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IN THIS EDITION

  • CloserStill Media Sells to Searchlight for $1.8 billion.

  • The new AI reality of job hunting in events.

  • Why RightsCon 2026 was cancelled at the last minute.

  • Plus, new convention hotels planned for Nashville and Detroit, rooming lists get an AI makeover, what planners get wrong when hiring entertainers and a roundup of AI and event tech news.

Read on below.

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FEATURED STORIES

CloserStill Media Sells to Searchlight in $1.8B Deal as Providence Stays On

CloserStill Media Sells to Searchlight in $1.8B Deal as Providence Stays On

by Miguel Neves

CloserStill spent 2025 expanding in the U.S. and Europe, focused on its technology, infrastructure, and health care portfolios. Searchlight's capital is fuel for a much bigger bet on America and high-growth technology markets.

AI Job Hunting in Events — The New Reality

AI Job Hunting in Events — The New Reality

by Barbara Scofidio

Misleading job posts and screening tools that overlook experienced candidates are leaving job hunters frustrated and disappointed.

Digital Rights Group Cancels Africa Summit After Apparent Chinese Pressure

Digital Rights Group Cancels Africa Summit After Apparent Chinese Pressure

by Miguel Neves

The last-minute cancellation of RightsCon wasn't a procedural hiccup — it was political capitulation to foreign pressure. Organizers chose Zambia precisely for its visa-free access for 167 nationalities. It turns out a welcoming visa policy is no guarantee against foreign interference.

How the Right Host City Can Reduce the Registration Risk for Medical Meetings

Melbourne Convention Bureau + Skift Meetings

Amid geopolitical tensions and rising costs, one destination is attracting some of the world's largest medical programs. 

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RECOGNITION

Skift IDEA Awards final price increase is on May 8. Save $50 on your entry before it goes to full price.

Submit your entry to Skift IDEA Awards in five meetings and events categories: hotels, venues & convention centers, destination marketing organizations, event technology, and cruise lines.

Lock in the lowest price today, then complete your entry by July 1.

SECURE YOUR ENTRY

DON’T MISS THESE STORIES

Nashville's Convention Capacity Set to Grow With 817-Room Signia by Hilton

by Andrea Doyle

Nashville's downtown stands to get its largest hotel — and with it the ability to chase meetings and events it currently can't accommodate.

Rooming Lists Get an AI Makeover

by Miguel Neves

Managing rooming lists is the "most hated job in hotels" because much of the manual workflow involved hasn't meaningfully changed in years. Hivr and Radisson are using AI to go after a problem most others have ignored.

Detroit to Add Second Convention Hotel to Compete for Bigger Events

by Andrea Doyle

With a second Huntington Place-connected hotel in the works, Detroit is looking to close a gap that has limited its ability to compete with other convention cities, a lack of hotel inventory. 

Event Tech & AI News Roundup - May 2026

by Miguel Neves

The event tech market is shrinking even as its capabilities expand, with every AI integration raising the bar for what planners expect out of the tools.

10 Things Planners Get Wrong When Hiring Entertainers

by Barbara Scofidio

While planners put the most effort into education and programming, it’s the entertainers — from musicians to mentalists — who often leave a lasting impression.

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