Congratulations Marta Gomes, new ICCA President!

Over the recently concluded International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress in Krakow, Marta Gomes was voted in as the new ICCA President. ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath shared, “Marta is a big personality in the ICCA family and liked and appreciated by the ICCA Community. Her positivity, enthusiasm, and commitment to improving the way ICCA thinks and works is an exciting prospect for us all.”

Marta is the Deputy Executive Director of Sales at VIParis, an organization that manages 11 major event venues in the Greater Paris region.

Congratulations, Marta!

Global Events Visionary: Ms. Heather Seasholtz

One of the reasons behind pioneering the Global Events Visionary (GEV) initiative is to recognize individuals who have given back to the meetings and events industry. They go over and beyond what is asked of them out of their desire of giving back.

Ms. Heather Seasholtz has the qualities we look for in a GEV. With over 20 years in the industry, she does not see her career as merely a job title, more so as an opportunity to mentor colleagues and hone the next generation of meeting planners and decision makers.

Read on to learn more about Heather’s take on balanced company culture, tapping into local resources, and being resilient.

First off, congratulations on your role as Vice President of Operations at Conference Managers! With that, and your past roles as Director, comes a responsibility for establishing company culture. The industry we are in is high stress and requires us to constantly be on our toes. How do you maintain a company culture that is healthy and balanced? What results within your team (both professionally and personally) have you seen because of it?

HS: Nothing has reframed culture more than the events over the past 2 years which reshaped our industry. Until March 2020, I worked five days a week in a company office. I had flexibility for the occasional work-from-home opportunity, but the expectation was to be in the office. Add on top of that a daily commute of two to three hours and it makes for a long day. With COVID, that came to a halt…quickly. One day I was in the office, the next I was working from home indefinitely. It could easily go into a long workday by using my former commute time as productivity time. Within a week, I realized I needed to set boundaries and ensure my team did too. I reframed my thinking…I was working from home, not living at work. That thought then carried over to each team I’ve worked for.

So often, the career of an event planner is one of the most stressful jobs. In addition to that stress, we were and are experiencing a pandemic, an inability to gather with family and friends, virtual meetings, current events, and a whole host of other issues over the last two years. It takes a toll on mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

With my teams, not only is it important to me that they take their vacation/personal time, but it’s more important that they are disconnecting during that time. I don’t have the expectation that they are “on call” or “available” when they are off. To reinforce that, it’s important that I model this behavior along with the leaders of our organization. If I am responding during my time away, then it counteracts the importance of disconnecting, resting, and refreshing. Time off is an amazing benefit and one that is so often not taken frequently enough.

Clear and transparent communication is also key to a healthy and balanced culture. Our staff meetings are just one way where I can share what’s going on with our organization. Between staff meetings, I strive to share news quickly to avoid rumors or anxiety about unknowns. While there’s not enough time on my calendar for one-on-one meetings with each staff member, I have implemented office hours to make myself available at a specified time each week, which has worked well. We also have instant messaging, which I can use to get quick things out to the team in a casual manner.

I joined Conference Managers in March 2022 and in that time, our team has become more cohesive and collaborative. I use surveys to conduct checks on how I’m doing as a leader, whether I am sharing the right info, is our team confident in the path of our organization, and what opportunities are there for me to better inform, support, and serve our team. My team’s voice is fundamentally important to the success of our organization. The team is what makes Conference Managers the success it is and their success is my success.

You are Co-Creator of the Pandemic Compliance Advisor Course for Meeting Professionals International. Thank you for investing your time and knowledge into the viability of our industry. A resource like this is incredibly critical as circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic are constantly shifting. What is the most valuable takeaway you have from the past years when it comes to dealing with the meetings industry and pandemics?

HS: I’ve had so many learnings in the past two years, but the one I’m currently leaning on the most is “2022 is the new benchmark.” While comparing to 2019 may seem reasonable, buying patterns have changed, health protocols can impact attendance, the geopolitical climate is very different, and there’s an expectation for digital meeting components. 2022 is very different from 2019, 2020, and 2021. We can no longer rely on “how” we planned in the past, we are in the third year of unknowns.

I’m proud to be a meeting professional and stand with my peers who display resiliency each day! We are eager to learn and adapt to ensure we are delivering meetings for our stakeholders. Through the pandemic, we, as a collective, were forced to adapt our skills to include virtual and hybrid meetings, implement protocols to keep our attendees, organizations, and destinations healthy, and navigate uncertainty.

