It’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong right now: rising costs everywhere and anxiety over AI disruption (or doomsday, depending on who you ask). The issue below digs into some of those pressures, but first, I want to start with something more encouraging: the energy at IMEX this week.
The show floor was packed, a good signal for the industry. What stayed with me, though, were the conversations with destinations eager to be part of the answer.
Valeria from Discover Puerto Rico beamed as she shared news of a new Cirque du Soleil residency coming to San Juan, along with a cast of culinary stars who have chosen to put down roots across the island. Susan from Destination D.C., talked about countering negative sentiment toward the U.S. by telling the stories of immigrant business owners who proudly call the capital home. Joel from Destination Canada explained how the country’s deep commitment to legacy is paying off with conventions that create meaningful change. Despite the uncertainty hanging over the world right now, the message in Vegas was clear: Meetings have a real opportunity to prove that bringing people together is still one of the best tools we have for working through hard things. — David McMillin
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SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS
People Are Paying $19.99 Per Month to Have Dinner With Strangers
This week, Rafat Ali tipped Skift readers off to a service I had never heard of: Timeleft. The app charges $19.99 per month to help pair four to six strangers up for dinners. An algorithm sorts through your interests, finds a crew that seems like a good fit and books a reservation at a restaurant.
Does this job description sound familiar to you? It should, because it’s exactly what a meeting planner does: finds a venue and helps people connect with each other. However, Timeleft takes the connection further than a lot of meetings. Instead of an open bar with a hope that people figure out how to talk to each other, there are conversation starters in the app to avoid awkward gaps. And there’s no chance of searching the LinkedIn profiles of the dinner companions before because Timeleft keeps the names private until the night out on the town. The lesson: If people are willing to shell out money each month for a curated dinner, it’s worth spending more time — and more money — to design a better networking experience.
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.
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