10 Accessibility Tips You Might Not Have Considered
When it comes to making meetings accessible, the only way to ensure that you have covered all your bases is to know that you have asked all the right questions.
All Topics
Accessibility & Inclusion
10 Tips for Planning Neuro-inclusive Events
Neurodivergent individuals can account for as many as 1 out of 5 of your attendees. Here’s how to design events with this group in mind.
Make Your Meeting Wheelchair Accessible
Who better to share advice on wheelchair accessibility than a wheelchair user?
Announcements
Skift Meetings Releases Essential Guide to New Meeting and Incentive Venues in 2025
Planners don’t need more noise. They need smarter signals. Here are 135 new venues that actually matter.
Skift Meetings to Host Virtual Summit on AI & the Future of Events
Skift Meetings is gathering the industry's AI pioneers to show you what's possible – and what's next.
Introducing the Next Era for Skift Meetings Awards
Exciting news! Skift Meetings Awards will now form part of the 2025 Skift IDEA Awards, making the program bigger and better than ever. Apply early to secure the best entry rate.
Budgeting & Cost Savings
10 Must-Know Terms for Budgeting
The world of budgeting has its own vocabulary – and you, as a planner, need to speak the same language as the CFO.
Meeting Budgeting 101
Planners spend most of their time on design and logistics, but at the foundation of every successful event lies a balanced budget.
Tipping Etiquette for Planners
A mandatory service charge doesn’t always get back to the team, some employees can’t accept cash, and minimum wages differ by state. There’s nothing simple about tipping.
Careers & Personal Development
Thinking of Starting Your Own Business? Planners Share Their Biggest Challenges
From managing cash flow to juggling responsibilities, there’s a lot to learn when planners open their own shop.
Tax Time Means Stress for Independent Planners. Here’s Some Advice.
A tax expert offers some advice for independent planners facing their least-favorite task — filing their taxes.
So, You Want to Become a Meeting Planner?
Behind every unforgettable event is a meeting planner making magic happen. If you're organized, calm under pressure, and love bringing people together, this career could be your perfect fit. Learn about the key skills, certifications, salary expectations, and steps to start your journey in event planning.
Contracts & Duty of Care
How to Address Tariffs in Event Contracts
Tariffs can trigger unexpected cost spikes for both planners and suppliers. Building flexibility into contracts through substitutions and force majeure protections can help mitigate financial surprises and keep events on track.
Parking Lot Safety: What Planners Need to Know
With car break-ins surging in some U.S. cities, business event planners must now consider parking lot safety as part of their site selection and contract process.
5 Security Tips to Keep Top Execs Safe at Meetings
You might think the responsibility for the safety and security of VIPs at a meeting falls on the sponsoring organization – but planners are also partially liable.
Coronavirus
Planners Beware, Covid Cases on the Rise
A new Covid variant is sweeping across the United States. One industry professional raises the alarm after contracting the virus at a recent convention.
What E3’s Cancellation Means for the Meetings Industry
65,000 attendees, 4,000 jobs, and $88 million in revenue won't be coming to Los Angeles in June, with leading video-game-industry trade show E3 canceled for 2023. It was meant to be the first in-person show since 2019. However, major exhibitors were unwilling to commit. Will other events follow suit?
China Shutters Major Event 9 Hours Before Opening Due to Covid Outbreak
TCT Asia, a major trade show, was shut down by Shenzhen authorities nine hours before it was set to open due to Covid numbers in the city creeping up to 24. Navigating policies and enforcements like this is a challenge for show and event planners, but it’s a reality that’s here to stay.
Destinations
Kansas City Meetings: Big-City Energy, Budget-Friendly Value
As attendees put the decision to attend certain meetings under the microscope, there’s intense pressure for meeting professionals to find a destination that delivers one-of-a-kind culture. It’s why second-tier spots like Kansas City are standing out with the ability to create first-class experiences.
Texas Makes $8 Billion Investment in its Convention Centers
Houston, Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth have embarked on a host of convention center projects. The hope is that they will help these cities attract more groups in today’s competitive convention market.
McCormick Place Drops OVG from Venue Management Deal
Oak View Group (OVG) had a short-lived venue management deal at McCormick Place. The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, owner of the convention center campus, will take over management duties on July 1.
