< PreviousINDUSTRY INSIGHT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 CVB Update Perspectives on the State of the Meetings Industry By Christine Loomis Washington DC Melissa A. Riley, senior vice president, convention sales & services, Destination DC, says, “Planners are looking for venues that have the dates and space but also for destinations that are engaging for their attendees outside of the program. DC offers value with its many free museums and monuments, Michelin-starred dining, arts, entertainment and nightlife.” Planners and groups also want meetings to have mean- ing, she adds. “People meet with purpose in Washington, DC. Attendees want meaning behind where and why they travel.” There’s a lot to be upbeat about in the nation’s capital. “Citywide attendance numbers this year are exceeding expectation,” Riley says. Development is also strong across various sectors, from hotels like the Royal Sonesta opening this summer and the new Capitol Hill Marriott to museums, the Wharf and airports. “The Metro Silver Line and Dulles International Airport expansion provide access to downtown via subway from Dulles International, and Reagan National’s expansion project includes expanded gates and a terminal,” Riley notes, adding that eight DC restaurants have been added to the Michelin guide this year, giving attendees a lot of new options. Riley says 2024 is on par with pre-pandemic levels. While attendance at 2023 city-wides has exceeded planner expecta- tions with 354,623 room nights booked, 2024 is even better — 440,121 room nights. Sustainability remains a focus for Destination DC, with programs including an e-bike expansion, new Mobility Inno- vation District and greater sustainability initiatives around social equity. Filling shoulder season remains challenging, and long visa wait times are hampering international visitors, but Riley says the CVB is on it. “Elliott Ferguson, DDC’s president & CEO, works with USTA as the advocate for policies to ease travel and visa wait times.” Staffing shortages, not surprising, are still impacting the hospitality industry. “The March jobs report showed growth in hospitality but we’re still down. One way we’re addressing this is through Destination DC’s affiliate nonprofit foundation, the American Experience Foundation (AEF). Through educa- tional programs, scholarships, internships and career-bridge learning, AEF is a pipeline for DC high school students to careers in hospitality and tourism,” she says. High F&B prices are another issue, and though Aramark finds creative solutions at the convention center, Riley says she’s seeing more groups opting for concession carts and stands, guests on their own, more box lunches and slimmed down receptions. Bars, however, are up. Looking ahead, Riley believes the city is in good shape with all it offers and with shifts in the industry. “Groups are able to leverage DC’s Connected Capital to access experts, legislators and thought leaders,” she says. “Groups can also capitalize on DC’s airlift and diverse neighborhoods.” To planners who want to similarly capitalize on all that Washington DC offers, Riley encourages them to embrace rom coast to coast, north to south, the nation’s convention and visitor bureaus tell us what they’re seeing across the meetings landscape and their own regions — from trends and developments to challenges, some persisting even as the pandemic recedes into the past. F 20DEI, DEI District and DEI Business Fellows/CSS services, to experience local, and to consider legacy and CSR projects to support and connect with local community.” Seattle Tammy Canavan, FCDME, president & CEO, Visit Seattle, calls 2023 exciting. “Seattle has a number of ongoing devel- opments that are physically and culturally reshaping our downtown. In the beginning of the year, Seattle Convention Center opened the gorgeous, innovative Summit building. As part of that project, we’re seeing bike-lane access and pedes- trian walkways increased throughout the area. We also have a massive reimagining of the Seattle waterfront occurring alongside an expansion of our beloved Seattle Aquarium. In tandem, those developments will allow for a seamless walking path between downtown and the waterfront, while allowing for panoramic water and mountain vistas. It’s full steam ahead as we host the 2023 MLB All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park July 7-11 — just one of the major sporting events that will call Seat- tle home over the next three years; the others being the 2024 NHL Winter Classic, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” As for trends, Canavan says, “There’s no normal anymore. Booking patterns are disrupted, and people’s decision-making processes are different. It’s an entirely new world. We’re see- ing things that used to book well in advance booking much closer and we’re seeing different needs.” Kelly Saling, SVP & chief sales officer for Visit Seattle, elaborates: “The future is less predictable and stable. Many models were a bit of a rinse and repeat. I don’t want to make that sound like a bad thing, but they were known. Now they’re not known. That translates into not knowing what space you need or what place works best. It’s less formulaic and there are different contributors that cause changes in the timelines. Certainly, there is risk assessment in a way that wasn’t present historically and more consulting of stake- holders along the way, which takes