Jan 30, 2019 by Michelle Bruno
Meeting planners have lots of choices to make when placing their events in hotels. Some of the demands that hotels make are non-negotiable. Using an in-house audio-visual service provider is not one of them. In most cases, planners are entitled to utilize the services and expertise of a preferred, third-party AV contractor. They have certain “rights” which they can express during the contract negotiation process. PLANNERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO: Ask the hotel whether or not the use of a...

Jan 24, 2019 by DeDe Mulligan
A milestone in our lives, Graduation season is right around the corner. With roughly 7,000 higher learning institutions planning these ceremonies twice a year along with department receptions, campus festivities, career fairs, and seasonal galas, it can be challenging to create a memorable experience for the graduates, families and faculty. Want to make this event even more special? Make it shorter? Less stressful? Follow these ideas over the next several months to meet these objectives....

Jan 11, 2019 by Melissa Bailey
Film festivals big and small have proven to be an economic boon for the localities that host them. Take for example the Sundance Film Festival, which over an 11-day period in 2017 generated $151.5 million for the Utah economy. Even lesser known festivals can draw tens of thousands of attendees, like the International Palm Springs Film Festival, which attracts over 160,000 attendees to the small city of Palm Springs, whose resident population is less than 50,000. While few festivals have t...

Jan 03, 2019 by Lillian Taylor
2019 Event Technology Trends This past year saw many advancements in event technology, and 2019 promises to improve on some of the most cutting-edge solutions. Lately, there’s been buzz about facial recognition, block chain, RFID, immersive experiences, live streaming, and using social media in innovative ways. Here’s a sneak peek at what we believe the industry can expect in the coming year. Facial Recognition As we mentioned in our last blog post, facial recognition is one trend that ...