News & Trends

What’s happening — or coming up next — in the meetings and events world and beyond.

A Full-Circle STEM Event

How the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists is designed to further attendees’ academic and career pursuits — from the exhibit hall to a standout closing session featuring event alumni.

BY Casey Gale February 12, 2024

Designing Events for Synthesis

Your packed education program will leave participants feeling overwhelmed unless you provide opportunities for them to synthesize their experience. Here’s how.

BY Beth Surmont February 12, 2024

Finding Connection by Disconnecting from Tech

VML Intelligence’s Future 100 trend forecast highlighted “Luddite Mode” — Gen Z’s desire to find moments of calm away from modern technology. How are events catering to this need?

BY Casey Gale February 9, 2024

Who Organized the Event Better — Humans or AI?

Humans faced off against AI in an event-planning competition at PCMA Convening Leaders 2024, and the result of the exercise shines a light on industry gaps and opportunities.

BY Magdalina Atanassova February 9, 2024

Cultivating Better Listening at Events

Mastering the ‘language of listening’ — sometimes by simply not talking — improves our personal and professional relationships.

BY Michelle Russell February 9, 2024

As the World Changes, so Does the Business Events Industry

We’re not the same as we were before the pandemic — we’re better equipped to handle the challenges we’re facing.

BY Sherrif Karamat February 9, 2024

20 Bright Ideas for Personalizing Attendee Experiences

Real-world examples of ways to make sure your event attendees don’t get lost in the crowd at large events.

BY Barbara Palmer February 7, 2024

Keeping Your Cool in Heated Conversations

At Convening Leaders 2024, marketing and communication expert Sherron Washington shared tips for deescalating tense discussions at work.

BY Casey Gale February 7, 2024

How AI Could Help Build Better Meeting Spaces — Online and IRL

VML Intelligence’s Future 100 trend forecast spotlights “Imagination Stores,” digital retail spaces created with the help of gen AI. How might that trend translate to the business events industry?

BY Curt Wagner February 5, 2024

Scientific Discovery and Diversity at ABRCMS

The hybrid Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists draws culturally diverse attendees from wide-ranging scientific disciplines for a “remarkable experience.”

BY Casey Gale February 5, 2024

Digging Deeper: Inside EAA’s Conference on Archaeology and History

How the European Association of Archaeologists’ annual conference in Belfast wove Northern Ireland’s rich history — and its current residents — into its program.

BY Michelle Russell February 5, 2024

Learning to Listen

Listening is a skill essential to the knowledge exchange that takes place at business events, but how can organizers cultivate better listening behavior among our audiences? Convene reached out to four listening experts and one of the world’s top experts on coaching for their advice.

BY Michelle Russell Barbara Palmer February 2, 2024

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