more time.” Forecasting remains a big challenge, Saling continues, knowing if what you booked is how it will perform. “There are groups who are outper- forming and underperforming how they booked. There are groups who don’t yet know how they’re coming into Seattle in two months. That creates a challenge for the destination to alert the community to be prepared for the arrival of something when they don’t know how it will fully impact,” she says. Uncertainty also affects destinations internally. “That’s 21 JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Tammy Canavan, FCDME, President & CEO, Visit Seattle There’s still some residual psychological effect on workforce mindset from Covid affecting how we work, where we work or whether we work. PHOTO BY ALAN ALABASTRO / COURTESY OF VISIT SEATTLE The Seattle Convention Center has 1.5 million sf of meeting space, including its new Summit building and the original Arch building.reflected in the workforce and people’s capacity. There’s still some residual psychological effect on workforce mindset from Covid affecting how we work, where we work or whether we work.” And although frontline staffing is still a challenge within hospitality, Canavan says the light at the end of the tun- nel is opportunity. “We need to embrace a different future and understand that life is permanently changed in many ways. There are opportuni- ties to think more creatively about how we deliver now versus the traditional labor-intensive ways of doing things. It’s not that we want to eliminate jobs, but if we don’t have people to fill them, we need to be a lot more creative. That’s the light. We’re starting to see people get away from the panic of ‘we don’t have enough people to do that,’ and leaning into ‘what are the things we can do to address that and still surprise and delight our customers?’” Bookings for 2024 look great, notes Saling, but 2025 is currently a bit below pre-pandemic levels. “We’re booking so near-term that those numbers will not be the final result of 2024 or 2025,” Saling says, adding that there will be business coming in next year and hopefully the following year as well. Incentives can help. “Incentives are a real opportunity for this market and will grow into the future. Incentives are embracing urban destina- tions in a way that’s new and refreshed. We’re a destination with the luxury of having access to nature in addition to an urban environment. That’s compelling. We have an abundance of fresh food and an award-winning beverage scene with wine and the fact that Washington is the second largest hop grower in the world outside of Germany.” To planners thinking about Seattle, Saling adds, “If a group is considering a meeting in Seattle, our job is to make that suc- cessful regardless of where or when it is. Our guidance can really help them thread the needle on what’s most important, whether it’s value, timing or location. We can steer where it will be most successful.” Milwaukee Very short booking windows are the norm in Milwaukee, too. Leslie Johnson, VP of sales at Visit Milwaukee, says the trend applies even to groups of significant size. “Availability can be tricky, so we ask that groups be more flexible,” she says. “We’re seeing a lot of groups being overly conservative with hotel-room numbers at first, then coming back asking for more rooms, which is great to see. When this happens, our team works to source more rooms so we’re constantly working with hotels on flexibility.” Johnson points out that business travel has not yet rebounded, which impacts hotels. “We’re not sure when busi- ness travel will completely rebound, so hotels are thinking differently since they no longer have that business-travel seg- ment to rely on.” Expansion of the convention center is Milwaukee’s big news. “The $456 million expansion of The Wisconsin Center, due for completion in May 2024, is something I’m very excited about,” Johnson says. “The finished space will feature 52 meet- ing rooms, a 300,000 contiguous sf exhibit hall, 22 loading docks, a 400-stall indoor parking garage, and a spectacular new rooftop ballroom featuring seat- ing for 2,000 and sweep- ing outdoor terraces. The expanded venue will also include quiet rooms, nursing-mother rooms, dedicated gender-neutral restrooms and a robust public art program telling the story of Milwaukee. We now have the exciting opportunity to participate in putting forward pro- posals for more types of groups and events. Plan- ners want to bring groups where there’s growth and exciting things are hap- pening! Milwaukee is hosting the 2024 Repub- lican National Conven- tion, so next year will be a very exciting time. We’re so glad to be seen by a national audience as a thriving city with plenty of amenities and experiences for conference attendees.” Like the rest of the country, Johnson says, Milwaukee has been impacted by inflation. “Part of the reason business travel is still struggling is due to inflation. We continue to see prices go up. Organizations and companies are being very particular with the conferences their employees are attending since cost is more of a factor right now.” Like other central and midwest destinations, however, Milwaukee is able to benefit as travel costs increase. “Milwau- kee is in a unique position that we’re using as a benefit due to our central Midwest location and proximity to so many major cities,” Johnson notes. “We can attract an audience that may have