Measure Your Carbon
A new resource for education on reducing an event’s carbon footprint launched September 4, a collaboration between isla, a U.K.-based event sustainability nonprofit founded by event professionals, and IMEX, producers of event-industry exhibitions, IMEX America and IMEX Frankfurt. The Event Carbon Measurement Starter Pack includes carbon-measurement guidance and practical ideas for reducing an event’s carbon footprint. The free kit can be downloaded here.
Hyatt Gets Cooler
In late August, Hyatt Hotels announced its plan to acquire Standard International, parent company of The Standard hotels, to be at the core of a new lifestyle-hotel division. The Standard brand has eight style-driven properties, all with meeting and special event space, including two in New York City and one in Miami, as well as London, Maldives; Hua Hin and Bangkok, Thailand; and Ibiza, Spain. The more affordable StandardX brand has one hotel open in Melbourne, and Standard’s new luxury brand, The Manner, expects to open in New York City later this year. The Standard also has properties under development in Singapore; Lisbon, Portugal; Brussels, Belgium; Pattaya, Thailand, and Mexico. Standard International is also a majority stakeholder in the Bunkhouse Hotels and The Peri Hotels.
Green Kudos
Are you reusing signage? Offsetting travel emissions? Distributing unused food? Partnering with companies that have sustainable practices? Prioritizing organic menus? That’s a sampling of the efforts Meetings & Incentives Worldwide made for its 2024 M&IW Summit, and the events agency has something to show for its commitment to Earth-friendly practices: The company announced September 4 that it had earned a Bronze Medal from EcoVadis, a sustainability assessment organization. This recognition comes after the company hired a sustainability expert, Donna Collins, in 2023.
OK to a OKC Tax Hike
The meeting infrastructure in Oklahoma City has been booming—consider the 2021 opening of the $288 million Oklahoma City Convention Center and the 605-room Omni Oklahoma City Hotel, and the expected 2025 opening of the OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark with 404 guest rooms and a 39,000-square-foot conference center. However, visitors to the city will be paying a bit more in hotel taxes after an August 27 vote. Effective October 1, the hotel occupancy tax goes from 5.5 percent to 9.25 percent. Similar to other cities, that tax is on top of state and city sales taxes, resulting in a total room tax of 17.8 percent.
IAEE-TSNN Partnership
The International Association of Exhibitions and Events and Trade Show News Network have inked a multi-year strategic partnership, kicking off with a co-located awards program to celebrate the industry's finest during Expo! Expo!, IAEE’s annual meeting and exhibition in December. The partnership was announced at Connect Marketplace by IAEE President and CEO Marsha Flanagan, CEM, and Informa Connect Vice President of Group Content Danica Tormohlen.
Are Frequent-Flyer Programs Unfair?
Do you get peeved when airlines’ frequent-flyer programs change the value of the points awarded, set up convoluted redemption processes, or limit award availability? The U.S. Transportation Department of Transportation announced September 5 that it is opening an inquiry into the four largest U.S. air carrier rewards and frequent-flyer programs to ensure consumers do not face unfair, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices. Stay tuned!
