In Case You Missed It
In the past month, we've covered Dreamforce 2024 (viral John Mulaney jokes and all) and the key takeaways for event profs from this year's production in San Francisco. We also highlighted some of the best convention center art collections around North America and caught up with folks in San Antonio on what's new and notable right now for meetings.Here are five more things you should know about this month...
1. IMEX America 2024 reports record attendance.
While you wait for BizBash's in-depth trend report from our time at IMEX America last week in Las Vegas, these quick stats should tide you over: The 13th iteration of the trade show welcomed more than 15,500 attendees—its highest attendance record yet. Of those attendees, 5,500 were buyers, including 4,300 hosted buyers."We’re delighted that the global business events community has reconvened in such strong numbers here this week, bringing with them a desire to meet with purpose and forge connections for mutual long-term gain," IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer said in a statement. "The broader catalytic effect of the show has shone through in the many fringe events, activities, and celebrations on and off the show floor—it’s exciting to see how people have used the platform of the show to elevate their own impact and experience."
Stay tuned for our full report on IMEX.
2. Hurricane Milton impacts Florida meetings.
Hitting Florida's Gulf Coast just two weeks after Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Oct. 9. As of publication time, more than 400,000 customers in Florida are still without power. During a recent visit, President Biden also announced more than half a billion dollars in projects for electric grid resilience, according to CNN.Last week, BizBash's sister publication Trade Show News Network gathered details about how the region's business events were affected. According to Curtis Kellogg, PR director for Visit Tampa Bay, the  Southern Gas Association’s Gas Machinery Conference, which was scheduled for Oct. 7-9, was the only major meeting canceled at the Tampa Convention Center as of last week.
The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando received cancellations from the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living’s combined annual convention and expo, Delivering Solutions 24, which was scheduled for Oct. 6-9, as well as the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals Annual Conference, set for Oct. 7-10.
“Unfortunately, the impending projected Hurricane Milton has forced us to cancel Delivering Solutions 24, our annual convention, in Orlando,” said AHCA/NCAL officials in a statement on their website. “We are beyond disappointed. But your safety is our paramount consideration, and we have no choice.”
And according to Ariane Hiltebrand, director of sales and marketing at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the South Florida city’s leading venue received no hurricane-related event cancellations or postponements last week. However, the Jewelers International Show, which was originally set for Oct. 6-9 and is produced by RX, made the decision to close the event one day early on Oct. 8 to provide show participants with more travel and transport flexibility.
3. Meetings and events spend expected to increase in 2025, according to Amex GBT.
Despite increasing costs, the meeting and event industry is projected to flourish in 2025, according to the 14th annual Global Meetings and Events Forecast by Amex GBT Meetings & Events. The report surveyed over 500 meeting and event professionals across four regions to determine the health of the industry, opportunities for growth, and challenges heading into the new year and beyond. It found that 66% of meeting and event professionals expect their meeting spends to increase in 2025, and that 74% of meeting professionals are “optimistic” about the health of the industry."Our forecast highlights a strong and optimistic outlook for the meetings and events industry," said Amex GBT senior vice president of professional services Gerardo Tejado in a press release. "In-person meetings continue to dominate with prioritization of attendee engagement, sustainability, and cutting-edge technology like AI to enhance the experience. As sustainability goals advance and AI becomes more integrated, the industry is well-positioned for continued growth and innovation.”
4. Disney Meetings & Events launches new group offerings.
Thinking about booking a venue within Disney parks? Good timing—the brand's meetings and events leg has launched new team-building and content/keynote offerings and announced the forthcoming Disney Creative Studio, a stand-alone facility at Walt Disney World where meeting professionals can collaborate with the Disney Meetings & Events team."Think of it as a creative hub; every cast member in that building is focused on designing and innovating meetings day in and day out," Disney director of convention sales and services Amy Pfeiffer told BizBash during an on-site interview at IMEX America. "We can take our clients there so they can experience firsthand how we're different, because doing a meeting at Disney is very different from your traditional venue."
The new team-building activities are themed around popular Disney franchises like Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, plus Pixar favorites Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. And new general-session opener options—including a karaoke performance with a Disney twist—have been added to the portfolio of content that meeting profs can source when meeting at a Disney destination.
5. San Francisco Travel appoints first female CEO.
There's a new leader at the helm of San Francisco Travel. At the end of September, the official DMO for the city announced the appointment of Anna Marie Presutti as president and CEO effective immediately. Presutti had been serving as San Francisco Travel’s interim president and CEO since mid-May, and she is the first female CEO in the DMO's 115-year history. She will oversee one of the country’s oldest and largest membership-based tourism promotion organizations.“I am passionate about this city and have been a part of San Francisco’s tourism industry for over 20 years," Presutti said in a statement. "As we emerge from this challenging time, we have much to look forward to. My priority is to lean into the momentum building and return our convention business to a healthy level. We will invest in marketing San Francisco’s great strengths, including its culinary scene and arts and culture, and collaborate with other organizations, such as the Bay Area Host Committee, to bring more world-class events here.”