previously held their conference on the east or west coast. Companies losing attendees due to the high cost of airfare are now looking at the Midwest to capture that audience that can drive to the event. We’re seeing more and more interest in the drive market.” Additionally, she’s seeing planners more open to destinations they may not have considered before. “They’re looking at smaller, more intimate destinations where their attendees can get out and enjoy the history of the city. Planners want to sell the history of the city and the overall experience to their attendees. This will continue to be important to planners and organizations. They want to make sure the conference is themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 The 2022 Annual Meeting of the Commodity & Energy Markets Association (CEMA) took place in Chicago, IL at the Illini Center and DPI. COURTESY OF LYNN OSMOND 22memorable and worth their time. They want to truly feel their investment. Planners want attendees to come away from their event with something they learned.” Given the higher costs of many aspects of meetings today, Johnson believes CVBs are an invaluable asset for planners. “Our services are free.” That’s not a statement planners often hear these days. Chicago Lynn Osmond, president & CEO of Choose Chicago, is optimistic about this year. She has noticed three promi- nent trends: First, people are returning to in-person meetings and events in droves. Second, meeting planners and CVBs are enhancing their emphasis on sustainable travel and meetings. Third, there’s an increased focus on risk mitiga- tion from all entities. “CVBs are working to ensure that risk is shared between event organizers and destinations,” she notes. She’s also seeing the current climate as one of challenges and opportunity. “While Chicago’s rebound from the pandemic makes it clear that meetings and events are back, there are still challenges and opportunities for an industry that has changed dramatically. For example, event decisions are increasingly being made under very tight deadlines, which impacts venue operations, sourcing, logistics and all aspects of the events industry. Fur- thermore, each event and indus- try recover at different levels, meaning DMOs and other suppliers are now expected to be experts on our cus- tomers’ industries. We can no longer simply rely on historical data for projec- tions. We must do a better job of engaging with our customers closely and asking the right questions to intelligently forecast event perfor- mance and communicate properly with our local stakeholders.” Osmond sees 2023 as a “banner year” for Chicago, full of exciting events throughout the city. “As a desti- nation, we have the enviable challenge of simultaneously jug- gling major new public events, including the NASCAR Chicago Street Race and three Taylor Swift concerts, with long-time events and conventions such as the James Beard Awards, USA Volleyball Championships and the American Society of Clini- cal Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.” Overall, she notes, the number of group bookings are at pre-pandemic levels. “That said, there have been some seg- ments that have rebounded quickly while others have been slower to bounce back, such as the tech industry.” Fortu- JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Lynn Osmond President & CEO, Choose Chicago Chicago continues to have an incredibly strong workforce; we’re not experiencing shortages at our hotels and other venues. 23nately, staff shortages don’t appear to be impacting Chicago significantly. “Chicago continues to have an incred- ibly strong workforce; we’re not expe- riencing shortages at our hotels and other venues. Our robust workforce is a major reason to hold your meetings and events in Chicago.” To planners Osmond says, “While it may seem like a sellers’ market, there are many deals to be had in Chicago for event planners of all types. Those willing to be flexible with day patterns and preferred weeks will have success; however, planners must be prepared to make decisions quickly as inventory is not lasting long — lead generation in Chicago is up 26%.” Osmond adds that there are good reasons to be optimistic about meetings in general and in Chicago specifically. “We’ve seen excellent results at recent shows and look forward to building on these successes as the value of in-person meetings is recognized.” Dallas In Dallas, Craig Davis, president & CEO of Visit Dallas, is seeing demand for more digital offerings at conferences, “from app access rather than badges and microsites for each event, to online check- in and interactive activations. Streaming as an option is a must for meeting plan- ners for most sessions,” he says, adding, “Clients also want more networking opportunities built into conferences and the space needed to make that happen.” Like others, he says the uncertainty of the economy and staffing shortages continue to have some impact, but over- all things are looking good. “There’s been lingering talk about an impending reces- sion and we’re monitoring our custom- ers’ buying habits. But current demand for business events is booming, and like many other destinations, we’re working hard to keep up with demand. While Dallas has faced the same staffing short- ages as the rest of the country, with more and more people moving to Texas, jobs are quickly filled. We’re so proud of our resilient hotels and restaurants