Greg Oates

Latest Stories

Business Travel

The Rise of Innovation Districts — Meetings Innovation Report

In an effort to leverage the tech and creative industry advancements in their cities, U.S. mayors are doubling down on innovation districts to transform their cities' reputations and provide a heightened destination experience for conference organizers.

The Rise of Innovation Districts — Meetings Innovation Report

Tourism

U.S. Mayors Are Backing Innovation Districts To Transform Their Cities’ Brands

With the federal government deadlocked in intractable partisan debate, mayors across the U.S. are stepping up to drive progress by cultivating their innovation economies. A growing number are developing innovation districts to elevate their cities' brands.

U.S. Mayors Are Backing Innovation Districts To Transform Their Cities’ Brands

Business Travel

The Future of Event Design and Diversity — Meetings Innovation Report

Two of the biggest transformations in the meetings industry today relate to more creative event design and more emphasis on diversity, but we have a long way to go before each enters mainstream adoption. We in the meetings media can do better advancing those themes.

The Future of Event Design and Diversity — Meetings Innovation Report

Business Travel

Events Industry Joins the Influencer Trend — Meetings Innovation Report

More convention bureaus like Atout France should adopt an influencer campaign strategy to drive a higher level of digital engagement around both industry and non-industry events.

Events Industry Joins the Influencer Trend — Meetings Innovation Report

Business Travel

France Tests Social Media Influencer Strategy to Engage Meetings Industry

Lots of destinations work with influencers to drive leisure traffic, but France's national tourism board is among the first to contract a meetings and events specialist to engage conference planners. This should inspire other countries and cities to try the same because it positions them as digital innovators to younger audiences.

France Tests Social Media Influencer Strategy to Engage Meetings Industry

Business Travel

Defining the Event Speaker of the Future — Meetings Innovation Report

Conference planners are shifting their criteria for sourcing speakers based on three disruptions: changing attendee expectations, the rise of digital engagement, and a batch of high-profile conferences redefining event design.

Defining the Event Speaker of the Future — Meetings Innovation Report

Business Travel

When Conferences Are Talent Magnets For a City — Meetings Innovation Report

Part of C2 Montreal's mandate is to attract outside companies and talent to explore the city's convergence of social, tech, research, cultural, urban, and industrial innovation. The conference's trendy design is just the first step in that process.

When Conferences Are Talent Magnets For a City — Meetings Innovation Report

Business Travel

The C2 Conference Is a Billboard For Montreal as a ‘Smart Living Laboratory’

While everyone is talking about the industry-leading creative conference design at C2 Montreal, the big story is how the 6-year-old event has evolved as a platform for the region's innovation economy to co-create the future of cities and collaborative urbanism.

The C2 Conference Is a Billboard For Montreal as a ‘Smart Living Laboratory’

Business Travel

Upscale Hotel Brands Are Forgoing FitTech to Focus on Holistic Wellness

Hotel brands are developing more all-encompassing wellness retreats and partnering with trendy health brands in an attempt to deliver transformative travel experiences.

Upscale Hotel Brands Are Forgoing FitTech to Focus on Holistic Wellness

Business Travel

The Future of Crowdsourced Group Learning — Meetings Innovation Report

There's a big demand for event tech platforms that help conference attendees co-create their own educational and networking journeys. One company may have finally produced a matchmaking tool that actually delivers on that demand.

The Future of Crowdsourced Group Learning — Meetings Innovation Report