The Stand-Up (February 11, 2025)

From menu swaps to boundary setting: This week's essential planning insights.

The Stand-Up February 11, 2025 Edited by Miguel Neves View in browser Top Stories Al Hutchinson Stepping Down as CEO of Visit Baltimore After eight years as president and CEO of Visit Baltimore, Al Hutchinson has decided not to renew his contract when it expires on June 30, the DMO said Thursday. 10 Ways to Save on Meeting Costs Without Attendees Even Noticing The best cost-saving ideas are the ones that are easiest to implement and invisible to attendees. Exhibition Industry Projects Strong Growth Through 2025 The exhibition industry is expecting an almost 20% increase in revenue for 2025. Driving the bulk of the growth are emerging markets, and almost half of exhibition companies worldwide are looking to expand their workforce. VIRTUAL SUMMIT AI & the Future of Events Say ahead of the technological curve. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how AI is transforming the events industry from the experts who are leading the change. REGISTER NOW How to Design Inclusive Events It's not easy to consider each attendee at every step in the planning process – but it's essential. Money-Saving Menu Changes Your Attendees Won't Notice Saving money on food and beverage is easier than you think. Just replace A with B. Setting Boundaries at Work: 10 Strategies For Planners For many planners, the key to managing the demands of their jobs is drawing a hard line between work and their personal lives. It's not always easy. PRESENTED BY SKIFT MEETINGS Skift IDEA Awards Four categories dedicated to meetings and events: Hotels Convention Centers and Other Venues Destination Marketing Organizations Event Technology Apply early to secure the best rates. Elsewhere in the News Hyatt Buys Playa for $2.6 Billion in Bet on All-Inclusive Resorts (Skift) Hilton quarterly profit beats estimates on strong business travel demand (Reuters) Will Travelers Pay More for Green Trips? That's Not What Booking Holdings' CEO Is Seeing (Skift) Trump order to restore Mount McKinley name receives pushback in Alaska (Travel Weekly) Thailand Expects a Tourism Boom From Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' (Skift) INDUSTRY EVENTS CALENDAR UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Melbourne, Australia (Feb. 13-14) RainFocus INSIGHT in Salt Lake City, UT (Feb. 18 - 20) Conventa in Ljubljana, Slovenia (Feb. 18 - 20) Explore our full calendar of 2025 industry events here. More From Skift Meetings Apple Launches Digital Invitation App with Built-in Event Management Features How Visit Atlantic City Is Rethinking What Blended Travel Really Means (Created collaboratively with Visit Atlantic City) 8 Tips for No-Fuss Seating Charts All-Inclusive Resorts: What's Actually Included? New All-Female Leadership Takes Helm at SoolNua Skift Meetings to Host Virtual Summit on AI & the Future of Events Chris Anderson Stepping Down as the Head of TED To ensure there are no pauses in our communication, please add our email address to your contacts: meetings@skift.com. Skift, 35 W 31st St., Frnt 1, New York, NY 10001, USA, (516) 399-0304 Manage preferences