Smart Meetings

Back in July, we asked you to send in nominations. To the shock of absolutely no one, our inbox overflowed with stories of creativity, grit and industry love. It was a reminder that this community doesn’t just plan events—its members consistently show up as each other’s greatest cheerleaders. The Meeting Professionals of the Year awards shine a light on today’s leaders while encouraging tomorrow’s innovators.

We were curious what a national softening in international visitors meant for meetings in the context of the almost 6 million people expected to travel to Las Vegas for conferences each year. We sent out our scouts to see what is happening in ballrooms and expo floors now.

In Corporate Event Mastery, Natasha Miller shares practical insights that go beyond décor and catering, diving into what really makes an event shine—clear objectives, thoughtful strategy, and a roadmap that brings it all together.

For the annual Smart Meetings Incentive Experience in the Islands of the Bahamas this week, we welcomed the three top minds in researching trends in motivational program design.

From AI to Wellness, these keynotes mastered the stage with expertise and inspiration. This is why they are the winners of the 2025 Smart Speaker Awards.

The American West of the 1870s was as far as can be imagined from a five-star hospitality experience, especially along the new railroad lines that replaced the wagon train trails. There were no dining cars in those territories yet. Locomotives needed to stop every 100 miles to take on fresh water for their steam engines. One man transformed all this. Along with, over the course of his enterprise, some 100,000 women.

For Marriott Convention & Resort Network’s Meet with Momentum Summer in the City customer event based at Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, the brand played to the strengths of the destination with creative immersive activities.