Who needs a nice private dinner when you can sit in a VIP suite at the big game? New research from American Express shows that 85% of business travelers are seeing more value in building relationships by attending major events together than sharing meals. It makes plenty of sense: A follow-up email with a brag-worthy photo attached feels more memorable than a note about the second course.
The chance to pair a program with a big event can motivate attendees, but it also comes with some obvious downsides. Room rates skyrocket — consider the Fairmont in Monaco that charges upwards of $18,000 per night during the Monaco F1 Grand Prix — and logistics can get very complicated, as organizers discovered with the no-limos and no-parking restrictions at MetLife Stadium during the FIFA World Cup.
Read on for the full story from Andrea Doyle below, plus a must-read article on what to include in your cancellation policies and a look at the booming space exhibition market. And if you’re in Chicago for the GBTA Convention, let me know. I’ll be there soaking up the knowledge in the Meetings & Events education track. — David McMillin
DON’T MISS OUT
The mega-event playbook has upside and landmines, and the planners who navigated 2026 are the ones you want in the room.
Bettina Garibaldi (CMO, FIFA World Cup 26 NY/NJ Host Committee) joins event leaders from JPMorgan, FCM Meetings & Events, and the American Bankers Association at North Javits on September 22, where 77% of the room sits at director level or above.
FEATURED STORIES
Forget the Ballroom: Business Meetings Are Happening in the Stands
by Andrea Doyle
Whether at the World Cup, Formula 1, or Wimbledon, companies are increasingly using shared experiences, not conference rooms, to build relationships and drive business.
Registration Cancellation Policies: What 10 Associations Actually Require
by Barbara Scofidio
A vague cancellation policy doesn't just confuse attendees. It can drag an event organizer into a dispute.
Nineteen Group Expands Into the Booming Space Market
by Andrea Doyle
As investment pours into the global space economy, exhibition organizers are expanding into one of the meetings industry’s fastest-growing sectors.
WEBINAR
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Sponsored by Visit Atlantic City.
WORTH YOUR TIME
Five things worth your time today.
Hope for the best, but plan for the worst with these five situations where a Plan B will be your best friend.
See how mentorship is closing the industry’s talent gap with the Annabelle Project.
Meet the distiller. Learn how Louisville is stealing executive retreats from bigger cities with one bourbon handshake at a time. **
Understand what actually feels rewarding with insights from next-gen incentive travel winners.
Maybe it’s time to ask your attendees to put their phones away and start talking to each other again.
** A sponsored message from Louisville Tourism.
SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS
When the Beachfront Destination Becomes Less Appealing for Your Attendees
Quintana Roo — which includes Cancun, Tulum, and the whole Riviera Maya — is facing its worst sargassum season on record. If you don’t know what sargassum is, let’s just say you don’t want to deal with rotting brown algae if you’re planning an oceanfront experience. Mexico is now spending $115 million to intercept it before it piles up on beaches. This year's collection has already topped 96,151 tons, more than all of last year combined. It hasn't been cheap for hotels either: some are cutting rates by up to 40% and quietly weighing shorter seasons. It’s not just a stain on Instagram photos, either. The smell — hydrogen sulfide, basically rotten eggs — is bad enough that a few operators lobbied (unsuccessfully) for a state of emergency.
The stretch of coastline is a prime location for incentive gatherings and sales conferences. If you have one on the horizon, it’s worth a call to your hotel contact to see if your attendees are going to deal with the scene from an algae horror movie. Ask whether beach cleanup is happening daily, whether the smell reaches the pool deck and meeting-room terraces, and whether outdoor functions have a rain-plan-style backup if the beach is unusable that week. Cheaper isn't better: a discounted room block on a bad-smelling beach can do more damage to your attendee satisfaction scores than the savings are worth.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES
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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