News
Dec 16, 2022
Grip, a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered event platform, unveiled MustMeet, a robust meeting scheduler for event organizers, in response to a surge in demand for more valuable and impactful interactions between buyers and suppliers at events.
MustMeet uses AI to help organizers increase revenue and demonstrate ROI by easily adding transformational meetings to their events with automated meeting schedules. They can now automatically schedule, manage and host a range of meetings for participants at their in-person and virtual events with ease.
The benefits to buyers and suppliers… more
Dec 15, 2022
Destinations International Unveils Booking Agreement to Protect Destinations and Event Professionals
Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), announced a Destination Booking Agreement (DBA) that includes a toolkit to establish mutually agreeable terms to protect both the destination and the business event professional.
Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International, and three representatives from Destinations International’s Large Market Roundtable lauded the DBA's importance to the industry.
“The need for CVBs and business event [professionals] to come together to… more
Dec 14, 2022
According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), the U.S. B2B exhibition industry continues to rebound, demonstrated by a continued improvement in Q3 2022 from the previous 10 quarters. This welcome news was announced by CEIR officials on Dec. 14 during Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting and Exhibition, taking place Dec. 13-15 in Louisville, Ky.
The in-person event cancellation rate remains low, although it increased slightly from 2 percent in Q2 to 3.1 percent in Q3, demonstrating a substantial improvement from 97.8 percent in Q3 2020 and 20.6 percent in Q3 2021, according… more
Dec 14, 2022
Starting a new job in a difficult business climate can be challenging enough, but what about during the height of a global pandemic? That’s exactly where Claude Molinari found himself when he took the helm of Visit Detroit as its new president and CEO in January of 2021 as the global events industry was reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. A self-proclaimed extrovert by nature, Molinari’s outgoing and positive attitude certainly came in handy as he worked tirelessly to guide the CVB and its team through one of the biggest challenges travel and tourism has ever faced.
“It is important to… more
Dec 13, 2022
In order to increase the selection and availability of sustainable, vegan menu options throughout its extensive network of arenas, stadiums, theaters and convention centers, ASM Global recently formed a multi-year partnership with plant-based global food provider Wicked Kitchen.
The new partnership establishes Wicked Kitchen as the “Preferred Plant-Based Food Partner” of ASM Global venues as well as “Exclusive Plant-Based Food Provider” across all catering, suite and concessions managed by SAVOR, the chef-driven culinary division of ASM Global.
With this announcement, Wicked Kitchen also… more
Dec 12, 2022
The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) has become the second facility following Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) where unionized Sodexo food service workers have voted 100% to authorize a strike if a contract is not reached through ongoing negotiations.
The announcement was made late Friday, Dec. 9 by Culinary Workers Union Local 226, affiliate of UNITE HERE!, following two days of voting by cooks, dishwashers, banquet servers, concessions cashiers and other workers employed by Sodexo and working at the LVCC, claiming that their wages are not enough to keep up with the cost… more
Dec 09, 2022
Leading global industry trade association International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has become the latest organization to give its full support to VSef (Virtual Standard Export Format), including the RSDE (Reporting Standards for Digital Events) standards, citing the continued value and importance of digital events within the world’s expositions and meetings industry.
VSef was launched by event insights platform Explori in early 2021 as a response to the rising uptake of digital event platforms and the increase in virtual event experiences. Its goal was creating a global… more
Dec 09, 2022
Webinars are a great way to host internal meetings, conduct team training and deliver unique brand experiences to existing and potential clients. While some brands use webinars as a part of demand gen strategy, others vouch for their effectiveness in lead generation. Studies suggest that the average webinar generates 500-1000 leads and has a 55% conversion rate. This looks great in numbers, but it takes a lot of effort to achieve these results in practicality.
Promotions
Emails, custom landing pages, social media promotions, and branded communities are some ways to promote your webinar.… more
Dec 08, 2022
Collaboration, commitment and consistency emerged as key themes, as a comprehensive roadmap for the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative was announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 6-18.
The ambitious initiative, launched in 2021 through an alliance between the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) and the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), is the events industry’s global campaign to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and the new roadmap outlines exactly how the industry can achieve the goal.
Supported by… more
Dec 08, 2022
Learning and engagement opportunities will abound both on and off the show floor at this year’s Expo! Expo!, the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ (IAEE) Annual Meeting & Exhibition, set for Dec. 13-15, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Ky.
With a 2022 theme of “Expo! Expo! is THE PLACE TO BE,” the ever-popular “Show for Shows” will once again offer a jam-packed schedule of not-to-miss educational content, networking events and collaborative opportunities, while a vibrant trade show floor will feature more than 200 industry suppliers… 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.