News

It’s not an easy task to carry off an event for 10,000 people, much less make almost every aspect of the meeting eco-friendly. But IBM and Meeting Consultants, an Atlanta-based corporate event planning company, pulled it off last year when they agreed early on to recycle, minimize waste and reuse as much of the meeting materials as they could.

The Global Business Travel Association (formerly the NBTA) recently released new data which confirms that group travel is rebounding and expected to advance this year, meaning more meetings and conventions on the books in the new year.

If you’re a foodie who loves to travel, put Singapore on your calendar. Its annual Food Festival, which takes place in July, typically draws more than 350,000 people to the island; about 28 percent of these are international travelers.

The meetings industry now has a powerful new piece of ammunition when watchdog groups or politicians attack, as we’ve seen happening over the past few years of recession. Previously, we didn’t have concrete proof of how significant our industry is to the U.S. economy. Now, this evidence exists – in detail.

The world of events has lost one of its shining stars. Gary Bias, president and CEO of EventCo Productions, passed away January 21, 2011, at the age of 50. After graduating from Marshall University with degrees in Management and Education, he modeled for Bugle Boy jeans before starting EventCo.

Event Solutions is pleased to announce its new advisory board. We’re very proud of our new advisory board – and with good reason. These are some of the most respected and talented leaders in the industry, and they are now members of the Event Solutions team.

“Seven years ago, it was just Maria, me and a small staff sitting in a room wondering what direction this all could take,” said Carl Bendix, president of JupiterPx/Ambrosia. The “Maria” was Maria Shriver, and the event in question was The Women’s Conference, which Bendix has produced since Shriver became first lady of California.

Brides-to-be often encounter a confusing world when it comes to hiring a wedding planner. For one thing, there’s no clear consensus about the differences between a wedding planner, wedding coordinator or wedding consultant.

Have you ever experienced the anxiety of seeing an irritated CEO waiting offstage? What about watching audience members leave a presentation to head to the airport? If so, you already know the value of keeping a speaker on schedule. But it’s easier said than done.

Here are three tips to ensure more effective speaker time management:

Congratulations to the SEARCH Foundation’s newly appointed Board of Directors. This not-for-profit charity is a cornerstone of our industry, providing assistance to event professionals during times of crisis and fostering, and developing and promoting educational initiatives for the advancement of the industry.