about attendance levels? Will we ever get back to “normal?”

You’ll have to hear what O’Malley reveals to get the answers.

One of the hottest topics in the meetings industry is talent acquisition and retention. Michael Massari, chief sales officer of Caesars Entertainment, started out his career in the hospitality industry as a busboy. But is the next generation of workers willing to start at the bottom? An industry vet chimes in during this Meetings Today podcast taped at IMEX America 2022.

Marriott's Head of Global Sales Tammy Routh discusses up-and-coming Marriott projects and properties, industry trends and what to look forward to from the brand in 2023 at IMEX America 2022. 

Everyone's after attendee engagement at events, and Encore Global may have just cracked the code with its "Break Free" immersive environment debuted at IMEX America 2022.

Ben Erwin, president and CEO of the global event planning, creative, production and technology juggernaut, talked with Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson about its mysterious and magnificent "multi-room" environment shrouded by towering black draping in the back of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

But it was much more than the proverbial big show reveal at IMEX America, as Erwin said the concept can be customized for any industry or event, and that meeting planners may see their clout greatly increased as they work to create connections within organizations in a dynamic new workplace environment that has been rocked by remote work and retention and staffing challenges.

Visit Orlando has teamed with the Orlando Economic Partnership to launch the "Unbelievably Real" marketing campaign, which seeks to communicate the message of the top meetings and events destination's authenticity and unique nature, which often gets lost due to its profile as the world's preeminent theme park destination and leisure travel magnet.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Matej at IMEX America 2022 to discuss the new initiative as well as how the destination fared during Hurricane Ian and the phenomenal response of its hotel community to help residents of Florida's hard-hit communities weather the storm.

The world is very, very sick, as its climate is increasingly spiraling to doom. The meetings and events industry is particularly vulnerable to what we call "climate change." But the very term climate change doesn't convey the need for urgency because of the potentially catastrophic diagnosis for the planet, according to PCMA President & CEO Sherrif Karamat, who uses the provocative term "climate cancer."

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson caught up with Karamat at IMEX America to expand on his dire diagnosis for the meetings and events industry and the planet itself, as well as his thoughts as the incoming chair of the Events Industry Council and happenings at PCMA, including the January 2023 Convening Leaders conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Gerardo Tejado, general manager for American Express Meetings & Events, discusses highlights of the 2023 annual Global Meetings & Events Forecast with Meetings Today's Danielle LeBreck at IMEX America 2022.

Many organizations, and especially associations, are challenged by legislation and policies that are counter to the values of their members, such as "bathroom bills" and statewide measures outlawing abortion. The firm opposition to these laws leads some to consider cancelling their meetings in the destinations in which the laws were passed. 

But cancelling or moving meetings can lead to legal and financial exposure and also impact those in the destination that rely on meetings and conventions to make a living, such as hotel, restaurant and transportation workers, among many others.

To provide an alternative to cancellation, or attendees deciding to not participate in a meeting or convention, meetings industry veterans Beth Surmont and Elena Gerstmann created SocialOffset, which allows attendees and organizations to donate to charities that counter the legislation and policies in question.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson recently talked with Surmont and Gerstmann to discover what SocialOffset, now in its pilot phase, brings to the conversation about destination boycotts, especially in the association segment.

From a new hockey arena to expanded airlift and its ever-present roster of top spas and golf resorts, Greater Palm Springs has emerged from the pandemic reinvigorated to win meetings and conventions business.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with Carolina Viazcan, vice president of sales for Visit Greater Palm Springs, to discover what’s new up and down the Coachella Valley, and how groups themselves can turn a meeting there into an opportunity to reconnect and reenergize.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson touches base with Lori Cassidy and Pam Kressley, 30-year hospitality industry veterans who  just launched an incentive travel option that greatly simplifies the reward process while multiplying travel options for both awarders and awardees.

And if exclusive resorts and luxe cruises don't do the trick, companies can even launch their high-performing incentive winners into space!

Check out all the deets of this turnkey incentive travel reward option that promises to disrupt the segment by giving award-winners more say in what travel experiences they want. It's an idea whose time has come, and one that also helps organizational recruitment and retention efforts in a time when workforces have been stretched thin and employees have more bargaining power and desire more flexibility.

