Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 8, 2024

Refract Seattle 2024 was the largest yet, in the festival’s sixth year—and it’s a shining example of an opportunity for business meetings and events, from citywides to VIP groups, to get connected with the locale of their chosen destination in an unforgettable way.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 29, 2021

Event planners are already preparing to bring the best to 2022. Here are some of the biggest events to come in 2022. The first event of the new year, Smart Meetings’ Incentive Experience event in Playa del Carmen, Mexico is a 3-day excursion at the Hotel Xcaret Arte. Flashpoint: Sparking Haute Ideas. National 3-Day Experience.

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Smart Meetings

JANUARY 10, 2025

Megan Conway Megan Conway, Travel Portland Travel Portland has named Conway as president and CEO, promoting her from her earlier role as chief strategy officer. Her work has contributed to several industry awards, including the Most Profitable Business Award and the Creative Business Award in 2022 and the Event Space Award in 2023.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 22, 2022

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become increasingly important as the travel and tourism industries are surging into 2023. Smart Meetings has collected our best CSR stories of 2022 to inspire and encourage continued efforts towards good causes. Travel took place in Orlando this past June and going green was the focus.

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 24, 2022

Editor’s Note: This is the first edition of Meetings Uncovered—Smart Meetings’ newest column focused on keeping you up to speed with the latest news in the hospitality industry. . These are missed birthday parties, graduations, time with loved ones and important meetings.”. Read more here. Read more here.

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Smart Meetings

APRIL 6, 2023

United Adds New Non-Stops to 100+ International Cities This Summer to Meet ‘Soaring Overseas Travel Demand’ United Airlines has announced that it will fly to 114 different international cities this summer and has expanded its flying by 25% versus last year to meet the sharp increase in demand for travel outside of the U.S.

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Smart Meetings

JANUARY 19, 2023

We’ll Always Have Paris…Until Beijing Takes Over A new study from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) shows Paris is the world’s most powerful “city destination” with almost $36 billion USD in 2022 in terms of direct GDP contribution to the city, but it also reveals that Paris will cede its place to up-and-coming Beijing by 2032.

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Smart Meetings

MAY 26, 2023

As travelers post “OOO” on their cell phones and head out to vacation time this long Memorial Day weekend, lower fares but full flights are indicative of some trends that may continue this summer. However, 2023 is predicted to be the most expensive for international travel in more than five years with fares to Europe up over 50% from 2022.

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Smart Meetings

MAY 18, 2023

People are happy getting back to reclaim their life and their joy and people are traveling. Travel is something people are prioritizing. While these drawbacks have not yet put a dent in leisure travel demand, if this trend continues, travelers will reach a breaking point and some airline brands may be damaged.”

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 21, 2022

From safe places to travel in 2022 to a look at the larger problem surrounding the Salman Rushdie incident, here are Smart Meetings’ top security stories from 2022. 10 Safest Places to Travel in 2022. 6 Ways to Practice Cybersecurity While Traveling.

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Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

European Travel Is Rebounding Says New Study The European Travel Commission (ETC) has released a new study that says European destinations are “on their way to recovering pre-pandemic tourist arrivals.” Experts anticipate a gradual return of Chinese travelers to Europe from the second quarter of 2023, as significant barriers remain.

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Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

Now that Hawaii no longer requires fully vaccinated visitors to quarantine, a lot of the cultural festivals meeting professionals previously hitched their group travel to are back in play. 2022 on the island of Oahu in particular is looking to be a year replete with music, entertainment and—of course—food. Music Festivals.

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Smart Meetings

JANUARY 27, 2022

American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)’s 2022 State of the Hotel Industry Report sees the hotel industry moving toward recovery “but the path will be uneven and potentially volatile, and full recovery is still several years away.” Meeting planners will note that AHLA reports 58% of meetings and events are expected to return.

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

Wallet Hub has released a list of the best warmest and coldest locations during the winter, based on several key indicators including cost and travel time. We researched the top meeting venues in each of these destinations. Many travelers head to Las Vegas for the unending nightlife, but the City of Lights has much more to offer. (It

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Smart Meetings

MAY 10, 2022

Ferguson came together at Union Market for its annual Travel Rally, held during U.S. Travel Association’s National Travel and Tourism Week—which happened this past week—where they discussed the region’s forecast and data from 2021. Travel, overseas visitation will likely not reach 2019 levels until 2025. In 2022, D.C.

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Rising prices for business travelers are predicted to continue in 2022 and through 2023, according to a report, “ 2023 Global Business Travel Forecast ,” by travel management platform CWT and Global Business Travel Association. Overall, the global economy is expected to grow 3% in 2022 and 2.8%

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Smart Meetings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

IMEX 2022 concluded its 11 th American run Thursday following a thunderous return with over 12,000 people in attendance at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, a 45% increase over last year’s event due to pandemic travel restrictions. — JT Long (@SmartMtgsJT) October 13, 2022. meetsmart pic.twitter.com/xY7qsyppLz.

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Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

In one of the biggest travel stories of the week, Denver has announced that the city’s face covering order will expire on Thursday, Feb. Read More Travel News. “We Our Covid-19 numbers have been steadily decreasing since January, and we feel this is an optimistic sign that the meetings industry is moving forward. “Our

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Smart Meetings

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Two-thirds of meeting professionals have reported the recovery of the hospitality industry to more than half of 2019 levels and one-third reported having reached beyond recovery to 80% of 2019 levels, according to new research by IACC’s new report, Meeting Room of the Future Barometer Late—November 2022.

