Shrinking budgets and long hours lead the list of event planning challenges/worries, according to a new survey conducted by Event Manager Blog Editor Julius Solaris and released during his "Event Trends for 2019” educational session at IMEX America in Las Vegas. During the presentation Solaris also highlighted a number of event planning trends to watch for in the year ahead and some practical advice for meeting planners.

Disney Meetings & Events used the occasion of IMEX America 2018, the largest gathering of meeting professionals in the Western Hemisphere, to unveil a new branding image for the division.

CWT Meetings & Events just unveiled its predictions for the top 10 North American cities in 2019. The rankings are based on proprietary and industry data in CWT’s 2019 Meetings & Events Future Trends report, to be published in late September.

Cvent released its annual lists of the top cities for meetings and events worldwide. Three new regions were highlighted this year: Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), Canada and Europe.

Companies are planning more meetings and larger meetings, and spending more in the process, according to a new study by Cvent, which is holding its four-day Cvent Connect show in Las Vegas through July 26, 2018, with more than 4,000 hospitality professionals in attendance at the event.

Teneo Hospitality Group identified the top concerns and trends within the meetings industry so far in 2018, according to its recent poll of planners in the U.S. The results presented by Teneo identify budgets, quality control, cost and reliability of audiovisual and technical services, security of content and the challenges of meeting increasingly complex dietary demands as the most prominent concerns of planners.

From fish bowls and hackathons to bean bag brainstorms and outdoor walking sessions, the attendee experience has come a long way from the ho-hum theater-style setup and drab PowerPoint presentation. Designing programs that truly involve attendees in novel and inspiring ways is the key to successful meetings nowadays.

Joan Eisenstodt interviews Bob Witeck and Charlie Rounds on LGBT issues and how recent marriage equality setbacks will hurt the tourism industry.

Joan Eisenstodt interviews meetings industry leaders on the subject of diversity and inclusion.

On Sept. 9, 2017, Hurricane Irma first made landfall in the Florida Keys and then tore up the Florida Peninsula, leaving in its wake a few days of destruction, downed trees and flooding. And then it was over. While some hotels and venues suffered damage and needed to renovate, most were fortunate to experience only minimal damage, enabling them to reopen quickly.