Meetings industry veteran Kevin Iwamoto, chief customer officer and head of enterprise for meetings technology company Bizly, has occupied top positions in meetings industry organizations, from president of NBTA (now GBTA) in the wake of 9/11 to senior-level positions on Hewlett-Packard’s global travel and meetings team and Disney. Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson spoke with him about stereotypes and other challenges faced by Asian American and Pacific Islanders in meetings and events, as well as his veteran perspective on where the industry is at as we emerge from the pandemic to face economic and global political headwinds.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson chats with KiKi L'Italien, host of Association Chat podcast and senior consultant with Tecker International, about ASAE's Annual Meeting & Exposition, including the successes and challenges of its stringent COVID-19 testing policy (COVID spoiler alert!), as well as a unique new CSR option that encourages association attendees to contribute to organizations that counter potential boycott issues rather than having organizations cancel events or attendees decline to participate.

IMEX America has always had a robust educational program, but is now embarking on a three-year strategy to consolidate and redesign the offering.

Helping shepherd the process is Tahira Endean, an industry veteran and former head of events for SITE who was recently hired as IMEX Group's Head of Programme. Carrying the theme "Pathways to Clarity," IMEX America will kick off October 10 in Las Vegas with its Smart Monday educational day.

Learn more about the new educational strategy as well as what else new to expect during IMEX America 2022, the 11th edition of the show, with this Meetings Today podcast with Endean.

Many planners think a hybrid event is simply a program that ties together a single in-person event with a simultaneous digital component. Think again!

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson talks with Cvent's Rachel Andrews, senior director, Global Meetings & Events, and Patrick Smith, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, about their experience producing the hospitality tech giant's Cvent Travel Summit, which featured specialized content for different subsets of audience and multiple event formats, as well as in-person elements in two different countries before and after the main production.

Sound complicated? Let Rachel and Patrick share how they pulled it off, because hybrid meetings are here to stay and the race is on to deliver the most engaging and relevant experience for all attendees.

Dallas is embarking on a $2 billion convention center expansion that will also result in a new downtown entertainment district and neighborhood. Visit Dallas President & CEO Craig Davis goes over the details of this massive project that will reposition the city as a top meetings and conventions draw.

Meetings Today sat down with Lee Rubin, keynote speaker and one of two featured speakers at this July's Meetings Today Live! West Denver/Aurora to hear about his backstory and highlight the key elements of a strong, consistent corporate team. 

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a centrally located meetings mecca with lures ranging from big-city attractions such as world-class museums to charming small towns with only-in-Texas appeal, to suburban communities filled with facilities that are purpose-built for large meetings and events. Plano is a Metroplex city that offers a little bit of it all, and also boasts close proximity both of the region’s major airports as well as downtown Dallas.

Meetings Today sat down with Visit Plano’s Marisa Obando, SMERF and Government sales manager for the DMO, to discover why Plano could be a good fit for a wide range of meetings across many segments.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Encore's Cathy Schlosberg, senior VP of marketing, and Amanda Armstrong, SVP of Brand & Community Engagement, on how meetings technology from in-person to hybrid has undergone a radical transformation because of the pandemic. Discover the latest stats from this essential meetings and events player, and why it is bullish on the vitality of all meetings as a more-remote workforce becomes an increasing reality.

Meetings industry veteran Maura Gast, executive director of Visit Irving Texas, is one of the most engaged leaders in the business—name a board and chances are she’s been on it! Hear what she has to say about the recovery from the pandemic, in terms of both Irving and the industry as a whole, and key destination updates as major Irving attractions such as Toyota Music Factory rev up to welcome meetings and conventions groups en masse.

May 19, 2022, is Global Accessibility Awareness Day, so we sat down with meetings tech titan Cvent to talk with their new senior product manager for accessibility, Stephen Cutchins, and senior director of product management, Carl Aldrich, to discuss the strides and challenges the meetings and events industry has experienced in ensuring everyone is included. Learn about cutting-edge accessibility tech from Cvent and beyond, and how our industry and world is rapidly changing for the better by including more voices in the conversation.

Meetings Today catches up on the latest events and development news in Milwaukee with Leslie Johnson, vice president of sales and services for VISIT Milwaukee. We discuss the highly anticipated Wisconsin Center expansion, what the city's various entertainment districts can offer groups, and new hotel openings on the horizon. 