Diversity and Inclusion
WorldPride 2025 a Go Despite Sponsorship Losses and Travel Challenges
The shifting political landscape in the U.S. is casting a shadow over WorldPride 2025, with sponsors pulling out and international travelers facing growing uncertainty. While organizers remain steadfast in their commitment to hosting the global event, concerns over all Pride events are mounting.
Event Companies Doubling Down on DEI
At a time when some companies are scrubbing DEI from their websites and annual reports, others in the meetings industry are speaking out about the importance of diversity.
New All-Female Leadership Takes Helm at SoolNua
After three decades of industry bromance, Patrick Delaney and Pádraic Gilligan are letting go of the steering wheel at SoolNua, handing the keys to an all-female leadership duo.
Event Design
Meetings Innovator: Tahira Endean
IMEX Head of Programming Tahira Endean lives and breathes creativity. So it makes perfect sense that she would dream up the idea of categorizing ‘joy’ as a KPI — and then write an entire book about it.
43 Tips to Prepare Your Event Planning Strategy in 2025
Technology, sustainability, and personalization are already here. How we integrate them in a way that feels fresh, impactful, and unforgettable will set the event planning strategy in 2025 and the years ahead.
CEO Video: How Wordly Advances Live Translation With AI
Wordly CEO Lakshman Rathnam highlights the growing demand for live translation in meetings and events, emphasizing how AI and automation are transforming efficiency, scalability, and accessibility to better serve diverse global audiences and attendees.
Event Inspiration
Event Promotion Wording: A Key to Effective Event Marketing
Effective event promotion wording attracts attendees and strengthens your marketing strategy. Craft clear, engaging messages that resonate, create urgency, and highlight key benefits to make your event unforgettable.
Planner Turns Job Search Struggles Into Support Group
A senior planner who lost her job twice decided to channel the challenges of her unemployment journey into an online support group for fellow planners.
How Visit Atlantic City Is Rethinking What Blended Travel Really Means
Many destinations still separate blended travel into distinct categories: There’s business time and leisure time before or after the meeting or event. But in reality, this isn’t how meeting attendees view their trips. Visit Atlantic City is making major changes to deliver a more unified experience and challenge the traditional boundaries between work and play.
Event Logistics & Operations
5 Best Practices for Successful Sales Kickoff Meetings
The sales kickoff is a huge opportunity to pump up the sales force — and unquestionably a company’s most important meeting of the year.
What is a Site Selection Company?
Many event planning companies offer site selection among their suite of services, but some companies specialize in finding the right venue for your meeting or incentive trip — at no cost to you.
6 Tips to Make Registration a Breeze
Registration is attendees’ first impression of an event — and involves much more than just filling out a form and printing a badge.
Event Management
Event Sponsorship Guide: How to Get the Right Sponsors?
Event sponsorship is one of those things that every event professional wants to master, but few truly enjoy.
The Silent Power of Seating Charts
Images from President Jimmy Carter’s funeral showed how the seating arrangement spurred some unlikely encounters. Your seating strategy has the power to do the same.
8 Ways to Protect Attendees From Norovirus This Winter
With norovirus leading the news and the continuing threat of Covid, flu and RSV, planners need to be on high alert.
Event Marketing & Promotion
5 Strategies for Marketing Events to a Younger Audience
Planners spend a lot of time and effort tailoring meeting content and delivery to younger attendees. Make sure your marketing efforts get the same level of attention.
Pop-Up Events: Do’s and Don’ts
Pop-up events might have started out as a trend but they’ve become an integral part of the marketing mix.
7 Ways To Make PR Work For Your Event
Most event planners know that PR pros write press releases, but you might be surprised to learn they do a lot more.
Event Technology
Event Tech News Roundup: February–March 2025
The recent wave of event news suggests that the sector is in a period of strategic execution. Companies are tightening their focus, refining core tools, expanding reach, and layering in AI where it makes tangible impact.
Projection Mapping Guide for Events: How to Plan, Create & Execute
3D projection mapping is a powerful tool to captivate audiences and maximize event ROI. And the best part, it might be more affordable than you think.
Planners Share Their Top AI Prompts
Pick a task, from emails to seating charts to FAQ documents, and there’s probably a way AI can help, said these two meeting pros during Skift Meetings’ recent AI & the Future of Events virtual event.
