The Meetings Today editors skimmed through the analytics, grabbed the top 20 videos and then watched each one to pick our personal favorite Meetings in a Minute (MIAM) planner tips we showcased in 2018.

With its impressive array of film studios, performing arts centers, theaters, museums and distinctive architecture, Los Angeles plays a starring role on the world stage of art and culture. For planners seeking group-friendly venues with an artistic or entertainment-oriented vibe, the city can deliver on these as well or better than any other destination, according to Darren Green, senior VP of sales for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board.

Although heat mapping visual representations have been around for a century or more in various forms, the digital revolution and data analytics have made this tool extremely useful and utilized in the last decade. A frequent use of heat maps in the events industry is to track attendee behavior.

Even the best laid plans for a meeting or event can be thrown asunder in the blink of an eye, or the pop of a circuit, if the on-site internet or power source suddenly goes bust. The December 27, 2018 report that internet and phone service from CenturyLink suddenly went out throughout much of its system undoubtedly caught many unawares. What should meeting and event planners do on-site if the internet goes out?

Rick McNary, vice president of private and public partnerships with The Outreach Program, suggests that event planners borrow a strategy from IKEA and create “agency” for attendees at their meetings and events. One option is using CSR activities to inspire action.

Rachel Riggs with Tourism Vancouver presents eight simple ideas to incorporate CSR into your meetings, including the use of therapy animals, special guests and clothing drives.

Meetings Today’s Tyler Davidson discusses the “what-ifs” regarding internet connectivity and audiovisual services following reports that CenturyLink suffered severe outages across its network. Also, Jon Trask fills meeting planners in on his tips for saving money on AV at events.