Inspiration Hub

Stress Matters are launching a series of support services to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, the 10th – 16th May.  Two online courses: Managing mental health and stress for eventprofs and Designing and delivering mentally safe events are being launched to support the mental health of the industry re-opening.

Bosses of major U.S. and UK airlines called on Tuesday for a summit between the two governments to speed the reopening of transatlantic travel, still paralyzed even though the countries have among the world's highest COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Hybrid events have more risk than in-person or virtual events. And this is mainly because a hybrid event combines two very different audience experiences. As in-person events slowly start to return, organisers now are faced with the prospect of running two kinds of events that carry their own set of risks. They need to look at the new issues of social distancing and the criteria for letting people into events. But they also need to consider the risks that are brought from the virtual element of the hybrid event.

Audio-only features have been popping up all over the place in recent months — most notably on popular new social app Clubhouse. What’s the appeal for events, and are they here to stay? 

As meeting planners navigated the Covid-19 pandemic over the past year, concerns about attendee health and well-being have dictated nearly every aspect of how face-to-face events were held — or, in most cases, not held. In the Global Wellness Institute's latest "Global Wellness Trends Report," the authors explain that the pandemic has forced planners to reinvent their gatherings in a way that puts health at the center of virtually every decision — and that is likely to continue.

Mobile technology is sure to play a critical role in our much-desired return to in-person events, yet event apps are currently not top of mind. Will they be used to help ensure a covid-safe environment? If so, can planners force all attendees to use them?

The revival of the travel industry is well underway. That’s the clear message here at the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2021 Global Summit. "This is the world platform for recovery,” WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara said. “The recovery of travel and tourism starts here."

The United Kingdom is set to trial a non-socially distanced outdoor concert with 5,000 attendees in a bid to get audiences back to live events safely this summer, the British government announced in a statement on Sunday.

Despite a sea change in market circumstances the sophomore Sustainable Event Buyer’s Guide maintains its focus, detailing green thinking, green policy, green technology, green products/services and green best practice.

Even as it sidelined travel worldwide, the Covid crisis also helped sharpen the industry’s focus on sustainability.

New European-wide research commissioned by Epson reveals a high proportion (83%) of people are planning to go to the same or a greater number of events once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

For event professionals who are passionate about sustainability, this past year has raised some concerns about the future of green events. As the trade show and meetings industry begins to recover, and with event budgets tighter than ever, will anyone care enough about sustainability to help the cause or will green practices end up on the bottom rung of importance?

Details have emerged of the first live, in-person business event in the UK since the latest lockdown. The Good Business Festival will host launch event Change Business for Good on 28 April at ACC Liverpool with up to 1,000 delegates in attendance as part of the Government’s pilot event scheme.

Governor Steve Sisolak on Tuesday announced a goal for Nevada to reopen to 100 percent capacity by June 1, and to drop the statewide social distancing mandate by May 1. The governor spoke from the Nevada State Capitol on Tuesday, April 13. He noted significant progress in the effort to get Nevadans vaccinated and said about 40 percent of Nevadans 16 and older have started the vaccine process and 25 percent of Nevadans 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

If Gen Zers — aged 25 and under — could change something about the business event(s) they’ve been to in the past, what would it be? If you said better entertainment or better speakers, you’re partially right. But the vast majority — 69%— of 560 survey participants to a recent PCMA survey, conducted by JUV Consulting and sponsored by the PCMA Foundation, would like to see more engaging activities. And that’s followed by more inclusive events, chosen by 39% of survey participants.

A veteran planner sees six key themes for the future of meetings and events; purposeful, sustainable, digital, experience-based, data-driven and interactive.  

Meetings, convention and trade show media heard from Las Vegas leaders of the industry and got their first look at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s $989 million, 1.4 million-square-foot West Hall expansion on Global Meetings Industry Day.

Positive Impact Events is empowering its 1,400 strong community of Ambassadors to raise funds that will support the creation of a science-based carbon target and reduction framework, a requirement to ensure future generations can still attend events. Centered around Earth Day (22nd April ’21), the Ambassadors will be asking fellow event professionals, marketing their sustainability initiatives, to do so in a way that will make a difference for the future of the event sector.

On Thursday, April 8, meeting professionals as well as leaders in business, travel and government will gather — both virtually and in-person — to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day. More than a year since the Covid-19 pandemic set off unprecedented disruption and damage throughout the world, this year's celebration of the importance of business events will take on a greater significance. Organized by the Meetings Mean Business coalition, this international day of advocacy will be marked by a series of events held around the world — all aimed at showcasing the value of business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel and more.  

The pandemic has significantly changed the way attendees engage with content, and while eventprofs are waiting with bated breath for the large-scale resumption of in-person events, there has been an undeniable shift in the industry that will continue to affect event programs moving forward.

The Meetings Industry Association (mia) and the Alliance of Independent Event Agencies (AIEA) will be further extending their collaboration to aid the recovery of the sector.

As restrictions ease over the summer, I’m certainly eager to get back into live events and networking. This past year, however, many events managers learned a valuable lesson: for some people virtual is the best - or only - option

As the industry begins to return to in-person events, onsite Covid safety and the way it may be facilitated by tech is a hot topic. How are tech providers approaching the next phase of events?

As vaccine rollouts pick up the pace in many regions and many more begin to open up, some planners are optimistically looking at in-person event programs for the second and third quarters of 2021. However, vaccine efficacy expectations are changing and not all attendees will necessarily be required to get one. Onsite Covid safety is still very much a concern.

The EIC’s virtual ceremony welcomed Hall of Leaders inductees including Jonathan Howe, who served as MPI legal counsel for 46 years. The inductees are recognized global leaders who have shaped the business events industry and delivered extraordinary effort in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

M&IT brought together 10 associations from around the events world for Sustainability Now!, an idea-packed event on how to drive the sustainability agenda. 

Attendees heard a keynote speech from sustainability pioneer Guy Bigwood of the Global Destinations Sustainability Movement, speaking about the Regenerative Revolution, a new paradigm for event management.