Ideas & Inspiration
6 Fresh Takes on Wellness at Meetings
The focus at meetings today is no longer about making the case to include wellness but on finding new and creative ways to do so.
How Can Speakers Bureaus Help With Your Meeting?
It can be a daunting task to choose a speaker from the thousands listed online. Enter speakers bureaus, which not only represent curated collections of speakers but also manage all the details for planners.
6 Things to Consider Before You Hire a Speaker
The right speaker can make or break your event. Considering the makeup of your audience and your meeting’s objectives will guide you toward the best decision.
Incentive Travel
Amway Brings 16,000-Person Incentive Group to Melbourne
For its 30th Birthday Celebration, Amway's 16,000 delegates will use a total of 32,000 room nights, dine in 50 different restaurants, and visit dozens of local attractions throughout the month of April.
Anxiety About International Travel Has Companies Rethinking Incentive Trips
With more U.S. travelers expressing concern about their safety traveling internationally, incentive travel is already feeling some repercussions.
Incentive Leaders Express Concern About Potential Impact of Trump Policies
The Trump Administration's recent actions have incentive company CEOs wondering what’s next.
Industry News
Association Events Navigate Federal Policy Changes
Shifting U.S. federal policies are affecting association event attendance, especially among international participants. In response, associations are changing event formats, meeting locations, and contracts amid ongoing uncertainty.
Cvent Resumes Acquisition Spree Buying Spatial Tech Company Prismm
Despite current economic headwinds, Cvent has restarted its acquisition spree by adding one of the few companies that specialises in 3D visualization of event spaces.
Commerce, Not Content, Drives Events, New Freeman Report Finds
In a tighter economy, events must deliver a return on investment. Commerce has overtaken content as the primary reason professionals attend events, a shift that’s expected to accelerate as budgets tighten and event attendance becomes more selective.
Meetings Innovators
Meetings Innovator: Kathryn Frankson
From robots to rock 'n' roll stages, Money20/20's marketing guru Kathryn Frankson has a knack for turning heads and raising eyebrows. But behind the wild ideas and viral moments is a seasoned innovator with some serious wisdom to share.
Meetings Innovator: Anh Nguyen
When Anh Nguyen realized the events industry's "do-it-all-yourself" culture wasn't compatible with motherhood, she built a solution: a collaborative network of senior planners. But that's just one of her many innovative approaches to working in the meetings industry.
Mary Jo Blythe: Meetings Innovator
Forever changing the lives of front-line hospitality workers – one person at a time – is Mary Jo Blythe’s mission as founder of The Above and Beyond Foundation.
On The Road
Expert Advice for Surviving Long-Haul Travel
The goal for meeting planners flying long-haul is to arrive fresh and ready to work. Who better to ask for advice on how to do that than fellow travelers and flight attendants?
Where Can On-the-Go Planners Find Healthy Airport Food?
Believe it or not, healthy food does exist when you’re traveling — you just need to know where to look.
Top 10 Under-the-Seat Rollerbags for Road Warriors
We asked the people who know best — meeting planners who are perennially on the road — which under-the-seat rollerbags they prefer.
People
Megan Henshall: Meetings Innovator
Rehumanizing corporate life is the new mission of Google Xi. Its founder, Megan Henshall, is Skift Meeting's first-ever Meetings Innovator.
Falling Down Stairs, Talking to Strangers: How Planners Got Their Start
The more you ask planners how they got their start in the meetings industry, the more random the stories become.
San Francisco Travel Association’s New CEO Outlines Plans to Escape the City’s Doom Loop Narrative
Anna Marie Presutti is finding new ways to increase funds for the San Francisco Travel Association, which is crucial to revitalizing its meetings and events business.
Skift Meetings Podcast
AI and the Human Touch
On this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, we delve into the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the events industry while emphasizing the enduring importance of human connection.
Has Wellness Reached a Tipping Point?
With all the talk in the industry about integrating wellness into events, have meetings really become healthier?
IMEX America 2024 in Review: From Baseball to Pickleball, the Industry Is All-In on Personalized Experiences
In this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, we recap the record-breaking IMEX America 2024, diving into industry trends and the innovations shaping the future of events.
