News & Articles - conference

  • Number of GBAC Star Certified Facilities Climbs

    2020/12/02

    Seventeen Canadian facilities are now Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Star accredited and 11 more have committed to certification. Ramada by Wyndham Kamloops in British Columbia, Hyatt Place Edmonton West, RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Hyatt Place Ottawa West and Fredericton Convention Centre in New Brunswick are among those that have started the coronavirus cleaning and prevention program. Administered by GBAC, a division of the worldwide cleaning industry association ISSA, GBAC Star is considered the gold standard of prepared facilities.…

    Breaking News

  • Lessons Learned from Moving a Massive In-Person Event Online

    2020/11/17

    Taking the well-oiled machine that is Cvent CONNECT and transforming it into an entirely new experience wasn’t easy. From the initial pivot to getting buy-in, strategically designing the event to new technology considerations, Cvent’s director of meetings and events, Rachel Andrews, and senior manager of meetings and events, Paulina Curto, share lessons learned from moving the world’s largest event technology and hospitality conference online. The Digital Pivot While pre-event risk conversations occurred back in 2019, the decision to go virtual…

    Virtual Events

  • BCIT Centre for Ecocities Internationally Recognized for Impact of 2019 Event

    2020/10/06

    Ecocity Builders and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Ecocity Centre are the recipients of the 2020 Incredible Impacts Award in recognition of an event they hosted that excelled in areas such as sustainability, accessibility and ecology. The announcement was made Sept. 24, by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the BestCities Global Alliance. “There’s never been a more important time to showcase the major milestones our industry can overcome, and we hope this year’s winners provide…

    Breaking News

  • The Show Must Go On: Safe Practices for the Return of Live Events

    2020/09/15

    The return of in-person conferences and events is crucial to helping economies recover. They attract exhibitors and attendees from all over the world, generating millions of dollars in tourism revenue, and support tens of thousands of jobs across a multitude of industries. As co-chair of the Exhibition Services and Contractors Association’s health and safety committee and a member of the industry event and health advisory group for the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of the worldwide cleaning industry association…

    Event Operations

  • World’s Largest Hotel Chain Ramps up Guidance for Meetings Professionals

    2020/08/17

    Marriott International has introduced a series of efforts to help event hosts and organizers plan and execute meetings so attendees can “connect with confidence.” The changes include enhanced sanitation guidelines, new operational training for associates and increased use of conference technologies to ensure customers are able to come together when they are ready. Marriott has also created more content on its digital platform about redefined processes and reimagined spaces to provide additional context and information for designing successful events in the…

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  • Six Considerations Before Hosting a Live Event in the Coronavirus World

    2020/08/04

    With Alberta greenlighting indoor trade shows and exhibiting events, and other provinces likely to soon follow-suit, you may be eager (and have the opportunity) to squeeze an event in before the year is out. And rightfully so! Since March, the events industry has made do with virtual options, which, although effective, do not compare to the magic of a live event. But much has changed since pre-COVID-19. Where do you start? Here’s what you should consider as you embark on…

    Event Operations

  • World’s Largest Tech Conference will be Online-Only in 2021

    2020/08/04

    With the growing global health concerns about the spread of COVID-19, CES will be an all-digital experience in 2021. According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which owns and operates the CES, the decision to shift the U.S.’s largest business-to-business trade show and conference to an online format was a result of concern for the tens of thousands of people expected to convene in Las Vegas for the multi-day event, which was originally set for Jan. 6-9, 2021. “Technology helps…

    Breaking News

  • Alberta Issues Event Guidelines as Trade Shows, Exhibits get Green Light

    2020/07/20

    Indoor trade shows and exhibiting events are allowed again in Alberta. The announcement was made July 16, at a press conference. The province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said after studying other jurisdictions that have reopened such activities, it was found events don’t seem to be large spreaders of the coronavirus. The government has developed guidelines to support event organizers in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among workers, volunteers, patrons and the general public. Organizers…

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  • Edmonton Venues Commit to Achieve GBAC Star Certification

    2020/07/20

    A pair of convention centres in Alberta’s capital will become two of the first venues in Canada to pursue the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Star accreditation for outbreak prevention, response and recovery. The announcement by the Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton Expo Centre comes less than a month after the Toronto Congress Centre committed to the standard, and just days before the provincial government announced the resumption of trade shows and exhibits, effective July 17. GBAC Star is considered the gold standard…

    Breaking News

  • New Seat Selection Tool Makes Social Distancing Simple

    2020/07/07

    Seats.io has released an advanced social distancing seat selection tool to assist with the reopening of the events industry and help rebuild consumer confidence. Unlike static solutions that already exist, like blocking seats before showing the floor plan, the tool allows event organizers to apply social distancing rules in real-time when ticket buyers select their seats online. For instance, they can indicate how much social distancing is required for an event, depending on the location, or how many people in…

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