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The future of immersive travel Artificial intelligence is slowly but steadily changing how we work, live and travel. Smart Meetings spoke with Herman C Deboard II, CEO and founder of Huvr Inc. , Smart Meetings What are the perks of allowing individuals to take part in virtual tours? This is where AI comes in today.
Throughout the travel industry, sustainability has become a primary focus for both guests and hospitality providers. Sustainability in hospitality is no longer a trend but rather a foundational set of practices, including for Marriott Bonvoy Events. It’s available in 11 languages, so it’s accessible globally.
and China Drive Business Travel Recovery A new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicts business travel spending will reach a new height of $1.5 and China, whose business travel markets have expanded 13.4% trillion by the end of 2024. Key players are the U.S. million people).
We want to be your partner through it all, which is why attending events like the Destinations Florida Annual Meeting is so imperative to us. In December 2024, Adrianne Glass and Laura English traveled to historic Ybor City to meet with some of Florida’s finest.
Tired of Group 5 airline travelers jumping the line and stealing your overhead space? Looking for a showstopping dining experience to feature at your next meeting? As always, Smart Travel is here to catch you up on the industry’s must-read news. of leisure and meeting spaces.
Getting lost in the sea of travel booking platforms? Have an upcoming meeting in Ottawa? As always, Smart Travel is here to bring you the latest cant-miss news in tourism and travel. Together, we look forward to continuing to elevate our loyalty program and delivering exceptional travel experiences for our customers.
Many meeting profs are looking to Fiji, which is experiencing record-breaking visitor numbers. As always, Smart Travel is here to keep you in the loop on the latest cant-miss travel news. Valentijn Bakker, editor of Nieuwe Casino, said, Navigating and spending time in airports can often cause stress for many people traveling.
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. Mauricio Patino Mauricio Patino, Velas Resorts Patino joins the team at Velas Resorts as regional sales director for meetings and incentives. region at Visit Denver.
For suppliers looking to expand their business and stand out in a competitive landscape, one of the most lucrative opportunities involves connecting with meeting and event planners. Understand Your Target Audience: Who Are Meeting & Event Planners?
and namesake for the hospitality school in the NYU School of Professional Studies, was realistic about the effects of Covid on the travel industry but remained optimistic about the upward trends of 2022. He said in his opening remarks, “Travel is essential to the way we work and live–because it has tremendous potential to connect us.”.
Environmental Protection Agency, LGBTQIA+ Travel Alliance and Humane Society of Hawai’i. DMO counterparts like Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism in Wyoming and Queensland Tourism in Australia were also consulted. The post Qurator: Hawaii’s New, All-encompassing Tourism Certification Program appeared first on Smart Meetings.
travelers are starting to opt for shorter trips and more affordable stays as they brace for tighter budgets. Curious how staffing challenges in hospitality might shape events moving forward? As always, Smart Travel is here to bring you this weeks must-read travel and tourism news. Youre not alonenew research shows U.S.
Read More: Shaping the Future of Hospitality Grow international travel to increase U.S. inbound international travel restrictions. The post Quashing Unfair Tax Policies, Growing International Travel, Training Workers Tops ECA 2025 Hot Button List appeared first on Smart Meetings. global competitiveness.
The hospitality students were part of a larger partnership with the university that embodies Cal Polys learn by doing ethos. The conference reinforced the importance of sustainable tourism and innovative marketing strategies, which I hope to integrate into my future career in event planning and hospitality.
The most anticipated openings of 2025, alongside big plans for brands, show how hospitality continues to evolve. 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.
She has spent nearly two decades in the hospitality industry, working in roles at the Belle of Baton Rouge and the Sheraton, and the Residence Inn, Towne Center in Baton Rouge. He will implement innovative strategies to garner business from meetings, events and leisure clientele while driving growth and greater awareness to the hotel.
When Smart Meetings met with him after the lights had turned off and asked about his more than 34 years at Maritz, his roots in the hospitality industry and expansive volunteer roles with MPI and SITE, O’Malley said, “Humility is just the ability to look back and understand how lucky you are. My career was a series of fortunate events.”
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.
Refreshes where comfort and ease meet real ROI Discover new and renovated properties that provide a breath-of-fresh-air feel and the perfect spaces to get the work done, and have funwithout breaking the bank. All meeting spaces now feature sleek blue chairs, natural wood tables and refreshed carpeting and wallcoverings.
Luckily for hospitality entrepreneurs attending New York University, there’s a lot to go around. Tisch Center of Hospitality (HI HUB) aim to support business savvy entrepreneurs. Through the program, Karaburun hopes the entrepreneurs will revitalize the hospitality industry. “We What Is the HI Hub?
With nearly 20 years in the travel and tourism industry, Pace has held positions at numerous destination organizations at both the state and local levels and spent over a decade with Visit Florida. He brings over 20 years of hospitality sales expertise, and most recently served as director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Rosemont.
Sustainability has been shaping society for quite some time now, and we’re seeing examples of it incorporated into wellness and hospitality more and more each year. In addition, according to Booking.com’s 2023 Sustainable Travel Report , approximately 76% of respondents want to travel sustainably over the next 12 months.
ESPA President Jacquelyn Denise Reid on how hospitality can expand the definition of inclusive Celebrating the contributions of more than 13% of the U.S. population to the meetings industry and the world is something that needs to be done year-round. What does Black History Month mean to you?
It’s no secret that the hospitality industry has been understaffed since the beginning of the pandemic. The recent surge in “revenge travel” has been met with burnt out staff and slow service. Travel restrictions are being lifted around the world , drawing in even more tourists from abroad and more professionals to events.
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. The move is due to rapidly declining Covid-19 cases as well as stabilized hospital rates and increased access to vaccines. Read More Travel News. “We Rachel Bendick. A4A and U.S.
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. Source: NYU SPS Jonathan M.
Restaurant group offers lesson in setting standards for quality, culture and service Steve Pettus True hospitality starts with making a friend, according to the Brennan philosophy of running world-class New Orleans restaurants. That is hospitality, the joy of watching people eat food made with care. Make friends.
Women’s History Month is a fitting time to look at the leaders in our midst—regardless of their title—and learn from their heroic approach to hospitality innovation. We asked three women at three powerhouse meetings hotels about their approach to bringing everyone along and were impressed by the passion that unites them.
The Hospitality Show Las Vegas will place eco-friendliness front and center The first-ever Hospitality Show is coming to Las Vegas and its producers are making strong sustainability efforts from the get-go. We will encourage all attendees to return their badges for the reuse and recycling of the materials, including lanyards.”
Read More : New and Renovated: Meetings in International Cities The quarterly report follows EIC’s 2023 Global Economic Significance of Business Events Study and is part of an overall strategy to actively monitor progress. The post Events Industry Council Releases 2024 Q2 Report appeared first on Smart Meetings.
Tony Sclafani, senior vice president and chief communications officer told Smart Meetings,” No events have been canceled due to the air quality concerns in New York City. However, the Javits Center is equipped with hospital-grade air filters to reduce any air pollutants.”
Companies just need to book the best business travel destinations, as shown by their $269.3 billion spending on corporate travel in 2021. Business travel will reach 483 million trips by 2026, and cities worldwide are adapting to welcome more travelers. The city attracted $28.70
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.
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. According to U.S.
Experts weigh in on what needs to change to work together better Editor’s Note : Hospitality sales consultant Steve Steinhart will be speaking at Smart Meetings Extraordinary Experience in Monterey, California, Nov. If all the meetings that we have re-scheduled for 2024 come through, we will show a very nice gain in the group market.”
Travel recovery post-Covid has been a case of two steps forward one step back. Smart Meetings has been covering the airline and hotel industry closely this year, both in our weekly travel reports designed specifically for meeting planners and in our feature coverage. Fasten Your Seat Belts. Fasten Your Seat Belts.
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. Increase in Meeting Spend. Air Travel To See Sharp Increase. decrease in 2020.
The best way to combat climate change is through large-scale action, which is where meeting professionals and WeTravel Academy’s new Sustainable Tourism course comes in. Read More: California: Meet Where Sustainable Innovation Lives. Teaching each traveler is important to increase the impact of the course.
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. The move is due to rapidly declining Covid-19 cases as well as stabilized hospital rates and increased access to vaccines. Read More Travel News. “We Rachel Benedick. A4A and U.S.
Some familiar names and kitchen-tested ideas are behind the launch of Appellation , a new hospitality company planning to open boutique properties with a local edge in popular luxury tourist destinations in the West. His philosophy is that “Genuine hospitality is the way a restaurant makes you feel before you even take a bite of food.
We are at a significant time in the travel industry where we need to authentically reconnect with people and respect the places we choose to visit,” President and CEO of Destinations International Don Welsh said. A Hospitable Spirit. The pinnacle of the annual event is The Spirit of Hospitality celebration and fundraiser.
Why is hospitality industry sentiment upbeat even as predictions call for economic downturn? The good news is that travel is well positioned to withstand any downturn,” he said. Let’s take a deeper dive into why events and business travel might float above the turbulence. Travel Priorities First, some history.
Bespoke experiences to Wow attendees These new and renovated spaces have one critical element that brings meetings to the next level: character. of meeting and event space, including a ballroom and breakout rooms, include state-of-the-art tech and optimize natural light. The nearly 5,000 sq. of flexible indoor and outdoor options.
DOT will leverage the full extent of its investigative and enforcement power to ensure consumers are protected and this process will continue to evolve as the Department learns more,” a DOT spokesperson told Smart Meetings on Friday. For the quarter, American ranked first in completion factor among the nine largest U.S.
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