Show of hands: Did anyone else feel gob-smacked earlier this year when ChatGPT entered our professional worlds?

I wanted to dive in head first to see what the fuss was about, and over the past year I’ve learned a ton about how it can help in our meetings and events industry. I hear inspiring stories from planners that are using ChatGPT as their trusty sidekick who can help with all the nitty-gritty details of their meetings and events.

The 11th Annual International Indigenous Tourism Conference will be hosted on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabeg Territory in Ottawa, from February 25 to 28, 2024. The Shaw Centre will welcome over 1,000 delegates over the four-day event.

When it comes to planning a conference, convention or meeting, budget is probably top of mind (or at least it should be). Expenses need to be covered and while breaking even might be the goal, increasing your ROI doesn’t hurt. And while ticket sales may take care of the majority of the cost, having some sponsors attached to the event can really help to curb the costs.

Summer’s over, kids are back in school, hockey programs are starting, and we’re only 3 months away from closing out another year on our business goals and projects. How on earth did that happen?

When it comes to planning a conference, whether it is large or small scale, there are a few things to keep in mind. While logistics are clearly top of mind – budget, size and location – there are a few other factors to consider.

Looking for the perfect speaker for your next event? Here are a few helpful hints for booking the best person for the job and how you can collaborate to make the most of the experience.

And that's a wrap on CMEExpo 2023!

We hope that everyone had a great time. As our staff meandered through the endless booths at the show, we were able to learn some valuable lessons about what it takes to have a successful trade show booth. Here are a few tips for upcoming shows.

Looking for the perfect speaker for your next event? Here are a few helpful hints for booking the best person for the job and how you can collaborate to make the most of the experience.

I don’t know about you, but my day planner has been glammed up with my glitter pen for next week. I’m heading to Toronto for my favourite show of the year!

After COVID, travelling and attending in-person events became a source of stress for many people. Not everyone was able to jump back into convention life as easily as others. And even now, as life has returned to normal, there is a wellness trend that continues to grow. Mental health is at the forefront, and you need to think about what is best for clients, customers, employees and attendees.

When you set your yearly goals, do you also put thought into your guiding words of the year?

I set an intent on three “words of the year”, and one of my words this year is “collaboration.”

In a recent study by real estate company Greater Toronto Home Pros, Canada is a pretty gorgeous country and we like to show it off. By analyzing hashtags related to each city, Toronto tops the list.

“The FOMO is real.” Every time I find myself missing out on an industry event, I utter these words.

And the meetings and events industry feeds us a constant buffet of conference and events, where FOMO can come up literally every week for us!

Trade shows and conferences can become a blur of booths after a while. After hours on a show floor, attendees will be looking for something to catch their eye and draw them in. There are a few little tricks that will help you increase traffic.

Sustainability is a buzzword that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. And the push to go fully earth-friendly may take some time. There’s a learning curve with any change, but people seem to be headed in the right direction.

Anytime a direct flight is announced from Canada to Europe, it's time to rejoice. In this case, Condor Airlines has confirmed that they will begin flying from Edmonton to Frankfurt (and return) this summer, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The past few years of not being about to create community in-person has given rise to finding community in different places, mainly online. Communities and memberships have emerged as powerful antidotes to the isolation and disconnection many people felt during the pandemic, and they continue as people have learned how to consume information and build relationships differently.

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) announced recently that Julie Shorrock has been named its new Vice President of Sales and will join the team in August 2023 after serving as the Complex Director of Sales and Marketing at Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

Ottawa announced recently that it continues to win significant technology conferences including three IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) events between now and summer 2025.

Discover Halifax has launched a new brand campaign that helps to extend its presence to urban Canadians living within 100 kms of an airport with a direct flight to Halifax Stanfield. The campaign is mostly directed outside Atlantic Canada and includes the fly-markets in Southern Ontario and urban Alberta.