Lauren Kramer, CAE, MTA, CMP Founder & Chief Connector, 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…
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 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…
Waterfront destinations are a popular choice for meeting planners looking to wow attendees with unique activities set in a tranquil atmosphere. Alexandria, Virginia, located minutes from Washington, D.C. on the Potomac River, offers patio dining, boat cruises and rooms with a view, making it easy to plan your entire event around Alexandria’s spectacular Potomac River…
“Bleisure,” if you haven’t heard the term yet, you will soon. The practice of combining business travel and leisure travel into one trip is on the rise. A recent study commissioned by Expedia Group shows that 60% of business trips turn into bleisure, a nearly 40% increase from 2016. So how do you, meeting planner…
What are VR & AR? Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are commonly known for gaming, says Sophia Moshasha, marketing director for Gates’ Brightline Interactive. But companies like hers have been paving the way for the technology to become a new and exciting way to add experiential elements to meetings and events. “VR and…
In part one of this two-part series we looked at the 2018 meeting industry trends guaranteed to help you design an impressive food and beverage (F&B) program for your next event. Now let’s get the dish from our experts on which fresh new trends will make your program as tasty as it is talk-worthy! Hail…
We’ve all heard it, the fastest way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. We can all agree that a great food and beverage (F&B) program will not only impress your meeting attendees, but also drive attendance to your events again and again. When planning an event, it’s always smart to learn about the latest…
We’ve all seen the studies on how pushing away from the desk and getting a little bit of exercise helps stimulate your brain, making you work better and more efficiently. The concept is just as important at a meeting or conference. You’re just not at your best if you never get a break. Yet let’s…
We all know how important the overall destination is when choosing an event or meeting location. One of the features that makes a destination ideal is the ready availability of numerous group-friendly, pre-planned activities. The less you have to plan and organize, and the more there is easily available to do outside meeting hours, the…
