News & Articles - conferences

  • National Trade Show Alliance Launches

    2021/06/11

    The National Trade Show Alliance has launched, founded in response to the challenges faced by individuals in the trade show community. “Our community members are those whose livelihood comes from the work created by in-person events, such as trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions,” says the Alliance website about the recent venture. “By creating a centralized platform, the National Trade Show Alliance will help community members find the support and resources they need right now and for their growth in the…

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  • Hybrid City Alliance Grows to Include Another Canadian Destination

    2021/04/05

    A second Canadian city has joined the Hybrid City Alliance, a global coalition of destinations working to organize safe in-person and virtual events. Edmonton is one of eight new members. Others include Antwerp, Belgium; Cannes, France; Durban, South Africa; Seoul, South Korea; Sydney, Australia; and Lausanne-Montreux and Zurich, Switzerland. They join co-founders The Hague; Geneva; the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague; and Ottawa, expanding the alliance’s reach to now include destinations across five continents. “(We are) proud to be…

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  • B.C. Convention Centre Re-envisions Space for Safe Return of Events

    2021/02/22

    In anticipation of the return of in-person events, the Vancouver Convention Centre has put together a ‘safe events’ plan. Called ReDesign, the convention centre worked with industry partners to create a live demonstration space that highlights how event aspects could evolve amid the changing industry landscape. “We took a proactive step to explore what events will look like and how they can function so our clients are able to host meaningful experiences with the assurance that decisions are informed by…

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  • Toronto Hotel Debuts Fresh Look after Multi-Million Dollar Renovation

    2021/01/25

    The Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport reopened its doors Jan. 11, after completing a $20 million renovation. The transformation marks a new beginning for the hotel, which looks forward to hosting conferences and meetings when the need resumes. “The hotel is one of the largest airport hotels in the market and now the most modern,” says Sukhdev Toor, president of Manga Hotels, which owns and operates the Crowne Plaza. “The renovation and undertaking of this new look and design was extensive…

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  • Hilton Introduces Hybrid Solutions for Meetings and Events

    2021/01/25

    Hilton has introduced a set of hybrid solutions to address the dramatic shift away from in-person meetings and events during the pandemic. The new offerings, which will continue to evolve alongside customer needs, direct event planners to Hilton’s hybrid-ready hotels while also providing them with additional resources, including an expanded ‘playbook’ with in-depth information on planning and executing small hybrid events and flexible customer offers for a more seamless contract experience. “Hilton has remained a leader in the meetings and…

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  • Marriott Offers COVID-19 Testing for Group Meetings

    2021/01/11

    As part of ongoing steps to help instil confidence for meeting professionals and attendees, Marriott International has introduced optional COVID-19 testing. Tests can be self-administered by guests prior to travel or administered by a third-party provider on-site at the hotel. The initiative builds upon health protocols already in place as part of the recent launch of Connect with Confidence, a program empowering meeting professionals to identify and tailor solutions that best meet the needs of their attendees. “We engaged industry-leading…

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  • Live Events to Rebound in Big Way, Survey Says

    2021/01/11

    In-person business meetings and events will surge in 2021, according to a recent Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) poll of its members — the fourteenth of its kind since the onset of the pandemic. “What we’re seeing in this latest poll is a number of reasons for the business travel industry to be optimistic about 2021, especially toward the middle of the year,” says GBTA’s interim executive director, Dave Hilfman. “As the vaccine rollout gains momentum and if we see…

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  • Survey: 2021 will be a Hybrid Year

    2020/12/02

    Nearly three-quarters of meeting planners are moving their face-to-face events to virtual or hybrid next year, according to the most recent Meetings and Events Pulse Survey conducted by Global DMC Partners. This despite the majority of surveyed planners predicting the return of in-person events in the first half of 2021, though 57 per cent believe events will be downsized in the future, with the largest events topping out at 250 attendees. A majority also believe average event attendee numbers will…

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  • Halifax Promotes Live Meetings as Industry Awaits Return

    2020/11/17

    Discover Halifax recently launched an initiative to help local and Atlantic bubble businesses and event organizers amid the pandemic. The Meet Again Halifax campaign and associated website includes tips and advice for hosting safe face-to-face events, as well as a list of trusted venues to help. “In a typical year, Halifax welcomes 5.3 million overnight stays who spend $1.3 billion locally. Business travellers attending meetings are an important part of this,” says Ross Jefferson, president and CEO of the city’s destination…

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  • 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

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