What more than $2.5 billion of development means for your attendees

A new JW Marriott, 1,000-room downtown headquarters hotel, and a $460 million transformation project of the Kentucky Exposition Center.   Together, these projects are part of more than $2.5 billion of development that's putting Louisville on more meeting planners' radars.   But the real story isn't just the new buildings. It's what attendees will experience once they're there: the world’s only walkable urban spirits district, a thriving community of makers and creative thinkers, and a distinctive Southern culinary scene.   Download a new guide from Skift Meetings and Louisville Tourism for a closer look at how Louisville's transformation is changing how planners design attendee experiences. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT This content was created collaboratively by Louisville Tourism and Skift Meetings. Skift, 35 W 31st St., Frnt 1, New York, NY 10001, USA Manage preferences

Tournament hosts are showing the value in rethinking the concept of a citywide experience.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online 🏟️ Is the World Cup Creating a New Kind of Citywide? From a fan festival in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park to more than 100 activations across the Seattle region, tournament hosts are rethinking the concept of a citywide experience. The term “citywide” has always felt a bit misleading. Sure, these large-scale programs involve room blocks scattered throughout a destination, but the bulk of the activity tends to be confined to one big venue. How much of the city actually feels the impact if attendees are only seeing the destination from the window of a shuttle bus? The World Cup is offering a new blueprint, extending the action well beyond the central stadium venues. As meetings and conferences aim to make a meaningful community impact, this year’s tournament — which is helping far-flung corners of host cities reap the economic benefits of a major event — offers a roadmap to leveraging a destination’s entire footprint.     FEATURED STORIES Incentive Planners Need to Get Better at Justifying ROI By Barbara Scofidio The CEO signs off on incentive travel, but it’s the CFO who signs the check — and they want solid proof that it works. GET THE STORY Event Tech & AI News Roundup - July 2026 By Miguel Neves Event tech vendors are starting to implement bring your own AI (BYOAI) policies. That means organizers can keep their data and pick their own tools, instead of handing the platform the interactions behind them. GET THE STORY Will the World Cup Redefine the Citywide Convention Experience? By Andrea Doyle The 2026 FIFA World Cup is turning entire destinations into activation platforms for sponsors, communities, and events. The lessons may outlast the tournament. GET THE STORY         The Executive Retreat Destination You Haven't Considered — Yet Louisville Tourism + Skift Meetings Personalized distillery experiences, Muhammad Ali’s former training gym, and a 700-acre thoroughbred estate — one southern city is delivering the kind of high-touch programming that's getting harder to pull off in bigger markets. GET THE STORY         FREE REPORT Our latest report uncovers how AI is transforming the event experience and provides crucial insights for anyone looking to invest in event tech today. What’s inside: A vision of the ideal AI-powered event experience. A plain-language explainer on LLMs, agentic AI, and MCP. 130+ AI-native event tech tools mapped across event phases. Questions to ask and red flags to look out for buying event tech. This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Wordly. GET THE REPORT       SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL NEWS FOR MEETINGS Is This the Beginning of the Canadian Comeback? It’s been a tough stretch for meeting planners who rely on friendly Canadian-U.S. relations. However, the latest data offers a positive — or at least, a not as terrible — outlook for the road ahead. Skift associate editor Rashaad Jorden offered a look at promising signals for border crossings, including: Increased trips: Canadian visits to the U.S. have jumped for the past two months, breaking a 15-month slump. Appeal to young attendees: 45% of Gen Z Canadians are planning a trip to the U.S. in the next year. Promotional support: Brand USA is gearing up to launch a campaign targeting Canadian travelers. The full story is behind a paywall here.     EVENTS Skift Meetings Forum On September 22, Skift Meetings' flagship event will bring together event leaders for a deep-dive on how the business of events is reinventing itself. This game-changing gathering gives event professionals the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly shifting business and geopolitical landscape. GET YOUR SEAT         Skift Meetings Toolkit Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events. EXPLORE THE TOOLKIT         Thanks for being a regular reader. We are switching to a new email platform. Why? This change will allow for better delivery, and more engaging newsletters. Please take a moment to add this new email address to your contacts to ensure you continue receiving your newsletters without interruption. During this transition, these emails might land in your promotions or spam folder. To ensure you don’t miss out, please move this newsletter to your primary inbox.       DEFINING THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Skift 35 W 31st St. New York, New York 10001, United States Terms of Service

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Skift Pro gives you the intelligence that moves the travel industry. With a subscription, you'll get unlimited access to: If you're ready to subscribe, use code GOPRO25 at checkout to save 25% on your first year. Subscribe before the end of the month and we'll also send you a free Skift branded tote or hat* SUBSCRIBE & SAVE 25% *gift with purchase is only available for US-based purchases.  Skift, 35 W 31st St., Frnt 1, New York, NY 10001, USA Manage preferences