Connect

05/14/2020

Please join us for a FREE zoom get together!
Happy + Healthy @ Home with Connect
Wed. May 13, 2020
4:30pm
Connect, Visit Santa Barbara and Wine For Normal People Presents
"Choosing Better Wine"

Author and podcast host Elizabeth Schneider of Wine For Normal People leads everyone in this fun but educational session about a strategy for how to select better wine in a store or on a wine list. She'll break down the topic by showing us how to give your wine list a haircut so you can quickly narrow down a huge book to a few choices you can handle, how to use criteria other than price to get a better wine (and use price last to make the final call) and some important business wine etiquette tips. If you have ever felt intimidated by a wine list or walked aimlessly around a wine shop trying to figure out what to do, this is a great session to build your confidence and give you useful strategies!

REGISTER HERE:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RazNaQCJQrmdEzMs2xcJ_A

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

05/11/2020

Your wellbeing is Connect’s No. 1 priority. Connect is dedicated to ensuring attendees can do business in a safe environment. Here’s what we’re doing to protect your health.
http://www.connectmeetings.com/association/features/connect-safe-space-2020

05/08/2020

15 Marketing Agencies With Stories to Tell in Atlanta

We're excited to be included in this list: 15 Marketing Agencies with Stories to Tell in Atlanta.
So flattered. Thank you BuiltIn.

#atlanta #marketingagencies

Every brand has a story to tell but the hard work is in getting that story right. Many brands, regardless of how essential their products may be, find that a good marketing strategy spells the difference between climbing to the top or falling apart at the seams. Learning how to capture an audience w...

04/30/2020

URGENT! SURVEY CLOSES FRI. MAY 1.
MEETING PLANNERS by completing this survey you'll be entered into a drawing to win one of five $200 airline giftcards for future travel and the first 50 respondents will receive a $5 Starbucks giftcard.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JBW3JRY

We’re all anxiously anticipating positive signs of recovery for our industry. As we prepare for what the “new normal” looks like, we would greatly appreciate you taking a few moments to complete our "Not Back, But Forward Survey." This will provide us with valuable insight as we all begin to build the foundation for what our industry looks like moving forward.

04/28/2020

Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge

We are all loving Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge new #WorththeWait campaign aimed at #MeetingPlanners and #EventProfs who are all itching to get back to planning meetings and conferences. Beautifully done and VVBR is definitely tapping into everything we're all feeling. #WeWillMeetAgain

As we wait for a safer time to travel again, we hope you take this time to get inspired and support one another. Let's focus on the future and dream up adventure. Virginia's Blue Ridge is Worth the Wait.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/2RDBx5p

04/23/2020

How to Help Your Customers When There Are No Events

Wondering how to help your customers when there are no events? There are still plenty of ways to engage creatively with your audience, even without the ability to come together in person.
Rob Ristagno of Sterling Woods Group has some ideas here.

There are still plenty of ways to engage creatively with your audience, even without the ability to come together in person.

04/20/2020

We have an all-star lineup of panelists (Terri Woodin of Meeting Sites Resource, Nicole Corley of Connect, Mike Ferreira of Meetings Made Easy, Antwone Stigall of Course Hero and Martha Sheridan of BostonUSA) ready to discuss the future of meetings with BizBash Chairman and Founder David Adler this Thursday at 2 p.m. EST. Register for this FREE webinar here: Register here: https://onlinexperiences.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowUUID=0897741E-6445-4A62-91AC-DC8B1CB271D1&LangLocaleID=1033

04/20/2020

Let's Chat! - regmatch™

We're partnering with @RCMAfaithmeets and @NCBMP_ to provide a space for #planners and #suppliers to talk together this Thurs and Fri with multiple time slots. Only 40 spots available for each session. Register now!

There is limited space available for each time slot. You will be placed on a wait list once each time slot is full. Please only register for 1 time slot.

04/15/2020

CVBs Provide Virtual FAMs for Planners

Aching to travel #meetingprofs? These CVBs are hosting virtual fams for planners. See how creative Discover Atlanta, Experience Columbus, Visit Salt Lake, Visit New Orleans, VISIT Milwaukee and Go Rockford are getting for #meetingplanners still doing site selection.

#hospitality #cvbs #hospitalityindustry #tourism

CVBs come to the planners to try to book new business while the country remains on COVID-19 lockdown.

