Blogs & Articles

Aug 21, 2026

ESPA, Visit Indy Leader: 6 Priorities Redefining Successful Meetings

What makes a meeting successful? For years, the industry has measured success through attendance, room nights, economic impact and whether an event delivered what planners and attendees expected. Those measures still matter. But Roberta Tisdul, CMP, Senior Director of Destination Experience, Conventions at Visit Indy, sees another priority gaining importance: what a meeting leaves behind for the community that hosts it. It’s a philosophy known as destination stewardship.

Jul 23, 2026

What Event Leaders Are Watching for the Rest of the Year

As the meetings and events industry moves into the busy fall conference season, planners are navigating a familiar challenge in a changing environment: attendees expect more meaningful experiences even as budgets remain tight, schedules face greater scrutiny and expectations continue to rise.

Jun 4, 2026

Convention-Services Leaders Discuss Better Planner Partnerships

On the heels of Destination International’s Convention Sales and Services Summit in Dallas in late April, 18 senior convention-services directors from DMOs nationwide spent a day discussing how they can be better partners to planners of citywide conventions as well as single-hotel meetings. All are members of Event Services Professionals Association.

Apr 7, 2026

Why Your Dietary Planning May Be Falling Short—and How to Fix It

At first glance, your carefully planned welcome reception looks like a big hit. All the tables are lined with neatly labeled dishes: vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free. Everything appears thoughtful. Inclusive. Covered. You checked all the boxes. But then you start getting feedback. And it’s not what you expected.

Feb 25, 2026

How to Lead Events Through Weather Disruption

Winter weather doesn’t ask for permission. It does what it wants when it wants: disrupts flights, reroutes attendees and tests even the most seasoned planning teams.