The Canadian border has become a little tighter, with a new rule requiring Mexican and Czech citizens entering Canada to have a visa...

A call to action galvanized a robust turnout of 45 meeting planners and 30 hospitality partners at the Northeast Regional Summer Meeting of Financial & Insurance Conference Planners, July 26-28 at the stunning new MGM Grand at Foxwoods in...

The investor who purchased Ambassadors International’s travel and events division in April—Lakeview Equity Partners, LLC, a Milwaukee-based private-equity fund—is also the majority stakeholder in Chicago-based event housing and travel services...

The power of meetings will be on full display in Pittsburgh this September when leaders from the world’s 20 largest countries convene for the G20 Summit, seeking solutions to stimulate the global economy. The G20 usually meets annually, but...

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Michael Hamamoto took the podium at the final networking event of the Financial & Insurance Conference Planners Education Forum, held at The Broadmoor in June. Michael, then a high-school senior (now an...

Never in a million years did I expect to write a eulogy for Concepts Worldwide, the iconic meeting management firm that Terri Breining launched in San Diego County more than 21 years ago...

On July 29, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.. introduced a bill into Congress, The Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act of 2009 (S. 1530), which will, if passed, “prohibit an agency or department of the United States from establishing or...

During the general session at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts' 2009 Insurance and Financial Business Exchange in late July, Gus Vonderheide, vice president of group sales for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, briefed attendees — about 100 meeting planners and...

The economic crisis was still top of mind for financial and insurance meeting planners who attended Hyatt Hotels and Resorts' 2009 Insurance and Financial Business Exchange; however, leadership, motivation, and peak performance dominated the...

Through the first half of the year, group customers are paying a higher average daily rate in the top 25 markets than transient hotel guests, according to Smith Travel Research. This is the first time the ADR in the top 25 markets has been higher...