Real sponsors and a real hotel made this fake event look legit.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

October 27, 2026   |   Read online Would You Fall for This Fake Conference? Real sponsors and a real hotel made this fake event look legit.   David McMillin, Skift Meetings Head of Content October 27th, 2026 Scams used to be easy to spot. You didn’t even have to look for them; your spam filter quietly swept away all those messages urging you to claim your prize money before you had a chance to click. That’s no longer the case. Today’s coverage of a fake life sciences conference shows how sophisticated scams have become — and how easily they slip past the filter. The scheme, which baited targets with the prestige of a speaking invitation, an impressive list of legitimate corporate sponsors and a real luxury hotel, is another reminder that cybercriminals are keeping a close eye on the meetings industry. Head below for the full story, along with a look at a new association for senior-level meeting professionals and a Canadian trade show floor without a single U.S. exhibitor. — David McMillin       NEW REPORT ON THE GLOBAL MEETING LANDSCAPE What do your peers’ budgets look like now? How are they navigating continued geopolitical pressures? And what are they doing to define ROI to leadership? Get the answers in a new Skift Meetings research report. This report was sponsored by Destination Toronto and Ottawa Tourism. GET THE REPORT             FEATURED STORIES U.S. Ski Resorts Disappear From Canadian Trade Show, but It’s Not All About Politics By Andrea Doyle American ski resorts began abandoning an Ottawa trade show before U.S.-Canada relations soured. Now, even as Canadian bookings show signs of recovery, some exhibitors have no plans to return. For organizers, the bigger challenge may be proving that trade shows are still worth the investment. GET THE STORY SPIN Aims to Reclaim Its Place in the Meetings Industry  By Barbara Scofidio SPIN spent years as a members-only Facebook group. Now it wants a seat alongside MPI and PCMA. Can a free, volunteer-run association of veteran planners build that kind of influence? GET THE STORY Cybercriminals Invented an Entire Conference — and Used a Real Hotel to Sell the Lie By Andrea Doyle With prominent scientists, corporate sponsors, and a Boston hotel venue, the conference website looked legitimate. The scam is a reminder that the professional credibility of speaking at a meeting can be weaponized by criminals.  GET THE STORY             Is It Time to Say “Last Call” to the Open Bar? Convene Hospitality Group + Skift Meetings As alcohol consumption declines, meeting professionals are adjusting with more zero-proof options and more experiential activations that shift booze to the background. LEARN MORE             SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS Your Attendees Booked the Block. That Doesn’t Mean They’ll Stay in It. New research from Skift and McKinsey & Company shows that 41% of U.S. travelers keep checking prices after they book, and 29% keep looking at other options in case something better comes along. They follow through, too: 51% say they’ve switched hotels after seeing a better option on social media. Flexible cancellation policies make switching easy. The lesson for meeting planners: If the hotel drops its public rate, or a cheaper option turns up three blocks away, some attendees will cancel and rebook outside the block. The attrition hit lands on you. First things first: Check your contract for a lowest-rate clause that matches your group rate to any lower public rate the hotel offers. Then give people reasons to stay put, like perks tied to the block that a lower rate elsewhere won’t include. There’s an upside, too. Attendees keep planning between registration and arrival, so that’s a good time to offer the add-on dinner, the pre-tour or the extra night. If you don’t fill that time, another app will.             Plan Ahead: The 2027 Meetings Industry Calendar A rundown of when the most important programs are happening around the world next year. LEARN MORE             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