Smart Meetings

More than 500 hospitality partners attended FICP Annual Conference at Washington Hilton for the chance to talk to peers about everything from safety and security to leadership and practical uses of AI. Smart Meetings was in attendance and came away with ideas worth trying. 

Visit Frisco adds “Sports City USA” to its brand, officiating its reputation as Sports City USA.

According to Oxford Economics, which recently released an analysis titled U.S. Travel Outlook: 2025 and Beyond, modest average hotel rate hikes of only about 1% can be expected. This year, hotel price recovery lost steam but “remains positive,” with an overall price increase forecasted at 0.8%.

Gallup recently reported that only 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcohol, the lowest level since Gallup began tracking in 1939. The average number of drinks per week has also dropped, and only about a quarter of drinkers had consumed alcohol in the previous 24 hours. These are not fringe statistics. They represent a fundamental cultural shift that directly affects planning and budgeting events.

In an era of soaring costs, certified meeting planners are facing unprecedented challenges in delivering high-quality events without breaking the bank. A recent webinar hosted by Smart Meetings offered timely insights and practical strategies for managing budgets effectively in 2025 and beyond.

Smart Meetings welcomed Brittany Fisher, a team lead in product marketing at Cvent, to a recent webinar to break down how to use AI to personalize meetings and events.

High-quality experiences start with intentional planning, rooted in strong themes, storytelling and strategic engagement. Here are our top tips to attract, excite and retain attendees before, during and after your event.

The Catalyst Awards celebrates the exceptionalism of supplier-partners who advance the industry, their communities and meetings that come into their gravitational pull.