In Case You Missed It
In the last month on the BizBash Meetings & Trade Shows vertical, we covered Marketingland, an inaugural event from the wildly popular podcast, newsletter, and social media account The Marketing Millennials. The gathering used engaging set designs and a choose-your-own-adventure approach to create what the team called a "fresh, bold take on conferencing events."
We also celebrated the start of a new year with a roundup of unique and unconventional wellness offerings for corporate groups. From flamingo yoga to heliport cycling, these activities take the wellness experience to the next level—literally. And just last week, we explored why midsize markets are increasingly appealing for meetings and events, with three case studies across the country.
Here are five more things you should know about this month...
1. CES 2024 showcases AI and sustainability.
One of the world's most powerful tech showcases, CES, the annual trade show by the Consumer Technology Association, welcomed more than 4,000 exhibiting companies from around the globe and 130,000 attendees to various venues around Las Vegas Jan. 9-12. Artificial intelligence and sustainability proved to be the most pervasive topics. Buzzy products this year included LG's transparent TV, L'Oréal's AirLight Pro, and XPENG AEROHT's flying car.
CES 2024 also marked the first time mega-retailer Walmart (yes, Walmart!) made an appearance, with a two-story "booth" that was more like its own structure built outside the Las Vegas Convention Center on the Central Plaza. BizBash toured the space, produced by LEO Events, and will have a more detailed breakdown—answering the questions: Why CES? Why this year?—later this week. Stay tuned.
Bill and Hillary Clinton took the stage at this year's PCMA Convening Leaders with moderator Holly Ransom.Photo: Jacob Slaton, Whatever Media Group
2. PCMA also leans into AI.
Last week marked the 2024 edition of PCMA Convening Leaders, held Jan. 7-10 at the San Diego Convention Center. Star speakers of the event, which welcomed more than 4,000 attendees this year, included Bill and Hillary Clinton, who were in conversation together on the main stage Jan. 9. The duo focused on the topic of thinking globally and the role meetings play.
Several sessions at the show were dedicated to AI, and PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat even filled attendees in on Project SPARK, a free education and development initiative to shed light on the evolving place of AI in the business event industry. PCMA and CEMA members now have exclusive, free access to the tool, which was developed in partnership with Gevme.
3. Speaking of San Diego... the city took the top spot for year-over-year growth in group business for December 2023.
Knowland, a provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, released the top market performance numbers for December 2023. San Diego came in at No. 1, with the highest meeting volume improvement with 29.2% year-over-year growth. Coming in a close second was San Francisco, where event volume increased 21.5%, "a positive sign the industry is bouncing back in the cities by the bay," Knowland wrote.
The company also said San Diego’s healthcare event business segment doubled, and its pharmaceutical/biotechnology events tripled from last year. Much of this meeting activity was held in the first half of the month. The top market experienced an average number of attendees of 198.
The other cities rounding out the top five: Seattle, Orlando, and Miami.
4. Meeting planners can take advantage of discounts in Alexandria, Va.
Planning a program in the Washington, D.C., area? Good timing, since Visit Alexandria has launched its Unlock ALX Perks initiative, which introduces an array of exclusive benefits, discounts, and experiences for meeting planners looking to book in the D.C. suburb. The packages—with names inspired by iconic landmarks in Alexandria—are:
Tier 1: The Spite House (20-50 room nights)
- 2% guest room rebate
- 20% off room rental
- 10% off AV
- Two destination welcome bags
- 15% off destination experiences
Tier 2: The Carlyle House (51-100 room nights)
- 3% guest room rebate
- 30% off room rental
- 15% off AV
- Five destination welcome gifts
- 15% off destination experiences
Tier 3: The Market Square (101-250 room nights)
- 4% guest room rebate
- 40% off room rental
- 20% off AV
- 10 destination welcome bags
- 15% off destination experiences
To take advantage of the program, meeting planners must book with Visit Alexandria's sales team, and RFPs must be submitted by March 31. And if you're looking for a new Alexandria hotel or venue, try Hotel AKA Alexandria, featured in our fall 2023 roundup of new venues in the D.C. area.
Jessica Normington, an artist with Community Visions United, paints the utility box on the Convention Center Boulevard/Julia Street intersection.Photo: Courtesy of New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
5. New Orleans adds a bit of color to its convention center district.
Capping off this column with a bit of fun, whimsical news: The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center unveiled four newly painted utility boxes along Convention Center Boulevard, each with different New Orleans-themed artwork. The initiative was a way to add more color and art to the street, as well as Pedestrian Park. The convention center partnered with Community Visions Unlimited (CVU NOLA), and the two groups settled on concepts that feature staples of New Orleans culture, including jazz music, brass instruments, the iconic streetlamp designs, and the classic riverboats that run along the Mississippi River.
“These artworks not only embody the spirit of New Orleans, they also allow us to showcase the incredible talent of local artists and our commitment to the beautification of our city,” said Michael Sawaya, convention center president and CEO, in a statement. “We are proud to have partnered with CVU NOLA to bring these creative expressions to life, transforming your everyday utility box into colorful symbols of our city's unique heritage.”
