News
Jan 30, 2025
With 3,800 attendees registered for the in-person event and 4,500 total registrants, PCMA Convening Leaders (CL25) landed in Houston for the first time in its 70-year history of gathering convention and business events industry professionals at its annual meeting held this year from Jan. 12-15. By comparison, the 2024 Convening Leaders drew more than 4,200 industry professionals to San Diego. This year’s theme: Go beyond your orbit.
“Because we convene people, we have the power to use business events to impact economic and social change,” said PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif… more
Jan 29, 2025
An event solutions provider and a destination marketing organization (DMO) recently unveiled AI-powered tools to help trade show organizers and event planners increase exhibitor ROI and improve the in-destination planning experience, respectively.
Map Your Show Launches AI-Powered Sales Tool to Boost Exhibitor ROI
Trade show operating system Map Your Show (MYS) has launched Sales Accelerator, an AI-powered tool designed to help exhibitors generate better-qualified leads, expand their reach, and boost business opportunities.
By leveraging proprietary data on attendee activity and… more
Jan 28, 2025
Exclusively sponsored by Honeycomb Strategies
If you’re considering a sustainable certification for your event venue, selecting the right standard is important to ensuring that you’re spending your time, money, and effort wisely. Honeycomb Strategies has compiled this guide to help you evaluate the many choices available. In the process of deciding what standard to pursue, here are some elements you’ll want to consider in your process.
Find your Why
Even before we broach the subject of certifications, we can’t skip over the step of asking: what are your organization’s internal… more
Jan 28, 2025
In the face of people’s changing perceptions toward alcohol consumption, fueled by an increasing focus on health and wellness, the growing “sober-curious” social moderation movement appears to be picking up steam as people are re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol.
Between 2016 and 2023, the share of Americans who view moderate drinking as “good for health” dropped from 19% to 10%, whereas the share who perceive it as “bad for health” increased from 26% to 39%, according to Gallup. Americans are drinking less than they used to--with the average number of drinks consumed falling… more
Jan 28, 2025
Sponsored by Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)
OVERVIEW
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) redefines excellence in the event and meetings industry by seamlessly blending world-class customer service with cutting-edge industry partnerships. From a dedicated in-house rigging team to comprehensive exhibitor services, thet Center works in harmony to transform ambitious visions into unforgettable experiences. With over 2 million square feet of flexible exhibit space, unparalleled resources, and a dream destination, the OCCC is where extraordinary events come to… more
Jan 27, 2025
The New York Convention Center Operating Corporation (NYCCOC) has selected 30-year convention industry veteran Joyce Leveston as the new CEO of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, following a unanimous recommendation by the executive search committee and approval from the NYCCOC Board of Directors. Joining the Javits team on February 10, Leviston will officially take the helm on March 10.
Hugh Carey, Vice Chair of the NYCCOC Board of Directors and chair of the search committee, expressed enthusiasm for her historic appointment, which marks the first time a woman has held… more
Jan 24, 2025
With the help of 4,500 exhibitors—1,400 of which were startups—in front of 141,000 attendees, the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s leading tech events by underscoring AI's intersection with humanity, highlighting accessibility-focused tech, and debuting energy transition and quantum computing conference tracks.
Attendance figures at CES 2025 marked a roughly 2% yearly increase compared to the previous year, when CES 2024 drew 138,000 participants.
A spokesperson for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which produces the annual tech… more
Jan 23, 2025
Cybersecurity threats are on the rise across all industries. In fact, almost 90% of organizations experienced a breach in the last year, according to data by the Centre for Cybersecurity that was published by the World Economic Forum.
Remember the outage last July when an update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused Microsoft Windows operating systems to crash—resulting in potentially the largest IT outage in history?
The event and trade show industry is not immune to cyber threats. Last October, a number of top 200 trade shows were impacted by a cyberattack on a registration… more
Jan 22, 2025
Inside Live Events, a new book by co-authors Freeman Board Member Bob Priest-Heck and Freeman Board Chair Carrie Freeman Parsons, debuted yesterday as a comprehensive playbook for creating and producing live events, including trade shows, corporate events, and exhibits.
Back story: With a combined 78 years of event production experience, the authors drew on their decades of knowledge to publish Inside Live Events, designed to serve as a reference for events veterans while equipping newcomers with practical insights and actionable strategies.
Need to know: Offering steps to create… more
Jan 21, 2025
Two trade show industry organizations announced key launches and initiatives recently.
ESCA Gears Up for New Leadership Summit
The Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) is gearing up to launch a new event designed to empower and educate the next generation of exhibitions and events industry leaders. Set for February 4-5 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, the 2025 Rising Leaders Summit will provide an engaging educational experience designed specifically for young professionals and emerging leaders.
The conference marks the first major initiative… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.