News
Jan 04, 2023
As part of its commitment to creating a healthy environment for attendees and exhibitors to conduct and further global business, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is offerig a more touchless venue experience at CES 2023, taking place Jan. 5-8 at 11 official venues in Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, The Venetian Convention and Expo Center and ARIA.
According to CTA officials, health and safety measures being executed across all CES venues include increased fresh air flow and filtration systems, hand sanitizing stations, door greeters and touchless public… more
Jan 03, 2023
Leading venue management company and live experience producer ASM Global recently hosted an awe-inspiring, firework-laden grand opening ceremony for the new Exhibition World Bahrain, one of the largest convention centers in the Middle East, with more than 1 million square feet of trade show and conference space.
The new venue’s launch marks a milestone for the Kingdom of Bahrain’s economic development and is expected to play a key role in advancing the economic competitiveness and positioning of Bahrain as a major global destination for regional and international meetings and conventions,… more
Dec 30, 2022
VSef Makes New Versions of Standards Guides for Event Data Available for Download and Implementation
Responding to the event industry’s need for a standardized data structure and communications protocol for digital, in-person and hybrid events, global assurance provider BPA Worldwide announced that versions 2.0 of the VSef (Virtual Standard Export Format) Standards Guide and VSef API Standards Guide are now available to download, review and implement.
VSef, which was acquired by BPA Worldwide in September 2022, is a data file reporting format designed to streamline the collection and exchange of data within the events industry by establishing standard data structures and common naming… more
Dec 29, 2022
Straight out of college, Kelly Gleeson Smith knew she had fallen into her dream career after landing her first job in “meeting connection sales” at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas. From the start, she reveled in what she described as the “power of meetings” that affect so many people.
“It was like a pebble falling into the water, and then the centrifugal rings just continue to expand,” Gleeson Smith said. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is an amazing industry.’”
She became very passionate about face-to-face interactions and where her career could go, traveling the world… more
Dec 29, 2022
The event tech landscape continues to evolve as the industry approaches a new year. From security and trust certification to a virtual event and webinar benchmarking report to the opening of award submissions, check out the latest happenings with Bizzabo, Notified and the Event Tech Awards.
Bizzabo
Bizzabo, the Event Experience Operating System (OS), has achieved Service Organization Control (SOC) 2® Type 2 compliance, which recognizes the company as a secure, trusted industry leader. The accomplishment demonstrates Bizzabo’s ongoing commitment to information security and signals that its… more
Dec 20, 2022
With a looming new 6 percent Kentucky tax on 35 services, including business events, Louisville Tourism, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) are voicing strong opposition to the measure, which could be detrimental to the state’s trade show, convention and meeting business. It also would pose an undue burden on event organizers and clients, as the industry continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The measure is set to take effect Jan. 1 and apply to many new services that have never been taxed in Kentucky,… more
Dec 20, 2022
Over the course of each year, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., routinely works with sustainably minded clients to help them donate leftover food and unwanted materials after their events. With food and event waste still a glaring problem at many trade shows and conferences, this charitable effort not only helps keep leftover food and event items out of landfill, but also helps positively impact local community nonprofits working to combat hunger and assist those in need.
Most recently, the venue worked with two major event clients to collectively donate nearly… more
Dec 19, 2022
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) will soon be welcoming back international visitors, trade shows and events to its massive exhibition halls.
On Dec. 13, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (HML), the private operating and management company that oversees the facility’s day-to-day operations, announced that the Hong Kong SAR Government had removed its remaining anti-COVID-19 restrictions for inbound visitors, which included three days of medical surveillance and restrictions.
Starting Dec. 14, all international arrivals who test… more
Dec 16, 2022
Grip, a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered event platform, unveiled MustMeet, a robust meeting scheduler for event organizers, in response to a surge in demand for more valuable and impactful interactions between buyers and suppliers at events.
MustMeet uses AI to help organizers increase revenue and demonstrate ROI by easily adding transformational meetings to their events with automated meeting schedules. They can now automatically schedule, manage and host a range of meetings for participants at their in-person and virtual events with ease.
The benefits to buyers and suppliers… more
Dec 15, 2022
Destinations International Unveils Booking Agreement to Protect Destinations and Event Professionals
Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), announced a Destination Booking Agreement (DBA) that includes a toolkit to establish mutually agreeable terms to protect both the destination and the business event professional.
Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International, and three representatives from Destinations International’s Large Market Roundtable lauded the DBA's importance to the industry.
“The need for CVBs and business event [professionals] to come together to… more
Partner Voices
Every day, MGM Resorts hosts organizations and individuals from around the world with a diverse array of business purposes, needs and expectations. But they all have one thing in common—a host committed to making their meetings sustainable and unforgettable through close partnership and responsible meeting practices.
Harnessing the Sun
Meetings at MGM Resorts are predominantly powered by the sun, thanks to its innovative 100-megawatt solar array. As the largest directly sourced renewable electricity project in the hospitality industry, the solar array features 323,000 panels and produces up to 100% of MGM Resorts’ daytime power needs in Las Vegas.* Built in 2021, the solar array reduces the carbon footprint of meetings—and all of MGM Resorts—while still delivering an enlightening and electrifying guest experience.
Leading Water Stewardship
Knowing water is essential to operations, guests and employees, MGM Resorts has long employed various conservation measures and has doubled down on its commitment in recent years to become a leading corporate water steward. In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate, a United National Global Compact, becoming the first gaming company to endorse the initiative. The company replaced more than 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas and pledged to reduce water use by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030. Between 2007 and 2022, MGM Resorts saved more than 6 billion gallons of water through water conservation.
Fostering Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
MGM Resorts serves a world of diverse people, perspectives and experiences by cultivating a workforce culture that embraces all of humanity. From mindful recruitment and hiring practices to meaningful social responsibility initiatives, MGM Resorts is a welcoming and inclusive space for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members and more. The company’s commitment to supplier diversity drives innovation by extending competitive opportunities to local and diverse-owned suppliers, while the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program provides diverse-owned businesses tools and resources to enhance and grow their businesses.
Paying it Forward
MGM Resorts knows that great companies must serve the greater good. That’s why paying it forward is part of its approach to meetings and events. Through the Feeding Forward Program, MGM Resorts collects and preserves unserved and untouched food from conventions held at its properties, then safely donates to food-insecure people through a partnership with Three Square, Southern Nevada’s primary food bank. Since 2016, MGM Resorts has donated more than 3.7 million meals, with a goal of 5 million meal donations by 2025. Donations include unserved perishable prepared foods from events, perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens and nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses.
From world-class venues and experiences to industry leading responsible meeting practices, MGM Resorts is proud to host meaningful and sustainable events.
*Not including The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas