Like everyone else, the staff of Meetings Today was shocked to learn of the suicide of Anthony Bourdain.

Following a morning of intriguing sessions in its newly designed “village” format, MPI’s 2018 World Education Congress (WEC) wrapped Tuesday, June 5, with a rousing pep rally, show and luncheon, followed by a trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a bucket list-level closing experience.

There is still much confusion in the meetings industry following the May 25, 2018, implementation of the Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Bruce Smith, managing director of London-based Tenax Analytics, helped explain some of the intricacies of the EU and UK regulation and risks for planners and suppliers during his MPI WEC 2018 presentation: “How to Thrive in the New Era of Data Privacy: A Forensic Insight to the GDPR.”

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced it will publish “The Essential Guide to Safety and Security: Best Practices for Meeting and Event Planning 2018” by the end of June 2018. In addition, the association will develop education, research reports and case studies based on the guide’s recommended practices, with launch plans slated for later this year and in 2019.

One of the hot topics at MPI’s WEC 2018 is sex trafficking, as it relates to the travel industry. Michelle Guelbart, director of private sector engagement for ECPAT-USA, detailed some of the signs and ways to help during her presentation “ECPAT: The Meeting and Event Industry’s Role in Combatting Sex Trafficking,” which took place on Monday, June 4, 2018. ECPAT-USA is a nonprofit organization that exists to end human trafficking.

During Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI’s) 2018 World Education Congress (WEC) in Indianapolis, we checked in with MPI President and CEO Paul Vandeventer for his take on this year’s show and how MPI is helping planners address major issues and excel professionally and personally.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is turning heads in Indy with its completely overhauled annual World Education Congress (WEC) 2018.

Indy knows how to woo its first-time guests. Fresh off the plane for a quick pre MPI WEC 2018 fam, I set off for an evening of art, food and creative cocktails. Our first stop was the Conrad Indianapolis.

Collective bargaining is a major component of the meetings, events and tradeshow industry. Those who are part of collective bargaining units—or unions—work in hotels, convention centers, restaurants and arenas. And in nearly every discussion about unions with industry colleagues, there is anger surrounding the many rules in working with them.

Who wants the same-old, same-old in their meetings? From presentations and breakouts to teambuilding and networking events, attendees are shaking their fists at the heavens and wailing the plaintive cry “quit boring the hell out of me with your cookie-cutter meeting components!”