You have worked on countless large-scale meetings, many internationally. What aspects of planning an international event should be given more attention to in order to make the local experience more valuable and successful for delegates?

HS: When planning an international meeting, it’s important to keep an open mind and not take the previous meeting and expect it to work in a new destination. Its imperative planners rely on local expertise to organize a meeting that works into the culture. Meetings often pull primarily local attendance, so we must be keeping true to the expectations of the attendee. Two ways I’ve seen this work are:

  • Engage a Professional Congress Organizer (PCO) who is local to the destination. They can partner with you in securing local venues, support you in understanding venue contracts, find local speakers, and supply contacts for local interest groups who may want to attend, customs, and expectations.
  • Organize a Local Host Committee. Most of the time, a destination is chosen for a meeting due to the stakeholders in the area. Often, there are members located in that location advocating for hosting the event there. Having volunteers who are invested in the event will assist you in making it appealing to the local attendees and may have fun ideas to implement to showcase the destination.

Mentorship is something you are passionate about – from your team members to students at Penn State. I am sure you have a lot on your plate, but this is something you make time for. Why is it important for those in the industry to start mentoring others?

HS: When I was in college, a class for “event planning” didn’t exist and I certainly didn’t know this career was an option. I became a meeting planner by answering an ad in the newspaper. I quickly developed a passion for planning and because I didn’t know this career as I was going through school, it was important for me to share this experience with students. Thankfully, higher education has embraced this career and is offering courses to help students understand what this role is.

Now I am fortunate to mentor students and staff on the importance of networking, the significance of good communication, the value of experience and decision-making, and the chance to use mistakes and failure as a learning opportunity. It’s what has helped me grow in this 20+ year career.

Impact Strategy and Measurement Masterclass

In an industry like Meetings and Events, players must continually strive to learn and adapt.

Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Academy, a platform that offers training to become empowered with knowledge on best practices and how to implement them, has partnered with #Meet4Impact, a global non-profit whose goal is to change the way events are measured, to provide a valuable tool for those in the Meetings and Events industry.

GDS is now offering a “The Impact Strategy and Measurement Masterclass”. The masterclass is divided into four modules, delving into social impact theories to aid in creating effective strategies and implementation. The goal is to create, not only short-term value, but mid- to long-term value for a destination, its stakeholders, and, most importantly, the organization that plans the meetings.

Join MarketID at IMEX America

As one of the most anticipated shows in the industry every year, IMEX America will be back once again in-person at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

IMEX America is known as the heartbeat of the global business events community where decision makers gather in one place. IMEX America is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the marketplace, discover what’s new, and build classic face-to-face relationships.

MarketID will be bringing an Association Hosted Buyer Group from October 10-12. As always, flights and accommodation are complimentary.

Reach out to Nikki at npuyat@marketidny.com for more information.

If you are already being hosted, Dubai Business Events will be having an evening function on October 11, Tuesday.

Contact Austria at austria.dauber@dubaidet.ae to express your interest in attending.

Global Events Visionary: Mr. Mike Ferreira

Gathering over 20 years of experience under his belt, from hotels to conference services, Mike Ferreira decided to start his own company to be apply everything he has learned about the meetings industry. With that, Meetings Made Easy (MME) was born.

Mike has been a key player, and we are thrilled to call him our latest Global Events Visionary. Read on to learn more about Mike, what he does as Founder/Owner of MME, and how critical it is be proactive, patient, and keep up with the times.

You named your firm Meetings Made Easy, a very appropriate name during disruptive times. What are the services your clients are now requesting to make their meetings easier? 

MF: The name comes from my network of clients. They always tell me and the rest of the team that we make meetings and events easy. We provide the following services for our clients anywhere around the globe: Hotel Site Selection, Hotel Contract Negotiation, Site Visit Coordination, Event Management, On-site Staffing, Registration Management, Housing Management, and Virtual/Hybrid Event Planning.

You are based in Las Vegas, the US meeting hub. I understand that business is coming back. What are the major changes you are witnessing on the ground? 

MF: Las Vegas is back and stronger than ever. It’s surreal to see how strong the demand is. We are sourcing for groups out to 2030 now. Hotel compression is profound, and we are telling clients to contract their events 2-3 years out farther than they usually would.

A highlight you shared about Meetings Made Easy is having a strong social media team. How critical is this tool when it comes to meetings and events? How should destinations use social media to speak to the meetings community?

MF: On average, an individual looks at their smartphone five hours a day. Out of the five, two hours are spent on social media. We understand that marketing is vital to any organization. We prefer to market ourselves through social media because we can express who we are the easiest. It’s amazing!

