
May 2019
Our social ties have frayed so much that public policy and health experts have described loneliness as a worldwide epidemic. But there is a solution for our lonely planet.
Cover illustration by Ping Shu
view digital edition subscribeFollow the 4 Dimensions of a Live Event to Create Peak Experiences
Self-actualization is not the exclusive realm of spirit guides or religious gurus. It should be among your highest priorities in terms of facilitating your participants’ experience.
All Tech Is Human Founder Looking to Future
David Ryan Polgar, who started the initiative to help create a more thoughtful future towards technology, talks about how to approach event tech from an ethical standpoint.
Former Rust Belt Cities Rise as Innovation Hubs
Six CVBs discuss how their cities’ new knowledge economies have transformed how groups experience them.
Hospitality Trends? ‘Hold on to Your Seats,’ Says Expert
Some global destinations — including the U.S. — have ‘massive’ amounts of hotel rooms in the pipeline. What does that mean for planners?
Getting the Band Back Together at PCMA EduCon
As attendees gear up for PCMA EduCon in June, they should be prepared to channel their inner rock star when Ciaran Gribbin, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and the former singer of INXS, takes the Main Stage.
CreativeMornings: A Global Community Built on Connection
How a weekly gathering of creative professionals in New York City turned into a worldwide movement with more than 200 chapters in more than 65 countries working to reverse the trend of loneliness.
6 Ways Medical Meetings Are Proving Their Value To Exhibitors
From beacon-collected data to lead scanners to third-party evaluations, here’s how two medical meetings are tackling the exhibitor ROI challenge.
Business Events Can Make the World Less Lonely
In the May issue of Convene, we cover loneliness, a health issue that has come to be called an epidemic. Globally, the World Health Organization now lists social support networks
Ethical Tech: Questions Alexa Can’t Answer
Tech ethicist David Ryan Polgar says that we don’t think deeply about how tech is changing ‘how we live, love, learn, and even die.’
Room to Breathe: Creating Quiet Spaces at Conferences
Four event planners share the challenges and benefits of carving out dedicated quiet areas for meditation and prayer at their events.
Choral Cure: What Happens When We Sing Together
The Global Meeting Exchange in Montreux, Switzerland, tapped the power of music to bring its attendees from around the world together with a song.
Paper Trail Leads to the National Stationery Show
The 73-year-old event is the place for all things paper — including greeting cards, custom invitations, gift wrap, tableware, and journals.
BrainAMPED Founder: Practice Emotional Intelligence
It’s good to be intellectually curious. But Sara Ross — founder of BrainAMPED and a PCMA EduCon keynote speaker — says being emotionally curious may be more important.
Gamification of Recruiting: Playing for Your Next Job
As businesses look for new ways to attract talent, they are opting for a little friendly competition.
Conference Content Distribution Is a Challenge, Says Study
Association event organizers cite last-minute content changes as their top challenge. Their responses to a recent study also indicate that they are missing opportunities to use conference content to engage members throughout the year.
Student Competition at ATSSA Brings New Generation of Ideas
The American Traffic Safety Services Association wanted to encourage innovation among future leaders in transportation engineering as well as find solutions to pressing safety issues. It found the answer to both in a student competition, which awards winners during its annual convention.
Make Your Content Count by Adapting it for Each Platform
Savvy event organizers use content marketing to generate leads, create engagement, and meet retention objectives. Here’s how to make it work extra hard for you without extra effort.
Why the Nightlife Is the Good Life in World’s Best Cities
Recent research indicates that night-time industries are key to a city’s appeal among visitors — and to its prosperity.
Crafting a Solution to Falling Attendance
When a major craft and hobby show moved from its long-time host city to a new one, attendance dropped off. Here’s the creative approach event organizers and the show’s new host CVB took to win attendees back.
Freeman Company Evolves But Stays All in the Family
As Carrie Freeman Parsons takes the reins as Freeman’s chair, she joined Don Freeman Jr. and Joe Popolo in a look back at Freeman’s evolution and growth, and provided Convene with a glimpse of its future.
James Youngblood: ‘I Was an Unwitting CEO’
The meeting planner-turned-top-executive never aspired to be a CEO, but as he retires from the Heart Rhythm Society, it’s clear that his career leap was a happy accident.
The Case for Leaving a Positive Legacy
Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress has an ambitious environmental program. Here’s what the event does, and how it makes a difference.