that have continued to provide first-class service during a time when the entire industry has been struggling with staffing.” Challenges aside, 2023 and 2024 are positives. Davis says group bookings for both are far above and beyond pre-pan- demic levels. Dallas is also seeing a lot of development, including a new conven- tion center. “In 2024, we’ll break ground on a multi-billion dollar convention cen- ter that will be on the forefront of tech- nology, sustainability and size of conven- tion centers in the country. This will be accompanied by an entirely new enter- tainment district with new headquarter hotels and additional flights. We believe Dallas is the best place in the nation for conferences, and when the new center is finally here there will be no doubt.” There are other developments as well, such as the newly reopened Longhorn Ballroom, and new restaurants including one in the ball of Reunion Tower called Crown Block. Industry folks will get a chance to see all that and more as three major shows head to Dallas: Destinations International (DI), International Association of Expo- sitions and Events (IAEE) and Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). And, Davis adds, planners should take note of the great airlift. “The connectiv- ity of Dallas is unmatched as we have the largest airlift of any city in the country. You can be in Dallas in four hours from any major city in the continental U.S.” Albuquerque Tania Armenta, president & CEO of Visit Albuquerque, says the entry of Millennials into the industry has created shifts in what groups want. “Millennials are shifting the meetings and incentives space to mimic their experiential travel preferences. Planners are looking for a place to tap into attendees’ creativity.” Armenta believes the upsurge of remote work has created challenges, especially related to team building and relationship building. “It’s an opportune time to revamp dated breakout offerings to include activities specifically geared toward bonding, meaning fun activities that develop interpersonal relationships but with an interesting twist.” Group bookings aren’t quite at pre- pandemic levels. Armenta says the uncertain economy continues to impact business travel and the overall meetings and conventions market, so she’s keep- ing watch on the trajectory of the recov- ery. However, she points out, “Albu- querque is a destination with much for planners and groups to discover, per- haps especially those who may not have considered the city in the past.” Much is happening to make Albu- querque even more desirable. “The air- port is expanding and modernizing to provide increased airlift. Southwest Air- lines is starting nonstop flights between Kansas City and Albuquerque and increasing the number of daily flights to Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Ange- les and San Diego. The city is also located at the crossroads of two major interstate highways, making it an easy drive from Arizona, Colorado, western Oklahoma and Texas, and is home to the longest continuous urban stretch of Route 66.” Armenta encourages planners not familiar with Albuquerque to build time for attendees to explore. “Our city themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 In 2024, Dallas will break ground on a new $2 billion dollar convention center, pictured here in this rendering. It will have 800,000 sf of exhibit space and 400,000 sf of breakout space, including a 100,000 sf ballroom. COURTESY OF VISIT DALLAS 24affords ample opportunities to incor- porate exploration and leisure activi- ties into your meetings. Albuquerque is a city steeped in history and culture, with centuries of stories waiting to be uncovered by visitors. For nature enthu- siasts, Albuquerque offers a wealth of outdoor adventures. Art lovers will be captivated by the city’s vibrant art scene with its numerous galleries, studios and museums that showcase both traditional and contemporary works. Foodies will delight in our diverse culinary offerings.” Looking ahead, Armenta says, “Albu- querque seamlessly weaves together old and new, creating a unique tapestry of culture, innovation and natural beauty. As improvements come to the city, such as the enhancements at the Albuquerque International Sunport, and renovations to our hotels like The Clyde and Hotel Albu- querque, meeting and convention plan- ners will have more reasons than ever to consider Albuquerque as an ideal location for their events. We see a bright future for the meetings industry in Albuquerque.” Houston In Houston, things are also look- ing positive. “Our group bookings are near, and continue to improve to pre- pandemic levels for 2023 and 2024. Our service levels are in much better shape this year and our client services team does an exceptional job communicating with our stakeholders and partners, who do whatever it takes to meet the needs of our clients,” says John Solis, senior vice president of sales & client services, Visit Houston. As for trends, he’s seeing conference attendance back to pre-Covid forecasted numbers and a heavy concentration on short-term, small, in-house programs focusing on 2023 and 2024. “There’s also a resurgence of large citywide conven- tion sourcing and site visits,” he adds. As a huge sports town, Houston con- tinues to host major sporting events, including the recent NCAA Men’s Final Four, with the College Football Cham- pionship coming in 2024. That can be a draw for many groups. Solis says Houston is not really seeing new challenges. “Maintaining Houston’s competitive edge as a premier destina- tion for meetings and business travel is always a top priority. As other cities grow and develop their meeting and conven- tion spaces, Houston must continue to do the same by providing a unique variety of hotel offerings and innovative, cutting- edge meeting spaces that provide easy access to some of the city’s world-class performing arts and attractions.” His best advice to planners and groups: “Come hungry! Our culinary scene is off the charts. Being one of the most diverse cities in the nation makes for a great foundation to experience many different cuisines, cultural attrac- tions and some of the friendliest people in the world.” The future for association meet- ings in Houston is bright,” Solis adds. “Associations are finding that we have a fantastic convention campus with state- of-the-art facilities, first-class accom- modations, best-of-service airports (IAH and Hobby), great visitor experi- ences and a hospitality community that fully appreciates the meetings and con- vention industry.” CVB execs may be experiencing some differences, yet the overall takeaway is clear: In spite of a few pandemic-era chal- lenges remaining the future is bright and creative opportunities abound. | AC&F | JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 25INDUSTRY TIPS themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 Authentic Engagement By Maura Keller According to Sarah Gentry, director of special events at The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa, as an association, they are empowering the success of their members as the pro- fessional resource for housing in their community. “By providing quality entertainment or content, we are creating a ‘fun’ or ‘inspiring’ atmosphere, which, in turn, leaves our attendees feeling ‘inspired,’ and if they are having a good time, they are more likely to be more engaged, network more, learn more and overall feel empowered at the end of the event,” Gentry says, adding, “Everything these days is all about the ‘selfie’ post. Creating content and an environment where your attendees want to ‘post’ about the event, to me, is what we are seeing the most of these days.” Isaac Watson, lead event strategist and founder of Kickass Conferences, has 14 years of experience in the events indus- try and has produced conferences and events in the United States and Europe. “It’s all about authentic audience interac- tion,” says Watson. “A good entertainer will be able to play to the crowd and nudge people just enough outside of their comfort zone for them to open up for a shared social expe- rience. Encouraging vulnerability, non-judgmental contribu- tions, and meeting attendees where they are is key to cracking open our defense mechanisms and helping the group maintain an open mind.” As Watson explains, meeting and event attendees have limited attention spans, and sitting in a room or watching a virtual event can become tedious very quickly, especially if the program is focused on disseminating information in a one- to-many format. “Engaging entertainment breaks up the monotony and helps those in the room switch modes, activates different parts of the brain and clear space for what’s next,” Watson says. Entertainment Trends Historically speaking, there seemed to be two major trends in entertainment throughout meetings and events over the last few decades: first, strict performances, whether it was music or magic or something else presented from stage that had nothing to do with the program. “The other,” Watson says, “was more focused around well- COURTESY OF SARAH GENTRY Empowering attendees to get involved at events and connect with others is essential. ssociation professionals are busy people. When they carve out time to attend an association-based meeting or event — whether it is for three hours or three days — they expect something in return. They attend for informational, educational, and networking purposes. They also expect to be entertained, so it is vital that meeting planners thoroughly evaluate and select the ideal entertainment options to keep attendees engaged. A Using Quality Content to Capture Attendee Focus 26ness, often delivered through stretching or chair yoga, for example.” He adds, “One of the biggest lessons coming out of Covid is that people need and want social connections with others more than they want spectacle or health practices. Entertainment can create space for that by creating a shared experience and breaking out of the traditional relationship of presenter to consumer.” Watson recently brought a “dance ambassador” and story- teller in at a few different events last year as entertainment, and also as one program’s emcee. In her segments and ses- sions, the dance ambassador incorporated world music, body movement, dance and storytelling into the programs in a way that a DJ or professional emcee simply can’t. Attendees were able to participate to their own level of comfort, from purely watching/listening to moving on their own to contributing to the storytelling, and share their experiences in a way that cre- ated a unique, shared moment of time. “Many attendees commented about how unexpected yet enjoyable it was. Some admitted they felt uncomfortable mov- ing in public but this helped them find ways to express them- selves in a safe environment,” Watson