In This Issue
January 2018
In Smart Meetings' January issue, don't miss our feature about Jimmy Buffett's big Margaritaville dream and taking your group to paradise. Don't forget to look ahead to the 2018 annual forecast and what to expect.
This issue also explores beautiful Australia, greater Dallas and Fort Worth, Connecticut and so much more. Check out our new Inspiration Toolbox and IQ Update!
Smart Meetings is an event planning publication covering meetings, industry news, including expert opinions and interviews, topical articles, coverage of destinations and venues in the U.S and worldwide, and features stories on incentive, corporate, government and association meetings.
Features
October 21, 2019
SourcingSports Venues Lure Groups
It’s hard not to be inspired in such a place. Meeting planners, in their search for inspirational settings, are finding this out. An increasing number of them are using these sports…
October 21, 2019
SourcingPurple Mountains Majesty
When the film City Slickers came out in 1991, it was an instant sensation; everyone wanted to be like Billy Crystal and drive cattle into Colorado. But even before Hollywood,…
January 11, 2018
Strategy2018 Event Professional Survival Guide
More and bigger. That is the forecast for meetings in 2018, according to a recent Smart Meetings survey of more than 2,000 event professionals. More than 80 percent of respondents…
January 22, 2018
TrendsLost Lessons of Margaritaville
You may think you know Jimmy Buffett and his “Margaritaville.” But we’re guessing that, unless you’ve been paying really close attention, you don’t. Think big…and then think even bigger. The…
In Every Issue
January 23, 2018
SourcingSite Inspection: Columbus, Ohio
A big data analysis this year by Yelp and Realtor.com anointed Columbus the nation’s hottest hipster market. J.D. Power declared it “highest in visitor satisfaction in the Midwest” in 2016.…
February 9, 2018
Brilliant ExperiencesCan a Meeting Make the World Sweeter?
The Cocoa Symposium pulled off a scientific meeting surrounding the benefits of chocolate in the midst of political, cultural, and international considerations — Jennifer Collins, president and CEO of JDC…
January 22, 2018
TechnologyAir and Water Can Fire Up Your Phone
While traditional charging stations remain relevant, emerging technologies offer alternate ways to juice up batteries—and some of them are so innovative that Apple’s forthcoming wireless charging mat, AirPower, may have…
January 31, 2018
How ToStorm-Proof Your Flight
Understanding how best to navigate the travel landscape when faced with extreme weather conditions can mean the difference between arriving in time to execute on your amazing meeting and being…
October 4, 2019
IncentivesIncentives Prove Immune to Disaster
Executives surveyed in the annual SITE Index 2018 forecast say that incentive travel is of increasing importance to driving sales and boosting profitability. “Basically, incentive travel works,” is how John…
January 18, 2018
SourcingSmart Dispatch: Una Experiencia Magnifica
Groups meeting in San Antonio have plenty of options for off-site activities, including strolling along the River Walk and enjoying its unique restaurants and shops, as well as visiting the…
January 18, 2018
Smart Style7 Self-Care Gifts Perfect for Any New Year’s Resolutions
Treat yourself with these self-care gifts that are sure to jump-start your resolutions as we go into 2018! These gifts range from luxurious to quirky, perfect for anyone looking to…
January 12, 2018
TrendsSecrets from a Hotel Designer: Q&A with Barbara Best-Santos
Caesars Entertainment is redesigning 10,000 guest rooms in Las Vegas and thousands more in Atlantic City and across the rest of the country. At The Flamingo Las Vegas alone, $90…
January 12, 2018
StrategyKeeping the Numbers in Perspective
Numbers, numbers and more numbers. They are critically important in analyzing the effectiveness of social media and other online communication, but are merely one tool among many, and often are…
January 12, 2018
Hotels & ResortsEmployees with Intellectual Disabilities Thrive in Hospitality Industry
Sin City is known for singers, dancers, magicians, card deal ers, celebrity chefs and Elvis impersonators, but the real stars of The Strip keep a lower profile. The next time…
October 21, 2019
StrategyThe Meeting Planners’ Guide to Entering New Territory
Meeting planners are master jugglers. Each event is a balancing act that requires exceptional amounts of research, organization and communication. This can be difficult in your own backyard, where it…
January 5, 2018
Health and WellnessTake the Healthy Meeting Pledge
It’s the start of a brand-new year, so what better time to take the Healthy Meeting Pledge? It’s a real pledge, created by National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, and…
January 4, 2018
Food and Beverage4 Hotels with Rooms and a Brew
According to the Brewers Association, U.S. craft beer makers in 2016 topped 5,000 for the first time, at 5,234, and saw $23.5 billion slid across the bar. So, perhaps it…
Notes from the Road
January 13, 2020
SourcingThe Most Instagrammable Places in California
It isn’t likely that Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger specifically had California in mind when they founded Instagram in San Francisco in March 2010. But they may as well have,…
January 29, 2018
SourcingConnecticut: Small State, Big Appeal
Though small in size, Connecticut offers a fantastic array of outstanding experiences for groups. It covers just 4,845 square miles, making it the third-smallest state in the United States, but…
January 11, 2018
SourcingThe Aloha Spirit Lives Here
Why bother going to Hawaii, anyway? It’s a long way away—the most isolated islands on Earth. Other places have pristine beaches and abundant sunshine. Groups can go elsewhere for fresh…
January 4, 2018
SourcingBig Business: 36 Hours in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
What do you call a place with 7.2 million people, and the fourth-largest population center in the United States? What if that place also is the fourth-largest economy in the…
January 10, 2018
InternationalBucket List Tour of Australia
As one of the first countries to ring in 2018—with a magnificent fireworks display over Sydney Harbour Bridge—there’s no better place than Australia to help you achieve your New Year’s…
Past Issues
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