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Smart Meetings

APRIL 11, 2025

Events Industry Council (EIC) , National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE) joined the founding partners and kicked off the event at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in 2022.

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Smart Meetings

JUNE 20, 2022

Destinations International (DI) has announced its 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees and Destination Organization Leadership Award recipients. DI’s Hall of Fame was created and designed to recognize those who’ve positively changed destination and travel marketing and management, made significant contributions to the industry.

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Smart Meetings

JUNE 26, 2023

From extreme team building to incentive trips in far-flung destinations with adventure components, risk-taking incentive travelers are not an unknown commodity in the MICE industry. I really doubt that extreme experiences are going to permeate the incentive travel for corporate stakeholders and sales staff.

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The MICE Blog

OCTOBER 21, 2024

It’s ideal for meeting organizers—direct flights from almost everywhere, no need for transfer arrangements, and the ability to host large events, which is unique. Between 2022 and 2023, over 500 guest rooms in the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel were renovated. ‘The That caters to a larger client segment.

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 11, 2023

Plus strategies for managing increased business travel costs in 2024 Business travel and event cost are not increasing as steeply as they were in 2022, but they’re still going up, according to 2024 Business Travel Forecast , a new study by CWT and Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).

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Smart Meetings

OCTOBER 10, 2022

Global DMC Partners (GDP), the network of independent destination management companies and event service providers, has recently unveiled its 2022 Global Destination Index , which highlights the most popular meeting and incentive destinations around the world, according to booked and pending business across its worldwide partners.

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Smart Meetings

JUNE 14, 2022

Travel has hosted the International Pow Wow (IPW) to put America’s tourist destinations up for offer to travel agents from around the world. A community garden volunteer event serves as the perfect opener for IPW 2022. Making Sustainable Travel Happen. Since the first event in New York City in 1969, U.S.

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Smart Meetings

JANUARY 27, 2023

DOT Announces Investigation into Southwest Holiday Chaos The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced an investigation this Wednesday into Southwest Airlines’ chaotic holiday weekend in December 2022. The post Meeting Planners Travel Report: DOT to Dig Into Southwest Airlines Holiday Chaos appeared first on Smart Meetings.

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Smart Meetings

JUNE 30, 2022

Editor’s note : This Week in Travel (TWT) is your essential guide to smoothing the road from here to there for your attendees and yourself. sent a letter to Secretary Buttigieg with demands that meetings and travel planners dealing with participants missing days at events because of flight snafus might applaud.

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 18, 2023

IMEX America Moves Toward a Sustainable Events Future IMEX America 2022 was the greenest one yet. Counting the Sustainable Event Measures IMEX America 2022 , which took place Oct. Long-range plans include offsetting air travel impacts and increasing renewable energy at Mandalay Bay Convention Center to 100%.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 27, 2021

All Covid protocols will be observed at the meeting space, and people who choose not to travel will be accommodated with some digital options. “At Shapiro emphasized that his company’s employees would not have to travel to Las Vegas if they were concerned about health risks. Hybrid meeting programs offer a silver lining.

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Smart Meetings

MAY 5, 2021

Travel Association president and CEO Roger Dow seconded the request, saying, “Restrictions have taken a disproportionately heavy toll on the travel industry and our millions of workers, and the rule preventing cruise operations is uniquely specific. More : Navigating in Open Waters with Cruise Meetings. Safety Considerations.

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Smart Meetings

OCTOBER 19, 2021

Since June, however, borders that had closed in March of last year have begun to open back up for business travel. In the meantime, many destinations have been readying, renovating and innovating to prepare for the return of tourism and group travel. Canada’s borders reopened to vaccinated international travelers in August.

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Smart Meetings

JUNE 23, 2022

Editor’s note : This Week in Travel (TWT) is your essential guide to smoothing the road from here to there for your attendees and yourself. Travel Forecast Sees Wobbly Recovery. Travel estimates that $1.05 The forecast projects that domestic business travel volume will reach 81% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and 96% in 2023.

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Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 26, 2024

With a host of exciting new hotels slated to open throughout the next 12 months, plus some major strategic visions in the works at major brands, the opportunities for every style meeting are boundless. The opening of this new property in Tokyo recognizes the continued desire for international travel made accessible.

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Smart Meetings

AUGUST 16, 2022

Editor’s note : This Week in Travel (TWT) is your essential guide to smoothing the road from here to there for your attendees and yourself. AmEx Global Travel Financials Show Strong Business Travel Recovery. airlines” shows that in the second quarter of 2022, “the demand for business travel is very strong.”.

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Smart Meetings

FEBRUARY 28, 2022

Meeting professionals understand that travel brings people together. Destinations International , the association for Destination Marketing Organizations, is teaming up with research firms iolite group , Brand USA and Miles Partnership to determine the impact of cultural exchange on destination planning and travel.

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Smart Meetings

JULY 7, 2022

Editor’s note : This Week in Travel (TWT) is your essential guide to smoothing the road from here to there for your attendees and yourself. She adds, however: “Among those who are uncertain if they will travel for conferences/conventions/trade shows, 1 in 3 cite availability of virtual events as a reason for the uncertainty.

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