Skift Take
Meetings and events can have a positive, transformative effect on the lives of attendees. It's good to see organizations working to provide valuable experiences for groups that have perhaps been underserved by the wider events industry.
As the meetings and events sector evolves, new opportunities will emerge for groups that have been left out from the mainstream.
Skift Assistant Editor Sarah Enelow took a look at how the black travel movement is embracing events and retreats, with a particular focus on personal and professional development.
I also analyzed Airbnb’s new tools for event planners, which are focused on a widget and landing page. Airbnb is taking baby steps forward in the sector, and it will be interesting to watch its offerings evolve over time.
If you have any feedback about the newsletter or news tips, feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet me @sheivach.
— Andrew Sheivachman, Business Travel Editor
The Future of EvenTs and Meetings
Professional Retreats Show Black Travel Movement Gets Down to Business: Somewhere between leisure travel and a career boot camp lies a professional retreat. Now, there’s one that acts as a safe space for black professionals.
Airbnb’s New Events Tool Is a Major Missed Opportunity: Airbnb has formally entered the meetings and events sector with a simple widget and landing page. It will be much more interesting when Airbnb decides to use its platform to sell actual meeting space to organizers, since a global race is on among technology platforms to crack the online booking market for small and simple meetings.
Marriott Shows Strength in Loyalty But Skift Research Underscores Hospitality’s Challenges: Consumer sentiment toward the majority of hotel loyalty programs has been improving over the past five years and the breadth of programs is also growing, but the path to real customer loyalty isn’t that simple.
Around the Industry
Marketers Are Confused by Artificial Intelligence: Research shows that integrating artificial intelligence technologies is causing problems for marketers. Those who figure it out say that it helps them better understand their customers.
Looking Inside Social Tables’ Growth: This thoughtful profile of Social Tables CEO Dan Berger traces the evolution of meeting and events technology and the promise of new tools for meeting planners.
The Value of Incentives: A report from the Incentive Research Foundation delves into the factors that make incentives and rewards so valuable to companies and employees alike.
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Skift Business Travel Editor Andrew Sheivachman [[email protected]] curates the Skift Meetings Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Wednesday.
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Tags: meetings, meetingsiq
Photo credit: Attendees at an Encounter Camp event. Retreats and camps for diverse professionals are gaining traction across the U.S. Encounter Camp