Reading Time: 4 minutes There are so many amazing experiences in Florence, Italy that finding time to do all of them may be a challenge! Cradled in a valley crowned by hills, this memorable area is not short on natural beauty. When it comes to man-made allure, the “Renaissance City” is aptly named. Florence is the home of world-class works of art, including Michelangelo’s heralded marble at the Accademia and Renaissance masterpieces. The centuries-old city is steeped in history, as well, with buildings dating back to the early years of civilization. If you are wondering where to start when pla ..read more

Reading Time: 5 minutes Chances are, you have seen drone photography used in aerial footage of sporting events, concerts, festivals, or other events. But did you know it is a great tool for taking footage of outdoor meetings, as well? WHY PEOPLE ARE USING DRONES NOW A drone – which is formally called an unmanned aerial vehicle (often referred to by its acronym, UAV) – is a small aircraft that is operated remotely from outside of the aircraft instead of by a pilot on board. By leveraging a combination of aeronautics with robots, drones can not only fly, but they can also pause mid-air to captur ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes In addition to being a great deal of fun, white water rafting is an excellent team-building activity. If everyone on the boat works together as instructed and remains cool-headed and calm, you can successfully navigate the most turbulent waters. Accomplishing this feat is not only exhilarating but it is also satisfying. It also forges strong bonds between team members. However, white water rafting requires planning – and a plan must be made while the waters are still calm. The leader of the expedition must ensure that each person knows which role they should play and ho ..read more

Reading Time: 7 minutes Success in event and meeting planning involves thoughtful and thorough preparation, which is why having an experienced and prepared meeting planner makes all the difference. Meeting planners are the architects behind every seamless and impactful professional gathering.  Orchestrating a memorable event would be nearly impossible without their impeccable attention to detail and ability to anticipate needs and draw insights from past events and colleagues. Meeting planners not only deliver a comprehensive skill set but bring a toolkit of essentials to pull off a succe ..read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Gavel International, a leading incentive travel and meeting planning company, will participate in the worldwide observance of Global Meetings Industry Day (#GMID2024) on April 11, 2024.  The company will join others in the industry to underscore the undeniable value of professional gatherings, including meetings, conferences, conventions, and exhibitions. This year’s GMID theme, “Meetings Matter,” focuses on the critical role in-person professional events play in driving economic growth and fostering innovation. “Global Meetings Industry Day draws much-needed atten ..read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Employee morale has drastically declined due to continuing layoffs and the persistence of high inflation rates. Make no mistake, employee dissatisfaction is a very real problem, not just a minor inconvenience. Currently, low morale has led to six in 10 employees quiet quitting, which means they are psychologically disengaging from their job. (1) In fact, a staggering 73% of employees would consider leaving their employer if they got the right offer. (2) As “quitting” implies, these workers are also looking for a new opportunity they deem more fulfilling than their curre ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes We live in a hyper-stimulated world where attention spans are shrinking by the minute. If you think that distractions are not an issue for your employees, consider this: Distractions prevent nearly 61% of employees from focusing on their work, even for just an hour or two at a time. (1) In addition to the task at hand, factors including coworkers, family, friends, social media, and news alerts on their smartphone all fight for your employees’ attention. Distracted employees present an even greater problem when it comes to meetings. Take the people who dislike meetings ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes Viewing conflict in a positive light might seem counterintuitive. But it is beneficial when it lives within conflict competence. What is conflict competence? It is a management skill that involves skillfully handling dissimilarities between co-workers to spark creativity. This skill also empowers managers to leverage differences as a catalyst for new ideas. The trick is to master the art of using disagreements and disparities for the greater good, rather than allowing them to drag down the workplace culture. The cost of dismissing the importance of conflict competence c ..read more

Reading Time: 7 minutes The first installment of this two-part series began with details about harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and the critical demand of sustainability requirements in meeting planning.  Venturing into Part 2 is a focus toward the vital components of collaboration, crafting personalized experiences and promoting inclusivity.  These topics will be explored within the framework of effective strategic budgeting to ensure a harmonious balance between innovation and fiscal responsibility. 3 – COLLABORATION MIT’s Human Dynamics Lab study found that: T ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes 65% of meeting professionals say meeting spending is increasing. (1) This increase makes sense since nearly half of employees prefer in-person meetings. (2) There are other compelling reasons to spend money on in-person meetings, as well, including: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise.61% of meeting and event tech-savvy professionals use at least one form of AI. (3) Climate change, sustainability and the environment are a priority in meeting planning. 80% of meeting planners have sustainability in mind when they plan meetings. (1) Participants desire ..read more