Pet-Friendly Meetings
July 1, 2025
As establishments become more pet-friendly, convention-goers are more likely than ever to bring their pets with them. After all, pets are part of the family.
Features
Opal Meetings: Elevate Your Events on Florida’s Premier Shores
Sponsored
From executive retreats to full buyouts, Opal Collection creates personalized meeting experiences in beautiful settings, supported by expert service and inspired design.
The Inside Scoop on Indoor Sports and Hobbies
June 5, 2025
The number of indoor sports and events facilities is growing at a rapid rate in the United States, with indoor pickleball courts, soccer complexes, and climbing walls seeing a frenzy of activity.
A Taste of Tradition: What’s New in Event Menus
June 3, 2025
Southern chefs and restaurants are constantly raising the bar, honoring tradition while redefining Southern cuisine. As a result, planners have access to a rich culinary landscape guaranteed to elevate any event.
Talking Points: Meet Our New Editorial Advisory Board
June 3, 2025
The entire team at ConventionSouth is delighted to welcome the new members of our editorial advisory board (EAB). These industry professionals represent a broad range of experience and expertise across the events, tourism, and hospitality industries.
Island Meeting Destinations
May 10, 2025
Today’s meeting attendees crave experiences beyond the boardroom, and the South offers a wealth of island retreats for meeting escapes. With breathtaking views, fresh ocean air, and built-in relaxation, the region offers the perfect blend of productivity and paradise.
Inclusive Meetings and DEI Initiatives
May 9, 2025
According to “The State of the Meetings & Conventions Industry 2024” survey, conducted by Future Partners, Miles Partnership, and Digital Edge, 49 percent of planners reconsidered a destination in 2024 due to “controversial issues,” while 56 percent anticipate political influence on destination selection to grow in 2025. Those issues include race and gender equity, general political reputation, and social unrest. More commonly, such issues are referred to as DEI—diversity, equality, and inclusion—and are a driving factor in meetings and events programming and site selection.
Talking Points: DEI in Meetings and Events Fosters Creativity, Communication, and Connections
May 7, 2025
Throughout his career, Gary Murakami has helped to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the industry, serving on the Events Industry Council Equity Task Force, Meeting Professionals Association DE&I Advisory Committee, and chair of the DEI Committee for CalSAE and the Board of Directors for the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association. Here, Murakami shares how DEI awareness and initiatives are shaping meetings and events.
Hot Markets for SMERF Meetings
April 16, 2025
The meetings may be small in scope, but make no mistake: The SMERF market is robust. According to the Hospitality Group Performance Index, the SMERF market accounted for 16.5 percent of meetings and events in Q1 2024.
The South’s Grandest Venues and Experiences
April 8, 2025
From luxurious hotels and architecturally stunning convention centers to immersive excursions that ignite the imagination, these venues and experiences are designed to inspire, delight, and create lasting memories, ensuring your event makes an impact long after it’s over.
Stronger Together: The CVB-Planner Connection
March 18, 2025
When it comes to planning a successful event, the relationship between a meeting planner and the host city’s convention and visitors bureau (CVB) is the ultimate power partnership.
