News

Jul 19, 2018
Puerto Rico’s newly established destination marketing organization has been officially dubbed Discover Puerto Rico. Established July 1, the new DMO will be responsible for all global marketing, sales and promotion of Puerto Rico as a premier destination for leisure and business travelers.  Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico, unveiled the new name during the Destinations International Annual Convention. The  yearly gathering, which was most recently held July 10-13 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, attracts more than 1,600 destination marketing and management… more
Jul 18, 2018
Community Brands, a provider of cloud-based software solutions for associations, nonprofits, schools and faith-based groups, has entered into a partnership with Pathable, provider of mobile event apps, conference apps and websites for meetings, conferences and trade shows.  Following Community Brands’ recent acquisition of event technology company, Expo Logic, the new partnership with Pathable and its mobile event app technology is designed to further strengthen the Community Brands event management suite as an end-to-end solution while enabling organizations to improve the event attendee… more
Jul 17, 2018
On July 16, Caesars Entertainment Corporation broke ground on its newest development: the CAESARS FORUM Las Vegas conference center. Slated to open in 2020, the venue will feature 550,000 square feet of flexible meeting, event and convention space. As the emcee for the ground breaking ceremony, Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S. Travel Association and long-time meetings industry veteran, spoke about how when he was first starting in the industry, the meetings market was an afterthought for Las Vegas. Forty years later, the city is now the leading destination for meetings within the U.S… more
Jul 16, 2018
Registration is now open for SPINCon, the annual conference produced by SPIN: Senior Planners Industry Network. SPIN is the world’s largest association limited to senior-level planners with at least 10 years full-time planning experience. SPINCon 2018 will be held Nov. 11-13, 2018 at The Don CeSar, a landmark hotel affectionately known as “The Pink Palace," in St. Petersburg, Florida.  “Each year SPINCon focuses on the whole person: brain, body, being and business," said SPIN’s executive director, Tracey Smith.   She added, “This year, we are excited that the content has been curated by… more
Jul 12, 2018
I attended Meeting Professionals International (MPI)’s 2018 World Education Congress (WEC) last month in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was my first time in both the state and the city, and I was favorably impressed by the location, the conference and the local destination management organization (DMO), Visit Indy. While I was onsite, I spoke with Susie Townsend, Visit Indy’s senior vice president of visitor experience, about Visit Indy and how they partnered with MPI for WEC. Townsend has been with the organization for 29 years, so has a rich history and knowledge of the events industry and DMO… more
Jul 12, 2018
Effective today, etouches will be known as Aventri. The name Aventri is a result of three ideas; avenue, events, and entry. The rebrand combines these three elements as part of the company’s continuing effort to transform the event experience through products, people and innovation. Aventri’s new tagline “Connect Better” reflects the company’s mission to foster deeper relationships with event, meeting and strategic marketing professionals and enable them to create deeper and more meaningful relationships with their own networks. “Our rebranding project was ignited by the desire to take our… more
Jul 10, 2018
Marriott International has purchased the 1,000-room Sheraton Grand Phoenix hotel for $255 million. The property is slated for a significant renovation designed to transform it into a model for the revamped Sheraton brand. Marriott acquired Sheraton as part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide purchase in Sept. 2016. In early June, Marriott International revealed its comprehensive transformation strategy for the Sheraton brand, building a 4,200 square foot vignette at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New York. The new brand strategy is focused on… more
Jul 09, 2018
Many corporate event professionals work either within or very closely with the marketing department. Yet there often is not a lot of cross-training provided to help event managers who are not directly responsible for marketing operations learn the processes and terminology involved. Event marketers who understand the other marketing functions within their organizations are not only more effective, but are also better positioned for career advancement. Liz Lathan, founder of Corporate Event Marketer, aims to make it easier for event professionals to get that education. She was inspired to… more
Jul 06, 2018
MCI has added the Middle East-based ONE Communications and Marketing Group (ONE CMG) to its portfolio of brands. ONE CMG is formed of industry leading agencies across advertising and brand communications, digital marketing, content marketing and video production, public relations, events and publishing. The acquisition brings Turret Media, Saluki Media, tmh, ONE PR and ONE Digital under the MCI umbrella. Ajay Bhojwani, managing director of MCI Middle East, believes that the collaboration with ONE CMG will further strengthen MCI’s presence within the region.  “It not only increases our… more
Jul 05, 2018
The Kimpton brand has expanded its footprint to Toronto.  The 14-story contemporary Kimpton Saint George hotel opened its doors on Jun. 19.  The new property features 188 guest rooms, including 20 suites and a Presidential Suite. "We are thrilled to bring our uniquely personal and authentic boutique hotel experience to Toronto,” said Bertrand Mangeot, general manager of Kimpton Saint George. The hotel features original works of art by Canadian artists. A hand-painted owl mural by renowned Toronto street artist, Birdo, graces the exterior of the property. In the reception area, an original… more
Partner Voices
  MGM Resorts is renowned for its exceptional service and diverse venue options across Las Vegas, Detroit, Springfield, National Harbor, Biloxi, and Atlantic City, providing flexible spaces for meetings of any size. Beyond these offerings, MGM Resorts distinguishes itself through a strong commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, making it an ideal choice for your next meeting.  At the core of MGM Resorts' company values is its platform, "Focused on What Matters," dedicated to meeting customer needs while advancing socially responsible practices. This commitment is evident more