Meetings IRL: Connect Marketplace and MPI World Education Conference

In our industry, relationships are everything and we all know that quality connections require constant nurturing as well as those happenstance interactions that can only happen IRL. To that end, we were encouraged to see Connect 2020 Marketplace roll out last month in Orlando and the MPI World Education Conference go off without a hitch in Dallas . These conferences and tradeshows kept the spirit of networking alive with a blend of both in-person and virtual attendees—plus, a whole lot of best practice innovation applied in the execution of the program itself.

In our industry, relationships are everything and we all know that quality connections require constant nurturing as well as those happenstance interactions that can only happen IRL. To that end, we were encouraged to see Connect 2020 Marketplace roIll out last month in Orlando and the MPI World Education Conference go off without a hitch in Dallas . These conferences and tradeshows kept the spirit of networking alive with a blend of both in-person and virtual attendees—plus, a whole lot of best practice innovation applied in the execution of the program itself.

The biggest live travel industry event since the pandemic took place at the Orlando World Center Marriott. Connect 2020 Marketplace welcomed more than 1,000 in-person attendees and another 175 virtual participants—suppliers who were able to take virtual appointments and generate leads. The value of live meetings and in-person networking was clear in the number of 1:1 conversations happening outside of the official program, be it those getting a glass of wine after hours or chatting with the person waiting in line next to them at Starbucks. Signs of industry recovery were also seen in the number of FAM trips being planned and RFPs generated as a result of the appointments.

Of course, safety protocols were implemented, masks were worn and social distance maintained. The four spacious theaters used for sessions featured stylish, oversized chairs and appointment tables were set up length-wise to create more distance. Sponsors like Visit Oakland and Visit Tampa Bay got extra creative with their activations, which included a virtual Mai Tai cocktail competition and a Mask-erade Reception, respectively. Food stations were well spread out and pre-made drinks were offered grab-and-go style. Beyond the success of the social distanced gathering itself from a business and execution standpoint, we were incredibly touched to hear how grateful the staff at the Orland World Center Marriott were to be back at work bringing this large-scale event to life. A reminder that we are truly all in this together.