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Accessibility & Inclusion

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Announcements

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The Full Powerhouse Lineup at Skift Meetings Forum

The stage is set at Skift Meetings Forum, featuring speakers who shape the boldest ideas in the event world. From leadership to technology to creativity, every session delivers insights that matter.

Budgeting & Cost Savings

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33 Cost-Cutting Tips from the Pros

Planners are searching for solutions to combat rising costs on F&B, transportation, labor, and other aspects of their events.

Careers & Personal Development

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Contracts & Duty of Care

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Coronavirus

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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

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Diversity and Inclusion

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It’s Up to Women Leaders to Change the Story

Hannah DeMaio, vice president of Skift’s Women Leading Travel, says that women in our industry have made incredible strides — but some critical challenges still exist.

HR Conference Sparks Dialogue Across Divides

At a time when DEI is increasingly politicized, HR association SHRM’s live debate between ideological opposites demonstrates how conferences are the ideal platform for essential, and sometimes uncomfortable, dialogue that digital platforms cannot replicate.

Event Design

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Inside Convene Hospitality Group’s New Multi-Brand Venue Strategy

Meeting planners are under pressure to deliver more impact with fewer resources. Convene Hospitality Group’s multi-brand model offers them a rare advantage: consistent service and design across distinct tiers, giving planners flexibility without the headache of juggling multiple partners.

Why Events Need Memorable Moments  

From an on-stage bar to a “Circadian Cove”: The author of “Our KPI is Joy” shares strategies for infusing events with moments of connection and renewal.

Event Logistics & Operations

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What Planners Need to Know About Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is one of the most misunderstood “dietary restrictions.” It’s essential to advocate for your attendees with the condition the same way you would for those with other extreme allergies, such as peanuts or shellfish.

5 Reasons Off-Site Meetings Fail

According to organizational psychology expert Dr. Joe Allen, most off-sites regularly miss the mark. Here’s his advice on how to change that.

12 Strategies for Avoiding That Notorious Afternoon Slump

Anyone who’s ever attended a meeting has experienced that almost unavoidable after-lunch slump, when the energy literally drains from the room and eyes glaze over. The good news: With a little planning, it doesn‘t have to be that way.

Event Management

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Building Bold Events from the Ground Up

Two female founders shared how outsider perspectives, community building, and entrepreneurial grit are key to building successful events.

How a $40K Cyber Scam Nearly Grounded 80 Event Pros

In an era of rising cyber fraud, one planner’s $40,000 loss is a wake-up call for the industry: payment security deserves the same rigor as contracts, insurance, and attendee safety.

Event Marketing & Promotion

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6 Ways Planners Can Get Started on TikTok

TikTok is the social media platform of choice for showcasing events using video. But plan to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the site before jumping in, or users might pass right by.

Event Technology

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5 Tech Tools Making Planners’ Lives Easier

There might be an initial learning curve, but planners say once they are up to speed, these technologies are not only improving their meetings but lightening their load.

7 Ways Next-Gen Attendees are Reshaping Event Tech

Planners need to rethink how they use technology in every aspect of their meetings, or they risk losing the attention of the biggest percentage of their attendees — Millennials and Gen Zers.

Ideas & Inspiration

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7 Wellness-Themed Gifting Ideas

If you’re including wellness activities or activations in your event, why not extend that theme into your gifting experiences and room amenities? 

Incentive Travel

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Industry News

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Event Cancellations Mount as Government Shutdown Continues

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown is disrupting conferences and trade shows nationwide. Attendance is dropping, travel is delayed, and events, especially those involving government participation, are being canceled or scaled back.

Inspiration

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Introducing the Skift Meetings Power Rankings

True power in events isn’t just about scale, it’s about who sets the agenda and dares to innovate. These 15 leaders are shaping the future of global events.

Meetings Innovators

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Ruud Janssen Turns Complexity Into Clarity Through Collaborative Event Design

Ruud Janssen wants the tool he co-created to be so impactful it becomes anonymous, and synonyms with encoding great event design. He believes true innovation is about simplifying complexity and getting people to work together and urges all event designers to leave their ego at the door.

Meetings Innovators: Robyn Duda 

Robyn Duda shows that innovation isn’t about flash. It’s about solving real needs. With RacquetX and her fresh approach to events, she demonstrates that true innovation comes from listening, iterating, and creating connections people didn’t know they needed.

Meetings Innovators: Howard Givner

Howard Givner built and sold three successful event businesses. He says events are "on borrowed time" if they ignore two areas in dire need of innovation.

On The Road

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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?

People

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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.

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.

Skift Meetings Podcast

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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.

Sustainability

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How Posadas Is Building the Next Generation of Responsible Meeting Venues

With corporate sustainability goals becoming non-negotiable, meeting planners can no longer afford to separate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy from event design. Posadas’ Fiesta Americana Travelty Meetings & Events provides planners with the venues, expertise, and operational standards to meet both business and impact objectives.

Technology

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Event Tech News Roundup: September 2025

AI is hogging the spotlight once again with multiple companies announcing developments and integrations, but there are also new offerings around floor plans and registration.

Toolkit

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15 Fun Games for Company Events

At the end of a long day of meetings, people just want to play. Planners can shift the vibe by adding fun, interactive games during the evening reception.

Trends & Insights

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Attendees Want “Why,” Not “Wow,” Says New Report

Forget spectacle, today’s attendees are looking for connection, outcomes, and purpose. Freeman’s latest research exposes a widening gap between what event planners think audiences want, and what they actually desire. 

Venues

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Wellness

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Inside a Wellness-First Approach to Meetings, Caesars-Style

Caesars Entertainment prioritizes wellness by making it part and parcel of successful modern event strategies. They even took the show on the road to demonstrate the difference their approach makes for wellness-minded (and wellness-challenged) event and meeting planners.

Women Leaders in Meetings

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Women Leaders in Meetings: Morgan Crain

As head of global rewards & recognition at Rubrik and a long-time leader at the Incentive Research Foundation, Morgan Crain has learned that one of her strongest assets is her authenticity.

Women Leaders in Meetings: Marybeth Roberts

Marybeth Roberts was on the forefront of the strategic meetings management movement decades ago. Today she is as passionate as ever about innovating and driving cost efficiencies.

Women Leaders in Meetings: Cassandra Farrington

Cassandra Farrington didn’t just build a media brand, she helped professionalize an industry long dismissed as fringe. By turning MJBizCon into the must-attend event for cannabis professionals, she proved that credibility, scale, and community could grow even in the most uncharted business terrain.