Covid has disrupted our industry, or maybe has accelerated changes that were slowly coming. In this new environment, if you had one advice to share with planners looking to source internationally, what would it be? 

MF: When it comes to sourcing events, I would advise an Event Planner to look 2-3 years in the future.  The situation is different from what it was in 2019. To contract the destination/hotel that you really want, you must be proactive and source further out. In addition, please be patient with the industry. There is a shortage of staff, but we will get there.

Please share any tips or recommendations on how to be successful and stand out today (without revealing all your secrets). 

MF: I am not sure how many people realize that they are brands. Putting yourself out there is the key to standing out in today’s market. Everyone can be heard on LinkedIn. Never underestimate the power of sharing insights, thoughts, or advice. You can accomplish amazing things if you market yourself, your company, or your services!

Follow Mike on LinkedIn and Instagram to connect with him and pick up tips on how to brand yourself.

Conferences: Communicating More than Economic Value

What are business events contributing to society? Is the value proposition communicated effectively? One of the most difficult aspects is to measure it.

Whether you’re a destination or a business event planner, tune in to the latest WorldLab podcast episode to hear:

  • Frameworks that build collaboration between the event and destination
  • Case study example of how 1 conference impacted the lives of over 1 million people
  • Why the concept of legacy is important
  • The difference between value create and value consumption
  • How an RFP’s requirements can lead to creation of legacy
  • The importance of “accidental collisions”

Hear directly from a few destinations on how they can help a business event create serendipitous moments and their outlook on the rest of 2022: Düsseldorf, Yucatán, Istanbul, and Colombia.

This episode’s guest speakers include James Latham, Founder of Intellectual Capitals; Benjamin Demuth, Business Development Manager at Düsseldorf Convention; Virginia Perez, General Director of Yucatán Meetings; Cemil Kilic, General Manager of Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau; and, Maria Ucros, Tourism Leader and Country Brand – Commercial Office of the Government of Colombia in Chile of PROCOLOMBIA.

Global Events Visionary: Ms. Elizabeth Pollard

Impact. Community. Self-awareness. These are some of the passions our latest Global Events Visionary embraces.

Elizabeth Pollard, also known as Eli, has been World Parkinson Coalition’s Executive Director for over 18 years. Eli has been a key player in putting together the World Parkinson Congress (WPC).

Read some of Eli’s thoughts on making a difference, adapting, and learning to put your well-being at the forefront. You will know immediately know why we are inspired by her and proud to call her a Global Events Visionary.

Social impact has been in the center of roles you’ve undertaken in your career. How does that impact the way you source destinations for World Parkinson Coalition’s International Congress?

EP: We pay attention when destinations understand our mission, values, and see us for the good work we do, not just as an organization that will bring revenue to their city.

More than 10 million people live worldwide with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological disease. Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological illness on the planet. Sadly, many of those people are in locations or countries that are unable to offer the sort of care needed to live well. Whether that’s because they cannot get the medications, there aren’t enough movement disorder specialists to treat them, or in some cases because of a deep misunderstanding of PD. There is a lot of pressure on individuals to not share their diagnosis with family, friends, and colleagues because it’s considered taboo.

As an organization that puts people living with PD at the center of our work, it’s very important to us that destinations with interest in hosting the World Parkinson Congress understand the importance of education around Parkinson’s and value the Congress being held in their city. To host the WPC, the city, host hotels and convention center must agree to participate in our “Make the City Parkinson’s Ready” program. This program, first launched in 2010 in collaboration with the city of Glasgow, is a simple but incredibly important program that involves training the front of house hotel, airport staff and other professionals who may encounter our delegates. This program is pivotal to ensuring that our delegates feel supported and have a smooth experience while at the WPC. The legacy of this program is that the staff and all locals in that city or country, are then trained and more aware of Parkinson’s so they can better serve their own Parkinson’s community well after the WPC is over.

As our world came to a halt in 2020, how did WPC evolve?

EP: WPC, like every other organization, had to think creatively about how to best serve its community in this new world. At the heart of the WPC, our mission is to bring the Parkinson’s community together to both educate and inspire. For this reason, anything we did virtually had to have that element threaded through the work.

Fortunately, we already had an engaged global community online. Parkinson’s is challenging in many ways; one of which being a barrier to travel. Obstacles due to being physically unable to travel comfortably, the complicated medication management when flying into different time zones or the cost of travel as many people with Parkinson’s must leave their jobs earlier than they expected. Because of this, the Parkinson’s community embraces online social networks and did so well before the pandemic. This meant online groups were well established before COVID hit and the WPC expansion to more virtual programs was well received by the community.

We expanded some of our programs online, such as our Care Partner Lounge, which went virtual. We also hosted our first virtual four-day educational event. New to the WPC during COVID, we added a Research Spotlight, a bi-monthly virtual discussion with a leading scientist giving the community the opportunity to ask questions and learn about what their research means for Parkinson’s. Everything we do is designed to allow cross pollination within our community members to help us get closer to understanding Parkinson’s. This allows us to put a face on Parkinson’s for scientists and for people with PD. Helping them understand the research that’s being done on their behalf, so they are better educated and inspired to get involved in clinical research.

COVID forced our work to go fully virtual. This worked well for us, as our efforts for better cross pollination with stakeholders in a virtual environment allowed equalizing access to information.

We are truly inspired by your story, surviving breast cancer in the middle of pandemic. How were you able to lead your team during this life-changing event?

EP: I was diagnosed in May of 2021, so about one year into the pandemic. It was certainly a shock, but I have learned a tremendous amount from the Parkinson’s community and so I took a page from their playbook. I immediately shared the news, letting those close to me know that I was diagnosed, but that I would be okay.  My team members were alerted that I would need patience on deadlines and more support from the team on projects that were crucial. I also assembled an amazing care team for myself.  Living in New York City has many perks, one of them being excellent healthcare options, so following tips from the Parkinson’s community, I immediately made sure my healthcare team was good, not just the surgeon and oncologist, but the whole team including the social worker, nurse, and nutritionist etc. I also enlisted the support of my family and community of friends. Mainly I asked my friends to help take care of my husband and kids, so I could be relieved of worrying about them so I could focus on myself. 

Being up front and honest from the start was very important to me. Trying to keep the diagnosis a secret would have been more exhausting and would have added more stress to my life. On the wellness front, just like we talk about in the Parkinson’s space, ultimately, I needed to focus on my health so that meant taking days when I needed them.

For me personally, not working was not an option. I love my work and it brings me real joy. It was evident to me that keeping busy and focused on serving others would be the purpose I needed to keep going. I found work a good distraction from the daily challenges of my own treatment, but I was also very kind to myself and so if I was feeling unwell or needed to take a break, I did.  I am still going through the tail end of my one-year treatment plan, but the hardest stuff is behind me and on reflection, I would not have changed how I tackled my own diagnosis. My experience with the Parkinson’s community most definitely helped me keep things in perspective and I am grateful for the support the advocacy community gave me during this time.

How did you and your team prioritize mental health?

EP: This first thing I did was draft a blog post for my team and the community around taking a News Fast. It was a term I learned from the book by Dr. Andrew Weil, “Eight Steps to Optimal Health” and one of the steps, along with dietary changes and fitness changes, was to focus on your mind and to abstain from news, to give your brain a break from the anxiety induced by media. He defines a news fast as, “…a means opting out of watching the news on television, listening to it on the radio, reading newspapers, or following the news on the Internet for a few days or even a week at a time… to promote mental calm and help renew your spirits. In this way, the anxiety and overstimulation catalyzed by the media may be minimized, and your body will function better.”

At the start of the pandemic, I was obsessed with the news, the Covid numbers, and death. I am pretty sure I was not alone in this obsession! Living in New York City was scary, I heard ambulances all day long and saw images of overwhelmed hospitals and morgues. The news weighed me down and I know my team felt it too, and the Parkinson’s community really felt it.

Encouraging people to focus on their mental well-being was very important, and I continue to share this message with my team today. When burnt out or working at below capacity, it’s more harmful to push through than take a day or two to recharge. My team loves what they do, but even when you love your job, taking the time to care for yourself is crucial for success at work and in one’s personal life.

What key advice do you have to share with change agents/global innovators like yourself?

EP: Core to a successful program or Congress is twofold: one is to ensure the voices of that audience are woven into the planning from day one and two is to ensure you have the support of the world’s leaders in your space for the work you are doing. For the WPC, we have people with Parkinson’s, care partners, physicians, nurses, rehabilitation specialists, social workers and more involved in the design of each Congress, which was not easy in the beginning. We knew the vision of the WPC was to include the patient voice in the Congress, but that goal would not have been achieved without the strong leadership of our Founder, Dr. Stanley Fahn, one of the most recognized and respected Parkinson’s doctors in the world.  There was a lot of push back in the beginning, to including people with PD in the Congress, but we succeeded due to great leadership, persistence, and I like to think because we were on the right side of history when it comes to advocacy.

On Leadership and Emotional Fitness

We all know what physical fitness is. But what is emotional fitness? Prof. Scott Galloway, professor of marketing at the New York University Stern School of Business, author, entrepreneur, public speaker, and podcast host of The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway, chats with Dr. Emily Anhalt, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Coa, a mental health startup.

Coming from Silicon Valley, naturally, Dr. Anhalt works closely with many tech entrepreneurs. However, the insights she shares can apply across most, if not all, industries.

The keywords that stood out were proactive and reflection.

Leaders should have emotional fitness, a proactive approach to strengthening one’s emotional health. As someone with strong influence on their team and clients, their wellbeing can be mirrored in their decision making. When making steps towards emotional fitness and stepping out of one’s comfort zone, it is critical to reflect and ask hard questions and how it felt.

Listen to Prof. Galloway and Dr. Anhalt’s full conversation here, which also includes what research shows to be the 7 characteristics of an emotionally fit leader.

Going “Glo-cal” with Destination Network

Launched at IBTM World last November by bnetwork, an accommodation management company, this new alliance and technology is one meeting planners should know about.

Destination Network Alliance (DNA) is a strong partnership among bnetwork and leading DMCs in some of the sought-after destinations in the meetings and events industry. Currently focused on the EMEA region and one Asian destination, DNA utilizes their high-end software and excellent service to organize meetings. They deliver their “glo-cal” solutions to all clients – offering local expertise with global solutions and possibilities.

Check out this presentation on DNA to learn more about their services.

Global Events Visionary: Mr. David Strang

A Visionary is a strategic thinker, envisioning new possibilities in a dynamic world.

David Strang is currently serving as Global Director of Sales at ConferenceDirect. David prides himself on being a trusted resource for securing the best hotel venues and hospitality services at the most favorable terms possible for his diverse group of clients. 

Prior to joining ConferenceDirect, David held the position of Director of Sales for Teneo Hospitality Group. Mr. Strang enjoyed a long career with the Jumeirah Hotel Group serving as Global Director of Sales, Americas. David established the Jumeirah Brand in the Americas, driving group business into Jumeirah’s global portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts. His numerous trips throughout Asia, Europe, and the Middles East has provided invaluable hotel and destination experience.

In the midst of holiday travel, David shared some of his thoughts with MarketID…

JN: The importance of strategic partnerships in our industry is key. What are some takeaways you’ve learned in the last year?
DS: With experience and longevity comes relationships – but you need to work at it.  I am very proud of the lifelong partnerships, fostered over 25 years in our industry.  And what it is especially true over the past year is how important my amazing stable of contacts has been to my success.  When building partnerships, it is key to always be professional, respectful, positive but also toss in a whole bunch of fun.   


JN: In selecting destinations, building relationships with key partners is crucial. How has this benefited your global events?
DS: My hospitality career has grown over the years from airport hotel in Chicago to repping hotels in 22 international destinations to now sourcing over 400 programs annually all over the globe.  Having the right trusted contacts in the right places is critical.   Destinations and industry partners also need to understand the value of building relationships. Much of what we do right now can be very transactional.  And with budgets and staffing levels tight, it is very easy to cancel and cut relationship building parts of the process.  Fundamentally it has never been more important to strengthen our partnerships – We will work with the partners we trust and who make life easy. 

One of best parts of my job is being able to give business back to these trusted partners.  Example – A DMC in London hosted a post IMEX Frankfurt FAM 5 years ago – They knocked it out of the ballpark and have continued to be positive collaborators ever since.  This DMC was the first and only one called for a 900-person group arriving in May 2022.  Relationships take time and require effort but are a crucial component to driving business into selected destinations and business partners.      

JN: You’ve worn different hats within our industry for over 20 years. What has each experience brought to your current role?
DS: There has always been a bit of naïveté in my career path – Always believing that my hotel or my destinations are the best until I realized they might not be.  I think this simplistic view of the world served me well at each stage of my career.  But I always remain curious and looking to know more about the people and places around me.  Each role built more experiences and understanding, allowing me to be more prepared and grow as a person. Having a better appreciation of the world around you, staying engaged and well informed and fostering positive relationships will impact every facet of life. 

JN: What are some key advices to share with other and future change agents/global innovators?
DS: Stay curious, stay engaged, stay kind and be professional! Foster those relationships in your life.