The Stand-Up (March 27, 2025)

WorldPride Faces Challenges, Doubling Down on DEI, Introducing Speakers, and more

View in browser Unsubscribe Thursday March 27, 2025 Top Stories | Curated by   Miguel Neves Editor-in-Chief Curated by Diversity and Inclusion WorldPride 2025 a Go Despite Sponsorship Losses and Travel Challenges   The shifting political landscape in the U.S. is casting a shadow over WorldPride 2025, with sponsors pulling out and international travelers facing growing uncertainty. While organizers remain steadfast in their commitment to hosting the global event, concerns over all Pride events are mounting. - Andrea Doyle   Logistics & Operations Introducing a Speaker? Here Are 5 Tips Stay away from rambling, formulaic intros — your speakers deserve better than that. Or maybe skip the speaker intro altogether. - Barbara Scofidio   Diversity and Inclusion Event Companies Doubling Down on DEI At a time when some companies are scrubbing DEI from their websites and annual reports, others in the meetings industry are speaking out about the importance of diversity. - Barbara Scofidio   Technology Planners Share Their AI Prompts Pick a task, from emails to seating charts to FAQ documents, and there's probably a way AI can help, said these two meeting pros during Skift Meetings' recent AI & the Future of Events virtual event. - Barbara Scofidio   Industry News Tariff Turmoil: Event Planners Face Rising Costs and Uncertainty Trump-imposed tariffs on imports from countries including Canada, Mexico, and China are forcing planners to navigate rising costs and operational uncertainties.  - Andrea Doyle "The United States is not a safe country for LGBTQI+ people to travel to in terms of entry, border-related issues, and internal policies." - Melanie Nathan, human rights advocate and executive director of the African Human Rights Coalition WorldPride 2025 a Go Despite Sponsorship Losses and Travel Challenges   Virtual Summit       AI & the Future of Events Learn about the latest developments AI and how to leverage them, guided by the trailblazers at the forefront of innovation in meetings and events. Sponsored by Convene Watch On Demand Industry Calendar | March 2025 • IACC Americas Knowledge Exchange in College Station, TX | Mar. 31–Apr. • SISO CEO Summit in Austin, TX | Mar. 31–Apr. 3 • Destination Capitol Hill (DCH) in Washington, D. C. | April 1–2 Explore Our Full Calendar of 2025 Industry Events   Skift IDEA Awards       Skift IDEA Awards represents the travel industry's most coveted achievement for excellence in design, creativity, and innovation.   There are four categories dedicated to meetings and events: Hotels Convention Centers and Other Venues Destination Marketing Organizations Event Technology Enter Now Elsewhere in the News • WestJet Cuts Some Routes Amid Rising U.S.-Canada Tensions (Skift) • Consumers Plan to Spend More on Travel and Vacations Despite 'Gloomy' Sentiment (Skift) • How 'Live Tourism' Events Can Drive Business for Hotels (Skift) • Will Lady Gaga's Singapore Concert Match the Taylor Swift Effect? (Skift) Editor's Picks • How Agentic AI May Transform Event Planning – and Tools You Can Use Now • 10 Accessibility Tips You Might Not Have Considered • 10 Tips for Planning Neuro-inclusive Events • 6 Deals, 1 Month: Events Industry M&A Heats Up Get More on Skift Meetings Defining the future of events. Skift. 35 W 31st St., New York, NY, 10001, USA Follow Us: LinkedIn   |  X   |  Facebook   |  Instagram   |  YouTube You received this because you are subscribed to Newsletter | Skift Meetings Stand-Up from Skift. For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab.