There are promising signs that the event industry is returning to pre-pandemic attendance numbers, and some small meetings are even exceeding 2019 levels. But there’s also plenty to indicate that nothing is going ‘back to normal.’ That’s because expectations have evolved, giving rise to the next generation of event trends. After a long pause, we[…]
For meeting planners and event managers globally, the biggest challenge now is to keep up with booming business while accounting for unpredictability and external market pressures. Demand is high and expected to fully rebound to 2019 levels in 2023, but rising inflation means that budgets will be stretched tighter than ever. Do planners need to[…]
There are promising signs that the event industry is returning to pre-pandemic attendance numbers, and some small meetings are even exceeding 2019 levels. But there’s also plenty to indicate that nothing is going ‘back to normal.’ That’s because expectations have evolved, giving rise to the next generation of event trends. After a long pause, we[…]
American Express’s 2023 Global Meetings and Events Forecast predicts a strong rebound in meetings and events for next year, with a swift return to pre-pandemic volumes and a corresponding jump in budgets. After two years of travel restrictions, delayed incentive travel reward programs, and endless Zoom calls, most companies are expecting a massive surge in[…]
If you thought event contracts were tricky before the pandemic, buckle up for even more complications. Force majeure Flexibility In 2020, executing the force majeure clause in a contract was fairly straightforward. The government had declared a lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, so there was no question that the following elements of force majeure[…]
While the first cases of Monkeypox were reported in late April in Europe and the World Health Organization (WHO) called it a global health emergency at the end of July, it was the Biden-Harris Administration’s declaration of this being a public health emergency that got meeting and event planners to really take notice. President Biden[…]
Pent-up demand, labor shortages, and canceled flights have created a summer of travel chaos. Delays, disruptions, and diversions are the new norm. Covid is still a reality, airport staffing is below capacity, and some airlines have threatened to or have gone on strike. For leisure travelers, this is bad news. For event planners and speakers,[…]
Global warming has a far-reaching impact — events included. It is contributing to extreme weather which makes an event planner’s already tough job even tougher. It’s essential to have a disaster preparedness plan in place to deal with extreme weather. According to a UN report, greenhouse gas emissions are at their highest level in two[…]
Returning to face-to-face meetings after two years of canceled conferences and way too many Zoom calls? Getting back to normal, or at least moving ahead with the new normal, may be a relief, but the world of meetings and events is far from business as usual. Here are a few ways to cope with re-entry.[…]
Crafting the right attrition and cancellation clauses in event contracts is more important than ever. Despite continued uncertainty, planners can no longer count on the low rates and flexibility hotels offered at the height of the pandemic. Contract experts share their advice on how best to negotiate in the current climate. Being a smart negotiator[…]