December 2017

Cover illustration by Alvaro Dominguez

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What Makes Your Attendees Show Up?

The “Decision to Attend 2” study quantifies what makes your attendees want to go to your meetings.

BY Convene Editors December 1, 2017

Convening Leaders Preview: Christopher Nassetta

Hilton’s chief executive is credited with helping create the second-largest hotel company in the world. And his people skills rival his business skills.

BY Michelle Russell December 1, 2017

Convening Leaders Preview: Neri Oxman

The architect and designer breaks disciplinary boundaries connecting science, engineering, and art.

BY Barbara Palmer December 1, 2017

Wired Editor in Chief Nicholas Thompson

Wired’s editor in chief on making technology work for the good of society.

BY Barbara Palmer December 1, 2017

Convening Leaders Preview: Bill Strickland

The president and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation offers after-school arts programs and job training for ‘people who have been given up for dead.’

BY Christopher Durso December 1, 2017

Denver’s Luis Benitez on Supporting a Newly Acquired, 20,000-Plus Attendee Show

The director of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office talks about luring a portfolio of giant outdoor shows to Denver — and how the destination’s economy and culture stand to benefit.

BY Casey Gale December 1, 2017

22 Days at George R. Brown Convention Center

When Hurricane Harvey flooded Houston, the George R. Brown Convention Center prepared itself to shelter a thousand evacuees. They ended up with more than 10,000 — some of whom stayed for three weeks.

BY Casey Gale December 1, 2017

Barcelona International Convention Centre’s Phil Cross on Being Adaptive

“I very much enjoy the difficult and challenging negotiations, the clients that really challenge you to do something differently.”

BY Christopher Durso December 1, 2017

How They See You

A new survey, funded by the PCMA Education Foundation and sponsored by Marriott, reveals how corporate and association execs view the event professionals in their organizations and the business skills most valuable to them.

BY Michelle Russell December 1, 2017

Puerto Rico’s Center for Recovery

Post-Maria, the Puerto Rico Convention Center didn’t sustain any major damage, making it a main hub for relief efforts.

BY Casey Gale December 1, 2017

Sonoma County, After the Fire

Sonoma County Tourism’s new CEO on recovering from the wild fires that burned Northern California in October — including how meetings can help.

BY Christopher Durso December 1, 2017

Open House at the Vancouver Convention Centre

The convention center has been hosting an open house each year since 2010.

BY David McMillin December 1, 2017

Cleveland Plays the Long Game

There were both short- and long-term impacts to Cleveland’s economy from hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention.

BY David McMillin December 1, 2017

“The Real Farmville”

The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland has its own farm — not to mention a full-time intern who’s helping study bee-colony collapse.

December 1, 2017

Merging Innovation With Food Trucks

The Kellogg Company wanted to incorporate food trucks into a sales meeting focused on culinary trends — and tapped a visionary young entrepreneur to pull it off.

BY Corin Hirsch December 1, 2017

Engaging Current and Future Audiences With Design

Aligning passion and creating innovative learning- and user-experience design are important in attracting and engaging future audiences.

December 1, 2017

Does Your Meeting Have a Mascot?

How did the European Society for Organ Transplantation build buzz for its 2017 Congress? With a mascot named Gaudino.

December 1, 2017

New Names, New Spaces

What lessons can we learn from outside our industry?

BY Deborah Sexton December 1, 2017

Behind the Scenes: We’re the Helpers

When bad things happen around the world, the business-events industry can do much good.

BY Michelle Russell December 1, 2017

An Easy Food Truck Tip

Here’s a simple tip to avoid those long lines.

BY Corin Hirsch November 30, 2017

Why Data Ethnography Matters

Numbers don’t tell the whole story. Data ethnography can provide a more accurate picture of your attendees by adding cultural and emotional context.

November 20, 2017

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