As 2024 comes to a close, many in the meetings and events industry are looking back at the year with pride for what they accomplished.
From the Las Vegas Strip to an acronym guide to new and renovated properties, these were the stories that garnered the most views on MeetingsToday.com in 2024.
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1. The Birthplace of the Las Vegas Strip Is Experiencing a Multibillion-Dollar Revival
This year was one of the best for Las Vegas. With the city hosting its first Super Bowl, its second Formula 1 Grand Prix and a whole host of other conferences and events, it only makes sense that the Entertainment Capital of the World should top our list of most-read articles. Check out this article from Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman about the revitalization of the Las Vegas Convention Center and other updates to the iconic Strip.
2. 5 Must-Try Restaurants to Visit When Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska
When people think of food-centric cities, the first destination that typically comes to mind is not Nebraska’s largest city, Omaha. But the appeal of this article demonstrates that the popularity of Omaha’s culinary scene should not be underestimated. From Reubens to sushi to wood-fired pizza, here are five restaurants planners should check out for some of the city’s most-heralded grub.
3. The 2024 Meetings Trendsetters Paving New Paths in the Events Industry
The launch of this year’s Meetings Trendsetters program was one of the largest in Meetings Today’s long history. With tons of podcasts and related articles stemming from this year’s list, it’s no wonder that our main 2024 Meetings Trendsetters announcement would fit into our top three articles of the year. If you somehow missed our picks for the 2024 Meetings Trendsetters, make sure to check it out. And if you want to recommend your favorite meeting or event prof for consideration, click here to submit your nomination for our 2025 Meetings Trendsetters list.
4. A Guide to the Most Commonly Used Meetings and Events Industry Acronyms
This year saw a large increase of Gen Z workers joining the meetings and events industry. And in an industry full of acronyms, abbreviations and initialisms, this handy guide is extremely helpful for both industry vets and newbies. If you haven’t already, check out our guide for the most-used industry acronyms, what they stand for and why they are important.
5. Toxic Workplace Allegations: DeShields Terminated by Tourism Diversity Matters; Founder Gamble Steps Down
This year also marked a major change for one of the industry’s most-trusted DEI-advocacy organizations, Tourism Diversity Matters (TDM), when former Executive Director Greg DeShields was terminated from the organization following allegations of a toxic work environment. Many in the industry had their eyes glued to this story, as eight women signed an open letter accusing DeShields of engaging in disrespectful and bullying behavior both at TDM and the Philadelphia CVB.
6. The Latest Property Openings and Renovations in Florida (2024)
With so many upgrades and openings happening across the Sunshine State, our resident expert on all things Florida, Jennifer Juergens, created this helpful list of a few of the new and renovated properties that opened in Florida in 2024. And with Florida being one of this year’s hottest destinations, it’s no wonder planners wanted updates on some of the most important venues that opened in Florida this year.
7. 15 New and Renovated Properties Set to Impress Groups in 2025
With only a couple of weeks under its belt, this November/December edition cover story has already made a big splash with Meetings Today readers. Giving a glimpse into some of the most exciting property developments coming in 2025, planners are clearly excited about all of the new prospects for meetings and events in the coming year.
8. A Transgender Event Planner Shares His Journey and Inclusion Tips
Issues surrounding gender and transgender people have been top-of-mind for many planners. From controversies surrounding bathrooms to event badge pronouns, many planners struggled on how to best accommodate attendees who might identify as transgender. This profile of trans meeting and event planner Chase Brunson helped shed some light on this important topic and provided a guiding light for many planners who want to be as accommodating and inclusive as possible.
9. Tracy Stuckrath's Essential Meetings F&B Checklist
Meeting and event planners love a good checklist, and this one from F&B expert Tracy Stuckrath is one of the most thorough. From tips on food sourcing and preparation to accessibility and pricing, this checklist has everything planners need to assess food and beverage offerings and help ensure venues are meeting standards for a safe, inclusive, sustainable and satisfying event experience.
10. Be You Disco Brings Teams Together Through Dance, Music and Mindfulness
For many planners, silent discos represent an intriguing if not confusing addition to their activity repertoire. Enter our story on Be You Disco, a silent disco experience that brings people together through dance, music and mindfulness. Planners were clearly excited to learn more about this new take on corporate wellness that doubles as a teambuilding experience.
11. A Multi-Generational Look at Women’s Leadership Journeys in the Meetings and Events Industry
The cover story for our March issue honoring Women’s History Month tells the story of 16 women from multiple generations across the meetings and events industry. This monumental project helps illuminate the experiences of women of all ages in leadership positions in the industry and their ride on the “elevator to the top.” This story highlighted the truth that thousands of women in the industry already knew: It’s women that make meetings and events possible.
12. The Latest Openings and Renovations at Major Casino Resorts
Rounding out our top articles of 2024 is a story that harkens back to our No. 1 article on this list, detailing the latest upgrades and openings for major casino resorts across the U.S. From Las Vegas to New Jersey, planners were captivated by all of the exciting new casino resort openings and renovations that came online in 2024, including the transformation of some of the country’s largest meeting and event venues.
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