Meetings Today Podcast

National keynote speaker, MC and author Joel Zeff joins Logan Pratt on this episode of the Meetings Today podcast to talk about the necessity of a good MC at events, the power of "ta-da," celebrating life's small wins and how the power improv can change people's lives for the better.Joel Zeff is the author of Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work. And for nearly 30 years has been using the tools of improv and comedy to increase collaboration, productivity, passion and innovation by celebrating life's small wins, or "ta-da" moments.

Tyler Davidson sat down with Doane Liu, chief tourism officer for the City of Los Angeles, to discuss some of the global marquee events headed to the City of Angels in the next few years, along with general happenings impacting its meetings and conventions scene, including the much-anticipated improvements at LAX.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson caught up with new San Diego Tourism Authority President & CEO Daniel Kuperschmid at ASAE's Annual Meeting to find out what the new DMO leader's objectives are, how his 30-year career in hotels informs his new position, major meetings-related developments in what may be the hottest destination in the U.S., and some of the undiscovered gems of this SoCal standout.

Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson caught up with Al Hutchinson, former president and CEO of Visit Baltimore, to explore his new venture, AVH Enterprise, and its mission to provide comprehensive leadership development, strategic planning and social impact solutions tailored specifically to DMOs.

Visit Irving Executive Director Maura Gast explains how this Dallas Metroplex meetings destination is making strides in wellness and its skill at hyper-personalizing its meetings offering for planners and attendees.

On this episode of the Meetings Today podcast, digital content coordinator Logan Pratt sits down with Carolina Viazcan, vice president of sales for Visit Greater Palm Springs, and Laruen Bruggemans, director of sustainability and community engagement, to learn how the destination is both creating new developments while balancing its commitment to environmental and social sustainability.This podcast was produced in partnership with Visit Greater Palm Springs.

With $10 billion in infrastructure investment and new dining, retail and entertainment districts such as OCVIBE, Anaheim, California, has embarked on what it has dubbed the "Golden Decade."Meetings Today caught up with Ronnie Collins, senior vice president of sales for Visit Anaheim, to learn the details, and also about mega events coming to the destination, a major property renovation project and a meetings incentive program named Meetings Momentum.

Phoenix has earned the moniker "Championship Valley" because of its extensive experience in hosting big sporting events like the Super Bowl and basketball championships. Lorne Edwards, chief sales officer, Visit Phoenix and Eric George, special events administrator, City of Phoenix, discuss what goes into the execution of large-scale sporting events and world-class conventions in Phoenix ahead of more major events coming to town.*Created in partnership with Visit Phoenix

Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center DOSM Russ Mitchell talks about the brand's massive new $1.3 billion property near San Diego, which will be the largest hotel on the West Coast.Located in Chula Vista, California, and set for a May 15, 2025 opening, the property will offer a whopping 1,600 rooms and more than 477,000 square feet of meeting space that includes the 47,000-square-foot California Ballroom, the largest in the Golden State.

The threat by the Trump Administration to levy significant tariffs against three of the biggest trading partners of the U.S. became reality March 4, 2025, and the impact on the meeting and events industry is still unfolding.Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson engaged Voices in Advocacy’s Roger Rickard, the leading expert on political advocacy in the meetings industry and beyond, to gauge how the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and now 20% on China—and reciprocal actions by those nations—may touch the industry.Will meeting and event costs skyrocket? Will international attendance plummet? Will organizations from those countries take a pass on bringing their events to the U.S.?At the time of recording the impact was far from clear, but Rickard outlines some very real scenarios as well as provides resources for how those in the meetings and events industry can reach out to their political representatives to make sure their voices are heard.