News & Trends

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

No-Cost COVID-19 Testing for Event Registrants to Take at Home

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. 

BY Curt Wagner April 26, 2021

Death of the Buffet and Other Environmental Silver Linings Brought to Us by COVID-19

On the eve of Earth Day, we checked in with two leaders at the organization steering the business events industry towards a new benchmark of sustainability. We asked: Are we more or less focused on sustainable event design a result of the pandemic?

BY Jennifer N. Dienst April 21, 2021

Draw a Tree That Will Grow in the Real World

To celebrate Earth Day, digital platform Piccles will plant a tree for every tree submitted on its collaborative drawing platform. It could be the start of a new way of creating digital experiences to do good in the world.

BY Barbara Palmer April 21, 2021

Who Feels the Most Zoom Fatigued and Why?

A new study from Stanford University found that women, young professionals, and people of color feel higher levels of fatigue after engaging in video calls for one particular reason.

BY Casey Gale April 21, 2021

Response Room Aims to Solve Planner Challenges

The open platform started by the GCB German Convention Bureau in cooperation with PCMA and the IMEX Group crowdsources ideas to innovate the industry from within.

BY Curt Wagner April 20, 2021

The Top 5 Job Skills Every CEO Will Expect

If you’re the person responsible for your organization’s meetings and trade shows in 2022, here are the capabilities your leadership is looking for you to master.

BY Don Neal April 20, 2021

Avoiding Climate Doomism

Atmospheric scientist Michael Mann has written a new book on climate change, and it’s cause for some optimism — if we can pair agency with urgency, and individual with collective action.

BY Michelle Russell April 20, 2021

Temporary Fix or Permanent Change? An AV Perspective on the Evolution of Trade Shows

Sean Wargo, senior director of market intelligence, AVIXA, says we need to move away from the idea that a trade show is a “calendared moment” and think of conventions “as content that has a long tail.” Here’s what that looks like.

BY Michelle Russell April 19, 2021

Solving a Networking Issue at Hybrid Events

How can virtual and in-person attendees interact at hybrid events? Members of the PCMA Catalyst community discussed the topic in a recent thread.

BY Convene Editors April 16, 2021

Hybrid Meetings: One Size Does Not Fit All, Survey Respondents Say

Business event organizers are creating hybrid events as varied as the organizations they serve. Respondents to Convene’s latest COVID-19 Dashboard share how theirs will look.

BY Curt Wagner April 13, 2021

Four Battered Hotel Chains Still Make Fortune’s Best Companies to Work For List

Despite a year like none other for the hospitality industry, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Kimpton were ranked in the top 17 percent of the annual 100 Best Companies to Work For List.

BY Michelle Russell April 13, 2021

Meeting in a Pandemic, Part Two: Back to Face-to-Face

The Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin’s business conference returns to an in-person format — and keeps the benefits of digital.

BY Barbara Palmer April 12, 2021

Become a Member

Get premium access to provocative executive-level education, face-to-face networking and business intelligence.

Join PCMA