04/14/2020

GMID Goes Virtual

JOIN NOW!
Feel like breaking a Guinness World Record today for #gmid? Us too!
#GMIDGOESVIRTUAL today April 14, 2020.
Call in at 9 AM PDT | 11 AM CDT | 12 PM EDT
Duration: 30 minutes
Register and get the dial in# here:https://gmidgoesvirtual.com/

April 14, 2020 9 AM PDT | 11 AM CDT | 12 PM EDT | 1 PM ADT | 5 PM UK TIME | 6 PM CET | 9:30 PM IST | 12 AM CMT | 2 AM ACT Duration: 30 minutes The virtual meeting room will be open 30 minutes prior

04/07/2020

Now Is the Time for the Events Industry to Come Together

“In the wake of the coronavirus, #planners and #suppliers should work in unison to recover.”

As we face this crisis together, it's important to remain one community going forward, reminds Empromo Hart in this article she penned: "Now is the Time for the Events Industry to Come Together."

In the wake of the coronavirus, planners and suppliers should work in unison to recover.

04/06/2020

Hotels That Can Still Pay Employees Are Doing So

We wrote this inspiring story about hotels that are still paying employees during the crisis. It was nice to write some good news. Props to Hotel Monteleone and Bienville House in New Orleans, as well as Shandaken Inn in the Catskills, Wynn Las Vegas, The Lodge at Edgewood and MGM Resorts. If you know of one not on here, feel free to comment below as we’d love to do a part 2 to this story.

These high-end hotels are examples of properties that made a commitment to their employees to pay them as long as they can.

03/31/2020

Today’s #Connectercise with Craig Richards is a bit different. Our parent company #TarsusGroup in London has challenged Connect and BizBash to a timed 1 mile run competition. Everyone is in! How bout you?
Take the challenge and post your results below along with our staff. ...
...
...
#tourismindustry #hospitalityindustry #poweredbypassion #onemilerun #1milerun #coronavirusworkout #coronavirusworkouts

03/30/2020

#Connectercise with our sales director Craig Richards is back for week 3 of self-quarantine. Hope you guys are staying mentally and physically fit as best you can.

#meetingprofs #tourismandtravel #hospitality

03/27/2020

It’s time for Friday #Connectercise with Craig Richards! Today’s #wfh workout will get your heartrate up.

03/26/2020

Myrtle Beach Convention Center Preps for Better Days Ahead

“I’m looking at this from a place of being optimistic,” says Tiffany Andrews of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
See what this #conventioncenter is doing with downtime and tax $$$ to be ready when business bounces back.

#SouthCarolina #SCTourism #ConventionCenter

Myrtle Beach Convention Center staff, confident of a bounce back, make the most of a downtime.

03/24/2020

Connectercise with Craig Richards

Ready to #Connectercise? Craig Richards on our sales team is back with another tough at-home workout to get you up and moving during self-quarantine. Enjoy #meetingprofs and #meetingplanners.

03/20/2020

It's time to #Connectercise! While we're all #WFH, Craig Richards on our sales team has been doing these at home workouts to keep us energized and in shape. Hope all the #meetingprofs and #hospitality industry folks can use if they need a pick me up.

03/19/2020

Memes of the Week

We've put together some memes for the first week in self-quarantine to help meeting planners get through these rough times. Hopefully they will give you a chuckle to relieve some stress. We're all thinking of you here at Connect.

Especially in times like these, we all need a good laugh. Enjoy our memes.

03/17/2020

Call in tomorrow (WEDNESDAY) 3pm EST to 857-799-9087 to hear from Terri Woodin, Jessie States, Stephen Peeler and Dr. Regina Whitfield-Kekessi on "HOW TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS IN UNCERTAIN TIMES."

Connect is joining with Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, RCMA and National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP) to get facts about #coronavirus, #forcemajeure, #virtualmeetings and a meeting planner’s perspective.

03/11/2020

A Letter From Connect President Chris Collinson

Coronavirus will affect events for the near term, but this is not the first issue to cause the industry to adapt. Americans learned to travel with more security measures after 9/11. Individuals and businesses spent money differently in the wake of the Great Recession.

Similarly, travelers will now adjust to new and different ways companies address the dangers of diseases like coronavirus... READ MORE FROM OUR PRESIDENT CHRIS COLLINSON HERE:
https://www.connectmeetings.com/association/features/a-letter-from-connect-president-chris-collinson

#Coronavirus #eventprofs #meetingplanning #meetingprofs #meetingsmeanbusiness #meetingplanners #hospitality #hotels

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. We felt it was important to share our response to COVID-19, better known as coronavirus.