says. “And it helped all of them integrate the content from the rest of the programs into their lives and better assimilate the learnings.” Another example that Watson is aware of, but hasn’t yet incorporated into an event he’s planned, is working with improv-focused groups to design a program, host it as emcees and provide interstitial or recap segments with their troupe of performers. “These groups are able to find humor, tie narrative threads across a program and assist the audience in sharing their experiences and incorporating what they’ve learned in a group setting,” Watson says. Andrea Caldwell, event planner and founder of Practical Productions, manages conferences, trade shows, meetings and events. A recent event Caldwell led in May in Providence, RI had the highest attendee ratings for best overall event ever. The event was an “All Hands” experience – meant to gather attendees who work remotely to work and have concentrated “Water Cooler” time. Some of these engaging activities included: • Can Jam: art tour of the city with Graffiti Art primer. All attendees learned how to do street art on sanctioned blank city walls. • Medicinal herb walking tour: got information on the local “weeds” and what they can be used for. • Crime and Cuisine: Italian food tour and education on historic characters who dabbled on the wrong side of the law • Trivia night: Company teams competed against the general public in a gritty Star Wars trivia night. “It’s important to know your audience and realize the dif- ference between what is ‘out of the box’ fun and what will make them cringe,” Caldwell says. “Networking at your asso- ciation gathering is typically not among your everyday work- ing colleagues. This should foster the freedom to be more creative, clever and less cutthroat competitive. Engaging entertainment energizes your crowd, creates playfulness and lightens the room!” Event Solutions, a full-service event planning and manage- ment company, also has had great success with some unique entertainment options. At a recent San Francisco conference for an undisclosed organization, the event featured a drum session over lunch to inject high energy into the meeting. 27 JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Sarah Gentry Director of Special Events, The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa If [our attendees] are having a good time, they are more likely to be more engaged, network more, learn more and overall feel empowered at the end of the event. Attendees engaged with a drum session over lunch at a conference in San Francisco produced by Event Solutions. COURTESY OF DENISE GAILBRAITHAttendees were given a set of drum sticks and invited to play along with the entertainers on stage. Another organization included a scavenger hunt in their swag bags that were given out at registration to help reinforce focus on the meeting goals. For fun and extra energy, they had a luncheon with a staged live band and dancing. Denise Galbraith, chief client officer and partner at Event Solutions, says it’s important to focus on entertainment that inspires, unites and uplifts guests – something that would help create a conversation with guests for them to talk about with each other; an ice breaker to start a conversation with some- one they don’t know; novelty entertainment. “Incorporating engaging entertainment can heighten and enhance the attendees’ experience. It helps with participation and engagement and most likely retention. And it offers net- working opportunities,” Galbraith says. After Covid, Galbraith points out that Event Solutions saw a major increase in requests for acts that were novel experi- ence centric or at destination locations, reflecting the needs that were not met during Covid. “Attendees are interested in high energy, interactive, nov- elty, technology-driven entertainment,” Galbraith says. “We also are seeing a lot of hybrid takes, or mashups, on traditional entertainment made modern with technology. At a tech con- ference pre-party we swapped out their traditional photo booth for a ‘Paint with Light’ photo station. Entertainment also included stilt walkers with LED-incorporated reactive displays that interacted with their drum-with-light DJ.” Steps To Take When finding solid entertainment, Watson’s strategy is always to look for holistic services, not just pre-canned or top- down performances. “Any way you can work with the entertainer early to embed them within the program will create a more authen- tic experience — otherwise it just feels tacked on,” Watson says. “For pure performance or entertainment for in-person events like receptions or parties, look locally to bring a sense of place and culture.” Watson also points out that a lot of planners of larger events tend to seek big names with a “wow” factor. But who they are is not as important as the quality of the talent and thoughtfulness in how they present their work and interact with attendees. “At the end of the day, the attendees aren’t going to remem- ber what fancy DJ was flown in or what celebrity appearance happened. They are going to remember how they felt and what connections they made with those on stage and in the audi- ence,” Watson says. “I went to a conference last year where one of the evening events was DJed by Paris Hilton. Everyone I talked to at the party scratched their heads about why she was chosen for this – it just didn’t make sense in the context of the conference, and