*Produced in collaboration with VISIT Milwaukee

Garrett Ronan, U.S. chief operations officer for etc.venues, talks about post-pandemic meetings and conference center trends and the company's potential expansion plans in the U.S. after opening two New York City venues shortly before COVID-19 roiled the industry.

What does it take to put on an event like the Super Bowl? Darren Green, Chief Sales Officer for LA Tourism, joins Meetings Today to share how his team worked with L.A. hospitality partners and the NFL to host Super Bowl LVI and its surrounding events. We also discuss new developments in L.A. that meeting planners should know about and big events coming to town in the next few years.

Meetings industry veteran Christine “Shimo” Shimasaki, of Simpleview's 2Synergize, is privy to booking pace data from hundreds of DMOs. Here's her well-informed take on where the meetings industry is regarding the return to in-person events, and how data-driven strategic decisions are the key to its future.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with PCMA leader Sherrif Karamat and DI leader Don Welsh to discuss the organization's upcoming Business Events Industry Week, current in-person meetings trends and the associations' stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It’s no secret that the hospitality industry faces a challenge attracting the next generation of talent. In fact, it’s a major topic of discussion among its leaders. In this Meetings Today Podcast, recorded at PCMA’s Convening Leaders, EIC CEO Amy Calvert tackles the subject of the hospitality industry talent pipeline, as well as a major revamp of the EIC’s CMP program.

Tyler Davidson talks to James Rees, president of Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), about one of the events industry's most pressing issues: sustainability. At PCMA Convening Leaders 2022, Rees details the Net-Zero Carbon Events Pledge initiative, key challenges surrounding business travel and carbon footprints, and the way forward for greener in-person meetings.

Tyler Davidson checks in with Michele Polci, citywide director of catering sales, Las Vegas, for Caesars Entertainment at PCMA Convening Leaders about how the meetings and conventions giant navigated the pandemic, critical questions planners should ask about service levels and the supply chain, and the latest cuisine trends for large gatherings.

JUNO’s Josh Hotsenpiller sits down with Tyler Davidson to discuss the events platform’s big partnership with PCMA, and how everything we do comes down to one important concept: human connection.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson discussed Visit Corpus Christi's meetings offer in which the destination will host an opening or closing reception in one of the destination's many interesting offsite venues. The CVB's Nicole Olivares details the Coast Your Own Way meetings offer and what the Gulf Coast destination offers for meetings and events.

Meetings Today's Sarah Kloepple sits down with Stephanie Glanzer, senior vice president and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International, to discuss how the company has come through the pandemic better, with new safety protocols, the launch of new meetings campaign "Here" and how planners can make a difference through their events at MGM.

This podcast was produced in partnership with MGM Resorts International.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sat down with Mike Wainwright and Don Pfeffer at IMEX America 2021 to get key insights from the global hotel giant's Convention & Resort Network (CRN) regarding the recovery of the meetings industry.

CRN's Mike Wainwright,  vice president of  sales, Gaylord Hotels and Marriott Convention & Resort Network, and Robert Pfeffer, senior director, Convention & Resort Network, Resort Portfolio at Marriott International, delve into what the network is experiencing as far as bookings and leads, as well as how the pandemic experience will shape the post-COVID-19 landscape.

In this podcast, recorded live from the IMEX America 2021 show floor in Las Vegas, Tyler Davidson speaks with with Gerardo Tejado, general manager for Meetings & Events, American Express Meetings & Events, and Amanda Chamov, marketing manager, about the compelling reveal of the global business travel giant's major annual survey, 2022 Global Meetings and Events Forecast.

The 11th edition of the annual forecast garners planner perspectives on virtual and hybrid meetings, how they think their budgets will fare, the cost of key components and the relevance of issues such as sustainability, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and more.

Since launching virtual meetings company MeetingPlay in 2011, former Marriott global e-commerce expert Joe Schwinger has seen virtual meetings grow from their infancy to the transformative pandemic period in which the technology became ubiquitous.

What's next for virtual and hybrid meetings, and how are global corporate giants implementing them in their meetings mix? What has the pandemic period taught us about the future of in-person meetings and how technology will impact their core?

