Meeting Spotlight sat down with John Paladino, owner and founder of Milestone Meetings, to discuss what business has been like during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and how it will change going forward. Based in Scottsdale, AZ, Milestone Meetings is a full-service meeting planning agency that provides a full service solution for meeting planners throughout the world.
How has your segment of the industry changed since March?
The majority of Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) companies expect their employees to return to in-person events in 2021. Almost half (45 percent) expect attendance to resume in the first half of the year, according to the latest poll conducted between September 15-19, 2020, by GBTA, with an additional 25 percent expecting a return to in-person events in the second half of 2021.
Last week week, a coalition of almost 200 travel, hotel, franchise, and state and local government groups called for Congress to not go on recess without providing relief for sectors devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, a group of 17 CEOS of the largest U.S. travel companies sent a statement to leaders in Washington, pleading to advance a subsequent round of legislative relief from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
EventsAIR this week has announce the launch of the latest release of its OnAIR virtual and hybrid event solution. Version 3 includes AIRCast streaming and studio, giving event organizers the ability to raise the bar on how virtual sessions are produced and staged.
The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, has awarded GBAC STAR accreditation to 57 new facilities this week.
Due to the advocacy of the Washington Meeting and Convention Coalition (WMCC), Washington governor Jay Inslee has modified the state’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 restrictions around business meetings, professional development training and testing, and similar activities, effective from September 21. According to the new guidance, the governor’s "Safe Start" reopening plan will permit meetings and business events to be held at an indoor capacity of 30 percent or 200 guests, whichever is less (excluding venue staff)
Abu Dhabi is celebrating two new significant business events-related achievements, after the Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB) unveiled news that the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) capital has climbed business destination rankings compiled by two prestigious organizations.
Both the Union of International Associations (UIA) and International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) have reported that Abu Dhabi has improved its position on their respective rankings.
Velas Resorts is banking on more companies—those with remote workers and others who have returned to the office—looking to energize staff, boost creativity and productivity to change routines while providing "the ultimate social distancing." To that effect, Velas Resorts has come up with the new "Group Takeover Program," a twist on the "workcation." It guarantees companies exclusive use of the hotel, offering total privacy for meetings, teamwork, teambuilding and more.
More than 350 exhibitors, 500 decision makers and 1,850 participants attended the MICE event by Heavent Meetings in the Palais des Festivals Cannes in the beginning of September. (A)LIVE, the outdoor conference, which involved speakers from the event industry and the mayor of Cannes, marked the first tradeshow taking place in France since March.
The eighth edition of the World Meetings Forum (WMF) was held from August 31 to September 2, at Paradisus Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, gathering 227 professionals who included meeting planners, events industry suppliers, speakers and special guests. Also, 4,617 one-on-one meetings took place, aimed at reactivating the industry; the inclusion of persons with disabilities was possible through the WMF Foundation.