It might have something to do with a lack of information and a super strict cancellation policy.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online Why Your Attendees Are Waiting So Long to Register It might have something to do with a lack of information and a super strict cancellation policy.   David McMillin, Skift Meetings Head of Content October 13th, 2026 Remember when the early-bird savings cutoff mattered? As the deadline approached, you could expect a big bump in numbers that helped you get a good sense of how the upcoming show would perform. That big bump now feels more like a thud. Past data from Maritz has shown that roughly 45% of attendees don’t register until four weeks out from the event, and the issue appears to be getting even worse. Andrea Doyle looks at new research from Freeman today that uncovers why attendees are waiting too long to commit and what meeting marketers can do to motivate them to book flights and block the time on their calendars. Head below to get the full story, along with an interview with the new leader of FICP and a look at why planners should pay attention to the big-picture implications of a record-setting rainy Sunday before IMEX in Las Vegas. — David McMillin       FEATURED STORIES Even Las Vegas Needs a Rain Plan: Record Storm Snarls IMEX Arrivals By Andrea Doyle By the time IMEX’s show floor opens Tuesday, Sunday's record rain will be forgotten. The lesson shouldn’t be: A destination’s weather history is no longer a forecast. GET THE STORY FICP’s New President on Intentional Connection and Growth   By Barbara Scofidio Just a couple of weeks into the job, Jamie Murdock already has a strong grasp of what makes this association different from others and how to introduce change. GET THE STORY 5 Ways to Turn Attendees and Speakers Into Promoters By Barbara Scofidio Your strongest promoters are not the ones working from inside your company — they're the people already coming to your events. GET THE STORY Why Late Event Registration Doesn’t Actually Exist Anymore By Andrea Doyle Event organizers keep asking why attendees are registering late. The real problem may be that they’re asking people to commit before giving them enough information, flexibility, or value to say yes. GET THE STORY             How Planners Are Using an AI Platform to Book $100 Million in Hotels a Year  Joy + Skift Meetings Joy's AI also makes thousands of calls a day to confirm reservations and flags exceptions for humans. The platform runs in different modes, from research to drafting to acting alone, so teams can build trust one step at a time. LEARN MORE             WORTH YOUR TIME Five things worth your time today. Know these 25 essential meeting terms to speak the same language as your peers and partners. Learn how to get C-level attendees to care enough to come to your next event. Find out what’s next for the industry after the Informa-Clarion deal. Proceed with caution if you’re planning to use AI to choose your next host destination. Break up with the ballroom and use one of these tools to find a more creative venue.             SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS Is Your Hotel on the Picket List? Today’s Skift Pick comes from my hometown of Chicago, where hundreds of Unite Here Local 1 members have walked off the job at six hotels: the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, both Westins (River North and Michigan Avenue), Palmer House, Waldorf Astoria and the Millennium Knickerbocker. The frontline employees chose one of the city’s busiest weekends of the year — the Chicago Marathon — to make their case in a contract negotiation. And it could get bigger: more than 7,000 workers at 46 hotels have authorized a strike, and the union’s president says the rest “could be on strike at any moment.” The strike is a reminder for meeting planners to look at where a property stands with its workforce before you sign. Marriott and Hilton both say their hotels have plans to keep operating. But “operating” with a picket line at the front door isn’t the experience you promised attendees. This goes beyond the Windy City, too. Seattle just ended an 85-day strike, and before that workers walked out in LA, San Francisco and Boston. No matter where you’re thinking about heading next, ask when the hotel’s labor contract is up. Then make sure your agreement spells out what happens if workers walk out: service standards, attrition and cancellation relief, and whether a strike counts as force majeure.             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.       1    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