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson taps the innovative mind of Schwinger to get a glimpse of how we will meet in the future.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sits down with Steve Jones, a music industry veteran, speaker and author of Brand Like a Rock Star and Start You Up for this Meetings Today Podcast episode.

From the Foo Fighters and Bob Marley to Kiss, Jimmy Buffett, AC/DC and Aerosmith, see how key learnings from these rock legends can translate to your brand and inspire your meetings and events audiences.

Jones was a keynote speaker at Meetings Today LIVE! South, held in mid-October in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and had an audience of meeting planners on the edge of their seats as he recounted backstage stories and how these epic performers overcame adversity.

Following up on an earlier podcast in which the conversation turned to what future skills meeting and event planners will need, Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with meetings technology giant Cvent’s Paulina Curto, senior manager, meetings and events, and Rachel Andrews, senior director of global meetings and events, to expand on the topic.

From data analytics skills to a deeper understanding of technology, the meeting planner of the future will need to have a much larger skillset and a proficiency at cross-departmental communication and collaboration, such as with marketing departments.

Does your skillset match up with the needs of the future?

Greater Ontario—which includes the cities of Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga—is a Southern California meetings and conventions gem you should know about. Hear why in this podcast interview with Michael Krouse, president and CEO of Greater Ontario CVB.

*Created in partnership with Greater Ontario CVB

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with Cvent’s Patrick Smith and Rachel Andrews about the company’s successful CONNECT hybrid event and the future skills meeting and event planners will need to master to stay relevant in a dynamic profession.

Jaki Baskow, CEO and founder of Las Vegas Speakers Bureau and Baskow Talent is a Las Vegas entertainment and speaker booking legend, having plied her trade in the Entertainment Capital of the World for more than 40 years.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson checked in with Baskow in mid-July to get a take on how she sees the in-person meetings and events recovery progressing in Las Vegas, as entertainer and speaker bookings is provides a good barometer for the overall health of the market.

How is Vegas faring, and what interesting stories and tips can Baskow share from her four decades in the Vegas show biz? Listen to find out.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson sits down with Hilton Worldwide Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales Americas Frank Passanante about some big news from the iconic hotel company, including an innovative new group room block booking engine for meeting planners and the massive new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas development and Resorts World.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson talked with Julie Brackenbury, president of Event Service Professionals Association and director of destination services for Visit Raleigh, about what role event services will play as we reboot the meetings industry.

Featured guest: Tammy Dickerson, CMP, President & Lead Planner, tbg Events

How can we lead with excellence during times of great uncertainty and change? Tenacious powerhouse entrepreneur Tammy Dickerson, President & Lead Planner at tbg Events, discusses how being your own biggest cheerleader, putting people first, and taking care of yourself are all important actions to implement when catalyzing professional momentum, especially during COVID-19.

Danielle LeBreck and Jill Vance, director of sales for The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, discuss how to weave wellness into meeting agendas. Listen for more.

*Created in partnership with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

When the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, companies will be eager to reward their employees with unforgettable incentive programs. Australia has always fit the bill for wow-worthy trips—and there’s plenty more incredible experiences waiting for North American-based attendees, from dinners under the stars at Uluru to life-changing expeditions over the Great Barrier Reef.

To learn more about the current COVID-19 situation in Australia and what inspired outdoor event ideas and under-the-radar destinations await for future incentives, we caught up with Tourism Australia’s Mary Ann McDonald in this episode of the Meetings Today podcast. 

*Created in partnership with Tourism Australia

In this Meetings Today Podcast, David Meerman Scott and Michelle Manafy, co-authors of Standout Virtual Events: How to Create an Experience That Your Audience Will Love, explain the basics of virtual platforms and which ones may be the best fit for you.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson chats with Maribel Denner, director of sales marketing for the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort, and Junior Tauvaa, chief sales officer for Visit Anaheim, about the impressive new JW and how it will add a tech-forward luxury hotel offering to a city that is seeing its meetings and conventions product grow by leaps and bounds in recent years. Listen now.

Learn about contact tracing at meetings and events and how planners can limit the impact of COVID-19 on their program. And what do you do if someone tests positive? Listen for more.

In this Meetings Today podcast, Danielle LeBreck sits down with Caesars Entertainment and ConferenceDirect, who collaborated together to design ConferenceDirect's annual partner meeting at the new CAESARS FORUM in Las Vegas. Listen to learn about their hybrid approach, how F&B was modified and more.

The new Grand Hyatt Nashville is adding a luxury hotel with ample meeting space to Music City, which has been on a torrid development pace over the past few years. Read more.

Kevin Dana of CORT Events highlights key design trends and how the pandemic is changing meeting space designs for live meetings. Learn more.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin massively revamped its operating procedures to host the Major League Soccer bubble, from accommodations and equipment to F&B. Here’s how three key staff members handled it. Read more.

Michael Dominguez, CEO of ALHI (Associated Luxury Hotels International), brought meeting planners to the Omni Dallas Hotel for a one-day showcase of what their events may look like after the industry awakens from its COVID-19 slumber. 

Top Cvent execs Brian Ludwig and David Quattrone talk with Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson about how the meetings tech giant pivoted to virtual for its big annual conference and is expecting 40,000 attendees. Also, discover their predictions about the direction of the meetings industry.

Business development expert and speaker Scott Steinberg shares some positive survey results regarding planner optimism about a face-to-face meetings revival by the end of 2020, with a few caveats thrown in, of course.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson interviewed Steinberg about some of the statistics he’s crunched to come to his conclusions, and also how the meetings industry will be fundamentally changed by the rise of virtual and hybrid events.

Meeting venues like the Javits Center have been pulled into service as field hospitals and other spaces for healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim Henry, healthcare sector leader at CallisonRTKL, walks us through what it takes to transform hospitality and meeting spaces into sophisticated healthcare facilities.

What will the meetings and events F&B experience look like after the COVID-19 shutdown ends? Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson sat down with Mary Cline, regional director, catering sales-East Coast for Wolfgang Puck Catering to get an idea of what the meetings cuisine scene will look like when we all start meeting face-to-face again.

Meetings Today's Sarah Kloepple talks with Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), about the organization's Safe Stay guidelines, supporting hotel workers as these new healthy and safety protocols are put in place, and how technology will play a critical role in future live meetings.

Alarming initial statistics reflecting the massive loss of employment and revenue in the U.S. travel industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have only gotten worse. Tyler Davidson talks with Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S. Travel Association, about how bad it is and where we go from here.

Meetings Today blogger Joan Eisenstodt has been participating in many of the thrice-weekly COVID-19 press conferences from the World Health Organization (WHO). Here's what she found out from the experts fighting the spread of the virus, how it impacts the meetings and events industry, and what the industry needs to learn from the crisis.

Top meetings industry attorneys Joshua L. Grimes and Tyra Warner discuss the legal issues involved with cancelling a meeting due to coronavirus. Learn how to protect your organization and what your op

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson talks with Seema Jain, director, multicultural affairs for Marriott International about the hotel giant's Culture Days program. Jain travels the world training Marriott staff on how to best serve the cultural needs of its very diverse clientele, and offers critical information to meeting planners on how they can do the same for their attendees.

Danielle LeBreck stops by the “All Roads Lead to Caesars Forum” road show in Minneapolis, Minnesota to catch up with Lisa Messina—VP of Sales for Caesars Entertainment—about the highly anticipated grand opening of Caesars Forum in Las Vegas in March.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson chats with Chris Meyer, vice president of global sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, about what’s new in the center of the meetings and events universe. Topics include Elon Musk’s bold new Boring Company people mover; exciting new technology offerings; highlights of the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion; and how the Las Vegas is attracting a global sporting event audience.

*Podcast was created in partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Lead Destinations Content Strategist Danielle LeBreck sits down with Tourism Australia’s Penny Lion during Dreamtime 2019 in Perth, Australia, to chat about how Australian destinations can help you plan one-of-a-kind incentive trips.

* This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Business Events Australia

Golfing is still a great way to conduct meetings and network. Learn some of the ways this outing has evolved and why scheduling your next golf event goes beyond the course from Mark Crabb with Greater Palm Springs CVB, interviewed at Meetings Today Live 2019.

Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman finds instant kinship and lasting memories at this exclusive group enclave in Virginia's horse and wine country. Check out Jeff's On the Scene story about his visit to the Goodstone Inn.