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4 days ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Conference attendees are seeking more personalized and hands-on experiences when visiting tradeshow booths, according to a new report. Unpacking XLNC: The Future of Commerce for Trade Shows and Conferences, a report released in late April by the events production firm Freeman, is based on a survey of approximately 1,000 conference and tradeshow attendees and approximately 1,000 exhibitors.
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1 week ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Organizations thrive on outside perspectives: Sometimes it takes the participation of somebody who isn’t in your association’s bubble to see where your challenges are. The entire consultant industry is built on this notion, and though just about everybody can share a story where that outside perspective was ill-informed or even tin-eared, the process generally helps organizations avoid insularity and identify blind spots.
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1 week ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
When choosing a destination for their association’s next meeting or event, planners are looking for more than just a venue; they want an experience that will have attendees leaving feeling inspired, enriched, and well-connected. From accessibility and infrastructure to atmosphere and culture, every detail matters. Greater Fort Lauderdale delivers on all fronts.
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1 week ago | 
washingtonpost.com | Mark Athitakis
Want to understand today’s culture wars? Look to the 1980s. (washingtonpost.com) Want to understand today’s culture wars? Look to the 1980s. By Mark Athitakis 2025052912000000 Why did Gen X break for Trump? The question consumed pundits after last November's election, when Xers voted disproportionately MAGA.
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1 week ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Workers are spending more time in the office, according to recent surveys, but also chafing more at return-to-office mandates. A recent report from Financial Managementmagazine points to a handful of surveys spotlighting the shifting nature of hybrid office arrangements. For instance, a recent report from the consulting firm Korn Ferry found that while 59 percent of employees globally are working in an office full-time (64 percent in the United States), only 19 percent like the arrangement.
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2 weeks ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Optimism. Remember that? According to various surveys, leaders were overflowing with it six months ago. A CEO survey conducted by Fortune and Deloitte shortly after the November elections found a surge in positive feelings about the economy in general and their own company’s good fortunes. Now, not so much.
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2 weeks ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Recent reports on business travel in the United States offer a cloudy picture of industry growth in the coming year, as international travel is complicated by tariffs and White House immigration policies. The Hospitality Group & Business Performance Index [PDF] for the first quarter of 2025, released May 8, was produced by Cendyn and Amadeus, hotel and travel technology firms. Its study found that its overall health index reached its highest level in four quarters.
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2 weeks ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Imagine stepping out of a breakout session and into a tree-lined promenade, the buzz of downtown giving way to open air, skyline views, and spontaneous connection. In Indy, this isn’t just possible — it’s the new standard. As the city undergoes a $3 billion wave of tourism-related development, it’s doing something rare: placing green space at the center of the convention experience. Here, fresh air and flexibility aren’t just amenities — they’re built into the meeting design.
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3 weeks ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Earlier this month, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett dropped some surprising (but not) news: At 94, he had decided to step down from a role he’s had since 1970. Replacing somebody who’s been in the corner office since Nixon’s first term is a tall order, especially when the company is already recognized as a model for sensible, steady growth. But there are lessons for any organization from how Buffett has planned for and handled the transition.
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3 weeks ago | 
associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis
Once the nation’s best-kept secret, an eclectic mix of Western and weird, Austin has experienced a sustained growth spurt in recent years, becoming the 11th-biggest city in the United States. With a population of 979,882 in 2023, according to the U.S. census, the capital of Texas already may have notched its millionth resident as businesses and workers have flocked there. Austin is home to one of the nation’s leading research institutions, the University of Texas at Austin (UT).