Sustainability
MCI's Green Push: Rethinking Event Sourcing
MCI's sustainability push could disrupt site sourcing. Its bespoke, standardized metrics call for transparency, and may set the tone for industry-wide change.
Beyond Eco-Friendly: Putting Sustainability at the Center of Meetings and Events
Sustainability is among the most discussed topics in meetings and events. In this report, Destination DC showcases how to turn those words into action.
No Trays of Bacon or Plastic Bottles: Steps to a Sustainable Event
At FICP’s Annual Conference this week, the team that is working toward getting the event certified by the EIC shared their story.
Technology
How Agentic AI May Transform Event Planning – and Tools You Can Use Now
Generalist AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot are being replaced by agentic AI, which can customize and deploy AI models for specific tasks. Are event planners ready?
8 Key Takeaways from Skift Meetings' AI & the Future of Events Summit
These thoughts, tips and tricks, straight from industry leaders, will stop you from getting left behind in the AI revolution.
New Research: Many Organizations Lack the Tools to Capitalize on Event Data
New research from Swoogo reveals that organizations have yet to fully integrate event technologies, hampering their ability to prove ROI for their meetings and events.
Toolkit
Meeting Planner Groups and Associations You Need to Know
The best way to immerse yourself in the meetings industry is to join an association or membership group — or maybe two.
How Much Do Meeting Planners Make?
Meeting planner salaries vary widely, based on education and certifications, experience, region of the country, and type of organization.
Which Colleges Offer Meeting Planning Degrees?
A surprisingly small number of colleges offer either bachelor’s degrees or concentrations in meeting management.
Trends & Insights
Exhibition Industry Projects Strong Growth Through 2025
The exhibition industry is expecting an almost 20% increase in revenue for 2025. Driving the bulk of the growth are emerging markets, and almost half of exhibition companies worldwide are looking to expand their workforce.
Why This Event Planner Got His MBA
For Cambridge Innovation Institute's Scott Arrington, a newly minted MBA is already helping him in his planner role. But he's the first to admit that grad school isn't for everyone.
The Future of Live Tourism: Key Insights from Davos
Live tourism is reshaping cities, economies, and how we connect. But as global leaders at the World Economic Forum discussed, a sustainable future for these mega-gatherings depends on much more than just filling seats.
Venues
How Meeting and Event Spaces Foster Employee Connection in Today’s Hybrid World
Planners can maximize interaction among office staff members by meeting in person and creating experiences outside of the office in unique venues. Learn how Convene has designed its venues to meet the demands of companies bringing together teams of remote workers.
How Historic Destinations Can Spur Innovation Among Meeting Planners
Budapest’s rich history and modern amenities make it an ideal location for planners, particularly for large conferences. Learn how to utilize the Hungarian capital’s culture to spark innovation at your next meeting.
Independent Properties: When the Hotel Becomes the Experience
With the transformation of events into experiences, planners say that independent hotels offer distinct advantages, such as flexibility, creativity and authenticity.
Wellness
In an AI World, Brené Brown Says Vulnerability Is Your Competitive Edge
In an era of remote work and AI, the renowned researcher argues that emotional awareness isn't just feel-good fluff, it's the key to making business meetings work.
Are You Prepared for a Mental Health Crisis at Your Meeting?
Organizations rarely include potential mental health crises in their risk management planning. The time to start is now.
Health-Conscious Nonalcoholic Cocktails Offer an Alternative To Sugary Mocktails
Move over alcohol and sugary mocktails, nonalcoholic cocktails with ingredients that are good for you are gaining in popularity.
Women Leaders in Meetings
Women Leaders in Meetings: Pat Schaumann
Few people can claim to have helped create an entire discipline within the meetings industry. Pat Schaumann is one of them. Her work in healthcare meeting compliance has become the global standard.
Women Leaders in Meetings: Liz Irving
Liz Irving's journey to CEO of Clarion Events North America proves that sometimes the best career moves start with saying "yes" to the jobs nobody else wants. In a candid interview, Irving dishes on leadership, vulnerability as a superpower, and why you should never wait for permission to speak.
Women Leaders in Meetings: Nicola Kastner
With a career steeped in strategic event leadership, Kastner’s focus on data-driven decision-making sets a high bar for industry leadership.