In this time of isolation and hardship, the events industry is eager to support one another and feel connected. Visit Alexandria recently teamed up with CVBReps, a group of sixty CVBs/DMOS with D.C.-based offices, to host a four-day food drive benefiting hospitality workers impacted by COVID-19. The food drive aimed to bring the hospitality industry…
In an era of remote working, we are finding ourselves more and more in front of screens. Whether it be a virtual happy hour with friends, class or even a training workshop, in the pandemic age, people are being forced to think smartly and creatively to avoid big gatherings. Microsoft Teams, the app that many…
Planning to shift your event online? Hear first-hand how Ann McLeod with the Society of American Military Engineers transitioned her massive event to a digital experience, as told to Nancy Rosenbaum, Meetings and Event Strategist for Visit Alexandria. Q: When was your original meeting planned, and did it remain the same? Ann: Yes, we originally…
Over the past few months, meeting and events have been cancelled and postponed at record levels. In this unstable environment, planners and suppliers are focusing on contracts and additional terms more than ever. Becoming more familiar with contracting terms, along with clear documentation from each contracting party, has become critical. In a landscape of uncertainty,…
Lauren Kramer, CAE, MTA, CMP CEO and Virtual Strategist, Meeting Priorities If our crystal balls could talk, I think they would say: Proceed with caution and develop new skill sets. The effect of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry has been crushing, but as we begin to emerge in varying stages, what remains is the can-do spirit…
Want to deepen your impact on small businesses? Supporting these Black-owned businesses in Alexandria and align with the Black Lives Matter movement to #supportblackbusinesses today, tomorrow and beyond. Explore our non-exhaustive list of restaurants, retail, beauty and wellness businesses, and see how owners described their operations to us. Keep reading for inspiration on where to grab…
10 Considerations to Make the Right Choice Choosing a small boutique city has traditionally offered groups an intimate, specialized experience for meeting and attendees, complete with personal service not often found in larger cities. Your group receives all the attention and, with smaller hotels, is often the only group in-house. Additionally, smaller cities tend to…
Looking for tools to streamline event planning? Tara Thomas is here to help. Co-Founder and editor of The Meeting Pool, an organization of industry specialists at the intersection of event planning and technology, Thomas has software for every circumstance. During a recent webinar for Visit Alexandria, Thomas shared some of her favorite platforms for event…
Looking to introduce sustainability and social impact into your event? In a recent webinar for Visit Alexandria, Mary Cline, Wolfgang Puck’s regional director for catering and sales for the East Coast, shared her expert advice for incorporating plant-based menus and sustainable catering practices into your future event plans. 1. Introduction to the Plant-Based Movement in…
Do you have nightmares about what could go wrong at your event? Who would step up to the plate if the unthinkable, or merely the unanticipated, were to occur, and what would they say? Alex Plaxen, events and communications expert and president and founder of Little Bird Told Media, addressed these questions and more in…