03/05/2020

Industry Leaders Urge Calm Amid Coronavirus

Associated Luxury Hotels International CEO Michael Dominguez, our partner with Connect Luxury, says we all need to catch our breath and gain a better perspective about COVID-19 (the coronavirus), which has led to the cancellations of hundreds of conference and events.

Conference cancellations and troubling data stemming from COVID-19, the coronavirus, cause concern.

02/28/2020

Connect's Clean Efforts

We at Connect take attendee safety and health seriously. At our event in Kissimmee, we began our rollout to create a safe space at all of our events this year.

At Connect, we take nothing more seriously than the health and safety of our attendees. We have implemented a common-sense approach at our shows amid flu and...

02/27/2020

Nominations Open for the 2020 Connect Association 40 Under 40

There is 1 week left to submit nominations for our Connect Association 40 Under 40 awards. This is a great chance to recognize planners and suppliers who work in the association, speciality and trade show markets!

Nominations are due March 5 for our 2020 Connect Association 40 Under 40.

02/26/2020

Event Tech on Display at Connect

The amazing Dahlia El Gazzar describes some of the great event technology Connect employs at events like the one we held last week in Experience Kissimmee, Florida. And wait until you see what we have in store for you in New Orleans this August.

Video by Sarah Soliman Daudin and her team!

The one and only Dahlia El Gazzar shares how event technology enhances Connect's events, which are among the most innovative and engaging in the industry.

02/24/2020

Obama Wows Connect Crowd

Attendees in Experience Kissimmee, Florida will not soon forget seeing President Obama at Connect! Video from Sarah Soliman Daudin and her amazing team.

Attendees were thrilled to see president Barack Obama as #ConnectMP featured speaker in Kissimmee, Florida.

02/21/2020

Connect Means Business

At the heart of each Connect event is the 1-on-1 appointments we set up. These lead to substantial business for hotels and destinations and memorable events for planners. At Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, we are proud to built business at Connect Diversity, Connect Financial, Connect Business Travel and more.

Video by Sarah Soliman Daudin and her team.

02/20/2020

Connect's Clean Effort

At Connect, we take nothing more seriously than the health and safety of our attendees. We have implemented a common-sense approach at our shows amid flu and other illness concerns. See more in this video by Sarah Soliman Daudin ad her team, and don't forget to wash your hands!

02/20/2020

Connect Is Powered By Passion

When we say Connect is powered by passion, just look at our dynamic trade show this week at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Experience Kissimmee, Florida. We offer ideas to allow planners to pursue their dreams, plus everyone's favorite: a puppy lounge.

Thanks to Sarah Soliman Daudin and her team for this video.

02/10/2020

ALHI and Connect to Partner on Connect Luxury in August

Thank you #USAE for sharing the exciting news of our partnership with Associated Luxury Hotels International for the first-ever Connect Luxury!
https://usae.magtitan.com/magazine/issues/2-10-20-issue/alhi-and-connect-to-partner-on-connect-luxury-in-august

01/13/2020

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for our 15 over 50 awards. The quality of people highlighted is staggering. Now comes the hard park: narrowing the field!

01/10/2020

Nominations Open for 15 Over 50 in 2020

❗Last call ❗Today is the final day to submit your nomination for Connect's annual #15Under50 awards! Click the link below to nominate now 👇

http://ow.ly/8zS350xMML8

Nominations Open for 15 Over 50 in 2020

01/09/2020

How to Handle a Medical Crisis

Safety is a key component for a successful meeting, so Connect sat down with crisis preparedness and safety experts. Here's what they had to say about how to properly handle a medical crisis, should one arise at your meeting. Better safe than sorry! ⛑️

http://ow.ly/9PFL50xMMg1

How to Handle a Medical Crisis

01/07/2020

How and Why to Talk Like Gen Z

Talk Gen Z to us 😏Here's how to translate the lingo of the younger generation. Some might say this list is 🔥#eventprofs #meetingprofs #genz #generationz

http://ow.ly/G36n50xMKNG

How and Why to Talk Like Gen Z

01/06/2020

Nominations Open for 15 Over 50 in 2020

With #PCMA in full swing, it's the perfect time to nominate your peer or mentor for Connect's annual #15Under50 awards 🏆Don't miss out—this is the last week to submit a nomination! #eventprofs #meetingprofs

http://ow.ly/ghZe50xMJeg

Nominations Open for 15 Over 50 in 2020