wasn’t very values-aligned.” Watson also worked with a client a few years ago who was adamant about bringing in a very popular, and very expensive, political personality to their first-time association awards and fund- raiser. The executive director was prepared to double-down and eat the exorbitant speaking fee to make it happen. “It was everything I could do to beg them to let it themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 More than 100 members of the The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa volunteer for the Tulsa Home & Garden Show, one of the largest Home & Garden shows in the U.S. COURTESY OF SARAH GENTRY Isaac Watson Lead Event Strategist and Founder Kickass Conferences For pure performance or entertainment for in-person events like receptions or parties, look locally to bring a sense of place and culture. 28go and focus on the quality of the content,” Watson says. “Thankfully, the celebrity said ‘no.’ It would have destroyed the experience by distracting from its purpose.” Because of a last-minute boat tour cancellation in Providence RI, Caldwell and her team had to quickly punt a new entertainment idea in less than 24 hours. Through their new local connections, they scored a farm tour, which included a ver- micomposting class. “We inoculated shiitake mushroom logs and went on a medicinal herb walk. The magic of the last-minute schedule change left little room for questioning the event and our attendees ended up having a blast,” Caldwell says. “We hired a party bus that drove us four miles out of Providence to the farm. We had fun ‘geeking out’ on worms, and mushrooms and learning which leaves you can eat in a wildly grown field. They surprised us with farm-fresh ice cream at the end too.” Caldwell’s advice for meeting planners seeking engaging entertainment options is to “turn all of the stones.” “Every city has its regularly advertised events, and we typically call upon them to get pricing and see if they have new offerings,” Caldwell says. “It is usually in those conversations where you can lean in a little and find out about the more hidden attrac- tions. In most cases, these are the companies that love their city. They are typically happy to share their wealth of knowledge.” Also, Caldwell advises fellow planners to spend time on the right audiovisuals. “I think a lot of times it’s easy to under- estimate what a difference having the right levels of sounds can be. And be careful of competing sounds and music in the same room. Even if attendees don’t notice it – I think it wears on their subconscious and makes them less at ease,” she says. And remember, “tigers don’t change their stripes” – if there’s an enter- tainer who’s known for being too edgy or they are not the right fit for your crowd, don’t try to contract with them to be different from who they are. “Part of the formula is finding the right risks to take that make entertainment a great fit,” Caldwell says. Gentry also advises meeting planners to connect with other plan- ners in your area to network and share ideas on what is working for you in terms of entertainment options. “Nothing is better than a personal recommendation or endorsement from other planners in the industry,” Gentry says. Of course, one of the biggest mistakes meeting planners make when it comes to entertainment is failing to align your entertainment with the goal you have in mind – the purpose of the event. “Also, avoid making the mistake of not doing your due dili- gence on the demographics of the attendees, underestimating the budget and not having enough for a specific entertain- ment,” Galbraith says. “You also need feedback regarding the entertainment after the event so you can know if it should be used again or not.” Continuous Evolution The association meetings and event environment contin- ues to evolve – just think of the impact technology has had on the event experience in recent years. As such, what we define as “engaging” entertainment will also continue to evolve. “It is increasingly difficult to impress attendees with any- thing new because they see so much online and while scrolling social media,” Caldwell says. “We find going lower tech, more hands-on, and rolling your sleeves up activities are getting the best reactions. Make your attendees surprised that they have not looked at their phones for an hour.” Watson points out that, as attendees continue to build a lot of skepticism for virtual gatherings (i.e., Zoom fatigue) and scrutiny around the costs of attending things in person (travel, inflation, organizational budget limitations), they’re looking for clearly communicated expectations and thought- ful programming. “We need to do everything in our power to present a diverse and inclusive program, including the entertainment, in a way that will spark excitement and demonstrate that we have the attendees’ best interests at heart,” Watson says. “And in this current economy, we’re going to have to do more with less, both from a budget and a time standpoint.” | AC&F | JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES A speaker engages the audience at the All-Hands Conference in Los Angeles. Andrea Caldwell Event Planner and Founder, Practical Productions Be careful of competing sounds and music in the same room. Even if attendees don’t notice it – I think it wears on their subconscious and makes them less at ease. COURTESY OF DENISE GAILBRAITH/ EVENT SOLUTIONS 29Next >