Stephanie Miller, sustainability concierge, will guide hotel guests to their most sustainable visits Marriott Marquis Washington, DC is one of the District of Columbia’s largest LEED Silver-certified hotels, and true to its green nature, it has rolled out a new sustainability program, right in time for its 10th anniversary. The program is headed by Stephanie Miller, a local expert on zero waste. Miller is the founder of Zero Waste in DC and author of “Zero Waste Living, the 80/20 Way: The Busy Person’s Guide to a Lighter Footprint,” as well as the former director of Climate Business at the Wor ..read more

The word “partnership” gets thrown around a lot in the events world, but when there are too few ballrooms for too many functions being planned, meeting planners and hotel and destination counterparts often find themselves on the losing end of negotiations that could be win-wins. At Showcase during Business Events Industry Week, a diverse group came together to get to the bottom of what the term really means and how to better replicate the collaborative implications. Incredible Expanding RFPs According to the Online Etymological Dictionary, “partnership” evolved by the late 14th century fr ..read more

In this episode of “What One Thing,” Smart Meetings interviews Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX, discussing the upcoming IMEX Frankfurt event. Bauer anticipates growth compared to previous years but notes that it may not reach the scale of IMEX America. Reflecting on innovations from the Las Vegas event, such as video content and immersive experiences, she highlights plans to introduce AI plugins for sessions at the European event. Don’t Miss a Podcast Drop. Listen to Smart Meetigns on Spotify today! Listen on Brought to you by: Listen to more “What One Thing?” episodes here. The post What One ..read more

A partnership born out of a long-term friendship is how ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason described the agreement to work together with the association for destinations announced at Destinations International’s Sales and Services Summit in Washington, D.C., during Business Events Industry Week. The plan was to leverage the strengths of two industry associations in the areas of security, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Mason met Destinations International CEO Don Welsh when he was CEO of Choose Chicago and she was president and CEO of Association Forum a decade ago. All these yea ..read more

#TheEventProfessionalsJourney is a laudable one GMID 2024 successfully closed out its eighth year as an international celebration. This year’s theme, #TheEventProfessionalsJourney, honored the resilience and innovation demonstrated on a daily basis by event professionals. To drive home just how impactful the meetings and events industry is, in 2023 the industry generated $119 billion in travel spending and supported of nearly 600,000 American jobs. That’s worth a day of celebration. MPI 12-Hour Marathon Celebration MPI aired this year’s sixth-annual Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) 12-hour ..read more

Collin Thornton Collin Thornton, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island appoints Thornton as director of food & beverage. Throughout his 18 years in the food and beverage industry, Thornton has worked with some of the world’s leading luxury hospitality brands. Most recently, he served as the regional director of food and beverage at Big Cedar Lodge, Bass Pro Shops in Branson, Missouri, where he managed 19 food and beverage centers with 650 employees. Leonard Ventura Leonard Ventura, Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook Ventura takes on the role of executive chef at Hyatt Lodge Oa ..read more

Harrah’s Las Vegas, a well-established landmark on the bustling Las Vegas Strip, has recently undergone a remarkable transformation worth over $200 million. The extensive renovation encompasses 2,442 redesigned guest rooms, a complete overhaul of the lobby and casino floor, as well as the introduction of new dining options and more. Its prime location on The Strip, coupled with these recent updates, positions Harrah’s as an ideal choice for event planners booking in Las Vegas. Accommodations The renovated guest rooms showcase vibrant purple and blue tones that harmonize with cream-colored déc ..read more

Meeting professionals hold the reigns on an economic engine that drives more than $1 trillion in direct spending globally. It is time to act like it. In-person events are the single most effective tool for advancing scientific and medical breakthroughs in addition to boosting human understanding and connectivity. We create an outsized GDP and jobs-for-the-investment made in the sector. That is an undeniable value proposition. In a world that is moving faster than ever, with planning windows in some cases shrinking to weeks even for the largest programs, it is inexcusable that the wait for a vi ..read more

Hotel del Coronado continues its legacy as a premier destination for meetings and events with a renewed focus on personalized, boutique meeting experiences with the launch of its new “Plan With Ease: Boutique Meetings” program. Renowned for its grand events, The Del is extending its expertise by creating a new experience focused on small meetings set in unique and non-traditional settings, including The Del’s luxurious cottage and villa-style accommodations, Shore House and Beach Village. The Plan With Ease: Boutique Meetings program provides access to a variety of venues and curated activiti ..read more

Hotel del Coronado continues its legacy as a premier destination for meetings and events with a renewed focus on personalized, boutique meeting experiences with the launch of its new “Plan With Ease: Boutique Meetings” program. Renowned for its grand events, The Del is extending its expertise by creating a new experience focused on small meetings set in unique and non-traditional settings, including The Del’s luxurious cottage and villa-style accommodations, Shore House and Beach Village. The Plan With Ease: Boutique Meetings program provides access to a variety of venues and curated activiti ..read more