Convene checked in with two associations that produced digital events in 2020 to learn what they are doing differently this year. One leaned into interactive online opportunities for participants while the other went from complimentary registration to an “attainable” pricing model.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum (ECEF), but in many respects, ECEF 2021 — making its debut as a hybrid event — will

SISO and UFI published a case study on how the Jewelers International Showcase — the first show for Reed Exhibitions and the Miami Beach Convention Center since the pandemic began — safely convened more than 3,000 participants.

The emphasis on cleaning and disinfecting venues in the age of COVID-19 is missing a larger point: Reliably healthy and safe environments depend on clean air and a more holistic approach.

AIM Meetings and Events has teamed up with Inspire Diagnostics and Unisys Corporation to offer a new test — at no charge to attendees — to assist the business events industry in returning to safe, in-person events. 

The Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, produced a case study detailing how three independent show organizers joined forces to bring a safe in-person marketplace to the fashion industry in Orlando in early February. Here are highlights.

Do capacity limits for indoor meetings include event staff? A handful of event professionals recently shared their knowledge on PCMA’s Catalyst forum.

In the summer of 2020, three CMPs came together to create the Pandemic Compliance Advisor course, which offers continuing education credits and a new designation for meeting professionals.

The digital tools that make it possible to conduct all or part of site visits remotely have come to the forefront over the last year, in ways that may change how planners book meetings in the future. Planners and destinations share their strategies.

Emerald shared lessons learned from hosting Surf Expo in Orlando in January in a new case study published by SISO and UFI.

The in-person component of PCMA Convening Leaders 2021 held in Singapore demonstrated what it takes — including a rapid testing program — to safely gather a group of 300 during the pandemic.

Trends expert Daniel Levine sees the near future of live events as “nothing less than spectacular.” For special events company owner Kevin Molesworth, the picture is less rosy.