Dan Estatico

When it comes to sustainability, people matter. 💚 BCD's Making a Difference program grew once again in 2025 to 69 child-focused projects across 28 countries. We continue to focus on more opportunities for our teams to collaborate with local nonprofits and create lasting, meaningful change for children in the communities where we live and work. Learn more in our 2025 Sustainability Report ➡️ https://ow.ly/urOw30sOIWR #SustainableBizTravel #BCDMakingADifference

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#TheEventProShow Best of Season 1: When Ricardo Hicks, Jr. starts speaking in a room full of people, everyone stops to listen because it's going to be something good! In this episode, he shares not only the importance of mentorship in our #Events industry, but also why it's important to guard the culture you're building with your team. You can catch the entire episode here: https://lnkd.in/e2Y5vqR9 #LEMG #AV #CorporateEvents #MeetingPlanners Tech Factory

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Corporate hotel sourcing is evolving — but too often, the RFP process hasn’t kept up. At HEDNA Orlando, we’re rolling up our sleeves for a working session focused on how corporate hotel RFPs can better reflect today’s booking, content, and distribution realities — without blowing everything up and starting from scratch. This workshop brings together real-world perspectives from across the ecosystem: • Nina Marcello (ALTOUR) • Kate Blythe (Accor) • Annette Cumming (BTP Automation) No theory. No finger-pointing. Just practical improvements, actionable feedback, and a shared understanding of what actually needs to change — and what doesn’t. If you care about modernizing sourcing while keeping it workable for buyers, hotels, and partners alike, this is a session worth joining. 📍 HEDNA Global Distribution Conference | Orlando 🗓 Wednesday, January 21 🛠 Business Travel Workshop: RFP Process Reinvented Looking forward to a lively, honest discussion. 👊 #HEDNA #HEDNAOrlando #BusinessTravel #HotelDistribution #CorporateTravel #HotelRFP #TravelSourcing #TravelTechnology #HotelContent #DistributionStrategy #IndustryCollaboration

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From Expo to Experience: Are We Witnessing a Total Reinvention of the Tradeshow Model? If you walked the floor at IMEX this year, you probably felt it. Booth after booth after booth — polished, professional, predictable. Sales stations disguised as exhibits. Rows of hotels, venues, DMC consortiums, tech platforms, and service providers all lined up like clockwork. Perfect branding. Perfect lighting. Perfectly forgettable. Every conversation began the same way: “Where are you based?” “How big is your group?” “Do you handle incentives?” The rhythm of repetition was deafening. It’s the trade show model we’ve all grown used to — efficient, transactional, and flat. But if you stopped and paid attention, there were flickers of something different happening. The booths drawing real crowds weren’t the biggest or the most polished. They were the ones that broke script. A tequila tasting that turned a passing glance into a ten-minute conversation. A cowboy hat bar where attendees got fitted and personalized — suddenly part of a moment instead of an appointment. A champagne toast for award recipient alumni — spontaneous, celebratory, human. An offsite “club” campus that was anything but the pretty awful hotels offered for hosted buyers – a wonderful respite from the monotony of the day. These weren’t gimmicks but rather connection points. And they reminded everyone that the real power of a tradeshow isn’t visibility; it’s memory. So what does that look like if we actually commit to it? Imagine exhibitors designing “mini rituals” instead of giveaways — moments that pull you into the story of a place, a brand, a feeling. Imagine scent and sound as wayfinding, guiding you toward certain experiences on the floor (not OFF the floor). Imagine a “neighborhood” model where complementary brands build ecosystems instead of silos. Imagine live content being created inside the booth, streamed, clipped, and reused as part of the brand’s year-round story. Why stop at foot traffic when you could design emotional gravity? The tradeshows that thrive next year won’t be the ones with the best square footage at the best spot on the show floor; they’ll be the ones that make attendees forget they’re standing on carpet. The ones that feel alive — choreographed yet unpredictable, structured yet human. That’s the opportunity sitting in plain sight. IMEX just reminded me how rare it still is to see it done well. Maybe the reinvention hasn’t arrived. Maybe it’s waiting for someone to stop playing it safe and start building the kind of experiences everyone else talks about on the flight home.

