In Case You Missed It
Didn't make it to CES 2023? We've got you covered. Editorial director Shannon Thaler was on-site at the tech trade show—owned by the Consumer Technology Association—and broke down not only what high-tech inventions are set to become mainstream in 2023 and beyond, but also what activations and flashy touchpoints caught our eye. Read her recap here.
In its first-ever CES activation, Reddit took over a ballroom at the Wynn to introduce its “Future Tellers” installation.Photo: Courtesy of Reddit
Here are five more things you should know about this month...
1. PCMA announces a major acquisition at Convening Leaders.
The first day of PCMA's flagship conference Convening Leaders—which took place this year Jan. 8-11 in Columbus, Ohio—ended with a major announcement. The association for business events strategists revealed that it has acquired the Event Leadership Institute (ELI), known for offering online and in-person workshops and seminars covering a range of skills and interests related to the events industry. According to a press release, this is part of PCMA's commitment to providing innovative education and new learning products to its members—especially next gen talent—to ensure their career success.
In a LinkedIn post, ELI founder Howard Givner said he was proud of the work the organization has done since it was created over a decade ago, especially in navigating the past few years, including developing 10 new certificate courses and helping keep event profs afloat during the most difficult of times in the industry.
"But it’s not enough, because the pace of change will double over the next 10 years, and double again in the following 10," he wrote. "We need to be more agile at developing new skills to adapt [to] this rapidly shifting landscape. It’s a big effort that requires the deeper resources and broader reach of a larger industry partner."
Givner and his team have immediately joined the PCMA team, and Givner will serve as senior vice president (SVP) of knowledge and innovation, leading education and content efforts across ELI, PCMA, CEMA, and their products and events. (PCMA acquired CEMA in 2020.)
In the coming weeks, PCMA will also welcome ELI’s 800 existing members, subscribers, and business partners.
2. Seattle's new convention center building, Summit, opens on Jan. 25.
When we got a sneak peek at the progress on Summit, the Seattle Convention Center's brand-new facility, back in September 2022, we knew it'd be a game-changer for the city—and now its debut is imminent. The convention center announced that Summit will officially open on Jan. 25. The $2 billion addition to the downtown campus nearly doubles the capacity of the Seattle Convention Center. It will add 573,770 square feet of event space, including:
- 62 meeting rooms
- A 58,000-square-foot column-free and divisible ballroom with 3,900 suspended planks of reclaimed wood
- 248,450 square feet of exhibit space
- 140,700 square feet of naturally lit lobby space
- The 14,000-square-foot outdoor Garden Terrace
Reclaimed wood is incorporated throughout Summit—a nod to Seattle's roots as a logging town—including within the Signature Room.Photo: Cory Parris Photography, Inc.
This additional space is meant to help Seattle attract larger meetings and conferences. According to a press release, between 2012 and 2015, the convention center turned away more than 300 potential events due to the unavailability of space in the Arch Building (the campus' original building) on the dates desired.
“We’re thrilled for the new opportunities [that] Summit, together with Arch, will create for our clients, community, and industry,” said Seattle Convention Center president and CEO Jeff Blosser in a statement. “The Seattle Convention Center is pleased to increase its availability of space for event planners and extend its connection to those who live in, visit, or work downtown.”
As of Jan. 10, Summit has 58 events on the books, with an additional eight using both the Arch and Summit buildings.
The new building is projected to achieve LEED Gold certification, and environmentally friendly design elements abound. Eventgoers will find sustainably sourced, recycled materials throughout the building, like plant-based acoustic ceiling tiles and bio-based fabric panels. The rooftop also has solar panels that will improve the building’s energy performance by 30% over the baseline rating, and a rainwater harvesting system will reduce irrigation usage by a projected 89%.
3. AHLA's new surveys say business travel has made a comeback.
New national Hotel Booking Index surveys—commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and conducted by Morning Consult—say that 60% of Americans are more likely to stay in hotels this year than in 2022, and hotels are the top lodging choice among those planning to travel for business and leisure in the next three months.
An even more notable statistic: Responses from business travelers indicate that nearly 70% of their employers have either returned to the pre-pandemic normal or increased amounts of business travel.
Bleisure was of interest to respondents as well: According to the surveys, 48% of business travelers have extended a business trip in the last year for leisure purposes, and 84% of business travelers are interested in bleisure.
“With Americans planning for more hotel stays this year and business travel moving in the right direction, AHLA’s Hotel Booking Index is a cause for optimism among hoteliers,” said AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers in a statement. “This positive momentum is great news for the hotel industry as well as its employees, who are enjoying more career opportunities, upward mobility, and flexibility than ever before.”
The two Hotel Booking Index surveys of more than 4,000 adults were conducted Dec. 16-19, 2022 and Dec. 28, 2022-Jan. 2, 2023.
4. Global Meetings Industry Day 2023 sets a theme.
Save the date for Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) 2023: This year, the international day of advocacy that showcases the value of business events and incentive travel returns March 30. Produced by the Meetings Mean Business Coalition, GMID's theme this year will be "Meetings Matter." According to the GMID website, that theme "will spotlight the economic and societal importance of face-to-face meetings, a critical message to share with elected officials and business leaders [that] underscores the multi-layered benefits that come from meeting in person."
The 2023 edition will have big shoes to fill. Last year, GMID took place April 7 and garnered more than 40 million impressions worldwide and reached more than 8.5 million users across the globe (30 different countries participated).
5. Choose Chicago announces new hires and promotions for its sales team.
Right as 2022 was coming to a close, Choose Chicago (the Windy City's DMO) announced it would begin the new year with some personnel additions and changes. In late December, the organization announced the hiring of T. Cahal Mowery and Robert Leff and the promotion of Eric Kincaid to fill critical leadership roles within the Choose Chicago sales team. The trio will be key members of the team selling and marketing McCormick Place Convention Center and the City of Chicago under the leadership of Dustin Arnheim, SVP of sales and services.
From Visit Denver, Mowery has joined the Choose Chicago sales team as vice president of sales; Kincaid, a Choose Chicago member since 2021, has been promoted to associate vice president of sales; and Leff joined Choose Chicago in November 2022 as the director of business development and sales strategy (he most recently worked for Visit Pittsburgh).
"We are building a best-in-class destination marketing organization, and it starts with our people," Arnheim said in a press release. "That is why I am thrilled to promote Eric and welcome Cahal and Robert to these important leadership positions. They bring with them invaluable experience and expertise that will make certain Chicago continues to be a leading destination now and into the future.”
