Cvent Struggles to Streamline Its Thousands of Tech Features

It’s been another year, and another Cvent Connect conference, with plenty of business and industry updates.

The company has kept up its rapid growth, revealing new tech features and looking out for more acquisitions, reigning as the one-stop shop for all things events.

Offering so many different features and absorbing so many other companies, however, continues to take a toll on user experience. In large part, using Cvent is just complicated.

We sat down with Cvent Chief Technology Officer David Quattrone and Vice President of Sales Brian Ludwig to hear how Cvent is approaching this longstanding issue, as well as what’s new in event tech.

Plus we dig into Cvent’s 2019 list of top destinations for events worldwide and learn more about where the sector is headed in Asia.

If you have any feedback about the newsletter or news tips, feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet @ikcarey.

— Isaac Carey, Travel Reporter

THE FUTURE OF EVENTS AND MEETINGS

Cvent Makes Progress on Improving User Experience: The company has developed in a fractured and decentralized way. Going back in time to change the underlying foundation will not be easy, especially if Cvent keeps acquiring new businesses.

Asia Is the Fastest Growing Region for Events: New Cvent Data: Some of the bigger destinations on the list are obvious, but there is a lot of movement among smaller, less high-profile cities. In many ways, this movement comes down to what investments a destination makes into infrastructure and experiences.

Marriott Resort Fee Lawsuit Puts New Target on Long-Held Hotel Industry Practice: Do not think that this lawsuit only matters to Marriott. Competitors are keeping a close eye on the case, knowing they could be next. The industry has a big decision to make about how it charges amenity fees, if at all.

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Airbnb Offers Greater Price Transparency in Europe After Regulatory Threats: Once again — and this time it’s the issue of pricing transparency in alternative lodging — European regulators are out in front of their counterparts in other parts of the world, including those in the United States. Travelers shouldn’t have to be detectives in trying to figure out what their lodging tab will be.

Generator Hostels Backer Is Spending $400 Million to Buy Micro-Hotel Operator Freehand: Hostels and micro-hotels have been sexy again for the last few years. Sydell Group and Ron Burkle are cashing in as Generator works to move away from its hostel roots and into the wider world of boutique hospitality.

Ranchers Wrangle Luxury Travelers to Wide-Open Spaces: As we frequently report in Skift New Luxury, five-star accommodation is no longer confined to the hotel sector. Shipping containers, tiny homes, and tents are all being tricked out to satisfy the high-end traveler’s need for novelty. And now, cowboy wannabes can even go posh by renting out a ranch.

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Skift Senior Enterprise Editor Andrew Sheivachman [[email protected]] curates the Skift Meetings Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Wednesday.

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