American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has appointed Julie Avenel as vice president, global business consulting. In her new role, Avenel will lead GBT’s global consultancy division and report to chief commercial officer, Drew Crawley. 

Paris has returned as the top city for meetings, according to the ICCA’s Country and City Rankings report. The latest report, which covers 2018, sees Paris return to its number one position, which it had not held since 2016. 

The JW Marriott Grosvenor House London is showing off some revamped meeting spaces as part of a recently wrapped, multimillion-dollar, full-scale renovation of the property. The renovation, in celebration of the hotel’s 90th anniversary, aims to incorporate present-day design while honoring the history of the property. The project is directed by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) and GA Design. 

The Miami Beach Convention Center has just broken ground on a new, 5.8 acre park, which will be the product of a conversion of one of the facility’s surface parking lots. The new park, which is scheduled to be completed this October, will have 500 new trees, open lawn spaces and shade areas and public art pieces, as well as a public restroom facility, walkways and lighting. 

Questex Travel Group, publisher of International Meetings Review, will host its fifth annual Latin America Meeting and Incentive Travel Exchange (LAMITE) in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. 

Michael W. McCormick is stepping down from his role as executive director and chief operating officer of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) to pursue new opportunities. The organization reports that Scott Solombrino, formerly the president of the GBTA Allied Leadership Council, will step into the role, with McCormick remaining on in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth transition as the organization prepares for its 51st annual convention, which takes place this August in Chicago. 

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Image by courtneypfleger from Pixabay 

Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya’s new Group Buyout meetings promotion offers groups who book at least 150 guestrooms between June and December 2019 or 2020 exclusive use of the entire resort, with all premium suites and upgraded room categories included, including the resort’s duplex Presidential Suite.

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A citizens’ initiative backed by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and tourism officials to modernize and enlarge San Diego’s bayfront convention center will go before voters in March 2020 following a vote by the city council.

Under the initiative, voters will be asked to approve a hotel transient occupancy tax increase that would fund the modernization and expansion of the convention center, as well as provide billions of dollars for homeless programs and road repairs across the city.

Image by Alexis Villavicencio from Pixabay 

Hilton has opened a new hotel in Bogota, Colombia. The new Hilton Bogota Corferias is billed as the first full-service hotel in the city’s fair and convention district, and it has 410 rooms and 13,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space.