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Top 5 Takeaways from the Lodging Conference 2025 (and why they matter to DMOs) Check out this write-up by Hotel Dive on the The Lodging Conference that took place in Visit Phoenix earlier this month. Here are my key takeaways: 1. Budgets are tight, but expectations are high. Hotel teams are being asked to do more with less. For DMOs that means dialing in your media and marketing to prove ROI. (This is exactly where an AI Audit from Media One shows what’s working and what’s not.) 2. Meetings are back, but they’re different. Planners want speed, flexibility, and clear value. It’s no longer about “here’s our ballroom” it’s about “here’s how we make your event work.” (our MeetingAcceleratorPro helps destinations and hotels speak that language.) 3. Guest experience is the differentiator. From F&B to digital touchpoints, travelers want seamless, memorable stays. That means content that tells your story the way they experience it. (Custom Content and storytelling campaigns do the heavy lifting here.) 4. Talent + technology = survival. Labor shortages aren’t going away, and tech adoption is critical. Hotels and DMOs that integrate smarter digital strategies are the ones cutting through. (Our Programmatic Media ensures your dollars work harder, not just louder.) 5. Partnerships are the growth engine. Whether it’s brands, influencers, or cross-sector alliances, collaboration creates reach and credibility that money alone can’t buy. (Brand Partnerships amplify destinations and hotels in ways traditional ads never will.) The throughline? The industry is at an inflection point where sharper strategy, smarter data, and stronger storytelling are non-negotiables. DMOs have a real chance to lead, but only if they adapt quickly. https://lnkd.in/d57NZM6a #HotelMarketing #DMO #DestinationMarketing #WestCoastTravel #BritishColumbia #MeetingsAndEvents #GroupBusiness #HotelTrends2025 #DigitalMedia #AIinMarketing #MediaOne

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After a “great pause,” the economy - and the meetings industry - are closing out 2025 stronger than expected. ALHI President & CEO Michael Dominguez, FASAE, CHSE connects the dots on: 📈 GDP 💼 Corporate earnings 🌍 Travel demand Watch the latest 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝘁𝘀 and see why optimism for the meetings and events industry is growing for 2026. https://lnkd.in/drFJMPEu #EconomicOutlook #MeetingsIndustry #ALHI #ConnectingTheDots #IndustryUpdate #MeetingProfs #EventProfs #Meetings #Events #LuxuryHotels #Economy #Travel #Hospitality

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Connection Builds Culture In Hospitality industry, service starts long before a guest arrives — it begins with how we connect with our team. As leaders, we can’t build great guest experiences without first building great relationships. Titles don’t inspire people — trust does. Taking time to know your team on a personal level isn’t a distraction from the job; it’s what makes the job meaningful. When people feel seen, they show up differently. When they know you care, they care more deeply about the work. The best hospitality cultures aren’t driven by policies — they’re powered by connection. A quick check-in, a genuine thank you, a leader who listens — these small moments build the foundation that every five-star experience stands on. Culture isn’t taught in training — it’s lived out in relationships. #HospitalityLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #HotelManagement #TeamDevelopment #LeadershipInAction

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Orlando’s strength as a meetings and events destination is rooted in something bigger than venues and attractions, it’s built on decades of commitment to welcoming visitors and investing in the destination.   In this recent Orlando Sentinel commentary, Paul Mears III, President & CEO of Hello! Destination Management, shares his perspective on the factors that continue to drive Orlando’s success.   Read the full article:  https://lnkd.in/eKaSue-G

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Casinos have long been a go-to for events, and for good reason. Beyond the entertainment, gaming resorts offer seamless, flexible, and highly customizable event experiences that keep #EventProfs coming back. In an article from Smart Meetings, Shelby R., Director of Event Management at Opus Agency, breaks down the strategic advantages of these venues, from built-in infrastructure to inclusive event design. Key takeaways: 🎲 Customization: Scale and flexibility allow for tailored attendee experiences ✈️ Convenience: Proximity to airports, attractions, and venues simplifies logistics 🧩 Inclusivity: Thoughtful planning guarantees all attendees feel comfortable and engaged Read Shelby’s full insights here! https://lnkd.in/e5f_2iWh #WeAreOpusAgency

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