All posts by David Swanson

Attractive destination? Check. Great venues, a solid lineup of sponsors? Check, and check.

Tried-and-true conference destinations such as Las Vegas and Chicago maximize amenities of size, access and service that meeting planners look for in creating a program for high-profile corporate events. What most top meeting destinations don’t offer is a change of pace from the hectic city life that most of us wade through day-in and day-out. […]

Five-star service, built-in entertainment, better control of costs and that ever-elusive element of focus that a captive audience provides — these are some of the key reasons meeting planners cite when discussing programs based on cruise ships. In addition to an ever-changing backdrop of sea and sky and a daily roster of new ports upon […]

As the warmth of summer settles over most of the U.S., one state is looking forward to the milder months of fall, winter and spring, when its outdoor environments are at their peak: Arizona. An enviable blend of desert and mountain settings, Mexican and Native American cultures, and iconic sights ranging from the Grand Canyon […]

A new $1 billion airport, a face-lift for a long-established convention center, and a fleet of new hotels offering an array of meeting spaces — the coming year promises to be transformative for one of America’s favorite destinations — New Orleans.

Proving that overseas meeting and incentive events are no mere exotic sideshow, a new report by Allied Market Research projects that the global Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is growing at a rate of 7.5 percent annually.

All of this is conducted against a backdrop of 24/7 entertainment, gaming and endless nightlife — the “lost weekend” cliché for which this Sin City is also known. Needless to say, association meetings and conferences are a big business in Las Vegas.

From the mountains to the prairies, and from tiny ski resorts to laid-back dude ranches, when it comes to hosting meetings against a variety of memorable backdrops, Colorado just about has it all.

Enticing weather, tropical surroundings and a variety of cultural influences lure meeting planners to the Caribbean for memorable events of all sizes.

An enviable blend of desert and mountain settings, Mexican and Native American cultures, and iconic sights ranging from the Grand Canyon to Monument Valley, Arizona offers a surprisingly exotic backdrop for memorable meetings.