Andrea Doyle

Senior Editor at Skift Meetings

Executive Editor, Skift Meetings

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Articles

From Boston to Tulsa: High Costs Push Meetings to Smaller Cities

1 week ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

The rising cost of meetings is prompting planners to rethink where they host events. Lower hotel rates and service fees in smaller cities are making once-overlooked destinations more attractive. According to the 2025 CWT-GBTA Global Business Travel Forecast, the average daily cost per meeting attendee is projected to reach $169, up from $162 in 2024. These costs include accommodations, food and beverage, AV, meeting space, activities, transportation, and technology.
One of Nation’s Largest Trans Conferences Ends Annual Event, Latest LGBTQ Cancelation

1 week ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

After more than 20 years, the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference — one of the largest transgender-focused events in the United States — is ending its in-person gathering. Instead, organizers say they will shift to year-round LBGTQ+ programming under a new name: the Charlene Arcila Trans Wellness Collective.
Trump 2.0 Disrupts Meetings Industry in First 100 Days

2 weeks ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

President Trump's second term began with a series of executive orders that immediately impacted the meetings industry. On Inauguration Day, January 20, Trump signed the Executive Order, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.” It eliminates federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. All federal DEI staff were also placed on leave. Federal agencies responded by canceling or scaling back DEI-related events.
Association Events Feel the Impact of Federal Policy Changes

3 weeks ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

Attendance at U.S.-based meetings has declined, especially among participants from Canada, Europe, and Central Asia, according to new research from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). These regions have historically maintained strong representation at association events held in the U.S.Canada leads the decline with an average drop in attendance of 41.5%.
Commerce, Not Content, Drives Events, New Freeman Report Finds

3 weeks ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

In its latest research, Freeman found that today’s events are focused on conducting business, surpassing education and networking as the primary drivers for in-person participation. The data shows that in-person events remain the most trusted channel for product discovery and sales. “Face-to-face events are today’s public square.
Cvent Connect Heads to Nashville in 2026 After Two-Year San Antonio Run

3 weeks ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

Cvent will bring its flagship user conference, Cvent Connect, to Nashville in 2026, from July 13 to 16. Discussions to bring Cvent Connect to Nashville began at IMEX Las Vegas two years ago, said Rachel Andrews, Cvent’s senior director of meetings and events. “Its convention center, walkability, and entertainment offerings make for a standout attendee experience.
Women Leaders in Meetings: Pat Schaumann

4 weeks ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

When the U.S. passed the Open Payments Law in 2010, the meetings industry had yet to fully grasp the extent to which it would impact the planning of medical events. Pat Schaumann, president and CEO of Schaumann Consulting Group, not only understood the implications, but she created a playbook. Schaumann, whose career spans over 30 years in the hospitality and meetings industry, has a simple approach to leadership. “Leave things better than I found them,” she said.
Tariffs, Fees, and Rising Costs: How Planners Are Coping

4 weeks ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

In the current economic environment, business event planners are facing significant cost pressures. “A 38% cumulative increase across nearly every category of event execution, including F&B, AV, staffing, room blocks, and production from 2019 to today is a reality,” said Nicola Kastner, CEO of Event Leaders Exchange.
Medical Meetings Caught in the Crosshairs of Trump 2.0

1 month ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

Meeting professionals have been navigating a landscape where access, funding, and conference attendance are no longer guaranteed, said Pat Schaumann, president of Schaumann Consulting Group. Schaumann is also the director of Meeting Professional International’s Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC) program. In 2025, the U.S. was expected to host over 1.5 million medical meetings, with support from 1,800 pharmaceutical companies and 3,600 medical device companies, Schaumann said.
How Tariffs May Redraw the Global Stage

1 month ago | meetings.skift.com | Andrea Doyle

The Trump administration’s tariff policies are sending ripples through global trade, and in the process, they are impacting the global trade show business, said Kai Hattendorf, CEO of HTF Business Events Expertise, and the former CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. “If permanent, this isn’t just an economic shake-up, it’s a geographic one,” said Hattendorf.