Having reliable internet access at meetings of all sizes is more important than ever.  Attendees expect to be able to connect a variety of devices ranging from mobile phones to tablets to laptops through a venue’s Wi-Fi. Meeting presenters may have additional needs such as web demos, video streaming, crowd polling or video conferencing. How well a venue’s broadband service is able to meet these demands depends on a number of factors, beyond just the obvious ones (such as speed or price).  Read More

When it comes to delivering outstanding client service and guest care, your facility and meeting planning staff probably take a very deliberate approach. But does your venue or company take the same strategic approach to investing in the professional growth and development of your employees? Are your people prepared to weather changes and bring best practices to work for your company? Have you given your staff the tools they need to make employee development a priority?  Read More

As the White House Director of Events during the Clinton Administration, IACC keynote speaker Laura Schwartz created events that represented a nation and inspired the world. Today, as a professional speaker, respected television commentator and author of Eat, Drink & Succeed,  Laura shares the secrets to building powerful, effective connections within companies, communities and events.

Having created more than 1,000 White House events, including 12 State arrival ceremonies and dinners, America's Millennium Celebration and NATO's 50th Anniversary, Laura knows something about creating an impact. In a recent interview with IACC, she stressed that close cooperation between a venue operator and meeting planner is essential for every successful meeting or event.  Read More

Today more than ever, meeting and conference guests have sophisticated tastes. They’ve become accustomed to experiencing a variety of ethnic cuisines and trying unique new culinary creations. It’s also likely that a large number of attendees are health- or eco- conscious, and many have dietary restrictions such as dairy or gluten sensitivities.  Read More

Beautiful facilities, exceptional food and superior service probably come to mind when you think about what makes a great conference or meeting venue. These may seem like obvious considerations on a list of elements that leading venues have in common. Yet, there are other pragmatic concerns that determine which venues are the most successful and perhaps the most profitable.  Read More

It’s no surprise that health and wellness issues are becoming increasingly important for conference and meeting delegates. In addition to an overall movement toward healthier food choices, many regions are seeing an increased demand for organic and locally sourced foods, food requests brought on by allergies and vegetarian preferences, as well as a growing multi-national – and urban – food culture.    Read More

If your property is still making due with internet service that hasn’t been upgraded within the last several years, you could be heading for trouble.  As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, meetings require more and more bandwidth, and the demand for broadband will only continue to increase. Delegates today come to meetings with not just one, but often two or three devices that can devour your property’s internet capacity quickly if you haven’t adequately planned your infrastructure.   Read More

Some people may think that empathy in business is extraneous. That it’s irrelevant in a cutthroat world where only the most cold-hearted tycoons thrive. Many even mistakenly believe that empathy means being “soft” or unable to make hard business decisions.  Read More

Our recent survey of more than 180 meeting planners from around the world for the IACC Meeting Room of the Future  report delivered many interesting insights. We heard from people who are new to event planning as well as long-timers, and many provided candid comments.  Some of their remarks were anticipated, but some certainly surprised us. 

So what do meeting planners say venues need to do to appeal to the changing nature of today’s meetings? Here are ten of my insights into the most essential elements of sought-out venues. Read More

When it comes to creativity and innovation, it’s hard to say what is most likely to stimulate new ideas. Is it the setting, the food, the weather, or the wall colors? But one thing that can be certain, a relaxed atmosphere fueled by open sharing and a sense of fun is the key to sparking the imagination.    Read More