In a Smart Monday session at IMEX 2018 named “Redesigning Inclusive and Welcoming Events by Overcoming Unconscious Bias,” presenters Mariela Mcilwraith, director, industry advancement, EIC and Tahira Endean, event producer, TahiraCreates. focused on ways planners can consider the perspectives and needs of potential participants to design events that are inclusive and accessible to all.

Peak hurricane season may be drawing to a close, but not before potentially dealing the U.S. its biggest hit of the year. Hurricane Michael strengthened to a Category 2 storm Tuesday morning, October 9 as it charged toward Florida's northeast Gulf Coast, predicted to make landfall in Florida’s Panhandle Wednesday afternoon, October 10, as a Category 4 storm, according to the National Weather Service.

Embattled MPI Foundation Executive Director Christine Roberts resigned from MPI in the wake of gross misconduct allegations of steering over a quarter million dollars in contracts to the event company of her boyfriend, Marcus Michaud, during her employment at the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB.

The Broward Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published a report accusing former Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB VP of Convention Sales Christine Roberts, currently the executive director of the MPI Foundation, of steering over a quarter million in contracts to her boyfriend’s event company.

Confucius once said, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” In that spirit, music-inspired experiences and venues can add life to any meeting or event. Following is just a small sampling of music venues worldwide that can cater to groups.

For many destinations, a year of unprecedented natural disasters coupled with urban challenges would deal a harsh blow on the business and tourism fronts, but California is not like most destinations. The state has weathered everything from massive fires in popular tourism draws to mudslides wiping out roads, bridges and parts of entire communities. Still, business is booming and the meetings sector flourishing throughout the Golden State, from the marquee cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles to the resort getaways of Lake Tahoe and Palm Springs.

While some meetings were canceled or postponed as a result of Hurricane Florence, North Carolina shouldn’t see much impact in future cancellations, according to Eleanor Talley, Tourism Public Relations Manager for Visit North Carolina, since it is mostly up and running.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is planning an expansion, including new features and amenities catering to meetings and groups. The project is slated to break ground early fall 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2020. The new structure, which is described as a tower, will be located next to the Swan Resort on the current site of the tennis courts.

San Francisco police arrested 75 hotel workers on Labor Day who were protesting outside the J.W. Marriott’s Westin St. Francis San Francisco, a Union Square hotel, for blocking the street, according to AP News. Those arrested face misdemeanor charges of failing to obey a police officer.

The C2 Melbourne collaborative event that was scheduled to take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in October 2018 was officially canceled this week. The news comes on the heels of the sudden departure from C2 on August 16, 2018, of the event creator and C2’s CEO Asia-Pacific Martin Enault. According to Conference News, a UK-based events publication, reports cited health reasons for his decision.